Ultimate Wizards tower! What does it need?

[Yogibear41]

What should the ultimate wizard's tower include and why? A few things come to my mind but am asking the playground to see if I am missing anything.
Doesn't necessarily have to have an actual game advantage but role-playing is big +.

1. A library, knowledge research etc.
2. An alchemy lab, more research, practical application, making goodies
3. A botanical Garden, reagents/ingredients medicinal purposes research etc.
4. A Forge/armory for all your outfitting and magical item crafting needs(after all you could be a gish)
5. An astrology observatory, more knowledge, research, potential for increased spell power based on celestial alignments.
6. Essentials- bedroom, food stores, etc etc.
7. Some sort of testing area for new spells? Target dummies etc.
8. Acoustic room for the enjoyment of musical renditions and possible sonic spell research?
9. Dungeon for unwanted quests? Although this maybe better to locate off site and simply teleport in when you need to do some interrogating.
10. ?


Anything else that anyone can think off? Put this together rather quickly so if I missed something obvious DOH :smallsmile:

[JaronK]

I know in my case I used factory filled with Unseen Crafters. I made Walls of Stone, used Stone Metamorphosis to turn them into Elukian Clay. The goal was to have the crafters then turn this into Huge Mechanicus Gear armor suits, which could then be animated via Haunt Shift with Animate Dread Warrior minions to take over the world. Of course, a Zombie Dragon that was Spell Stitched provides the Dread Warriors.

But maybe that's just me.

JaronK

[Red Fel]

Consider some sort of extradimensional zoo. Either a pleasant one, with individual habitats, or an unpleasant one, with cages and pens.

The former can be used as a diplomatic tool as well. For example, providing a safe haven to intelligent magical creatures or outsiders (or even dragons) in exchange for access to some of their wisdom, companionship, or possibly "donations" for various studies or experiments. (Don't forget, for example, you need a living dragon if you want to create Draconic Grafts.)

The latter is more in line with an evil wizard. Again, you have many uses. You can torture them for their own amusement. You can harvest them for parts. You can experiment on them. You can force the more intelligent ones to disclose valuable information.

Also, consider servants of some variety or other, be they constructs, Unseen Servants, Magic Mouths, or various animated objects.

Additionally, be sure that the structure is built on multiple parallel planes, such as ethereal and shadow, to prevent people from simply poofing in uninvited. Alternatively, have the entire structure exist in its own demiplane, with entryways under your control.

[Squirrel_Dude]

Mobility. A Wizards tower that can only stay in one place isn't very helpful. That things needs to be able to fly if not teleport to wherever the wizard wants it to be.

[Deaxsa]

maybe these:
safe
dungeon/interrogation room
bunker/escape pod
escape portal/escape pod

[Chronos]

For the ultimate wizard's tower? It should be on its own private demiplane.

[Yogibear41]

How does one make his own demi-plane? With Entry way under my control?

I know of the Genesis spell, but other than that?

[Slipperychicken]

Someone made a way to build a Tardis in D&D, complete with time travel and sentience. The ideal Wizard's Tower would probably be a tower-sized version of that.


How does one make his own demi-plane? With Entry way under my control?

I know of the Genesis spell, but other than that?

You could pay someone to cast it for you, or buy a scroll.

[Waker]

Having a room set aside to perform bindings and teleports. Since it is probably a good idea to prevent most extraplanar travel within the tower, this is the one room where you could teleport into. This will be one of the most heavily warded rooms, should someone who isn't you decide to try entering through it.
A museum/trophy room. This is where you store items that while valuable, might not necessarily being inherently powerful/useful from a magic viewpoint. This is where you store priceless pottery from ancient empires, the broken sword of your former rival and your bronzed baby booties.
A Sitting Room might be useful, should you be a Wizard who might occasionally entertain visitors. While I know Wizards are expected to be insanely paranoid, antisocial people, they might still want to hang out with friends and roll some dice.
A dumping ground for discarded experiments, expended alchemical materials and items that otherwise cannot be destroyed. You might keep this area because you are environmentally conscious or perhaps you fear that someone could still make use of the junk.

[Yogibear41]

How is this Tardis built?

[Red Fel]

How is this Tardis built?

The simplest method is simply to craft a movable portal (I seem to recall WotC website had a bit on this) which you can move, activate, and deactivate easily, which can only be operated by you or those designated by you, and which you can close from the other side. This will allow you, in whatever place at whatever time, to open a door home, and be there, and then close the door, similar to a Magnificent Mansion spell, but more permanent. As previously suggested, the tower should be its own private demiplane, virtually inaccessible except by your portal.

[John Longarrow]

Don't forget effigy creatures. Toss permanent illusions on them to make them more "real" and outfit them with real gear. Nothing like having your own set of trophy "spouses" that hang out and distract visitors. Make sure they are also useful.

If you have the resources, simulacra of assorted useful beings instead of or in addition to the effigies.

A room with a permanent illusion that is linked to a magical sensor some where. Brings a whole new meaning to 3D reality TV...

And a diamond hyena shooting fire out its butt.

[Yogibear41]

Is the diamond hyena in reference to something? Sorry i don't get it.

[John Longarrow]

Things I want by Tenacious D.

[ryu]

Time-speed manipulation properties. If possible linked to an easily controlled mechanism dimmer-switch style. Why? Sometimes you just gotta research something FAST relative to real world time or get a nights rest without eight real world hours to spend. On the other end sometimes you just have to make fifty years pass in what is five seconds from your point of view. Preferably the wizard is also somehow immortal in one way or another.

[JoshuaZ]

It depends heavily on the setting's general magic level. In high magic settings , it should be its own demiplane.

Regardless of general level though, it should have at least one room that has a permanent anti-magic field, as well as a room with heavy protections against scrying, and most of it should still have some protections against scrying, as well as protections against teleporting in.

[almightycoma]

a diamond hyena shooting fire out its butt.

I have to disagree if you want a diamond animal it has to be a horse named butt stallion.

[John Longarrow]

I have to disagree if you want a diamond animal it has to be a horse named butt stallion.

But it will go so nice with the Solid Gold Harley with Machine guns on the front!!!

[Vortenger]

Stronghold Builder's Guide gives a number of gems and enhancements for building your tower. Over the years I've tried a few, and demi planes are probably the best, but this was my favorite:

A Daern's Instant Fortress enhanced with exterior traps and effects and then coat the walls with permanencied walls of force. First floor: Garage (see below) Second floor: Laboratory, scrying/ sensing area, and teleporter into the garage, Third Floor: Latrine, Basic Bedroom,roof access, and entrance to permanent Magnificent Mansion for sleeping quarters. Covered all the basics and folded up to fit in your pocket when you went delving in ancient ruins.

Best part was our transportation: a 10'x10' Obduirium walled room (fill all 4 party members) with all the fixings. 34 MPH (or whatever the max fly speed in SBG was. Not that fast, but who cares when you ride in style?) perfect flight, external scrying sensors so we could 'drive', etc. and the defenses: spell turrets on every external surface (we stopped at 24, because the number had stopped mattering). We only used 1st level spells, as the DM was protesting magic missile and acid orb volleys (x24) on each enemy that was within range. It did take up the entire bottom floor of the tower, however, and needed a way to teleport out.