Moonweb - Players Guide to Faerun

[ScotMartin]

Hey everyone, I was going through the Player's Guide to Faerun, looking for Limited Wish applicable spells, and I came upon this:

Moonweb
Adjuration
Level: Initiate of Selune 5
Effect: 10' high barrier of force in a 5-ft diameter circle or 10' long line
Duration: 10 min/level

You create an immobile barrier of force that glows as though with moonlight. You can form the barrier either as a circular shield 5 feet in diameter and 10 feet high around a willing creature, or as a flat 10-foot square plane placed either horizontally or vertically, as long as it is anchored along at least on edge.
The barrier has an inside and an outside. From the inside, it is transparent and passable; any creature can move through it. From the outside, it is opaque and virtually impassable - no creature or attack can pass through from this direction. Creatures inside the moonweb have cover and concealment against attacks that originate from the outside.


Okay, it's the idea of a circular wall around myself that has me intrigued. Does this spell allow you to create a barrier around yourself that you can fire spell and attacks through, but that other creatures can't penetrate from the outside? (at least at ground level, I realize there's a hole in the top)

I'm a little confused because it mentions that "no creature or attack can pass through" from the outside, but then immediately says that creatures inside have "cover and concealment against attacks that originate from the outside". So, which is it? Does the cover and concealment represent that archers have to lob arrows over the top? Can a human swordsman do anything to hurt you while this spell is going?

Just looking for some opinions on how it work and whether it's too powerful, as it seems like an impenetrable barrier that you can fire your own spells through is a little strong. Perhaps I'm overestimating it though.

Thanks,
-Scot

 

[Plane Sailing]

It seems more powerful than anti-life shell to me.

 

[James McMurray]

Moonweb is crazy powerful. Its "balanced" by being limited only to Initiates of Selune (and of course anyone with Limited Wish or Miracle).

 

[masternone]

Creatures inside the moonweb have cover and concealment against attacks that originate from the outside.

This does not refer to physical attacks IMHO, it refers to things like fire ball and other area of affect items.

 

[niastri]

Okay, it's the idea of a circular wall around myself that has me intrigued. Does this spell allow you to create a barrier around yourself that you can fire spell and attacks through, but that other creatures can't penetrate from the outside? (at least at ground level, I realize there's a hole in the top)

I'm a little confused because it mentions that "no creature or attack can pass through" from the outside, but then immediately says that creatures inside have "cover and concealment against attacks that originate from the outside". So, which is it? Does the cover and concealment represent that archers have to lob arrows over the top? Can a human swordsman do anything to hurt you while this spell is going?

Just looking for some opinions on how it work and whether it's too powerful, as it seems like an impenetrable barrier that you can fire your own spells through is a little strong. Perhaps I'm overestimating it though.

Thanks,
-Scot

The thing is that it is only 10ft high, so any character with even a moderate jump or climb can get inside with you in a second, and then you have to abandon your safe haven, or stay in a 5ft square with a basher who is going to put your lights out in a few rounds of full attack.

Since it is 10' high, it would be a DC 10 jump check to reach the top of the wall, and then the top of the barrier would count as a "ledge" for the character to climb with, thus making it a DC 10 climb check. Lenient DMs would allow a jump and climb that easy to be taken as a single movement action, and even the toughest would give you a jump and a climb as individual movement actions, so within one round, even an unathletic fighter would easily be inside with you.

Not a bad spell, but without a roof, not much use in the long run.

 

[James McMurray]

It makes its own roof with a second casting, and most buildings / dungeons have 10' high cielings.

 

[niastri]

It makes its own roof with a second casting, and most buildings / dungeons have 10' high cielings.

Right, but the fact that you have to rely on a second casting of the same spell for complete protection greatly weakens the spell. Same goes with needing to be in a room with 10' ceilings. Also, since it is 10' high, it couldn't be cast in a room with 8' ceilings..... Plus, it still isn't a perfect barrier, a borrower can still come through the floor, so you have to cast a third (!) 5th level spell to be protected.

Compare to Otilukes Resiliant Sphere, which provides complete protection with one casting, at a lower level. While you can't cast directly through the sphere, you can most assuredly cast summoning spells out of its area, and effect the world in other ways.

Two castings of a 5th level spell to give you slightly better results than a single 4th level spell doesn't make the spell overpowered in my estimation.

 

[Liquidsabre]

Compare to Otilukes Resiliant Sphere, which provides complete protection with one casting, at a lower level. While you can't cast directly through the sphere, you can most assuredly cast summoning spells out of its area, and effect the world in other ways.

No Line of Effect, so shouldn't be able to cast out of an Otiluke's Sphere.

 

[Liquidsabre]

As for Moonweb, as an Initiate only spell I'd consider it a spell from a "prohibited school" (4th or lower only) and so not available to a Limited Wish.

 

[ScotMartin]

More Info

Hey guys, thanks for the info and the opinions. Taking another look at the book though, I've noticed something odd. Here's the blurb next to Moonweb in the listing of the Initiate spells...

Moonweb: Creates a glowing shield that gives +8 bonus to AC and +4 bonus to Reflex saves, plus improved evasion.

This is exactly what a character gets for a large amount of cover according the PHB's section on varying degrees of cover. So, this implies that the barrier is not completely impenetrable. Of course, the spell description also mentions concealment which is not included in the blurb. But even if you throw that in, you'd get the above + the 20% miss chance. That, to me, is reasonable for a 5th level deity-specific spell and certainly within the power of a Limited Wish.

Again, the spell description and this blurb don't seem to mesh up that well, but I prefer the above interpretation as I agree that the impenetrable barrier is too powerful when accompanied by a ceiling. However, the whole thing could certainly use some official clarification.

-Scot