Anitlife Shell - can you dimension door inside?

[Joshua Randall]

Can you use dimension door (or similar) to arrive inside the boundary of an antilife shell?

antilife shell[sblock]Antilife Shell
Abjuration
Level: Animal 6, Clr 6, Drd 6
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: 10 ft.
Area: 10-ft.-radius emanation, centered on you
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

You bring into being a mobile, hemispherical energy field that prevents the entrance of most types of living creatures.

The effect hedges out animals, aberrations, dragons, fey, giants, humanoids, magical beasts, monstrous humanoids, oozes, plants, and vermin, but not constructs, elementals, outsiders, or undead.

This spell may be used only defensively, not aggressively. Forcing an abjuration barrier against creatures that the spell keeps at bay collapses the barrier.[/sblock]

 

[Haffrung Helleyes]

Now, that's a good question!

I'd rule yes in my game, but I can't claim any particular part of the rules to support my view.

Ken

 

[Mephistopheles]

I'd probably treat it as if the caster teleported into solid matter and apply the clause in dimension door for that situation.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Finding any rules support for an interpretation one way or the other is difficult.

I did find some stuff in the description of the Conjuration [teleportation] subschool that may or may not be helpful.

Each conjuration spell belongs to one of five subschools. Conjurations [...] transport creatures or objects over great distances (teleportation) [....]

A creature or object brought into being or transported to your location by a conjuration spell cannot appear inside another creature or object, nor can it appear floating in an empty space. It must arrive in an open location on a surface capable of supporting it.

[...]

Teleportation: [...] Teleportation is instantaneous travel through the Astral Plane. [....]

Let's address the first and last sections, which establish that teleporation spells transport things through the Astral Plane. This is important, in my mind, because at least in D&D, you do not simply disappear and re-appear somewhere else, you physically move through another plane until you arrive at your destination. Arguably, then, you cannot use a teleporation spell to enter an antilife shell because the shell "prevents the entrace". The shell doesn't say that it only prevents entrace from the Prime Material plane, so it could be argued that it also prevents the entrance from the Astral Plane via teleportation spells.

Now let's address the middle section, which talks about summoned or called creatures or objects, and that they have to arrive in a suitable "open location". You could make the argument that inside an antilife shell is not an "open location" for the purposes of a Conjuration spell. However, you could also make the argument that Conjuration [teleportation] is not [summoning] or [calling] and therefor the "open location" part doesn't apply.

 

[Nail]

...Arguably, then, you cannot use a teleporation spell to enter an antilife shell because the shell "prevents the entrace". The shell doesn't say that it only prevents entrace from the Prime Material plane, so it could be argued that it also prevents the entrance from the Astral Plane via teleportation spells.

...that just begs the question, I'm afraid.

Is Antilife Shell a spherical wall (as implied by the word "shell"), or a spherical area (as implied by the AoE: emanation)?

• If it's a wall (like Resilient Sphere), then travel on the Astral plane completely by-passes the shell, and so teleportation spells are allowed.
• If it's an area, then it does not matter where within the area the teleporation spell "enters"; none of the area can be entered by living creatures.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Is Antilife Shell a spherical wall (as implied by the word "shell"), or a spherical area (as implied by the AoE: emanation)?

• If it's a wall (like Resilient Sphere), then travel on the Astral plane completely by-passes the shell, and so teleportation spells are allowed.
• If it's an area, then it does not matter where within the area the teleporation spell "enters"; none of the area can be entered by living creatures.

It's an emanation.

 

[Squire James]

I would rule that trying to use a Teleportation effect is trying to "enter" the shell, and thus would be prevented.