something in gaseous form - how does one hurt it?

[evilbob]

I don't understand how an attack is resolved against a gaseous form. The spell description includes all kinds of references to AC, not being subject to crits, and DR, but can you just outright attack a cloud of gas with a sword and do damage to it? This isn't really spelled out, and it doesn't make much sense either way (either you hit nothing with something, or a 3rd level spell makes you invulnerable - neither are good choices). Also, do force effects hurt one? Is a cloud a valid target for a magic missle? And if all these things do affect it, why does a vampire turning into one when trying to escape make any difference? If they're already at zero HP, can't you just fire off your magic missle or whatever and destroy it, or does that not work for some reason?

 

[lukelightning]

Yes, you can just attack a gaseous creature and do damage. The only protection is the DR 10/magic, which to me seems weird. I would think that it would be something more akin to incorporeality, but that's not the case. All it takes is a +1 club or a high damage roll to hurt you. In the case of vampires, it's actually easier to hurt them in cloud form than in regular form!

Magic missile works fine against gaseous form, but that's not due to them being a force effect: Scorching ray or enervation or just about any other spell would work as well.

As for the "attacking 0hp gaseous vampire" scenario, this is taken care of in the vampire description: "Any additional damage dealt to a vampire forced into gaseous form has no effect."

 

[marune]

Gaseous form / Wind walk becomes really interesting when combined with Invisibility.

 

[hong]

Gaseous form / Wind walk becomes really interesting when combined with Invisibility.

And silence! Then you'll be silent, invisible AND deadly.

 

[Matafuego]

Deadly?
You can't attack while in Gaseous Form... Can you?

 

[lukelightning]

Deadly?
You can't attack while in Gaseous Form... Can you?

With stilled silent spells.

 

[Corsair]

or psionics.

 

[evilbob]

So the spell basically makes you completely vulnerable and easy to kill, unless you're a vampire, because the rules for vampires are different. Great.

 

[hong]

It's basically for sneaking around and getting past barriers, not fighting.

 

[evilbob]

Fair enough. I guess the vampire implementation just makes it seem as though it could be useful for escape, but really it's just not. Good to know, though.