Whizbang Dustyboots
Gnometown Hero
For one thing, I think the preferred name nowadays is Tiny Home.
D&D General If we were re-designing the Tiny Hut-esc 'instant shelter' spells what would we change?
- Thread starter CreamCloud0
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Lanefan
Victoria Rules
Rope Trick, even in a 1e-like system, is a headache. I've done a few things to weaken it over the years e.g. even if the rope is pulled in the "entrance" still radiates magic and Dispel Magic (if successful) leaves everyone in the Rope Trick stranded in mid-air (crash!). But it's still a nuisance, so I'll likely be getting rid of it entirely at some point to be replaced with:
Refuge (a.k.a. Shadow Cove). 2nd level spell (all Mage types). Duration 3 hours + 30 min per level. Range 10 feet.
Creates an opening to the Plane of Shadow that caster can use as a refuge or sleeping place. Opening can be in mid-air or (at considerable risk, see below) on a solid surface, and appears as a sheet of blackness. Size is somewhat proportional to that of caster: the refuge is always 2' high and 3' deep but its length is 2 feet greater than the caster's normal height (to allow for some gear). Only caster may enter, and if caster does not enter within 5 minutes after casting this spell it ends. Spell also ends if caster does not remain competely inside for at least 50 minutes per hour, or if anyone other than caster tries to enter if caster is not inside. When caster is inside, the "hole" disappears from external view but still radiates low-grade magic if checked; caster cannot see out but can hear, smell, etc. as normal. Noises coming from within refuge are muffled but can be heard outside if loud enough, and light does not pass out from refuge at all. If spell duration expires or spell ends early, anything inside is expelled to exactly the same relative place in the material realm - note this could have very unpleasant consequences if the opening extends into solid material e.g. a wall or cliff face!
In short, Refuge allows the caster to hide but can't hide a whole party, which is what breaks Rope Trick IMO. The added benefit over Rope Trick is that, if careful, a caster can use it for things like espionage etc. as well as just a place to rest.
Refuge (a.k.a. Shadow Cove). 2nd level spell (all Mage types). Duration 3 hours + 30 min per level. Range 10 feet.
Creates an opening to the Plane of Shadow that caster can use as a refuge or sleeping place. Opening can be in mid-air or (at considerable risk, see below) on a solid surface, and appears as a sheet of blackness. Size is somewhat proportional to that of caster: the refuge is always 2' high and 3' deep but its length is 2 feet greater than the caster's normal height (to allow for some gear). Only caster may enter, and if caster does not enter within 5 minutes after casting this spell it ends. Spell also ends if caster does not remain competely inside for at least 50 minutes per hour, or if anyone other than caster tries to enter if caster is not inside. When caster is inside, the "hole" disappears from external view but still radiates low-grade magic if checked; caster cannot see out but can hear, smell, etc. as normal. Noises coming from within refuge are muffled but can be heard outside if loud enough, and light does not pass out from refuge at all. If spell duration expires or spell ends early, anything inside is expelled to exactly the same relative place in the material realm - note this could have very unpleasant consequences if the opening extends into solid material e.g. a wall or cliff face!
In short, Refuge allows the caster to hide but can't hide a whole party, which is what breaks Rope Trick IMO. The added benefit over Rope Trick is that, if careful, a caster can use it for things like espionage etc. as well as just a place to rest.
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
You might want to look at the 1e spell Leomund's Secure Shelter, which fits this bill exactly (except it's 4th level, not 5th).
Edit to add: LSS is a spell I've never had any problem with as DM, in large part because it generates an actual cottage rather than a force field or similar.
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James Gasik
We don't talk about Pun-Pun
I'm confused how Rope Trick somehow coexists with Catnap, a higher level spell with a single target that gives you a short rest in 10 minutes as opposed to just using one action to cast Rope Trick, lol.
I'm not 100% convinced these spells need fixing. But if I did feel that way...
Rope Trick, Downgrade 1: Make the spell (opening) visible, and if attacked and destroyed it ends the spell and everything falls out. (AC 10, HP 10 sounds about right ?)
Rope Trick, Downgrade 2: The opening emits a low hum. Enemies may become alerted to it with an appropriate check. Can be countered for the duration of the Rope Trick if Silence is cast during the casting of the Rope Trick.
Rope Trick Downgrade 3: The opening emits light as a hooded lantern, pointed downward. Enemies may become alerted to it with an appropriate check. Can be countered for the duration of the Rope Trick if Darkness is cast during the casting of the Rope Trick.
Tiny Hut, Downgrade 1: Remove the option to cast the spell as a ritual.
Tiny Hut, Downgrade 2: The spell slot for casting this spell is spent when the spell is over, not when it is initially cast (if interrupted, dispelled, etc, the spell slot is still used). Effectively, this removes one spell slot from a caster the day after it is used, rather than rewarding the player for keeping an unused spell slot until the end of the day.
Galder's Tower, Downgrade 1: Component - A 20kg rock, worth at least 100gp.
Galder's Tower, Downgrade 2: Casting Time - 2 hours.
Magnificent Mansion, Downgrade 1: The spell slot used for casting this spell cannot be regained until the spell's duration ends.
Magnificent Mansion, Downgrade 2: The servants in the mansion are sentient, and are the same for the lifetime of the caster. They will remember slights against them or boons paid to them. They must be paid just as regular workers (only for time when they exist), and will revolt just as real workers if not properly taken care of. Long terms effects of ignoring or mistreating the workers may result is strikes, rebellion, and damage to the mansion that can only be repaired by negotiating with the workers.
Rope Trick, Downgrade 1: Make the spell (opening) visible, and if attacked and destroyed it ends the spell and everything falls out. (AC 10, HP 10 sounds about right ?)
Rope Trick, Downgrade 2: The opening emits a low hum. Enemies may become alerted to it with an appropriate check. Can be countered for the duration of the Rope Trick if Silence is cast during the casting of the Rope Trick.
Rope Trick Downgrade 3: The opening emits light as a hooded lantern, pointed downward. Enemies may become alerted to it with an appropriate check. Can be countered for the duration of the Rope Trick if Darkness is cast during the casting of the Rope Trick.
Tiny Hut, Downgrade 1: Remove the option to cast the spell as a ritual.
Tiny Hut, Downgrade 2: The spell slot for casting this spell is spent when the spell is over, not when it is initially cast (if interrupted, dispelled, etc, the spell slot is still used). Effectively, this removes one spell slot from a caster the day after it is used, rather than rewarding the player for keeping an unused spell slot until the end of the day.
Galder's Tower, Downgrade 1: Component - A 20kg rock, worth at least 100gp.
Galder's Tower, Downgrade 2: Casting Time - 2 hours.
Magnificent Mansion, Downgrade 1: The spell slot used for casting this spell cannot be regained until the spell's duration ends.
Magnificent Mansion, Downgrade 2: The servants in the mansion are sentient, and are the same for the lifetime of the caster. They will remember slights against them or boons paid to them. They must be paid just as regular workers (only for time when they exist), and will revolt just as real workers if not properly taken care of. Long terms effects of ignoring or mistreating the workers may result is strikes, rebellion, and damage to the mansion that can only be repaired by negotiating with the workers.
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TaranTheWanderer
Legend
I would just make it a shelter against weather. Keep the coloured dome effect so that it gives disadvantage to anyone trying to spot it from a distance or from the air.
Otherwise, let the caster exit and enter as much as they want and don’t let it be a physical barrier to anything but weather related stuff. Give it a weakness to hurricane level stuff or extreme weather which causes it to fail.
I like how it was in 3.5.
Otherwise, let the caster exit and enter as much as they want and don’t let it be a physical barrier to anything but weather related stuff. Give it a weakness to hurricane level stuff or extreme weather which causes it to fail.
I like how it was in 3.5.
TaranTheWanderer
Legend
Rope trick was never an issue for us in previous editions. We levelled slower because we avoided so many random encounters.
There was one time that we used it to escape when we were outgunned and it did not pay off for us. Because the creature we fled from could see invisible or detect magic. It was tense. You can read about it in a story hour on this site. I’d have to find the link. But the the story hour is about a cowardly mage so using Rope Trick was in character
There was one time that we used it to escape when we were outgunned and it did not pay off for us. Because the creature we fled from could see invisible or detect magic. It was tense. You can read about it in a story hour on this site. I’d have to find the link. But the the story hour is about a cowardly mage so using Rope Trick was in character
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