Instant Plant

[BowStreetRunner]

An Archivist who has the Transport via Plants spell needs a way to carry a plant to be used to get back home in an emergency. Ideas that have been tossed around include a spell that could make a plant grow from a seed instantly, a spell that transforms the plant into an object that can be changed back to a plant at need, or even a way to store the plant in some form of stasis and take it out and replant it as needed. In each case the Archivist would grow an identical plant by his home to serve as the other end of the portal.

The less complicated, the better. The less the solution relies on other PCs/NPCs to make it work, the better. Even better if it is able to be easily concealed, difficult to notice. Oh, and it helps to be inexpensive and reusable too.

[Malimar]

Feather token: tree?

[BowStreetRunner]

Feather token: tree?

That would absolutely work in a pinch, but at 400 GP per token it could get very expensive if used often.

[Darrin]

How is it that Feather Token: Tree wouldn't work here?

Maybe tree shape cast into a Glyph Seal. Box of brown mold. Smoky confinement on a purple fungus or shrieker.

[BowStreetRunner]

Maybe tree shape cast on a creature. Box of brown mold. Smoky confinement on a purple fungus or shrieker.

It specifically states: "You can’t use this spell to travel through plant creatures."

[sleepyphoenixx]

Tree tokens are standard for druids. I don't see why an Archivist couldn't do the same.
And it's not like you have to plant them everywhere. Plants do grow naturally, you know?
Plant one in front of your base if there's nothing growing there and carry one or two tokens with you to use when no other plants are available. Problem solved.

The other option is to carry around a big block of livewood, or maybe a Sizing quarterstaff. Livewood items explicitly are a valid target for TvP if i remember the description right.

[Troacctid]

Why not just carry a regular potted plant in a bag of holding?

[Gildedragon]

A livewood quarterstaff with the Called enhancement

[Darrin]

Why not just carry a regular potted plant in a bag of holding?

Needs to be at least medium size, which may fill up the bag's weight limit or not leave enough room for loot.

The master earth spell does something similar without needing any plants.

[nintendoh]

Question: would flesh to stone work on a statue for this situtation?

[Darrin]

Question: would flesh to stone work on a statue for this situtation?

Huh? Neither flesh nor stone would count as a plant.

[BowStreetRunner]

Why not just carry a regular potted plant in a bag of holding?

Size may be a problem, as Darrin pointed out. Also, the plant needs to be alive and the bag of holding provides no light, sunshine, or water.


...The other option is to carry around a big block of livewood, or maybe a Sizing quarterstaff. Livewood items explicitly are a valid target for TvP if i remember the description right.

A livewood quarterstaff with the Called enhancement
This is a very good idea. Although this is a homebrew world and not an Eberron campaign, the DM may very well go for something like this.


The master earth spell does something similar without needing any plants.
Again, this is a homebrew world and not a Forgotten Realms campaign, so it depends on the DM. It's also a 7th level spell while Transport via Plants is only 6th. I think the Archivist will want to be on the lookout for this spell however.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Again, this is a homebrew world and not a Forgotten Realms campaign, so it depends on the DM. It's also a 7th level spell while Transport via Plants is only 6th. I think the Archivist will want to be on the lookout for this spell however.
Master Earth also can't bring along other creatures (though you can share it with your animal companion).
On the other hand it's probably the only teleportation option that doesn't have the Teleportation subschool or descriptor, so it's not stopped by Dimensional Anchor, Dimensional Lock or Forbiddance. Which can obviously be a big advantage.

[BowStreetRunner]

Master Earth also can't bring along other creatures (though you can share it with your animal companion).
On the other hand it's probably the only teleportation option that doesn't have the Teleportation subschool or descriptor, so it's not stopped by Dimensional Anchor, Dimensional Lock or Forbiddance. Which can obviously be a big advantage.

So at this point, Transport via Plants + Feather Token is the standard against which I am measuring all of the alternatives. Plant an oak tree at home, keep a 6th level slot reserved for the spell and it becomes a simple matter of purchasing a bunch of Feather Tokens to have on hand whenever a quick trip home is called for.

A Livewood tree planted at home and a Livewood staff large enough to count as a Medium size plant would obviate the need to keep purchasing expensive Feather Tokens, as long as a reliable method of reducing the size of the staff is available to allow it to be carried. The Called property appears to only apply to armor or shields, so maybe a Livewood shield would work instead. It wouldn't even have to be resized.

Master Earth is a decent self-only alternative that uses a 7th level slot and eliminates the need for a plant altogether.

Another option might be the Shrink Item spell to change a plant into a cloth patch. The spell doesn't really go into what happens to a target that is living, so it would depend on a DM ruling. Here of course the issue is relying on a Sorcerer/Wizard or finding a way to get the spell on the Archivist's list.

[Gildedragon]

There is also Acorn of Far Travel (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20040710a) (Druid 2, Ranger 2)
"Likewise, you can use the acorn as an oak tree for spells like tree stride or transport via plants; this also consumes the acorn."

Dip the acorn in quintessence and relax

[MaxiDuRaritry]

There is also Acorn of Far Travel (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20040710a)(Druid 2, Ranger 2)
"Likewise, you can use the acorn as an oak tree for spells like tree stride or transport via plants; this also consumes the acorn."Oddly enough, you can also use those spells without consuming the acorn, since you are considered to be standing under the boughs of the acorn's tree already.

So just do that, instead.

[Gildedragon]

Oddly enough, you can also use those spells without consuming the acorn, since you are considered to be standing under the boughs of the acorn's tree already.

So just do that, instead.

Standing under a tree doesn't mean one is close enough to enter it... You have to move into the plant for the spell to work

[Inevitability]

There is also Acorn of Far Travel (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20040710a) (Druid 2, Ranger 2)
"Likewise, you can use the acorn as an oak tree for spells like tree stride or transport via plants; this also consumes the acorn."

Dip the acorn in quintessence and relax

Even cheaper and easier available than quintessence: Unguent of Timelessness. The acorn will last several years that way, and eight doses cost only 150 GP.

[BowStreetRunner]

Even cheaper and easier available than quintessence: Unguent of Timelessness. The acorn will last several years that way, and eight doses cost only 150 GP.

Not sure whether that would work, since the Unguent of Timelessness description states "When applied to any matter that was once alive..." and I think the acorn counts as being alive.

[Gildedragon]

Even cheaper and easier available than quintessence: Unguent of Timelessness. The acorn will last several years that way, and eight doses cost only 150 GP.

The acorn might last; but what I'm more interested in preserving is the spell as it only lasts days; the quintessence dip locks the effect out of time

[Inevitability]

Not sure whether that would work, since the Unguent of Timelessness description states "When applied to any matter that was once alive..." and I think the acorn counts as being alive.

It's more than reasonable to argue that the acorn isn't alive anymore. The spell nowhere says the acorn remains alive after being picked, only that 'the spirit of the tree is in it'. That's really ambiguous.


The acorn might last; but what I'm more interested in preserving is the spell as it only lasts days; the quintessence dip locks the effect out of time

Specific wording time!


When applied to any matter that was once alive this ointment allows that substance to resist the passage of time. Each year of actual time affects the substance as if only a day had passed. The coated object gains a +1 resistance bonus on all saving throws. The unguent never wears off, although it can be magically removed (by dispelling the effect, for instance). One flask contains enough material to coat eight Medium or smaller objects. A Large object counts as two Medium objects, and a Huge object counts as two Large objects.

If a day passes, the spell doesn't wear off. A year of actual time affects the acorn as if only a day had passed. Therefore, if a year passes, the spell doesn't wear off.

[sleepyphoenixx]

It's more than reasonable to argue that the acorn isn't alive anymore. The spell nowhere says the acorn remains alive after being picked, only that 'the spirit of the tree is in it'. That's really ambiguous.
That reasoning sounds fishy to me.
If the spell never mentions a change in status (from alive to dead) then the first assumption should be that it doesn't change, not that it changes to what is most convenient for you at that moment.

[Flickerdart]

I don't know about plants, but there's an easy way to quickly make a vegetable (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/decerebrate.htm).

[Inevitability]

That reasoning sounds fishy to me.
If the spell never mentions a change in status (from alive to dead) then the first assumption should be that it doesn't change, not that it changes to what is most convenient for you at that moment.

The spell doesn't say anything, no, so we turn to real-world logic.

Ask yourself: if you pick an acorn and leave it in your pocket for a few days, will it still be alive afterwards? I think not.

[sleepyphoenixx]

The spell doesn't say anything, no, so we turn to real-world logic.

Ask yourself: if you pick an acorn and leave it in your pocket for a few days, will it still be alive afterwards? I think not.

Uh... yes, it will almost certainly be alive. Properly stored acorns can stay viable for years. They regularly survive over the winter to germinate in spring. It's what plant seeds do.

[ahenobarbi]

The spell doesn't say anything, no, so we turn to real-world logic.

Ask yourself: if you pick an acorn and leave it in your pocket for a few days, will it still be alive afterwards? I think not.

It's most definitely alive, that's why when you plant it it startes growing :D

[Inevitability]

Uh... yes, it will almost certainly be alive. Properly stored acorns can stay viable for years. They regularly survive over the winter to germinate in spring. It's what plant seeds do.

Fair point. In that case, just cast Darkseed on it (it's learnable by archivists) to kill it quickly while keeping the spell active.

[BowStreetRunner]

Transport via Plants requires a living target. Unguent of Timelessness requires a target that isn't living. Unless we are talking about Schrödinger's acorn here, then it probably isn't going to qualify for both spells.

[Afgncaap5]

Well... I may be splitting hairs here, but does "was once alive" necessarily mean "is currently dead"? By a technical reading I don't think so, but I suppose there might be reason to infer that meaning here... still, potentially open for interpretation.

As a side note... would such an interpretation mean that an Unguent of Timelessness is completely useless on anything made of Livewood?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Psionic minor creation and minor creation can both make a tree, since it's an object made from plant matter. It takes a minute to perform, though the former can be done as an immediate action with Linked Power (grip of iron + psionic minor creation). Don't want to wait a round for it to manifest? Then manifest grip of iron just prior to your turn.

[BowStreetRunner]

Psionic minor creation and minor creation can both make a tree, since it's an object made from plant matter. It takes a minute to perform, though the former can be done as an immediate action with Linked Power (grip of iron + psionic minor creation). Don't want to wait a round for it to manifest? Then manifest grip of iron just prior to your turn.

Minor Creation specifies that it makes nonliving matter. Transport via Plants specifies that it requires a living plant.

[Jowgen]

My vote goes to the +1 Called Sizing Weapon/Shield. There are other types of wood besides the Eberron Livewood that should count as alive enough. Living Wood, Lifewood, Wild Wood... WotC made a bunch, for exact references, feel free to check my sig'd magical plant guide.

Combine with a Glove of storing, or if possible, the vastly cheaper/superior glove of the master strategist (Ghostwalk), to keep your "Woodgate" stored in stasis and Free-action accessible.

[Ruethgar]

The Grass Growth side effect from one of the Dragon Magazines can create a good amount of wheat/corn/rice/bamboo. Technically Prestidigitation can create living and attended things. So you could make seeds, saplings, or eggs for example and that is one of the permanent uses so yay! There is also the Horn of the Awakened Forest or Wakened Woods, something like that. A minor artifact able to make forests. Nurturing Seeds and other Dark Sun spells are pretty nice if you can get them approved. Dark Sun 3.0 is a little fuzzy on its official status IIRC. You can also be a druid and continually summon and dismiss Plant Companions so they go out on their own. Takes a long time to get any significant growth, and they can leave whenever, but still an option.