D&D General If we were re-designing the Tiny Hut-esc 'instant shelter' spells what would we change?

[Zardnaar]

Yes he's done that too. Recently in fact. It's forced us to find a secure area to rest, which means more encounters between rests, which was exactly the result he wanted. I hear people say they have 2 encounters total in an adventuring day, with a short rest in between them, and I think that's an alien concept. That's literally never happened to us, in the 11 years of playing 5e.

2 isn't normal for me butc1 or 2 have definitely happened occasionally.

Keep them guessing/whatever is organic.

Interrupting long rests with combat is a way to wear PCs down.

 

[Baron Opal II]

My fixes are thematic, I guess you would say. I state my intent when the spell becomes available and the why of its invention.

Rope Trick; Hide in a closet long enough to catch your breath, cast a couple spells, or drink a potion. Facilitates a short rest by spending a second level spell. Note- only two short rests per long rest.

Tiny Hut; A magical, climate controlled tent appears. The party is protected from the environment for a long rest. Major environmental events (flooding, hurricane, wildfire) overwhelm the protection of the tent, as does bears and the like. Note- ritual casting, as commonly known, is not an option.

Magnificent Mansion; Creates a magical, climate controlled building that allows for multiple long rests. The spell can be cast once per day, and opens to the same mansion. A "continual casting" is allowed to maintain, say, residency in the mansion for a week or so. Living things are ejected at spell's end, but inanimate objects may remain and be discovered on subsequent castings. A crystal key is crafted to open this specific mansion. Don't lose it or allow its theft.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

You know, if tiny hut had the following description, it wouldn’t be too bad:

A large tent appears that can hold up to x medium creatures. It keeps the interior temperature a comfortable 20c and protects from rain and snow.

The walls are transparent from the inside and opaque from the outside.

Otherwise, it functions exactly like a normal tent.

 

[Oofta]

Yes he's done that too. Recently in fact. It's forced us to find a secure area to rest, which means more encounters between rests, which was exactly the result he wanted. I hear people say they have 2 encounters total in an adventuring day, with a short rest in between them, and I think that's an alien concept. That's literally never happened to us, in the 11 years of playing 5e.

I allow tiny hut (with the no attack from inside) and the only time the PCs have had two encounters per long rest was when I set it up specifically so everyone could go nova and then threw an extra-difficult encounter.

I rule that the hut has no floor so enemies can always dig in from underneath unless it's on rock (and even that has exceptions of course). But the biggest thing is that the hut is in no way invisible, if an enemy knows your rough location they will be ready for you when you emerge. Or when the NPC with dispel magic arrives.

 

[Mistwell]

I allow tiny hut (with the no attack from inside) and the only time the PCs have had two encounters per long rest was when I set it up specifically so everyone could go nova and then threw an extra-difficult encounter.

I rule that the hut has no floor so enemies can always dig in from underneath unless it's on rock (and even that has exceptions of course). But the biggest thing is that the hut is in no way invisible, if an enemy knows your rough location they will be ready for you when you emerge. Or when the NPC with dispel magic arrives.

Yeah the spells states outright it's not invisible, "The dome is opaque from the outside, of any color you choose" which is how creatures so often find us if we just do it out in the open.

 

[tetrasodium]

Their purpose was largely undercut with the way 5e handles rest and recovery. The first step would be to revert the rest recovery and possibly spell prep rules assuming those spells should remain.

 

[Hussar]

Count me in on the idea that Tiny Hut makes a ... tiny hut. A stone cottage with windows and a door. It's defensible, it works, maybe comes with a lit stove for cooking and whatnot. But, this "Impenetrable force field" is crap.

Although, it does occur to me for my Out of the Abyss adventure, considering areas of Phaeress cause casting to potentially Wild Surge, there could be some SPECTACULAR results for relying on magic too much.

 

[bloodtide]

Well, the 2024 version has the big fix for Tiny Hut of only blocking spells of 3rd level or less.

For 2014 5E, I did always use the older edition line of "Missiles, weapons, and most spell effects can pass through the hut without affecting it.".

The 2014 version only blocks creatures and objects and (some) spells and magic effects. Note it never says environmental effects.. So it does not block natural rain, or ash or smoke or gas.

Of course, it is an easy dispel magic target.

Plus any folks of average intelligence can just wait and ambush when the sphere fades.

But sure Tiny Hut works great vs monsters and beasts

 

[Incenjucar]

Baseline Tiny Hut should be made of straw. Mid-tier should be made of sticks. High tier, now we're talking bricks.

 

[Zardnaar]

Baseline Tiny Hut should be made of straw. Mid-tier should be made of sticks. High tier, now we're talking bricks.

Conjure dire wolves