[3.5] Understanding the limits of the Liveoak spell

[Norin]

Hey,

Have a look at the Liveoak (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/liveoak.htm) druid spell from the srd.

It's possible that the use of this spell is intended to be rather stationary. Using the treant to defend your home, your grove, a location or some sacred spot.

The wording does not say (in clear writing) that you can have the treant guard your party, as part of the something description:


This spell turns an oak tree into a protector or guardian. The spell can be cast on only a single tree at a time; while liveoak is in effect, you can’t cast it again on another tree. The tree on which the spell is cast must be within 10 feet of your dwelling place, within a place sacred to you, or within 300 feet of something that you wish to guard or protect.

But... Would it be possible to have the Liveoak spell cast on a huge oak tree and instruct it to protect you and your party members, and thus have it follow you around?

The triggering phrase could be something like: "Attack anyone that tries to harm me or my allies."

Or does the spell require the treant to guard something (not someone) stationary or a given area?

Any help with how to understand the limits/wording of this spell would be appreciated, thanks.

[Maginomicon]

Even assuming you can't tell it to protect a person, you probably can convince your GM, by strict interpretation, to allow telling it to protect an object. For example, assume you're carrying a fragile amulet or other valuable item on your person. You may be able to convince the GM to have the treant protect the object (while acknowledging that you are an ally), and thereby protect you.

[SolioFebalas]

Ofcource it can protect you/or your party members, otherwise it would be one of the most useless spells cos of most companies are going in a nomadic style.

[Norin]

Ofcource it can protect you/or your party members, otherwise it would be one of the most useless spells cos of most companies are going in a nomadic style.

So it's safe to assume that the spell, with the right worded trigger phrase, functions as a sort of "Summon personal treant guardian" spell with day/caster level duration?

If nobody wants to contest this assumption with some hardcore raw or wording interpretation, all i can say is: "Thanks for the help" and "Neat spell, whee!"

[SolioFebalas]

Seems so,


So it's safe to assume that the spell, with the right worded trigger phrase, functions as a sort of "Summon personal treant guardian" spell with day/caster level duration?

For comparison Valiant Steed, also 6th level spell, summon unicorn or pegasus for a year.

[Norin]

Seems so,

For comparison Valiant Steed, also 6th level spell, summon unicorn or pegasus for a year.

Silly BoED spells, eh? :smallwink:

Just happy to come across a usable active spell with rather long duration on the (core) druid list I can use for a mix of fluff and crunch.

The treants ability to animate more trees "as the liveoak spell" seems to open a few more uses too. Imagine something like Fangorn attacking Isengard. Hmmm... :smallbiggrin: