I play with FCM and others (we're a passionate and active group, here in Italy) and we discussed about it. We were considering the following:
- fluctuating is not flying (as FCM says) but you're moving suspended at level zero. This should mean you're not affected by sand, snow, water or rough terrain (allowing you even to run over such features) but you get the usual penalty when moving through jungle or forest and similar, because there are trees and bushes and you are not flying above such things.
As stated in another thread, you're just floating so you're normally affected by spells at ground level, such as the stygian greater desert wirm, the devout vortex, the ring of fire, the fire bomb, the chasm and so on.
We thought at it like a sort of Hovercraft. You can float on an air cushion, but if there's a hole you just fall into.
Do you think we are right?
By the way, can we make a list of the pieces affected by such rules? Because it's not only a matter of the Gourd spirit. Even the Giant skeleton or the Daughter of the Phoenix (when "flying" 12 inches) rise the same questions.
Thank you so much.