Looking for thoughts on a spell

[Greenfield]

In our last campaign we invented a version of Magnificent Mansion. It was a level lower, and had one major difference: Rather than being an extradimensional space, invisible and unassailable, it created a structure laid out to the caster's specifications (and within the same volume limits as Magnificent Mansion) as a force construct.

If you specified a stone, it looked and acted like stone. If you specified a tent, it looked and acted like a tent.

The reason was that completely eliminated the night encounter. Once that spell came into play, that aspect of play vanished completely. No random encounters, no chance of enemies finding you. It was invisible, took no space, and nobody could enter it without the caster's consent, short of things like Gate or Wish.

Now we're in a new campaign, and we're approaching the point when some version of that spell may become available. I'm in favor of switching it out for the lower level version.

What are your thoughts? You folks here are very good at spotting problems and potential abuses.

To be clear: MM is 7th level. Grand Estate is 6th. MM is extradimensional. GE is not, and has an exterior appearance to match the design of the interior. All walls are force constructs, and as such they pretty much vanish before effects that break such things, such as Disintegrate.

Other than that, the two spells are identical.

So, thoughts? Criticisms?

 

[the Jester]

You can pretty well eliminate most random encounters with a 2nd level spell, rope trick. All the mansion does is make it comfy. I think you're overreacting.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

I made a similar spell, also at 6th level, though the force construct was shimmery and faintly transparent (i.e. obviously a force construct). I think 6th level is fine for such a thing.

 

[Sekhmet]

It is a nice spell? Yes.
Would I memorize it every day? No.
Is it better than Mage's Mansion? No.
Finally, if we alter the level of the spell up or down by one, is it too good or too weak? No.

It's a good spell.

 

[jefgorbach]

Seems reasonable, but I'd reduce Grand Estate another level since it should be significant easier to cast than the original version because the resulting mansion remains visible and on the same plane, thus subject to discovery/attacks normally. Presumably other variants might have existed completing the learning curve between the 2nd level Rope Trick and its more refined 7th level MM form, like so:

2nd Rope Trick - just enough extra-dimensional space for 8 creatures for 1 hour/level
3rd Log Cabin - single 10' cube per level for 2 hours per level
4th Minor Estate - two 10' cubes per level
5th Grand Estate creates a visible structure on this plane sized/etc per MM.
6th Invisible GE renders the structure invisible; eliminating most encounters.
7th Extradimensional GE (aka MM)
8th+ ??? perhaps room(s) optionally extend across planar boundaries from here on??

 

[Greenfield]

The fact is, the spell allows the caster to create a "stone" fortress or similar fortified structure. Most night encounters can still be effectively excluded. And walls that are Force constructs exclude non-corporeal undead and any astral or ethereal intruders. We've even discussed using it to create a structure that was a boat or a wagon. (The verdict was a resounding "no" from everyone involved, including the caster who suggested it.)

Now, if the lower level version specified soft structures (wood or cloth), maybe. But there's already a spell progression that leads up to Magnificent Mansion. The various Secure Shelter and Hut spells do that job.

Story wise it's nice to be able to make something that fits the scenery. Be it a nomads tent, a stone keep or a comfortable inn, it's all there in the one spell, and that aspect adds a value all its own, above and beyond the simple utility of food and shelter. (Note that the character in our campaign who's most likely to choose it will almost always use it to throw a party. He's just like that.)

If you saw the movie Stardust, you saw the evil witch cast what was essentially this spell to create an Inn at a crossroads. (Her version had no servants, but so what.)