A spell to move cities?

[Sunseeker]

We are in a fairly high level campaign, (~15th level), we are currently in a city about to be invaded by an evil army. I'm curious: is there a Plane Shift/Teleport-style spell designed to move entire cities? Or some fort of hilarious combinations of rules that will achieve this result?

 

[Random Bystander]

We are in a fairly high level campaign, (~15th level), we are currently in a city about to be invaded by an evil army. I'm curious: is there a Plane Shift/Teleport-style spell designed to move entire cities? Or some fort of hilarious combinations of rules that will achieve this result?

There are three possibilities:

1) There is no such combination.
2) There is a possible combination, but it does not work by RAW. Ex: Locate City Bomb; Locate City does not affect an area, when the entire chain hinges on a feat that adds damage to a spell that affects an area.
3) There is a possible, working combination, and it is ludicrous.

And, of course:
4) Pun-pun.

 

[ccs]

Yes, it's called Wish.

 

[Random Bystander]

Yes, it's called Wish.

Only if you're willing to roll on DM.

 

[ccs]

Only if you're willing to roll on DM.

No, it's still called Wish. You having/lacking the stones to use a Wish beyond the "safe" mode doesn't change it.

 

[Random Bystander]

No, it's still called Wish. You having/lacking the stones to use a Wish beyond the "safe" mode doesn't change it.

...Perhaps I should have included a smiley.

 

[Joshua Randall]

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.

 

[Celebrim]

We are in a fairly high level campaign, (~15th level), we are currently in a city about to be invaded by an evil army. I'm curious: is there a Plane Shift/Teleport-style spell designed to move entire cities? Or some fort of hilarious combinations of rules that will achieve this result?

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.

 

[monsmord]

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.

 

[Joshua Randall]

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.