Here's How To Turn Floating Disk Into A Battlefield Spell (in Pathfinder)

If you've ever played an arcane caster in Pathfinder, then chances are you've had floating disk in your spellbook as one of those utility spells you learn, but don't have cause to use all that often. Maybe you cast it once or twice to haul particularly heavy loot out of a dungeon, or to carry that hulking-yet-unconscious party member back to camp, but generally speaking you probably didn't bother with it much past first level or so.

But what if you could do more with it than haul water in the desert, or use it as a sidecar for the halfling to ride in? Something like...

Death From Above!

You can't ride your own floating disk, of course. It says so right in the spell description. But the right feats can make a lot of difference, which is why the feat Magic Trick (floating disk) found in the book Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Realms is so great.

Want To See A Magic Trick?

The Magic Trick feat, much like the Equipment Trick feat, unlocks more features the more prerequisites you meet. In this case, all you need to take the feat is the ability to cast floating disk. Once you have 3 ranks in fly, you unlock the ability Disk Rider, which allows you to ride any disk you create that will support your weight. The disc will remain 5 feet off the ground, unless you're using this ability in the astral plane, which allows you to go wherever you please as if you had unrestrained flying.

But wait, there's more!

If you have 3 ranks in fly, as well as shield proficiency, then you unlock Defensive Disk, where you can use your free hand to flip your disk up as a move action to gain the effects of the shield spell for one turn. If you have Mobility as well, then you can use that ability as a free action as part of a 10-foot move. If you also gain Improved Bull Rush or Improved Dirty Trick, then you unlock Force Check, allowing you to slam your disk into your target before pushing them back as part of a bull rush attack, dealing a bonus 1d6 of force damage. And if you have 6 ranks of fly you gain Spurn Gravity, allowing you to shoot up higher, but you fall back down at the end of your turn. Unless you reduce the duration of the spell to 1 round per level, which grants you a 50-foot fly speed and allows you to ignore the altitude restrictions on your disk.

The full list of abilities is laid out in the Magic Trick page on the D20PFSRD.

So What Can You DO With It?

While there is something satisfying about floating disk becoming a more useful spell, feats are at a premium for casters, so the question you need to ask is what are the benefits of this feat?

Well, I do have a prepared list, since you ask...

The first and most obvious benefit of the feat is that riding on a disc five feet in the air is enough to give you that +1 bonus to attacks you get from having the higher ground against any small or medium-sized opponents on foot. It can also negate the enemy's bonus if you're fighting enemies on mounts.

That right there might be enough to justify the feat, especially for the magi out there who want to grab any advantage they can while zipping around the battlefield. However, there are other benefits to having a disk to ride!

If you're up on your disk, then that means you don't have to deal with any of the flaws of the terrain beneath you. That means if there's difficult terrain, that's not going to be a problem for you. If there are weight-sensitive traps in a hall, or trip lines meant to catch your ankle, you can float right on by. Since it gives you a fly speed, rather than treating you like you're on a mount, it also means you don't take movement penalties to casting, which can be handy when you're trying to get an advantageous position.

Also, by the time you hit level 6, your ability to fly for several rounds atop your disk means that you are conserving a lot of mid and higher-level spells you'd otherwise be using to get yourself airborne. If you've also invested in the defensive tricks, then your 1st-level spells is now providing you with some not-inconsequential defensive bonuses as well, which can be very useful to have on-hand.

While it takes a bit of investment, this is definitely a magic trick you can build a character concept around. Whether you're rushing into melee slinging lightning and steel, or you just want to be an elevated fireball platform, there's a lot of potential for a disk rider.

Also, if you're wondering who might have taught your caster such an unusual trick, this could very well be the signature technique of a group of arcane mercenaries, using their position to maintain fire lines and to zip over blasted terrain and the bodies of the dead. If you're looking for inspiration, I'd recommend taking a look at some groups like The Acolytes of Arannis in my 100 Random Mercenary Companies.

Just some food for thought!

Edit: Using The Disk Without The Feat

When I first put this post together, it was with the assumption that most folks would use this spell to help boost their own efficiency in combat. However, due to a bunch of comments, I felt I should add another section down here to mention how you can use this disk to help boost your companion's abilities.

As an example, you can order the disk to move on your turn up to the limits of the spell. If you have a companion already on it, then that allows you to bring them into the action without using their turn; an ideal way for a fighter to get a full attack action without having to spend the movement to close the distance. Additionally, keeping a bodyguard or similar character on the disk would ensure they're always nearby, as the disk follows you. It would also allow them to ignore rough terrain, etc. which can be quite a tactical advantage.

And if you want someone to cart you around on a disk (someone like your familiar, for example), then all they need to be able to do is cast this spell, or use it from a scroll, wand, etc. Now you have someone pulling you out of harm's way and ferrying you about the battlefield, leaving you free to cast at your leisure. This is particularly useful if the individual casting the spell has a quick movement, a fly speed, or both, as it lets you zip around.

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