D&D 5E As a DM - Your Top 3 Most Hated Spells

[Oofta]

Many of these seem to assume the party aren't keeping watch while in the hut; remember that in all versions those inside can see out and thus might be alerted to some of this stuff.

That said, if the party don't bother keeping watch...

If they are keeping watch that means they have to leave the safety of the hut. Since 2-3 casters are creating huts, they can't leave. Hence only a portion of the party can defend.

But it also depends on how sneaky the monsters are and the environment. Fail a difficult perception check to notice the spy that is checking up on the missing guards? Well they don't engage right away, they just run away to get reinforcements.

For that matter, the monsters can just pull the old trick of making so much noise just out of sight that it's difficult to sleep.

There are a lot of ways of dealing with this.

 

[Lanefan]

If they are keeping watch that means they have to leave the safety of the hut.

Er...why? They can see right through it, from the inside.

And I know I'd sure rather stand my watch inside a dry climate-controlled transparent hut than outside in the cold rain and wind.

Since 2-3 casters are creating huts, they can't leave. Hence only a portion of the party can defend.

That must be a big party to need multiple huts - a hut in 5e can hold the caster plus 8 people. (in 1e it was caster plus 5)

But it also depends on how sneaky the monsters are and the environment. Fail a difficult perception check to notice the spy that is checking up on the missing guards? Well they don't engage right away, they just run away to get reinforcements.

For that matter, the monsters can just pull the old trick of making so much noise just out of sight that it's difficult to sleep.

There are a lot of ways of dealing with this.

All quite true.

So here's an attempt at a rules-bend: say you cast a hut, then from inside the hut cast a rope trick such that the 'trick's entrance is still inside the hut. If the hut's caster goes up the rope trick is she still considered to be in the hut? If yes, then in effect the hut is a decoy...

 

[Nebulous]

I've seen a few ways to nerf this spell in the last couple of years. Some of my favorites:

• The Hut requires an actual tent as a focus (or even as a consumable component)
• The Hut can be damaged as if it were an object (AC and hit points equal your spellcasting DC).
• Spells and magic effects can pass through the hut.
• Non-living matter and creatures can pass through the hut.
• Remove the Ritual tag.

Currently, I'm running a houserule that restricts Tiny Hut, Rope Trick, and other similar spells to certain locations in the world where magical leylines intersect. Finding such a leyline requires an Arcana, Nature, or Religion check, and some areas are impossible. (Essentially, I've added "save points" to my game.)

I like some of those. Can be damaged, no ritual tag, spells and magic pass through it. As written it just seems ridiculously powerful at that level. The leyline idea is good too.

 

[Oofta]

Er...why? They can see right through it, from the inside.

And I know I'd sure rather stand my watch inside a dry climate-controlled transparent hut than outside in the cold rain and wind.

That must be a big party to need multiple huts - a hut in 5e can hold the caster plus 8 people. (in 1e it was caster plus 5)

All quite true.

So here's an attempt at a rules-bend: say you cast a hut, then from inside the hut cast a rope trick such that the 'trick's entrance is still inside the hut. If the hut's caster goes up the rope trick is she still considered to be in the hut? If yes, then in effect the hut is a decoy...

Well, if the casters want to actually attack with spells, they need to leave the hut. They leave the hut it goes away.

Everyone inside can use ranged weapons, but that's why the monsters stay behind cover. Even if one group has to to take a door off the hinges to make a makeshift portable wall while another grabs and old table. Not that that's ever happened to any of my players the first time they tried this.

As far as multiple huts, @CleverNickName was saying they did that to block entrances. Since the caster has to stay in the hut, the group must have multiple casters.

But a bad Mariachi band blaring the same tune all night long until 5 in the morning? Trust me, that could keep anyone awake. I know.

 

[Nebulous]

The key change is blocking objects, creatures, spells & effects. That's Wall of Force level protection, that allies can pass through freely. That's nuts.

It's very much like wall of force bumped down from 5th to 3rd and last 8 hours instead of 10 minutes. I do like the idea of it being tough as nails but not effing invincible. A giant with a tree trunk should be able to bash his way into it before too long...

Question: Can monsters burrow up from beneath, like bullette and ankhegs?

 

[Nebulous]

I'm not exaggerating: they have used Tiny Hut to get a long rest after every monster encounter in a dungeon, cleverly placing their Huts (yes Huts, plural, sometimes two and three at a time) to block exits.

This spell and its ilk may or may not be a problem at your table, depending on how you run your game world. But I gotta say, it's driving me up the wall.

Ugh.

 

[Salthorae]

8 hours instead of 10 minutes.

Tiny Hut also has a 1 minute casting time or 10 minutes as a Ritual. It's not all sunshine and rainbows. There are ways around it, it just got suped up too much in 5e to an "auto rest", 99% chance of not being distrubed.

Question: Can monsters burrow up from beneath, like bullette and ankhegs?

Yes. It is a dome of force, not a sphere.

 

[tetrasodium]

It's very much like wall of force bumped down from 5th to 3rd and last 8 hours instead of 10 minutes. I do like the idea of it being tough as nails but not effing invincible. A giant with a tree trunk should be able to bash his way into it before too long...

Question: Can monsters burrow up from beneath, like bullette and ankhegs?

the old versions talked about extending underground & such to prevent that. The 5e version does not, but those don't make any sense to even exist in say... a city or something & there's only so many times you can abuse this stuff before the player vrs gm becomes obvious

 

[Nebulous]

Tiny Hut also has a 1 minute casting time or 10 minutes as a Ritual. It's not all sunshine and rainbows. There are ways around it, it just got suped up too much in 5e to an "auto rest", 99% chance of not being distrubed.



Yes. It is a dome of force, not a sphere.

So clever enemies could also just dig underneath it and trigger an encounter whether the PCs are ready or not...

 

[tetrasodium]

So clever enemies could also just dig underneath it and trigger an encounter whether the PCs are ready or not...

No because the PCs are able to see outside and can just ambush anyone who tries something like that if they don't have a burrowing speed or outclass the PCs by enough to trivially bypass wall of force.