Wall of Stone questions

[RuminDange]

Just some quick question searching couldn't answer, and needed to resolve a slight dispute of understanding.

Can a Wall of Stone be cast
in the astral plane?
in the air?
on sand?

Thanks for your input.
RD

 

[Jack Simth]

Easy answer - read the spell:

Wall of Stone

Conjuration (Creation) [Earth]
Level: Clr 5, Drd 6, Earth 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: Stone wall whose area is up to one 5-ft. square/level (S)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No

This spell creates a wall of rock that merges into adjoining rock surfaces. A wall of stone is 1 inch thick per four caster levels and composed of up to one 5-foot square per level. You can double the wall’s area by halving its thickness. The wall cannot be conjured so that it occupies the same space as a creature or another object.

Unlike a wall of iron, you can create a wall of stone in almost any shape you desire. The wall created need not be vertical, nor rest upon any firm foundation; however, it must merge with and be solidly supported by existing stone. It can be used to bridge a chasm, for instance, or as a ramp. For this use, if the span is more than 20 feet, the wall must be arched and buttressed. This requirement reduces the spell’s area by half. The wall can be crudely shaped to allow crenellations, battlements, and so forth by likewise reducing the area.

Like any other stone wall, this one can be destroyed by a disintegrate spell or by normal means such as breaking and chipping. Each 5-foot square of the wall has 15 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 8. A section of wall whose hit points drop to 0 is breached. If a creature tries to break through the wall with a single attack, the DC for the Strength check is 20 + 2 per inch of thickness.

It is possible, but difficult, to trap mobile opponents within or under a wall of stone, provided the wall is shaped so it can hold the creatures. Creatures can avoid entrapment with successful Reflex saves.

Arcane Material Component: A small block of granite.

(Emphasis added)

Basically, in order to cast one, you need to have some stone to seed off of. So unless you're on a big rock in the astral plane, no. Unless you're casting it on top of a floating rock, you can't cast it in the air. Unless you lay down some rock first, you can't cast it on sand, and so on.

 

[frankthedm]

RAW, the wall of stone spell is VERY limited in use.

Easy answer - read the spell:

(Emphasis added)

Basically, in order to cast one, you need to have some stone to seed off of. So unless you're on a big rock in the astral plane, no. Unless you're casting it on top of a floating rock, you can't cast it in the air. Unless you lay down some rock first, you can't cast it on sand, and so on.

The spell is hosed more than enough as it is, sand should be treated as rock, though it still won't fulfill the solidly supported requirement of the spell .

 

[Jack Simth]

RAW, the wall of stone spell is VERY limited in use.

The spell is hosed more than enough as it is, sand should be treated as rock, though it still won't fulfill the solidly supported requirement of the spell .

It's great for construction (lay down some stone tiles, and cast on top of that - following up with Stone Shape to cut chunks out of the wall to replace your tiles), useful in dungeons (as most are made of rock), and castles (likewise generally made out of rock).

But yes - if you're not sure what enviornment you'll be in, for simply blocking something, you're better off with Wall of Force or Wall of Iron.

 

[RuminDange]

Easy answer - read the spell:

(Emphasis added)

Basically, in order to cast one, you need to have some stone to seed off of. So unless you're on a big rock in the astral plane, no. Unless you're casting it on top of a floating rock, you can't cast it in the air. Unless you lay down some rock first, you can't cast it on sand, and so on.

This is exactly as I thought, but just getting additional points of view to prove a point to a player who wants to read it differently.

Thanks,
RD

 

[RuminDange]

RAW, the wall of stone spell is VERY limited in use.

The spell is hosed more than enough as it is, sand should be treated as rock, though it still won't fulfill the solidly supported requirement of the spell .

I would probably rule that sand would be ok, along with this, but I was looking for more of a RAW reading of the spell.

Thanks,
RD

 

[moritheil]

RAW, the wall of stone spell is VERY limited in use.

Well, it's okay for dungeon crawling groups. It's another example of the authors assuming that the iconic DnD adventure is what they should write towards.