I have a wizard character who A) likes his creature comforts, and B) is a wee bit paranoid, so likes his security. I have a spell I'm considering having him research, and would like your opinions. It's sort of a cross between Leomund's Tiny Hut, and Leomund's Secure Shelter.
For an "active casting" situation, he'd probably just go with one of those spells. However, he's looking at having a tent enchanted with this spell, so that when he's out adventuring all he has to do is set up the tent, activate the item, and now the whole party has a fairly secure place to spend the night.
The character is a NPC at this point, so the usual solution of "make the DM rule on it" doesn't apply, since I *am* the DM.
Sorry for the length...
Leomund’s Reinforced Shelter
(Alteration) Lvl 5? 6?
Range: Touch Components: V, S, M
Duration: 4 hrs. + 1 hr./level Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: 30 sq. ft./level Saving Throw: None
This spell is very similar to Leomund’s Secure Shelter, with a few notable exceptions.
First, the spell does not create the structure that will serve as the Shelter. The spell must be cast on an already-existing structure, although the structure can be of just about any material. Thus, it can be cast upon an igloo made of snow and ice, a tent of cloth and wood (or metal), or even a building made of wood, sod, stone, adobe, brick, etc.
The structure must meet four qualifications:
First, the entire “footprint” of the structure (the square footage as measured at the largest points so as to include any overhangs, etc) must fit within the spell’s area of effect. Picture a light shining from directly above the structure so that all shadows are cast straight down. If the entire shadowed area does not fit within the spell’s area of effect, the spell has no effect and is wasted.
Second, it must be a “worked” (i.e. artificially created/enhanced) structure. Thus, a naturally occurring small cave, even though it fit within the area of effect, does not qualify because it has not been “worked.” However, if a door was added to the mouth of the cave, and the cave and door fit within the area of effect, then the spell could be used.
Third, the structure must be able to be “closed” – i.e. to have some sort of door, curtain, partition, etc which can cover the area through which the structure would normally be accessed. This does not apply to window-like areas elsewhere in the structure, but only to those areas of the structure through which people or animals would normally gain access. If there is more than one such doorway, then each of them must have some means by which it can be closed. Thus, spell could not be used on a lean-to, as this has open sides.
Fourth, the structure must be something that could normally be used as a shelter for people or animals. For example, it could be used on a birdcage (although this would be of limited use beyond providing the bird with a very LARGE and secure cage, since the cage door would remain the same size), or a small horse-barn (assuming it fit within the area of effect), but not on a chest, trunk, crate, etc., as these are not intended to house living creatures.
Once cast, changes take place in the physical structure and the interior as well.
As with Leomund’s Secure Shelter, the physical structure becomes as strong as a normal stone building, regardless of its material composition. The Shelter resists flames and fire as if it were stone, and is impervious to normal missiles (but not the sort cast by siege machinery or giants). Its appearance from the outside remains unchanged.
Inside, the floor area of the Shelter is up to 30 square feet per level of the spellcaster (at the spellcaster’s discretion and regardless of the dimensions of the physical structure), and the surface is level, clean, and dry. In all respects the interior of the Shelter resembles a normal cottage, with a sturdy door, shuttered windows at positions matching any windows in the original structure, and a small fireplace or stove, at the spellcaster’s discretion.
The Shelter is secure against winds of up to 70 miles per hour, just as Leomund’s Secure Shelter is. The temperature inside the Shelter is 70 F., if the exterior temperature is between 0 and 100 F. An exterior temperature below 0 or above 100 lowers or raises, respectively, the interior temperature on a 1-for-1 basis. The Shelter can be further heated or cooled as any other structure would.
The door, shutters, and even chimney (if any) are secure against intrusion, the former two being wizard locked and the latter being secured by a top grate of iron and a narrow flue. In addition, these three areas are protected by an alarm spell. Lastly, an unseen servant is conjured to provide service to the spellcaster.
The inside of the shelter contains rude furnishings as desired by the spellcaster--up to eight bunks, a trestle table and benches, as many as four chairs or eight stools, and a writing desk.
If the structure is a temporary one (i.e. a tent), then only the caster can take the structure down by its normal means before the spell has ended. Normal methods of taking down a structure of this type (pulling up the tent stakes, etc) have no effect until the spell ends. Once the spell has ended, any damage done to the structure affects it normally, and must be repaired normally.
If the structure is of a more permanent nature (a hut, cottage, etc – i.e. something that is not intended to be put up and taken back down repeatedly), then the physical qualities of the structure resume once the spell is ended, and any damage sustained during the spell must be repaired normally.
For example, let’s say that the spell has been cast on the First Little Pig’s hut of straw. The Big Bad Wolf comes along and tries to blow the house down. However, since he cannot generate winds in excess of 70 mph, he is unable to affect the Shelter this way.
Frustrated that his primary attack has failed, the Big Bad Wolf decides to take his crossbow and shoot through the thin straw walls of the Shelter. Unfortunately for him, the Shelter is currently impervious to normal missiles, so his crossbow bolts have no effect.
Really angry now, the Big Bad Wolf decides that he’ll just burn the whole thing down, so he gathers wood and oil and starts a fire right up against the wall of the Shelter. However, since the Shelter currently resists flames and fire as if it were stone, this small fire doesn’t have any appreciable effect.
Shortly after the fire gets started, though, the spell’s duration runs out. Now the wall is just normal straw again, and begins to burn normally.
The material components of this spell are a square chip of stone, crushed lime, a few grains of sand, a sprinkling of water, several splinters of wood, and the structure to be affected. These must be augmented by the components of the alarm and unseen servant spells if these benefits are to be included (string and silver wire and a small bell). All but the structure are consumed by the casting.
Notes:
This spell is the same a Leomund’s Secure Shelter (lvl 4), with the following changes:
For an "active casting" situation, he'd probably just go with one of those spells. However, he's looking at having a tent enchanted with this spell, so that when he's out adventuring all he has to do is set up the tent, activate the item, and now the whole party has a fairly secure place to spend the night.
The character is a NPC at this point, so the usual solution of "make the DM rule on it" doesn't apply, since I *am* the DM.
Sorry for the length...
Leomund’s Reinforced Shelter
(Alteration) Lvl 5? 6?
Range: Touch Components: V, S, M
Duration: 4 hrs. + 1 hr./level Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: 30 sq. ft./level Saving Throw: None
This spell is very similar to Leomund’s Secure Shelter, with a few notable exceptions.
First, the spell does not create the structure that will serve as the Shelter. The spell must be cast on an already-existing structure, although the structure can be of just about any material. Thus, it can be cast upon an igloo made of snow and ice, a tent of cloth and wood (or metal), or even a building made of wood, sod, stone, adobe, brick, etc.
The structure must meet four qualifications:
First, the entire “footprint” of the structure (the square footage as measured at the largest points so as to include any overhangs, etc) must fit within the spell’s area of effect. Picture a light shining from directly above the structure so that all shadows are cast straight down. If the entire shadowed area does not fit within the spell’s area of effect, the spell has no effect and is wasted.
Second, it must be a “worked” (i.e. artificially created/enhanced) structure. Thus, a naturally occurring small cave, even though it fit within the area of effect, does not qualify because it has not been “worked.” However, if a door was added to the mouth of the cave, and the cave and door fit within the area of effect, then the spell could be used.
Third, the structure must be able to be “closed” – i.e. to have some sort of door, curtain, partition, etc which can cover the area through which the structure would normally be accessed. This does not apply to window-like areas elsewhere in the structure, but only to those areas of the structure through which people or animals would normally gain access. If there is more than one such doorway, then each of them must have some means by which it can be closed. Thus, spell could not be used on a lean-to, as this has open sides.
Fourth, the structure must be something that could normally be used as a shelter for people or animals. For example, it could be used on a birdcage (although this would be of limited use beyond providing the bird with a very LARGE and secure cage, since the cage door would remain the same size), or a small horse-barn (assuming it fit within the area of effect), but not on a chest, trunk, crate, etc., as these are not intended to house living creatures.
Once cast, changes take place in the physical structure and the interior as well.
As with Leomund’s Secure Shelter, the physical structure becomes as strong as a normal stone building, regardless of its material composition. The Shelter resists flames and fire as if it were stone, and is impervious to normal missiles (but not the sort cast by siege machinery or giants). Its appearance from the outside remains unchanged.
Inside, the floor area of the Shelter is up to 30 square feet per level of the spellcaster (at the spellcaster’s discretion and regardless of the dimensions of the physical structure), and the surface is level, clean, and dry. In all respects the interior of the Shelter resembles a normal cottage, with a sturdy door, shuttered windows at positions matching any windows in the original structure, and a small fireplace or stove, at the spellcaster’s discretion.
The Shelter is secure against winds of up to 70 miles per hour, just as Leomund’s Secure Shelter is. The temperature inside the Shelter is 70 F., if the exterior temperature is between 0 and 100 F. An exterior temperature below 0 or above 100 lowers or raises, respectively, the interior temperature on a 1-for-1 basis. The Shelter can be further heated or cooled as any other structure would.
The door, shutters, and even chimney (if any) are secure against intrusion, the former two being wizard locked and the latter being secured by a top grate of iron and a narrow flue. In addition, these three areas are protected by an alarm spell. Lastly, an unseen servant is conjured to provide service to the spellcaster.
The inside of the shelter contains rude furnishings as desired by the spellcaster--up to eight bunks, a trestle table and benches, as many as four chairs or eight stools, and a writing desk.
If the structure is a temporary one (i.e. a tent), then only the caster can take the structure down by its normal means before the spell has ended. Normal methods of taking down a structure of this type (pulling up the tent stakes, etc) have no effect until the spell ends. Once the spell has ended, any damage done to the structure affects it normally, and must be repaired normally.
If the structure is of a more permanent nature (a hut, cottage, etc – i.e. something that is not intended to be put up and taken back down repeatedly), then the physical qualities of the structure resume once the spell is ended, and any damage sustained during the spell must be repaired normally.
For example, let’s say that the spell has been cast on the First Little Pig’s hut of straw. The Big Bad Wolf comes along and tries to blow the house down. However, since he cannot generate winds in excess of 70 mph, he is unable to affect the Shelter this way.
Frustrated that his primary attack has failed, the Big Bad Wolf decides to take his crossbow and shoot through the thin straw walls of the Shelter. Unfortunately for him, the Shelter is currently impervious to normal missiles, so his crossbow bolts have no effect.
Really angry now, the Big Bad Wolf decides that he’ll just burn the whole thing down, so he gathers wood and oil and starts a fire right up against the wall of the Shelter. However, since the Shelter currently resists flames and fire as if it were stone, this small fire doesn’t have any appreciable effect.
Shortly after the fire gets started, though, the spell’s duration runs out. Now the wall is just normal straw again, and begins to burn normally.
The material components of this spell are a square chip of stone, crushed lime, a few grains of sand, a sprinkling of water, several splinters of wood, and the structure to be affected. These must be augmented by the components of the alarm and unseen servant spells if these benefits are to be included (string and silver wire and a small bell). All but the structure are consumed by the casting.
Notes:
This spell is the same a Leomund’s Secure Shelter (lvl 4), with the following changes:
- Base temperature is set as per Leomund’s Tiny Hut (lvl 3). The only temperature controls provided by Secure Shelter are the natural insulating qualities of the building material, although it does provide a fireplace.
- The spell does not create a structure, as both Secure Shelter and Tiny Hut do. This requires a structure to already exist, then the spell strengthens and reinforces it.
- The spell may create a larger space inside the structure than it could normally contain, although this is not necessarily the case. Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion (lvl 7) does this by creating an extradimensional space, but it creates much more than this spell – an extradimensional mansion with a host of liveried servants, a 9-course feast for dozens of people, and single-point access controlled exclusively by the caster. Mordenkainen’s Mansion is also ten times larger.
- Maybe add an extra material component if the dimensions inside are going to exceed the dimensions of the structure?
- The range (the structure must be touched) is less than Secure Shelter (20 yds) or Mordenkainen’s Mansion (10 yds).
- Wizard Lock on windows & doors is part of Leomund’s Secure Shelter – how do other party members enter/leave? Will this require researching a new Wizard Lock spell, that allows caster to designate those who can pass at casting time, or to set a password?
