D&D 5E The most obvious spell, and it's always missing

[MarkB]

Although... when do you ever have a combat/encounter that lasts 1 hour in-game time? Unless the encounter mostly involves talking, which is already covered under "light activity". I'm tempted to read that as fighting, casting spells or 1 hour of walking, i.e. a short battle = 1 hour of walking, and both would interrupt rest.

I go with the more generous interpretation - It's talking about those activities in combination, not necessarily doing just one of them the whole time. Basically what it's saying is "if your camp is compromised and you have to relocate or re-secure it, maybe fighting and spellcasting along the way, so long as you don't take more than an hour about it you can pick up where you left off."

 

[Lanefan]

I suspect the main meta-reason there's no such spell is that if there was it would get cast every night by every adventuring party in existence. And that would be, for lack of a better word, boring.

Lan-"sometimes attacking high-level parties while they sleep at night is the only way to make them feel mortal for a moment"-efan

 

[Shadowdweller00]

There has never been a shortage of these types of spells. Glyph of Warding - Suggestion (walk away) or Fear. Symbol of Fear. Illusion spells. Hallow-based effects. Heck, even things like Guards and Wards or Wall of Stone (albeit as a block rather than mind control). Once upon a time there were things like Antipathy.

 

[MechaPilot]

Harry, Ron, and Hermione pulled it off pretty easily and consistently in Deathly Hallows.

Didn't they also have unlimited flight too (provided they had brooms)?

 

[delericho]

Harry, Ron, and Hermione pulled it off pretty easily and consistently in Deathly Hallows.

Deathly Hallows is the last adventure in a multi-year campaign. By that point those three are nearing the top of the level range.

 

[aramis erak]

Although... when do you ever have a combat/encounter that lasts 1 hour in-game time? Unless the encounter mostly involves talking, which is already covered under "light activity". I'm tempted to read that as fighting, casting spells or 1 hour of walking, i.e. a short battle = 1 hour of walking, and both would interrupt rest.

I had one that lasted 9 minutes...
...But only because we used the UA mass combat system.

 

[jodyjohnson]

Once upon a time there were things like Antipathy.

You mean the 8th level Enchantment spell on PHB p214 or some other effect?

 

[jodyjohnson]

Your rest is interrupted and you have to start all over again.

My suggestion is to not try to take a Long Rest until your DM wants you to. Because it takes quite a lot to interrupt and force a restart on a Long Rest. If the DM rules 'any combat' interrupts then the only real option is to 'let the Wookie win'.

There's no spell that will stop DM ex machina.

 

[Miladoon]

I pity the player that forbids me mess with them during a short rest...

 

[Horwath]

In 3.5e we had;

secure shelter, 4th level spell.
created sturdy cottage for 24 hrs that could comfortably house 8 medium characters.

and,

hidden lodge, 5th level spell,
same as above but it visualy melded into terrain and only inside 30ft could you be entitled to DC30 survival check to find it. In 5e the check should be 20+casting ability modifier.


Guess that the spell didnt make a return as it was used as improvied meteor or a crushing trap