Storyteller Hero
Adventurer
I've seen a lot of discussion on how much a party of PCs can benefit from using Leomund's Tiny Hut, and the woes of some DMs having to deal with parties that rely on the spell too frequently.
Over-reliance on the spell does not come without its drawbacks or dangers however.
Here are some potentially overlooked facts.
1. Although the dome is opaque from the outside, it is not invisible to other creatures.
2. The dome does not necessarily block the sounds and odors produced from inside from being detected outside the dome. It may prevent the production of particularly powerful stenches (such as from defecation) inside it (since it keeps the atmosphere inside dry and comfortable), but other smells that would not normally bother the PCs will freely travel beyond the dome.
3. Although the dome is transparent from the inside, it does not illuminate the surrounding area, nor can it prevent materials from covering the dome (effectively blocking the party's view of the outside).
4. The dome does not provide privacy. If anyone needs to excrete bodily wastes, they will have to either leave the dome for privacy or find some other way to hide their bodily maintenance procedures.
5. The dome does not anchor the ground that it is cast upon to the position it is in. If the ground breaks apart or otherwise shifts, the dome may shift with it (for example in the case of an earthquake or effect produced by a creature).
6. Spending time inside the dome does not freeze the time outside of it. Other things may be going on while the PCs are resting...
I don't think that the spell is broken as written. It will definitely make certain types of adventures much easier, but using it too much could lead to situations that are dangerous for the party, or can result in objective failures.
What do you think?
Over-reliance on the spell does not come without its drawbacks or dangers however.
Here are some potentially overlooked facts.
1. Although the dome is opaque from the outside, it is not invisible to other creatures.
2. The dome does not necessarily block the sounds and odors produced from inside from being detected outside the dome. It may prevent the production of particularly powerful stenches (such as from defecation) inside it (since it keeps the atmosphere inside dry and comfortable), but other smells that would not normally bother the PCs will freely travel beyond the dome.
3. Although the dome is transparent from the inside, it does not illuminate the surrounding area, nor can it prevent materials from covering the dome (effectively blocking the party's view of the outside).
4. The dome does not provide privacy. If anyone needs to excrete bodily wastes, they will have to either leave the dome for privacy or find some other way to hide their bodily maintenance procedures.
5. The dome does not anchor the ground that it is cast upon to the position it is in. If the ground breaks apart or otherwise shifts, the dome may shift with it (for example in the case of an earthquake or effect produced by a creature).
6. Spending time inside the dome does not freeze the time outside of it. Other things may be going on while the PCs are resting...
I don't think that the spell is broken as written. It will definitely make certain types of adventures much easier, but using it too much could lead to situations that are dangerous for the party, or can result in objective failures.
What do you think?
- If someone fires a missile or throws a weapon at someone on the outside, it can then be used to attack people in the hut assuming it did not break. Normal guessing location and disadvantage applies.
- Nothing stops a group of hobgoblins from approaching from behind a makeshift shield wall and then burying the hut in dry brush. Once covered the hobgoblins can pile wood on, add oil and lit torches balanced precariously on top of everything.*
- Or just dig underneath.
Planar travel is something that I've been thinking about. Magical effects can't extend through or pass through the dome, but a magical effect created inside the dome could include some kind of movement across planes.
A Ghost for example might be able to go into the ethereal plane and effectively bypass the dome's border by re-entering the material plane from inside the dome.
...the ghost sinks into the ground and comes up from underneath.
Ok, here it is. Jeremy Crawford's Twitter's clarification (of which he is talking to himself in the third person to make fun of himself for an erroneous statement - that being "there is no floor" - a few months prior):
"Leomund's tiny hut does have a floor, Mr. Crawford (read your own book). The spell's range entry says the effect is hemispherical. #DnD"
Hemisphere is defined as half of a sphere.
Half of a hollow sphere however has no floor.
A dome doesn't necessarily have a floor.
The spell specifically states that it forms around and above, but does not state that it forms below. "Around" could also be interpreted as below.
RAW, no floor is specified so it seems that it could be ruled either way at the table.
Crawford might change his opinion again after thinking about the fact that a hemisphere doesn't necessarily even have a floor, especially if it's hollowed instead of solid.
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