A spell to move cities?

Sunseeker · Nov 14, 2017

Joshua Randall said:
On another note I think a by-the-book Teleportation Circle will stay open long enough to move quite a few people through, if they are lined up beforehand and everything goes smoothly. I remember someone doing the math in an ancient thread, if anyone wants to search that up.

The basic plan would be: line up a bunch of people, open T-Circle to somewhere safe, send everyone through that you can. Repeat until you run out of spell slots or time.

This obviously doesn't help the city itself (buildings and such) but it saves the people.

Yeah, I thought about that, but we were hoping to save the physical city as well.

monsmord said:
What's the save if the city is unwilling?

But seriously - what's the save if the city is unwilling? And how would that be defined? Asking for a friend who would immediately abuse such an ability.

The closest I've come is the 9th level ability from the 3.0 Planeshifter prestiege class which has a variant Planeshift that can move 100ft/CL of physical area. (all unwilling creatures get a DC 20 to negate, and it negates the entire shift)

Celebrim said:
Not that I'm aware of, but in my homebrew world part of the world's backstory is that there is a city state ('Dee') ruled by an archmage of exceptional prowess that teleported an invading army into the midst of a desert when they dared march on the city state. If you can find the power to teleport a city, it should be no particular difficulty to teleport or planeshift the invading army instead.

As to the power level, 15th is not a particularly high level game compared to the ambitions you seem to have. You are talking magic that is generally beyond the power level of a Wish spell. As a DM, I might allow the Caliph of the Djinn to grant a Wish of that potency, but only to planeshift the whole city to the Plane of Air (where he would not necessarily wish to relinquish it). Likewise, I'd allow Asmodeus, Pazzuzu or Ssendam to grant that Wish if it was made earnestly and collectively by the entire city, but you wouldn't like the result of it.

As for doing something like that as a PC, I'd expect you'd need to be around 30th level in 1e-2e or around 40th level in 3.X. You might want to look at some of the Epic Seeds and Epic spellcasting in the Epic Level handbook for 3.0 for some guidance as to what it would take in 3.X (not that those rules are in anyway close to perfect). Again, an Epic Spell to move an invading army would in my opinion be easier than an Epic Spell to move the city.

That's what I'm largely coming to understand.

Joshua Randall said:
There's actually a spell in... Magic of Faerun (? not sure) that does something like this, and is apparently how the Shades used to move their flying cities around. So there is precedent for such spells existing, if the DM wants to allow it.

I took a look, but can't find it. If you come up with a name or remember which spell, I'd be happy to look further.

ccs said:
Yes, it's called Wish.

Random Bystander said:
Only if you're willing to roll on DM.

I wouldn't roll the dice with my DM on a Wish.

Joshua Randall · Nov 15, 2017

Regarding the 'spell that Shades used to move cities', I think I was conflating 3e with 4e. There is 4e Ritual, Shift Mote, which is probably what I was thinking of. (see below) It's level 26 which is high-Epic in 4e terms -- major magical mojo.

Ultimately I think you should talk to your DM. Tell him what you want to accomplish and ask what is possible within your campaign. Then work out something that makes for a good game / story.

= = =

4e Forgotten Realms Player's Guide said:
Shift Mote
You tap into the unseen arcane currents of the world and propel forward an enormous floating island.

Component Cost: 50,000 gp and five healing surges
Market Price: 300,000 gp
Key Skill: Arcana (no check)
Level: 26
Category: Exploration
Time: 1 hour
Duration: 1 day

You seize control of an earthmote and influence its motions. It lurches forward and proceeds slowly across the sky, moving at 1 mile per hour in a direction you choose. You must be on the earthmote to perform the ritual and to direct it. If you leave while the ritual is still in effect, the mote slows to a stop within an hour, traveling one-half mile in that time.

You can also elect to change the mote’s altitude up to 1 mile over the course of the duration.

Those who know this ritual keep it carefully guarded, for the ritual has devastating potential.

Jacob Lewis · Nov 15, 2017

Earthquake.

So sayeth the wizard who feels Wisdom is the preferred dump stat.

Richards · Nov 16, 2017

You could try the Ravenloft route: didn't a bunch of the Dark Lords there end up getting their entire lands absorbed into the Domain of Dread along with them?

Of course, you might be better off in the long run just facing the evil army.

Johnathan

Greenfield · Nov 17, 2017

Consider Hallucinatory Terrain. It doesn't move the city, it just makes it look look you did. You may need to Widen it.

Alternately, consider the spell Slay Army, also known as Sand Storm (From the book of the same name). It's a slightly upgraded version of Control Winds. You call up winds, up to hurricane force, along with blinding sands, in an area with a 40 foot/level radius, and a range of 40 feet per level. That's 1200 feet across at 15th level, which is about a quarter mile. You can move it within range, so your area is a sweep half a mile wide.

Set the wind pattern to rotation, so people who get "blown away" by the winds, they get swept up and bounced around, but the wind won't necessarily "throw them clear". They get to ride this ride several times.

The wind can rip up trees, tear rocks from the ground, and destroy any non-fortified structure in the area. Columns of soldiers and/or tents in an encampment don't stand a chance.

Like I said, "Slay army"

A spell to move cities?

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