transdimensional A-Bombs?

[Cyronax]

Hello,

My players have been pondering the effects of several uses of extradimensional spaces:

1) What happens when you put a bag of holding inside a heward's handy haversack, and vice versa?

2) Can you take those two magic bags into a rope trick safely?

I scanned the rules and saw no concrete ruling, save that the rules warn that mixing dimensions can be dangerous.

I know the effects of a portable hole and a bag of holding already, just to preempt.

Thanks,
C.I.D.

 

[Krafen]

For simplicity's sake, I suggest using the rules as written for the portable hole and bag of holding and not adding any other effects.

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

A great deal of this depends on how you construct planes. Its just the way

IMC, if two permanent (magic item) spaces get placed one inside the other, they go boom.

If you take a permanent one into a non-permanent one, you are ok unless you try to open the permanent one - then boom.

 

[mvincent]

1) Depends on which ruling you use below
2) Yes

From the Rules of the Game:
"Extradimensional spaces are notorious for creating spectacular and dangerous effects when placed inside each other; however, the dangers can be somewhat overrated. One bag of holding can be placed safely inside another (of course, the first bag's weight counts against what the second bag can hold). Likewise, one portable hole can be placed safely inside another.

A bag of holding placed inside a portable hole, however, creates a rift to the Astral Plane. (See the bag of holding excerpt.) Oddly enough, objects aren't drawn through the gate.

It's best to treat a Heward's handy haversack as a bag of holding when it interacts with a portable hole.

Other interactions between extradimensional spaces are possible. For example, the rope trick and Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion both create extradimensional spaces. The rope trick spell description makes a passing mention of "hazards" associated with placing one extradimensional space inside another, but gives no details. (See the rope trick excerpt.)

I recommend that you ignore this reference. Your campaign won't be improved if rope trick effects implode when someone carries a bag of holding or portable hole inside. A Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion should likewise prove benign if someone carries a bag of holding or portable hole inside."

From the 3.0 FAQ:
“It’s a general rule that you can’t mix items containing nondimensional or extradimensional spaces (things that are bigger inside than out) with each other or with portable holes. Such combinations tend to strain the fabric of the cosmos. Putting one bag of holding within another is just like putting the bag into a portable hole. Items that function like bags of holding, such as Heward’s handy haversacks, cause the same mishaps when mishandled.

Note you can freely go plane hopping with portable holes, bags of holding, and the like. Spells that produce their own extradimensional spaces, such as rope trick, pose no danger to occupants who may be using portable holes, bags of holding, and the like."

Note that both of the above were written by the same author

From the 2ed guide to High-level campaigns, section on magic items:
"Extradimensional Spaces: These items tend to produce spectacular effects when one is placed within another. The following items contain extradimensional spaces: bag of holding, bag of transmuting, flatbox†, girdle of many pouches, Heward’s handy haversack, portable hole, and pouch of accessibility. The following spells produce extradimensional spaces: extradimensional pocket†, Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion, and rope trick.

In most instances, placing one extradimensional space inside another opens a rift to the Astral Plane, casting both the items and their contents through the rift. The items and anything contained within them are scattered randomly in the infinite depths of the Astral Plane."