Teleportation Circle destruction

[Quickleaf]

The spell components in 5e is chalk and a year of casting to create a permanent teleportation circle. The players came across a teleportation circle that belongs to an enemy wizard. They have no wizards in the party and decided to shoot the sigils in the middle of battle with a shot gun like gun. (Steam punk campaign mixing wizardry with firearms! Ha!)

So really 3 issues here:

1. Can a year of wizard's work be destroyed by simply vandalizing and rubbing the chalk off the floor or the object?

2. Can shooting hundreds of pellets into the cigils - defacing them destroy the circle's capability to teleport as the Wizard is fleeing battle?

3. After the battle if carved on stone could some dwarves with a pickaxe destroy the circle or could the circle be buried in stone so when people teleport into it they teleport into a stone wall?

I like the freedom of 5e, but, I look at it both ways, if PCs ever get to the point of having access to use teleportation circles, they're going to regret destroying them....

Thoughts on what others have done for this?

My understanding is that a permanent teleportation circle is a destination point, not a debarkation point. So its only utility to a wizard at the site of that permanent teleportation circle is that it *might* allow you to handwave the material components of a teleportation circle spell. The real purpose for a permanent teleportation circle is making a place that those mages who know the proper sigil sequence may reach with teleportation circle or 100% safely teleport there.

What I've done is treat a permanent teleportation circle as not just chalk, ink, candles, etc. Those are the components used in creating it, but once it is permanent it's more akin to glowing hissing lights of pure magic. In other words, it's no longer just physical markings – it's magic. So my answer to your questions is:

1. No, absolutely not.

2. No, absolutely not.

3. Yes, it could possibly be destroyed if the surface were destroyed (similar to a glyph of warding). And it could absolutely be buried with stone; in that case, I'd rule that anyone teleporting into it suffers the "mishap" effect under the teleport spell and then make a random roll to either (1-10) the caster is petrified at the destination site, (11-25) another mishap & roll again, (26-50) teleport fails outright, (51-75) teleported to a random permanent circle determined by the DM, (76-100) be shunted to nearest unoccupied open space to the permanent circle.

 

[Unwise]

What is the point of the runes and sigils if they are not necessary? As a DM I would definitely allow PCs to stuff it up with a pick axe. Don't let people mess with your teleportation circle. I would say that it can be repaired and might only take a week to re-etch the particular symbol hurt and re-infuse it with magic.

Personally I find it important to increase the use of skills during combat. IMC physically breaking a circle is the 'nuclear option'. It is the equivalent of hacking into a power conduit, there will be magical backlashes and people will likely get hurt. The proper use of arcana and/or a dispel magic however could minimise this. Give the wizard time to shine at magical stuff. In the same way, a trap might be disarmed by the Barbarian hitting it with a maul, but the safer and better way is for the DM to encourage the Rogue to use their appropriate skills.

 

[Horwath]

The spell components in 5e is chalk and a year of casting to create a permanent teleportation circle. The players came across a teleportation circle that belongs to an enemy wizard. They have no wizards in the party and decided to shoot the sigils in the middle of battle with a shot gun like gun. (Steam punk campaign mixing wizardry with firearms! Ha!)

So really 3 issues here:

1. Can a year of wizard's work be destroyed by simply vandalizing and rubbing the chalk off the floor or the object?

2. Can shooting hundreds of pellets into the cigils - defacing them destroy the circle's capability to teleport as the Wizard is fleeing battle?

3. After the battle if carved on stone could some dwarves with a pickaxe destroy the circle or could the circle be buried in stone so when people teleport into it they teleport into a stone wall?

I like the freedom of 5e, but, I look at it both ways, if PCs ever get to the point of having access to use teleportation circles, they're going to regret destroying them....

Thoughts on what others have done for this?

1. Years of Michelangelo's work can be destroyed with a sledgehammer and few seconds of your time. I dont see the difference.

2. If it damages the stone where it was written.

3. Burried? I like the Stargate mechanics that humans protected themselves with burying the gate or later with titanium iris to prevent re-materalization.