Transporting an Unseen Servant

[Aquillion]

Unseen Servant is really one of the most versatile first-level spells; it can do all sorts of things, from scouting to fetching things surrounded by dangerous enemies to aiding actions that can be aided unskilled to making simple unskilled checks every round for 1 hour per caster level. And, of course, with a duration like that, there's no reason for a high-level caster to not have an unseen servant attending on them at all times.

...except. Unseen servant is limited to a speed of 15 feet per round, which can cause problems when the party wants to move quickly. So. What ways are there to improve this? Can you order an unseen servant to just grab on to you or your mount or whatever and carry it around at higher speeds? Can you stuff it into a bag, box, or locket and carry that? For that matter, if the answer is no, what happens if you order an unseen servant into an airtight box, lock it tightly, then try to move the box at a speed greater than 15 feet per round?

...another question that's always bugged me. Can unseen servants pass through walls? Can they slide through the cracks under doors or in wooden objects?

The spell description says that they're a "shapeless force", which implies, to me, that it can fit through any crack, gap, or hole, however small, but can't actually pass through solid objects. But I was curious what other people thought.

[Zincorium]

My thoughts? It's a first level spell and the vast majority of uses are when you're out of combat.

Cast the dang thing again if you need to move fast and have it around when you get to your destination.

[tensai]

If you wanted to kill some catgirls, just claim that the servant shares the same Newtonian reference frame as you. From your point of view, the servant never exceeds 15'/rd., even though a bystander would see differently if you were on horseback with the servant following behind.

Were this to come up in my campaign, I'd probably rule that the servant can keep up with you, as long as you're not making it carry anything. Your mileage may vary.

[kamikasei]

If you wanted to kill some catgirls, just claim that the servant shares the same Newtonian reference frame as you. From your point of view, the servant never exceeds 15'/rd., even though a bystander would see differently if you were on horseback with the servant following behind.

That doesn't really work.

a) Cast Unseen Servant. Say you're first level, so we're talking about a 25-foot range.
b) Tell the Servant to go to the limit of that range. Now it's 25 feet away from you.
c) You probably have a 30-foot movement rate. Move those 30 feet towards and past the servant.
d) The servant has just exceeded 15 feet-per-round, relative to you.

[tensai]

Blagh, you're right. Serves me good for trying to come up with something at 4 in the AM.

[Fixer]

Unseen Servants are based around the caster and move at the same time the caster moves. As a result, if the caster wants to move at 15 constantly to maintain the servant, they may do so. There is no way to 'store' a servant. You cannot 'drag' a servant either as it doesn't really have 'hands' with which to grab with. It can apply force (even upwards force which is how it carries things) but has no 'grip'.

I always liked the 'follow the Unseen Servant as it drags the 100 pound weight 25 feet in front of the party to set off any traps it finds and survive all except AoE spell effects'.

[Aquillion]

But, then... what happens if I order it into a box? Is it material? Assuming it can't pass through solid objects, it has some 'substance', and the rules certainly indicate that it has a 'location'. Therefore, it can be ordered into an airtight box of some size, and the box locked and sealed behind it. That box can then be transported faster than 15 feet per round, right?

Where does this logic break down? Unless you're arguing that the unseen servant is immaterial and passes right through the sides, I don't see why that wouldn't work. In fact, the servant could even push the box from the inside, though not at a decent speed.

[Fixer]

But, then... what happens if I order it into a box? Is it material? Assuming it can't pass through solid objects, it has some 'substance', and the rules certainly indicate that it has a 'location'. Therefore, it can be ordered into an airtight box of some size, and the box locked and sealed behind it. That box can then be transported faster than 15 feet per round, right?

Where does this logic break down? Unless you're arguing that the unseen servant is immaterial and passes right through the sides, I don't see why that wouldn't work. In fact, the servant could even push the box from the inside, though not at a decent speed.
The unseen servant is not material, it is also not terribly smart. You can say to an unseen servant, "pass through this door" and it will attempt to go through the door... by opening it. If it cannot open the door, it will stop. You order it to "pass through a wall" and it will try to find a passage (and, failing, stop). The idea of moving THROUGH the wall as an immaterial force just doesn't compute with it. The Unseen Servant believes it is real and will not do things that a normal person couldn't do. You cannot store a normal person in a small box so it just wouldn't go in the box. Now, if you get a man-sized box and 'put' the unseen servant in it, I could see that happening.

And, yes, I believe it would be terribly amusing to see an unseen servant 'push' a box from the inside along the floor but as a GM I wouldn't allow it. Reason: That would prevent AoE spells from hurting it, at least, because of the total cover.