D&D 5E The Dangers of Overreliance on Leomund's Tiny Hut (3rd Level Spell)

[Storyteller Hero]

Because lone monsters in the wilderness read Monster Weekly and all the local internet forums to see what the PCs have been up to.

All it takes is one or two spies and a scrying device to keep tabs on the heroes who have been proving to be a thorn in your side.

I'm talking about the BBEG. The guy/gal/thing that has a genuine interest in the PCs. There can be more than one interested party as well. Paying off witnesses, asking around, and casting spells for information isn't exactly outside of the realm of belief, especially in a roleplaying game.

 

[werecorpse]

The counter that "a creative DM can find ways to challenge players who use XXXX" can be used as an answer to anyone taking issue with the power of any spell -- the last refuge of the DM whose creativity... just doesn't measure up.

A *CREATIVE* DM can always find ways to challenge his players.

You're not an uncreative DM, are you?

Oh, then you won't mind us using the spell as written at your table.

<smugsmirk>

The "a creative DM can always find ways to challenge their players" is true. It's also irrelevant, dont you get that?

Having looked at the spell in 1e to 4e it didn't have the ability to keep out other creatures, spells, weapons etc. That's a 5e addition and a mistake IMO.

You are free to run it how you like at your table, at mine it won't keep out creatures.

 

[StoryBard]

Guys ... I simply adjudicated the floor issue as such, that LTH was just a dome with no floor, and the shape of the dome was hemispheric rather than cubic, cylindrical, or conical. A dome doesn't have to be round, so the hemisphere just determines the shape of the hut. LTH specifies "above", but not below.

Does this hurt the spell in any way? Pff no not really. Its not some invulnerable forcefield, but it's a useful kit for any bard or wizard (or any ritual casters). Being an unseen attacker who is technically always in cover is pretty good. Having a dome that cannot be moved (in any direction) is pretty good. Enemies start digging a hole to enter? You have a choke point. Party has dark vision? Darken the dome and fight in darkness.

A lot of useful things with this spell and a lot of interesting interactions. Best part is it's not concentration either, and it lasts for 8 hours! Now that's barely enough time to get a long rest, and anybody waiting outside the dome at night can get a jump on a sleeping party (even with a watch).

IMHO LTH is a really good watchtower or reconnaissance quarters, and not really meant to be that fortress people try and make it out to be. Heck the dome can technically be destroyed by higher lvl magics. It doesn't even say it's invulnerable, only immovable. Spells and magic effects cant pass through it (inside or out), which means they collide with it, so it's not beyond the realm of possibility that enough magic or brute force could break it.

Anyway I'm rambling now. I've written a whole doc with all my rules and I'm happy with it. So yea... LTH has no floor, but that's still cool. My players will just have to sleep in the carriage.

 

[Lyxen]

Guys ... I simply adjudicated the floor issue as such, that LTH was just a dome with no floor, and the shape of the dome was hemispheric rather than cubic, cylindrical, or conical. A dome doesn't have to be round, so the hemisphere just determines the shape of the hut. LTH specifies "above", but not below.

This is my interpretation as well, and actually the only one that fits the description. Yes, it's a hemisphere, so the effects apply within a volume, but the dome of force is just that, a dome, and a dome does not have a floor. There are even two distinct sentences to describe the effect:

• Dome (Surface): "Creatures and objects within the dome when you cast this spell can move through it freely. All other creatures and objects are barred from passing through it. Spells and other magical effects can’t extend through the dome or be cast through it."
• Hemisphere (Volume): "The atmosphere inside the space is comfortable and dry, regardless of the weather outside."

So it's clearly a hemisphere covered by the dome, and on top (and the sides) only. I'm not even sure why people are discussing that anymore, apart from players who want to abuse the spell.

 

[S'mon]

hemisphere covered by the dome, and on top (and the sides) only. I'm not even sure why people are discussing that anymore, apart from players who want to abuse the spell.

Crawford

 

[Lyxen]

Crawford

... has wavered so much about this that in the end, I don't think it counts, and it's not official either.

 

[Manbearcat]

This is my interpretation as well, and actually the only one that fits the description. Yes, it's a hemisphere, so the effects apply within a volume, but the dome of force is just that, a dome, and a dome does not have a floor. There are even two distinct sentences to describe the effect:

• Dome (Surface): "Creatures and objects within the dome when you cast this spell can move through it freely. All other creatures and objects are barred from passing through it. Spells and other magical effects can’t extend through the dome or be cast through it."
• Hemisphere (Volume): "The atmosphere inside the space is comfortable and dry, regardless of the weather outside."

So it's clearly a hemisphere covered by the dome, and on top (and the sides) only. I'm not even sure why people are discussing that anymore, apart from players who want to abuse the spell.

1) In mathematics, a hemisphere is a 3D shape with one curved side and one flat circular side. The flat side is the floor.

2) If it didn’t have the flat side, how does the volume within the space stay comfortable and dry despite the conditions outside?

a) If it was a sustained downpour for even a short duration, the floorless structure you propose would suffer groundwater seepage due to lack of a vapor/moisture barrier. The area inside would cease to be dry.

b) If it was significantly cold outside, the lack of floor-as-insulation would mean the area inside would not be persistently comfortable as it would lose its temperature equilibrium.

---

This is straight-forward deal. It must have a floor and it is therefore a stupendously powerful spell that can’t be Rock-Paper-Scissors interpreted in the kind of ways certain GMs want to in order to block a Long Rest.

But this is 5e and you’re the GM! Do like the kid in Matrix (“there is no floor”), tell the rules to go eff themselves, and you won’t have to deal with the problem for your metaplot or for your players deploying this to recharge and screw up your prepped difficulty model because of their resource recharge control!

 

[Lyxen]

1) In mathematics, a hemisphere is a 3D shape with one curved side and one flat circular side.

Agreed.

The flat side is the floor.

Not necessarily, it does not say so in the description. And although the dome needs to be "above", nothing says that it can't be cast at an angle like a shield.

2) If it didn’t have the flat side, how does the volume within the space stay comfortable and dry despite the conditions outside?

Because it's magic and the effect within the hemisphere drys the air and keep it comfortable, it says it clearly: "The atmosphere inside the space is comfortable and dry, regardless of the weather outside."

a) If it was a sustained downpour for even a short duration, the floorless structure you propose would suffer groundwater seepage due to lack of a vapor/moisture barrier. The area inside would cease to be dry.

It only says that "the atmosphere" inside is comfortable and dry regardless of whether, but if it's flooded by something which is not atmosphere (water, lava, acid, you name it), this non-atmospheric part does not have to be comfortable and dry.

It's also dubious (and this is not covered at all by any rule as to water or lava qualify as objects and would be stopped by the dome even on the ground floor. In any case, lava would probably melt the floor around the bubble even if set on the ground, and even though the hemisphere would stay comfortable, you would experience a really nice barbeque effect from touching the floor... ")

b) If it was significantly cold outside, the lack of floor-as-insulation would mean the area inside would not be persistently comfortable as it would lose its temperature equilibrium.

Magic, clearly described.

That being said, for unusual castings, it's obviously up to the DM to rule if the conditions are too extreme, see also "atmosphere" above.

This is straight-forward deal. It must have a floor

Prove it.

and it is therefore a stupendously powerful spell that can’t be Rock-Paper-Scissors interpreted in the kind of ways certain GMs want to in order to block a Long Rest.

Any DM can make any ruling they want anyway.

But this is 5e and you’re the GM! Do like the kid in Matrix (“there is no floor”), tell the rules to go eff themselves, and you won’t have to deal with the problem for your metaplot or for your players deploying this to recharge and screw up your prepped difficulty model because of their resource recharge control!

Honestly, it matters little at our tables, the spell is barely used and certainly not overused, but the description is clear, although after that you can invent lots of things.

 

[Oofta]

I rule that it has no floor. It's a dome. In order for a hemisphere to have a bottom, the hemisphere would need to be solid and obviously that's not the case. Then again, I don't allow any attacks to go out of the sphere of any sort because I think that's the intent of the spell: it's a safe haven not an impenetrable fortress for a wizard and as many archers as they can fit.

It's useful, it's not miraculously good for a low level ritual.

 

[Jack Daniel]

The Chosen One wouldn't be stopped by a tiny hut.