Gaseous Form Spell; Limits

[Gizzard]

So, what are the limits of the Gaseous Form spell? The spell description implies that you can deform your Gaseous Form -- "It can pass through small holes or narrow openings, even mere cracks, with all it was wearing or holding in its hands, as long as the spell persists. "

Can I voluntarily deform myself? Which of these are possible:

1) I spread myself evenly in a small area and attempt to masquerade as a thin mist.
2) I spread myself infinitely thinly; attempting to be invisible (!)
3) I shape myself into another ghostly form, such as a tiger or a lich.
4) I generally maintain my shape but press myself into a corner to gain some sort of Hide bonus.
5) I balance myself in the middle of "passing through small holes" in order to Hide.

Note: I am also looking at Wind Walk, with it's provisos about "looking like a cloud" etc, while I think about Gaseous Form.

 

[Camarath]

Can I voluntarily deform myself?

Nothing in the spell says that you can do so. The DM may rule other wise but I believe that the answer is no you can not voluntarily deform yourself using Gaseous Form spell.

Which of these are possible:

1) I spread myself evenly in a small area and attempt to masquerade as a thin mist.
2) I spread myself infinitely thinly; attempting to be invisible (!)
3) I shape myself into another ghostly form, such as a tiger or a lich.
4) I generally maintain my shape but press myself into a corner to gain some sort of Hide bonus.
5) I balance myself in the middle of "passing through small holes" in order to Hide.

I would not allow 1-4. I would allow 5 since nothing says that you can not stop while passing through small holes or narrow openings.

 

[Len]

I would not allow 1-4. I would allow 5 since nothing says that you can not stop while passing through small holes or narrow openings.

How small is a small hole? You can't hide in a keyhole. Think of a cloud passing through a keyhole - if you stop halfway through, most of you will be on one side of the door or the other. Only a small piece of the cloud will be "hidden" in the hole.

 

[Camarath]

How small is a small hole? You can't hide in a keyhole. Think of a cloud passing through a keyhole - if you stop halfway through, most of you will be on one side of the door or the other. Only a small piece of the cloud will be "hidden" in the hole.

I assume that ones volume would remain constant. So if a small hole or narrow opening (such as a long drain pipe or some such thing) has enough volume to contain the character I would allow the character to Hide within it.

 

[DarkMaster]

I assume that ones volume would remain constant. So if a small hole or narrow opening (such as a long drain pipe or some such thing) has enough volume to contain the character I would allow the character to Hide within it.

Constant volume would allow 1,2,3

 

[Quixon]

I found it funny you can still get attacked from weapons and such in 3ed/3.5 Gaseous Form. Sure you get first 10 points saved from DR but anybody with a magic weapon can still beat the tar out of you, heck even without magic anything that does decent damage will blow thru that 10 points of DR.

 

[Camarath]

Constant volume would allow 1,2,3

That would be true only if you have voluntary control of the change in shape. I think that you can only change shape in reaction to attempting to moving through a small hole or narrow opening.

 

[Gizzard]

That would be true only if you have voluntary control of the change in shape.

What about #4 then? I don't think I stated it very clearly, but the idea there is that you press yourself up against a wall or a corner like a Rogue hiding in a dark alley. In material form you might squish yourself flat and hold your breath. In gaseous form you are quite squishy, so how flat can you press yourself? (Given that you can squish yourself into a keyhole...)

Actually, it's kinda hopeless to talk logically about these things; I wonder what the designers inspiration was for this spell? Old Dracula movies where he can dematerialize for a short while and spill through a window? If so, that gives a better idea of what is and is not "logical".

 

[Camarath]

What about #4 then? I don't think I stated it very clearly, but the idea there is that you press yourself up against a wall or a corner like a Rogue hiding in a dark alley. In material form you might squish yourself flat and hold your breath. In gaseous form you are quite squishy, so how flat can you press yourself? (Given that you can squish yourself into a keyhole...)

I don't see anything in the spell's description that would let you deform by pressing against someting. As I see it you can only deform when passing through a space smaller than your normal form.

Actually, it's kinda hopeless to talk logically about these things; I wonder what the designers inspiration was for this spell? Old Dracula movies where he can dematerialize for a short while and spill through a window? If so, that gives a better idea of what is and is not "logical".

As with any other spell how the spell works in a game depends on the DM. If a DM wants to allow options 1-4 he can. Although I do not think that the spell as it is written gives these option, nothing stops someone from extrapolating them out of the spell using what ever logic or rational appeals to him or is appropriate to his game world.