D&D 5E Avoiding Explosions in a Tiny Hut

[jgsugden]

I celebrate the success by acting like they got one over on me and grumbling about it. Players tend to like that in my experience more than kudos from the DM. Though I'm fair and neutral when it comes to adjudication, a little bit of playing The Heel is good for effect.

I don't disagree - that is another way to give them their props. This is an acting exercise, after all. I wouldn't use it all the time because then you just look like an incompetent jerk. I'll even take it one step further: it is also fine to just wear your heart on your sleeve when the PCs outsmart you as the DM and show honest disappointment that you don't get to executre the cool thing you had planned. Disappointed, but proud/happy.

But that is a side issue. The core that I was responding to here is that people often come here to say, "Hey, my PCs came up with a good use for magic to deal with a problem. What should I do to deal with it?" And for that, my answer is be a fair judge, and a good friend. Rule it how you think it should work - as free of bias as you can be - and then if it works, feel happy for them and help them feel good about it.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Not really answering your question, but next time I’m running a big dungeon or underdark crawl, they are definitely going to come across the remains of a previous adventuring party that met such a tragic end.

 

[MarkB]

When I read the OP, I read the spell and it was the first time I think I saw it. I don't think it's ever come up though in my games where the caster leaves the dome. So probably never anything to keep front of mind.

It does limit some abuses of it, though - like the earlier-mentioned tactic of having multiple castings of it set up as bunkers for an ambush.

 

[Shiroiken]

There's a reason old school adventurers carried a 10 ft pole. Being able to trigger or disarm traps safely is good strategy, but not all traps are created equal. A tripwire will go off with very, very little effort, but a pressure plate often requires several pounds to trigger it. In AD&D, one of the advantages of being small and light was that you might not trigger them, as some listed the specific weight needed. Some traps might not hurt the person who triggers it directly*, so triggering them from range won't help. Remember that whatever plans your players come up with, someone else probably has too, thus someone else would think up a counter. Also, disarming traps at a distance is specifically an Arcane Trickster ability, so I'd avoid allowing that.

*Favorite AD&D trap: hall has several doors exiting it, each within their own alcove, and each locked and presumably trapped. Standard operating procedure was to have the thief (rogue) open any door they disarm, if they could (used to require rolls). If it was still trapped, the thief would suffer for failing, rather than the rest of the party. This room took advantage of that, as every door has the same trap, which sent all kinds of pain into the room (crossbow bolts from the walls, rocks falling from above, and gouts of flame from the floor). The alcoves with the doors, where the thief would be, was left completely unharmed.

 

[Ancalagon]

I would recommend a diet low in cabbage and beans.

 

[Quartz]

Remember that if the party becomes known for this then recurring enemies will use this knowledge to their advantage. Perhaps the trap is an Anti Magic Shell which cancels the Hut and also a Wall of Force holding back acid or whatever.

 

[Bolares]

An interesting use of Leomund's Tiny Hut popped up last game session and wanted your thoughts.

There was a chest that had explosive runes on it that would blast anybody messing with it. The party decided that they would cast Tiny Hut very close to the chest. Then the party would mess with the chest, causing it to explode, but the party would be safe from the explosion.

In the moment, I ruled that it was possible to do, but the hand that reached for the chest would still be susceptible to the full explosion damage (and be possible blown off).

In hindsight, seems like there's a lot of potential PC abuse with this. I can foresee them using the same tactic for other dangerous traps and simply using a 10 foot pole to trigger the traps, thus leaving them completely immune to the effects.

Is there something in the spell rules that I'm missing that would not allow this sort of thing? And other thoughts?

Just be thankfull you don't have an Arcane Trickster in your party

 

[Fanaelialae]

Given that the rogue was still susceptible to damage because their hand was sticking out (good call), I'm not seeing a fundamental difference between this and the rogue "disarming" the trap while the rest of the party waits out in the hall. Apart from being able to keep an eye on the rogue to ascertain that he or she doesn't pocket the loot. Am I missing something?

 

[Storyteller Hero]

A terrible thought comes to mind - how fast will the hole created by the rogue's arms close should an explosion occur?

At worst, the explosion leaks in enough to spray the insides of the hut with fire, smoke, and shards of bone turned into shrapnel.

"A piece of the rogue has lodged itself into your [REDACTED]."