D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] Find the path

[RedShirtNo5.1]

The recipient of this spell can find the shortest, most direct physical route to a specified destination, be it the way into or out of a locale. The locale can be outdoors, underground, or even inside a maze spell. Find the path works with respect to locations, not objects or creatures at a locale. The location must be on the same plane as you are at the time of casting.

How would you adjudicate a find the path to "the nearest entrance to an extradimensional space"? Should this be prohibited as trying to find an object?

What if the nearest extradimensional space is a portable hole? Or a rope trick?

 

[HoboGod]

Nope, can't be used that way. The portal is something at the locale, not the locale itself. There has to be a place in mind that you're trying to enter or exit within the same plane.

 

[radmod]

It can be problematic.

To my mind, it's a question of specificity. You are attempting to locate a specified location which, by definition, is a specific or definite named location. "Nearest entrance to an extra-dimensional space" is not specifically named. "Gate of the Seven Worlds" is a specifically named location. Likewise, "the exit of the maze spell" is specifically named, as is "the labyrinth's exit".

Now the hard part. It denies the finding to an named object or creature at essentially an unnamed locale. So a portable hole and rope trick, being objects, cannot be 'found,' nor could their entrance.
Some would argue by saying "the entrance to Mialee's Rope Trick" makes it a named location. 'Entrance' is a location, but "Mialee's Rope Trick" is not a location. "The exit to the labyrinth", OTH, is a location in a location so it can be 'found.' Further, the labyrinth is a named location, relatively, since you are in it. Yet, "the entrance to the nearest labyrinth" is a location to an unnamed location so it cannot be found. Finally, you could 'find' the "exit of Mialee's Rope Trick" since you are in the location of Mialee's Rope trick attempting to find a location ('exit').

So, essentially, if everything mentioned is a specifically named location, relatively, it can be 'found.'

I'm not a morning person, so hopefully I've explained it decently.

 

[Vegepygmy]

How would you adjudicate a find the path to "the nearest entrance to an extradimensional space"?

The entrance to an extradimensional space is neither a creature nor an object. I think this works fine.

What if the nearest extradimensional space is a portable hole? Or a rope trick?

A portable hole is an object; the entrance to a portable hole is not, so again this should not be an issue. Also note that the entrance to a portable hole disappears if the portable hole is folded up.

An operating rope trick spell is not an object; it is a spell effect. And the entrance to a rope trick spell is simply a location, so once again, it's not an issue.