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Gaseous Form

Gaseous Form
  • Level: 3
  • School: Transmutation
  • Class: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
  • Casting Time: Action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S, M (a bit of gauze)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

A willing creature you touch shape-shifts, along with everything it's wearing and carrying, into a misty cloud for the duration. The spell ends on the target if it drops to 0 Hit Points or if it takes a Magic action to end the spell on itself.

While in this form, the target's only method of movement is a Fly Speed of 10 feet, and it can hover. The target can enter and occupy the space of another creature. The target has Resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage; it has Immunity to the Prone condition; and it has Advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws. The target can pass through narrow openings, but it treats liquids as though they were solid surfaces.

The target can't talk or manipulate objects, and any objects it was carrying or holding can't be dropped, used, or otherwise interacted with. Finally, the target can't attack or cast spells.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. You can target one additional creature for each spell slot level above 3.

Tactical Usage​

Ethereal Escape: Gaseous Form provides ultimate mobility and damage avoidance through transformation. This 3rd-level transmutation spell excels at escape, infiltration, and damage immunity.

Optimal Timing: Cast for escape from dangerous situations, when infiltration is needed, or to avoid physical damage.

Resource Management: Uses a 3rd-level spell slot - available from character level 5+. 1-hour concentration provides extended ethereal mobility.

Target Selection: Single willing creature gains gaseous transformation with comprehensive damage immunity.

Spell Combinations​

Synergistic Spells:

  • Mobility Magic: Combine with other movement spells for comprehensive positioning options
  • Stealth Magic: Layer with invisibility for ultimate infiltration capability
  • Protection Magic: Pair with other defensive spells for comprehensive damage avoidance

Class Feature Interactions:

  • Concentration Features: Abilities that enhance concentration maintain gaseous form longer
  • Stealth Skills: Enhanced stealth abilities work excellently with gaseous infiltration
  • Damage Resistance: Existing resistances complement gaseous form immunity

Multi-Caster Coordination: Multiple gaseous form effects can enable party-wide infiltration.

Material Component Details​

Component Acquisition: Bit of gauze and wisp of smoke - simple components easily obtained from fabric and fire sources.

Component Handling: Ethereal components represent transformation into gaseous state.

Roleplay Opportunities: Different gaseous appearances reflect magical traditions or elemental connections.

Economic Considerations: Minimal component costs for powerful transformation capability.

Creator Notes​

Encounter Balancing: Damage immunity and enhanced mobility dramatically affect encounter dynamics and escape options.

NPC Usage: Escape-focused enemies or infiltration specialists might use gaseous form for positioning.

Environmental Considerations: 10-foot fly speed with damage immunity provides unique tactical options.

Campaign Integration: Essential transformation magic for encounters emphasizing infiltration and escape.

Environmental Interactions​

Terrain Effects: Can pass through small openings and navigate confined spaces. Flying movement ignores terrain.

Weather Influence: Unaffected by weather conditions while gaseous, providing reliable transformation.

Structural Interactions: Can pass through gaps as small as 1 inch, enabling unique infiltration options.

Elemental Interactions: Resistance to nonmagical damage provides protection from most environmental hazards.

Common Rulings & Clarifications​

Timing Questions: Action casting time with 1-hour concentration. Transformation immediate with movement restrictions.

Target Limitations: Single willing creature. Cannot attack or cast spells while gaseous.

Duration Interactions: Concentration required. 10-foot fly speed with damage resistance.

Mechanical Interactions: Resistance to nonmagical damage. Cannot attack, cast spells, or manipulate objects.

Alternative Applications​

Non-Combat Uses: Infiltration assistance, escape capability, exploration of confined spaces, or reconnaissance.

Social Encounters: Dramatic escapes, infiltration for information gathering, or impressive magical demonstrations.

Exploration Applications: Accessing confined areas, bypassing obstacles, or exploring dangerous environments safely.

Utility Functions: Infiltration assistance, escape capability, exploration enhancement, or damage avoidance.

Same School: Other transmutation spells like spider climb (2nd level surface walking), fly (3rd level aerial movement), polymorph (4th level creature transformation).

Similar Effects: misty step (2nd level short teleport), etherealness (7th level plane shifting), polymorph (4th level creature transformation).

Progression Options: misty step (2nd level short escape), gaseous form (3rd level ethereal transformation), etherealness (7th level plane shifting).

Complementary Magic: invisibility (stealth enhancement), fly (mobility), misty step (positioning).

Scaling Analysis​

Level Progression: Remains valuable throughout campaigns for escape, infiltration, and damage avoidance.

Upcast Benefits: No improvement from higher spell slots, making this a pure 3rd-level transformation investment.

Campaign Phases: Peak effectiveness in campaigns involving infiltration, escape scenarios, and tactical positioning.

Comparative Value: Excellent utility magic that provides unique transformation capabilities for moderate resource investment.

Narrative Flavor​

Casting Description: Transmutation magic transforms the target into a gaseous cloud as physical form becomes ethereal and insubstantial.

Effect Manifestation: The transformed creature becomes a wispy, cloud-like form that drifts with supernatural mobility.

Personal Style: Different casters create unique gaseous forms - some misty and ethereal, others more substantial and controlled.

World Integration: Represents ethereal transformation magic available to transmutation specialists, often associated with escape magic, infiltration techniques, or elemental air magic.