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Message: <blockquote data-quote="der_kluge" data-source="post: 1078886" data-attributes="member: 945">Let me give it a shot.SRD:Instant Fortress: This metal cube is small, but when activated by speaking a command word it grows to form a tower 20 feet square and 30 feet high, with arrow slits on all sides and a crenellated battlement atop it. The metal walls extend 10 feet into the ground, rooting it to the spot and preventing it from being tipped over. The fortress has a small door that opens only at the command of the owner of the fortress—even knock spells can’t open the door.The adamantine walls of instant fortress have 100 hit points and hardness 20. The fortress cannot be repaired except by a wish or a miracle, which restores 50 points of damage taken.The fortress springs up in just 1 round, with the door facing the device’s owner. The door opens and closes instantly at his command. People and creatures nearby (except the owner) must be careful not to be caught by the fortress’s sudden growth. Anyone so caught takes 10d10 points of damage (Reflex DC 19 half ).The fortress is deactivated by speaking a command word (different from the one used to activate it). It cannot be deactivated unless it is empty.Strong conjuration; CL 13th; Craft Wondrous Item, mage’s magnificent mansion; Price 55,000 gp.Let's break down all the effects:unlimited use.  The command-word activation is irrelevant to the cost.  The duration of the spell "mage's magnificent mansion" is 2 hours/level, which is nonstandard, but breaks down to 11 spell slots (we'll just use the entry for 1 hr/level).  Spell level 7, caster level 13.The fact that the door only opens to the caster I'm just going to chalk up to an aspect of the spell.  So, no increase there.The fact that the walls have a hardness and hit points I almost see as a disadvantage.  The spell doesn't have these things.  So, I'm going to give it a -1 spell cost reduction.  It is really, really tough after all.  A Daern's instant fortress has other limitations, like people can see it, and it probably wouldn't work in a dungeon if it can't expand properly.  So, I'll give it another -1.10 spell slots total.10gp(7 + 13 - 1) * 9^2 = 15,390gpNow, being crushed by this thing is a definite advantage, and sounds mysteriously like Wall of Iron to me.  But Wall of Iron's damage is only 10d6.  But this is an extra effect, and has to be costed as such.  Plus an additional +4 spell slot cost for the increased damage.  That's not terribly expensive since a wall of iron is a permanent effect anyway.  So, even though the spell duration is listed as "instantaneous" I'm going to treat it as permanent, which it is.  The cost for that is 5 slots, +1 for being the first additional effect, +4 for the increased damage.  Caster level is 11, spell level is 6.  10gp(6 + 11 -1) * 10^2 = 16,000gp15,390gp + 16,000gp = 31,390gp; market cost = 62,780gp.That sounds about right.Of course, that's my own interpretation.  Someone might want to add an additional cost for the "knock" requirement on the door, and that would increase the cost accordingly.edit: had to redo my math.</blockquote>

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