Conjuration Shelter Spells ... ignore Rope Trick & Mag. Mansion.

[Miss Disaster]

I'm curious if any of you have experience with using any of the Conjuration/Creation lodging spells. I'd like to hear about your experiences using them in mid-to-high level play (say, 9th level onward). For example,

- Mordenkainen's Capable Caravel (8th - Stormwrack)
- Leomund's Hidden Lodge (5th - Spc)
- Leomund's Billet (5th - HoB)
- Leomund's Secure Shelter (4th - PHB)
- Celestial Fortress (4th - CoV) ... has a sacrifice component of 1d2 Con Dmg.
- Leomund's Spacious Carriage (4th - Cityscape) ... can't be fun sleeping in a seated position for 8 hours.
- Tiny Hut (3rd - PHB) ... granted, not Conj/Creation, but Evoc/Force.
- Leomund's Tiny Igloo (2nd - Frostburn)

....

I'm fully aware of the dominance and preference of using Rope Trick and Magnificent Mansion. As well as sleeping and night-time camping in a Portable Hole, Enveloping Pit, etc. Or even just Teleporting back to base camp or a safe city to sleep, recuperate, prep spells, etc.

I'm more interested in how the above lodging spells faired in actual gameplay use as a night-time camp setup for mid to high level of play. Especially Hidden Lodge, which is the best of the above due to the fairly high roll needed to just spot the Lodge (one needs to be within 30' of it and roll a DC 30 Survival Check to spot it).

EDIT: Added Leomund's Tiny Igloo (thanks to Vaz!), Leomund's Spacious Carriage and Mordenkainen's Capable Caravel.

[Vaz]

It's not conjuration, but Tiny Igloo (Frostburn) is a [Cold] type. Energy Substitution allows you to make that Fire, Acid, or Lightning, or, if 3.0 is on the table, Sonic. Instead of being protected by blocks of Ice, you're sitting in an ingloo of pure sound, say. Short of a theoretical thouhg, it's not fantastic.

[ace rooster]

I'm fully aware of the dominance and preference of using Rope Trick and Magnificent Mansion. As well as sleeping and night-time camping in a Portable Hole, Enveloping Pit, etc. Or even just Teleporting back to base camp or a safe city to sleep, recuperate, prep spells, etc.


The lodge type spells have one massive advantage over those you list here. It is purely a DM call (as there are no hard rules on it), but rope trick highlights that nesting extradimensional spaces is dangerous. Leave your handy haversack outside if you don't want to lose everything in it.

Also transdimensional spell means you are not immune to bombardment in extradimensional spaces. The occasional hit and run fireball will seriously cramp your rest, preventing casters from preparing spells in the morning.

[Miss Disaster]

@Vaz ... Ah, yes, good catch. I'll add that to my OP.

@Ace ... Indeed. Part of the impetus for posting this thread was due to my new DM's statement that Rope Trick & MMM are not in the campaign world. And living beings cannot enter into extradimensional and nondimensional magic items such as BoH, PortHoles, etc. So that makes these alternate campsite spells the only options that he allows. And since Rope Trick and MMM have a thousand threads dedicated to them on all the D&D 3.5 forums, I thought it would be interesting to get some discussion going on about the alternatives to those campsite spells.

----

Also to note, Mordenkainen's Capable Caravel (8th level - Stormwrack) does ... and doesn't ... fit my original criteria even though it is a Conjuration/Creation spell. For it has an extradimensional component to it that is optionally accessed. So it can be ignored while allowing the characters to camp in the "cramped quarters for crew and passengers". Ah, the joys of sleeping on a houseboat.

Finally, you could actually camp for the night in a travelling Leomund's Spacious Carriage (4th level - Cityscape). Although you'd be "seated" and not laying down for your sleep session. There's no RAW for characters who get rest and sleep in a non-traditional, non-optimal resting position. Lol. So I'm sure your DM would consider some houserule adjudications for that. Also, it would likely be a bumpy ride. And 8 hours of carriage riding is likely to gain more attention from "random encounter" opponents.

[Flickerdart]

And living beings cannot enter into extradimensional and nondimensional magic items such as BoH, PortHoles, etc.
That may make it difficult to pull things out of them.

[Miss Disaster]

That may make it difficult to pull things out of them.I'll clarify that some. Hands can enter. Entire bodies cannot.

It's his intent to keep from having us sleep in tricked-out Enveloping Pits .... and keeping Planar Bound Outsiders from freely teleporting us all over creation while we're hanging out in a toted-along BoH.

[Flickerdart]

I'll clarify that some. Hands can enter. Entire bodies cannot.
Reach half-way into one container, put other half in another container.

[Miss Disaster]

It seems that the Hidden Lodge does have another good thing going for it in comparison to the MMM.

The MMM has one portal for external viewing. An 8'x4' door that everyone around it can see (it's not concealed from anybody's view) when it is open for external viewing. While the Hidden Lodge has a typical door and two windows (the windows, it's assumed, can be located wherever the caster desires). The door and windows can be open if so desired, while still keeping the concealment benefits (DC 30 Survival check to find) intact. Meaning, Hidden Lodge makes for a more useful observing outpost than the MMM when it comes to watching what's going on in the immediate environment.

[Hazrond]

Reach half-way into one container, put other half in another container.

That sounds like it might attract attention dont you think? a torso with bags tied around where its limbs and head should be, that sounds CREEPY

[ryu]

That sounds like it might attract attention dont you think? a torso with bags tied around where its limbs and head should be, that sounds CREEPY

Considering the space compression it wouldn't be that hard to conceal under your cloths. This is assuming you're carrying the party member in question.

[Hazrond]

Considering the space compression it wouldn't be that hard to conceal under your cloths. This is assuming you're carrying the party member in question.

You would still need to carry the torso, and there is the issue of breathing which could be rectified with a air bottle in the head bag

[Flickerdart]

That sounds like it might attract attention dont you think? a torso with bags tied around where its limbs and head should be, that sounds CREEPY
Obviously you lay two portable holes up against one another.

[ryu]

You would still need to carry the torso, and there is the issue of breathing which could be rectified with a air bottle in the head bag

Why? No seriously why? We can't put bags inside bags because reasons, but sewing the mouths together means the actual spaces don't have to meet. They'd just be directly adjacent.

[Hazrond]

Obviously you lay two portable holes up against one another.

you would need to be REALLY careful not to accidentally let one fall into another and suck your friend to the astral plane

[ryu]

you would need to be REALLY careful not to accidentally let one fall into another and suck your friend to the astral plane

Sounds like a skill check to me. We can optimize those.

[Hazrond]

Why? No seriously why? We can't put bags inside bags because reasons, but sewing the mouths together means the actual spaces don't have to meet. They'd just be directly adjacent.

because i dont think they MAKE bags of holding big enough to fit over a guys torso

[Hazrond]

Sounds like a skill check to me. We can optimize those.

i dont think it would be a skill check, i think you would literally have to keep the things perfectly still, it would also be a nice way to get rid of a party member thats annoying you, why bother killing him? just send em to the Astral plane by crossing the holes while they are asleep :smallamused:

[Flickerdart]

you would need to be REALLY careful not to accidentally let one fall into another and suck your friend to the astral plane
Or, and hear me out here, you sew some buttons on.

[Hazrond]

Or, and hear me out here, you sew some buttons on.

is that even possible? how does one sew buttons onto a miniature portal?

[Flickerdart]

is that even possible? how does one sew buttons onto a miniature portal?
When not deployed, a portable hole is a flexible piece of cloth. It helps to read the item descriptions.

[Hazrond]

When not deployed, a portable hole is a flexible piece of cloth. It helps to read the item descriptions.

Really? i thought that was just a comparison, well i still dont think that sewing buttons on a extraplanar portal is very wise but its your choice if you wanna risk the astral plane

[Flickerdart]

Really? i thought that was just a comparison, well i still dont think that sewing buttons on a extraplanar portal is very wise but its your choice if you wanna risk the astral plane
You thought wrong. Seriously, read the item: "A portable hole is a circle of cloth spun from the webs of a phase spider interwoven with strands of ether and beams of starlight." (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#portableHole) Literally the first sentence.

No mention is made for the portable hole that you are in any danger of the Astral Plane for piercing it (or indeed putting another portable hole inside of it).

[jiriku]

I DM'd a party once that had no wizard but had a druid. They used leomund's hidden lodge when they needed to camp. It worked quite well for them. The vast majority of the opponents they faced didn't have the potential to detect them while they were in the lodge, and they were smart enough to cast it in low-traffic areas and use a different camping method when they knew that using it would be especially risky. Their biggest trouble in using it came from camping in dungeon areas, where there wasn't a large area of natural terrain for the lodge to blend into.

[Mellack]

Where did this rule that people can't go in a bag/hole? Didn't the bag discription specifically say something about having ten minutes of air?

[ace rooster]

Where did this rule that people can't go in a bag/hole? Didn't the bag discription specifically say something about having ten minutes of air?

He said it was a house rule they were using. As standard it works fine, as long as you don't have any other extra dimensional spaces on your person. If you do then things can get interesting. Not will, but can. :smallamused:

[With a box]

Is a personal demiplane count as a shelter?

[Rubik]

There are other ways to do this kind of thing, such as Psychoportive Shelter (http://www.psionics.info/powers/psychoportive-shelter/) (which likely would be included in the banned-wagon). Or, if you have someone capable of concentrating for long periods of time without rest, Silent Image would allow the party to hide behind an illusory wall, or inside an illusory pile of rubble, or behind an illusory closed door, or what have you.

And then there's good ol' Arcane Lock. Or taking a very large object in hand, manifesting Compression/Reduce Person/Shrink Item, wedging the object into place, and then dismissing the effect.

[Miss Disaster]

OP Sspeaking here.

Please re-read the first post. This isn't about extradimensional and nondimensional magic item & spell interaction crap.

If you wanna talk about the camping spell alternatives to Rope Trick and Magnificent Mansion, then feel free to post. I was looking for discussion and testimonials on how the various Conjuration/Creation and Evocation/Force campsite spells work for y'all.

[Gavinfoxx]

I did a rewrite of these...


BEGIN MY REWRITE OF THESE SPELLS, INTENDED TO REPLACE ALL MAGICAL HOUSING SPELLS IN THE GAME:

Tiny Shelter
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 2, Sorcerer/Wizard 2, Magewright 2, Wu Jen 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Effect: 10-ft.-square structure
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You conjure a small shelter out of material that is common in the area where the spell is cast. The floor is level, clean, and dry. In all respects it resembles a normal makeshift shelter, with no windows, a single doorway, and a seal-able flap on the doorway, a hole in the ceiling with an overhanging structure over it for smoke to leave, and a fire-pit in the middle of the shelter, with enough permanent wood and kindling to last for the duration of the spell. Also inside the shelter are four raised sleeping platforms.
The shelter provides protection from the elements, such as wind, rain, snow, sleet, hail, dust, and sandstorms. The shelter has no ability to hold it's temperature other than the natural insulation of the material, which, no matter what it is made of, is as strong as and has the properties of normal wood, except for the flap, which is as strong and has the same properties as tanned animal hide, and the items ringing the fire-pit, which act like normal stones. The shelter withstands any wind of less than hurricane force, but a hurricane (75+ mph wind speed) or greater force destroys it.
Material Components: A small chip of stone, several splinters of wood, a small patch of leather

Small Hut
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3, Magewright 3, Wu Jen 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Effect: 20-ft.-square structure
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You conjure a small hut out of a material that is common in the area where the spell is cast. The floor is level, clean, and dry. In all respects it resembles a normal hut, with a single shuttered window with a latch, and a wooden door with a latch.
The temperature inside the hut is 70° F if the exterior temperature is between 0° and 100° F. An exterior temperature below 0° or above 100° lowers or raises the interior temperature on a 1-degree-for-1 basis. In the middle of the hut is an immobile metal magical brazier, which can provide heat, which can be used to cook with or to warm the hut beyond the limits of the magical warming. Five feet away from this brazier is an immobile magical lamp, which can be used to illuminate the insides of the hut at will. Also inside the hut are eight raised sleeping platforms with crude beds on them, and eight stools. The hut provides protection from the elements, such as wind, rain, snow, sleet, hail, dust, and sandstorms. No matter what it is made of, the hut is as strong as and has the properties of normal wood. The shelter withstands any wind of less than hurricane force, but a hurricane (75+ mph wind speed) or greater force destroys it.
Material Components: A small chip of stone, several splinters of wood, a dollop of animal fat, a small piece of cotton, and some metal shavings

Secure Hut
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 4, Sorcerer/Wizard 4, Magewright 4, Wu Jen 4
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Effect: 20-ft.-square structure
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You conjure a small but sturdy hut made of material that is common in the area where the spell is cast. The floor is level, clean, and dry. In all respects the lodging resembles a normal hut, with a sturdy door and two shuttered windows.
The temperature inside the hut is 70° F if the exterior temperature is between 0° and 100° F. An exterior temperature below 0° or above 100° lowers or raises the interior temperature on a 1-degree-for-1 basis. In the middle of the hut is an immobile metal magical brazier, which can provide heat, which can be used to cook with or to warm the hut beyond the limits of the magical warming. Five feet away from this brazier is an immobile magical lamp, which can be used to illuminate the insides of the hut at will. Also inside the hut are eight raised sleeping platforms with comfortable beds on them, eight stools, a trestle table, and a writing desk. The hut provides protection from the elements, such as wind, rain, snow, sleet, hail, dust, and sandstorms. No matter what it is made of, the hut is as strong as and has the properties of stone building, regardless of its material composition. The dwelling resists flames and fire as if it were stone. It
is impervious to normal missiles (but not the sort cast by siege engines or giants), and even hurricane force winds.
The door and shutters are secure against intrusion, being arcane locked and able to be barred from the inside. In addition, these areas are protected by an alarm spell. Finally, a near-transparent attendant, as an unseen servant but visible, is conjured to provide service to you for the duration of the shelter.
Material Components: A small chip of stone, several splinters of wood, a dollop of animal fat, a small piece of cotton, some metal shavings, some string, and some gold-colored sand
Focus: The focus of the alarm spell (silver wire and a tiny bell) if this benefit is to be included.

Secure Longhouse
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5, Magewright 5, Wu Jen 5
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Effect: 20-ft.-by-80-ft. structure
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You conjure a building similar to four Secure Huts combined into one long building. This single building can be used to house thirty-two people. The longhouse has two doors, one at each end, and eight shuttered windows, two on each side. The doors and windows can be barred, arcane locked, and alarmed. The building contains thirty-two beds, thirty two stools, four trestle tables, four writing desks, four magical lamps, and four cooking braziers. Additionally, four near-transparent attendants, as unseen servant but visible, are conjured to provide service for the duration of the shelter.
Material Components: A small chip of stone, several splinters of wood, a dollop of animal fat, a small piece of cotton, some metal shavings, some string, and some gold-colored sand
Focus: The focus of the alarm spell (silver wire and a tiny bell) if this benefit is to be included.

Hidden Secure Hut
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5, Magewright 5, Wu Jen 5
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Effect: 20-ft.-square structure
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell functions like Secure Hut, except as noted here. The hut created is perfectly camouflaged to blend in with whatever terrain or surroundings are appropriate. It might appear as a house-sized boulder in a rocky or mountainous area, as a sand dune in the desert, as a densely tangled thicket, a grassy knoll, or even a mighty tree. The lodge also obscures all telltale signs of habitation, including any light or sound coming from within.
At any distance of more than 30 feet, the lodge is indistinguishable from natural terrain. Any creature approach-
ing within 30 feet that has no particular reason to be aware of the lodge is entitled to a DC 30 Survival check to spot the hidden lodge as an artificial dwelling and not a natural part of the landscape.
Material Components: A small chip of stone, several splinters of wood, a dollop of animal fat, a small piece of cotton, some metal shavings, some string, and some gold-colored sand
Focus: The focus of the alarm spell (silver wire and a tiny bell) if this benefit is to be included.

Secure Fortified Blockhouse
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 6, Sorcerer/Wizard 6, Wu Jen 6
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting time: 1 minute
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: 2 story, 30-ft.-square structure
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You conjure an extremely sturdy and well fortified two story blockhouse made of a material that is common in the area where the spell is cast. This building is customizable for three options. The first option makes the first floor into a large open area, with straw on the level, dry ground, and a variety of feed, vegetables, grains, oats, and grasses suitable for a wide variety of herbivorous animals to feed on, enough to feed six large plant eating animals. Half of the food also happens to be suitable for human consumption, and is enough to feed a dozen people, but this reduces the feed to only feeding three large plant eating animals. Also contained is a large trough of water. This option makes the ground level door a large set of heavy, metal reinforced wooden doors, large enough for a Large creature to walk through comfortably. The second option has the first floor as a series of five foot wide hallways, zig-zagging through the length of the
structure, with a heavy reinforced, able to be arcane locked and barred reinforced wooden door at the transition to the next hallway. Each hallway has defensive murder holes placed in it, so that easy attacks can be made on those in the next 'out' hallway. Also, next to each door, on the defender's side, is a 'lockable in on position' switch that fills the next hallway out with caltrops, metal marbles, and Grease as per the Grease spell. This option also has murder holes placed so that attacks can be made from the second floor to the hallway in the first. There is one door to the outside world, and five internal doors at the end of each hallway in this layout. The third layout simply mirrors the top floor exactly, with the option to have or not have the arrow loops mirrored, except for the ladder from the first floor to the second in one of the two far corners from the corner entrance door, which is the same in all three layouts.
The temperature inside the blockhouse is 70° F if the exterior temperature is between 0° and 100° F. An exterior temperature below 0° or above 100° lowers or raises the interior temperature on a 1-degree-for-1 basis. In the second floor are two immobile metal braziers, spaced equally apart, which provide heat and can be used to cook or to warm the floor of the blockhouse that they are in beyond the limits of the magical warming. There are also two immobile magical lamps on the second floor, which provide heatless illumination of the blockhouse at will. On this floor, four on each side, are shuttered cross style arrow loops. These have an illusion placed on them so that it is impossible to see inside them from the outside, providing full concealment to the defenders. They also, because of their design, provide improved cover to the defenders firing out. Also inside the top floor are eighteen comfortable chairs, eighteen comfortable beds, two
writing desks, and two trestle tables. The blockhouse provides protection from the elements, such as wind, rain, snow, sleet, hail, dust, and sandstorms. No matter what it is made of, the hut is as strong as and has the properties of a reinforced stone building, regardless of its material composition. The dwelling resists flames and fire as if it were stone. It is impervious to normal missiles (but not the sort cast by siege engines or giants), and even hurricane force winds.
The door and shutters on the arrow loops are secure against intrusion, being arcane locked and able to be barred from the inside. In addition, these areas are protected by an alarm spell. Finally, five near-transparent attendants, as an unseen servant but visible, are conjured to provide service to you for the duration of the spell.
Material Components: A small chip of stone, several splinters of wood, a dollop of animal fat, a small piece of cotton, some metal shavings, some string, some gold-colored sand, some butter, a bit of fleece, a pinch of flour, and a splash of some water
Focus: The focus of the alarm spell (silver wire and a tiny bell) if this benefit is to be included.

[Miss Disaster]

I did a rewrite of these...


BEGIN MY REWRITE OF THESE SPELLS, INTENDED TO REPLACE ALL MAGICAL HOUSING SPELLS IN THE GAME:

Tiny Shelter
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 2, Sorcerer/Wizard 2, Magewright 2, Wu Jen 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Effect: 10-ft.-square structure
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You conjure a small shelter out of material that is common in the area where the spell is cast. The floor is level, clean, and dry. In all respects it resembles a normal makeshift shelter, with no windows, a single doorway, and a seal-able flap on the doorway, a hole in the ceiling with an overhanging structure over it for smoke to leave, and a fire-pit in the middle of the shelter, with enough permanent wood and kindling to last for the duration of the spell. Also inside the shelter are four raised sleeping platforms.
The shelter provides protection from the elements, such as wind, rain, snow, sleet, hail, dust, and sandstorms. The shelter has no ability to hold it's temperature other than the natural insulation of the material, which, no matter what it is made of, is as strong as and has the properties of normal wood, except for the flap, which is as strong and has the same properties as tanned animal hide, and the items ringing the fire-pit, which act like normal stones. The shelter withstands any wind of less than hurricane force, but a hurricane (75+ mph wind speed) or greater force destroys it.
Material Components: A small chip of stone, several splinters of wood, a small patch of leather

Small Hut
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3, Magewright 3, Wu Jen 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Effect: 20-ft.-square structure
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You conjure a small hut out of a material that is common in the area where the spell is cast. The floor is level, clean, and dry. In all respects it resembles a normal hut, with a single shuttered window with a latch, and a wooden door with a latch.
The temperature inside the hut is 70° F if the exterior temperature is between 0° and 100° F. An exterior temperature below 0° or above 100° lowers or raises the interior temperature on a 1-degree-for-1 basis. In the middle of the hut is an immobile metal magical brazier, which can provide heat, which can be used to cook with or to warm the hut beyond the limits of the magical warming. Five feet away from this brazier is an immobile magical lamp, which can be used to illuminate the insides of the hut at will. Also inside the hut are eight raised sleeping platforms with crude beds on them, and eight stools. The hut provides protection from the elements, such as wind, rain, snow, sleet, hail, dust, and sandstorms. No matter what it is made of, the hut is as strong as and has the properties of normal wood. The shelter withstands any wind of less than hurricane force, but a hurricane (75+ mph wind speed) or greater force destroys it.
Material Components: A small chip of stone, several splinters of wood, a dollop of animal fat, a small piece of cotton, and some metal shavings

Secure Hut
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 4, Sorcerer/Wizard 4, Magewright 4, Wu Jen 4
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Effect: 20-ft.-square structure
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You conjure a small but sturdy hut made of material that is common in the area where the spell is cast. The floor is level, clean, and dry. In all respects the lodging resembles a normal hut, with a sturdy door and two shuttered windows.
The temperature inside the hut is 70° F if the exterior temperature is between 0° and 100° F. An exterior temperature below 0° or above 100° lowers or raises the interior temperature on a 1-degree-for-1 basis. In the middle of the hut is an immobile metal magical brazier, which can provide heat, which can be used to cook with or to warm the hut beyond the limits of the magical warming. Five feet away from this brazier is an immobile magical lamp, which can be used to illuminate the insides of the hut at will. Also inside the hut are eight raised sleeping platforms with comfortable beds on them, eight stools, a trestle table, and a writing desk. The hut provides protection from the elements, such as wind, rain, snow, sleet, hail, dust, and sandstorms. No matter what it is made of, the hut is as strong as and has the properties of stone building, regardless of its material composition. The dwelling resists flames and fire as if it were stone. It
is impervious to normal missiles (but not the sort cast by siege engines or giants), and even hurricane force winds.
The door and shutters are secure against intrusion, being arcane locked and able to be barred from the inside. In addition, these areas are protected by an alarm spell. Finally, a near-transparent attendant, as an unseen servant but visible, is conjured to provide service to you for the duration of the shelter.
Material Components: A small chip of stone, several splinters of wood, a dollop of animal fat, a small piece of cotton, some metal shavings, some string, and some gold-colored sand
Focus: The focus of the alarm spell (silver wire and a tiny bell) if this benefit is to be included.

Secure Longhouse
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5, Magewright 5, Wu Jen 5
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Effect: 20-ft.-by-80-ft. structure
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You conjure a building similar to four Secure Huts combined into one long building. This single building can be used to house thirty-two people. The longhouse has two doors, one at each end, and eight shuttered windows, two on each side. The doors and windows can be barred, arcane locked, and alarmed. The building contains thirty-two beds, thirty two stools, four trestle tables, four writing desks, four magical lamps, and four cooking braziers. Additionally, four near-transparent attendants, as unseen servant but visible, are conjured to provide service for the duration of the shelter.
Material Components: A small chip of stone, several splinters of wood, a dollop of animal fat, a small piece of cotton, some metal shavings, some string, and some gold-colored sand
Focus: The focus of the alarm spell (silver wire and a tiny bell) if this benefit is to be included.

Hidden Secure Hut
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5, Magewright 5, Wu Jen 5
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Effect: 20-ft.-square structure
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell functions like Secure Hut, except as noted here. The hut created is perfectly camouflaged to blend in with whatever terrain or surroundings are appropriate. It might appear as a house-sized boulder in a rocky or mountainous area, as a sand dune in the desert, as a densely tangled thicket, a grassy knoll, or even a mighty tree. The lodge also obscures all telltale signs of habitation, including any light or sound coming from within.
At any distance of more than 30 feet, the lodge is indistinguishable from natural terrain. Any creature approach-
ing within 30 feet that has no particular reason to be aware of the lodge is entitled to a DC 30 Survival check to spot the hidden lodge as an artificial dwelling and not a natural part of the landscape.
Material Components: A small chip of stone, several splinters of wood, a dollop of animal fat, a small piece of cotton, some metal shavings, some string, and some gold-colored sand
Focus: The focus of the alarm spell (silver wire and a tiny bell) if this benefit is to be included.

Secure Fortified Blockhouse
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 6, Sorcerer/Wizard 6, Wu Jen 6
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting time: 1 minute
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: 2 story, 30-ft.-square structure
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You conjure an extremely sturdy and well fortified two story blockhouse made of a material that is common in the area where the spell is cast. This building is customizable for three options. The first option makes the first floor into a large open area, with straw on the level, dry ground, and a variety of feed, vegetables, grains, oats, and grasses suitable for a wide variety of herbivorous animals to feed on, enough to feed six large plant eating animals. Half of the food also happens to be suitable for human consumption, and is enough to feed a dozen people, but this reduces the feed to only feeding three large plant eating animals. Also contained is a large trough of water. This option makes the ground level door a large set of heavy, metal reinforced wooden doors, large enough for a Large creature to walk through comfortably. The second option has the first floor as a series of five foot wide hallways, zig-zagging through the length of the
structure, with a heavy reinforced, able to be arcane locked and barred reinforced wooden door at the transition to the next hallway. Each hallway has defensive murder holes placed in it, so that easy attacks can be made on those in the next 'out' hallway. Also, next to each door, on the defender's side, is a 'lockable in on position' switch that fills the next hallway out with caltrops, metal marbles, and Grease as per the Grease spell. This option also has murder holes placed so that attacks can be made from the second floor to the hallway in the first. There is one door to the outside world, and five internal doors at the end of each hallway in this layout. The third layout simply mirrors the top floor exactly, with the option to have or not have the arrow loops mirrored, except for the ladder from the first floor to the second in one of the two far corners from the corner entrance door, which is the same in all three layouts.
The temperature inside the blockhouse is 70° F if the exterior temperature is between 0° and 100° F. An exterior temperature below 0° or above 100° lowers or raises the interior temperature on a 1-degree-for-1 basis. In the second floor are two immobile metal braziers, spaced equally apart, which provide heat and can be used to cook or to warm the floor of the blockhouse that they are in beyond the limits of the magical warming. There are also two immobile magical lamps on the second floor, which provide heatless illumination of the blockhouse at will. On this floor, four on each side, are shuttered cross style arrow loops. These have an illusion placed on them so that it is impossible to see inside them from the outside, providing full concealment to the defenders. They also, because of their design, provide improved cover to the defenders firing out. Also inside the top floor are eighteen comfortable chairs, eighteen comfortable beds, two
writing desks, and two trestle tables. The blockhouse provides protection from the elements, such as wind, rain, snow, sleet, hail, dust, and sandstorms. No matter what it is made of, the hut is as strong as and has the properties of a reinforced stone building, regardless of its material composition. The dwelling resists flames and fire as if it were stone. It is impervious to normal missiles (but not the sort cast by siege engines or giants), and even hurricane force winds.
The door and shutters on the arrow loops are secure against intrusion, being arcane locked and able to be barred from the inside. In addition, these areas are protected by an alarm spell. Finally, five near-transparent attendants, as an unseen servant but visible, are conjured to provide service to you for the duration of the spell.
Material Components: A small chip of stone, several splinters of wood, a dollop of animal fat, a small piece of cotton, some metal shavings, some string, some gold-colored sand, some butter, a bit of fleece, a pinch of flour, and a splash of some water
Focus: The focus of the alarm spell (silver wire and a tiny bell) if this benefit is to be included.
Gavin, I like these. A LOT. But I'm curious, what were your motivations for re-writing these narrow niche (but very useful spells)?


I DM'd a party once that had no wizard but had a druid. They used leomund's hidden lodge when they needed to camp. It worked quite well for them. The vast majority of the opponents they faced didn't have the potential to detect them while they were in the lodge, and they were smart enough to cast it in low-traffic areas and use a different camping method when they knew that using it would be especially risky. Their biggest trouble in using it came from camping in dungeon areas, where there wasn't a large area of natural terrain for the lodge to blend into.Thanks for your testimonial on Hidden Lodge. That's exactly what I was looking for. I'm curious too, if you found the 10 minute casting time to be a problem. That's 10 minutes of spellcaster exposure (while making noise with verbal components and moving about quite a bit with somatics) which might be an issue with hidden/stealthy trackers nearby and whatnot.