What spells, across the various levels, should a Wizard research to build his lair?

[dehro]

I'm playing a Wizard for the first time and have access to the core handbooks only (I might be able to negotiate spells from other official sources, but it's a hard sell, so let's assume I don't).
He's currently level 4.
One of his long term life goals is to build a safe haven for himself where he can retreat to at a moment's notice and where he's reasonably (level dependent, I suppose) well protected against interlopers; a place to do research, recuperate and hide in, as need be.
I'm thinking some demiplane or something similar...or just a place that is remote enough to not be accessible without magical means. It needs not be too fancy.
What are the 5ed spells that would allow for such a place to be built and secured? I'm thinking he'd try to put together a list of increasingly powerful spells and finally cobble something together..
However, what's the cutoff point where it still makes sense to invest in something like this as opposed to being powerful enough to not need it? What spells other than just Wish would you use to accomplish something like this without having to rely on third parties or even your party members?

[Azgeroth]

wall of stone, for building.

Morderkainens private sanctum, for anti-scrying

Guards and Wards

Morderkainens Magnificent Mansion, for that instant over night palace.

Demi plane

... or Plane Shift to limbo, with a good int/wis score you can manifest your dream home with willpower alone! though the slaad and others may attack/destroy your home whilst your not there..

[Mercurias]

Teleportation Circle might be a good one if you can talk the DM into letting you carve a permanent one into your basement as well.

Rather than doing the usual Wizard’s Tower thing, it might be fun to flip the script and ensorcel a nice little fantasy bungalow with a teleportation circle in the middle of the garden out back and a basement and sub-basement for arcane research. If you need a safe room, you can use Demi-plane as an emergency hides hole and stock it with food, water, medical supplies, a couple changes of clothes, and a few books to keep your mind off of things. Maybe even the fantasy equivalent to a pull-out couch bed.

[Sigreid]

My wizard's plan:

Purchase a house or manor in a well defended city on enough property to have a walled yard.

Private Sanctum cast permanently on the entire place. This will take a few years to accomplish so I'll start with the main living and sleeping area.

Teleport circle made permanent in the basement or attic that no one else is ever, and I mean ever allowed to see.

Research the ability to create animated weapons, armor and eventually golems. The house is in a well defended city so the purpose is to protect against thieves, not invading orcs.

Spend a significant amount of cash and time investing in the local community and getting to be seen as a friendly by the local power brokers, while making it clear I have no desire to be a ruler as it would take too much time from my wizardly pursuits. This step should start either when or just before you buy the house/land.

Spend some time casting bless plants (edit: Plant Growth in this edition I think?) and control weather to improve the wealth of the local farmers and the food security of the city.

I might just get land in the city and make a permanent Mighty Fortress.

Conjure Elemental and Planar Binding can get some decent guards for a year and a day. The spell that summons devils can too, but I ain't letting devils in my house.

I'm going to see if I can get my party's cleric to hallow the grounds. If he doesn't want to, I'll do it myself when I can cast 9th level spells using wish.

[JoeJ]

My wizard's plan:

Purchase a house or manor in a well defended city on enough property to have a walled yard.

Private Sanctum cast permanently on the entire place. This will take a few years to accomplish so I'll start with the main living and sleeping area.

Teleport circle made permanent in the basement or attic that no one else is ever, and I mean ever allowed to see.

Research the ability to create animated weapons, armor and eventually golems. The house is in a well defended city so the purpose is to protect against thieves, not invading orcs.

Spend a significant amount of cash and time investing in the local community and getting to be seen as a friendly by the local power brokers, while making it clear I have no desire to be a ruler as it would take too much time from my wizardly pursuits. This step should start either when or just before you buy the house/land.

Spend some time casting bless plants (edit: Plant Growth in this edition I think?) and control weather to improve the wealth of the local farmers and the food security of the city.

I might just get land in the city and make a permanent Mighty Fortress.

Conjure Elemental and Planar Binding can get some decent guards for a year and a day. The spell that summons devils can too, but I ain't letting devils in my house.

I'm going to see if I can get my party's cleric to hallow the grounds. If he doesn't want to, I'll do it myself when I can cast 9th level spells using wish.

Put the Teleportation Circle just outside, while still conveniently close, and it won't matter who sees it.

[Sigreid]

Put the Teleportation Circle just outside, while still conveniently close, and it won't matter who sees it.

This could end badly if I'm teleporting to the circle because the party is getting the crap beat out of them and we find the opponent can follow. Also, unless you want the circle outside city walls (again, not good if you are fleeing) it's an easy infiltration tool and I've no plan to make the town more vulnerable.

[Chronos]

If you don't mind stopping by every week or so to touch up the spells, Mirage Arcane can also be nice. That's how you build an impossible lair.

[Griswold]

At high levels, if you want an absolutely safe haven, the Imprisonment spell's hedged prison option is the best. Cast it on yourself.

You get:

A sweet haven that looks like anything you want, and you can change what it has by changing the carving.
It's in a demiplane that cannot be accessed via planar travel.
You can't be detected by any divination spells. Full stop.
The spell cannot be dispelled, since dispel magic must target the prison (which they can't get to) or the focus (which you're carrying in an inaccessible place).
You don't age, need to eat or drink.
You can leave at will by setting the condition to "when I want to leave."


But it costs you 10,000 gold to get started (the focus, which is at least reusable), 1 minute to cast, and is a 9th level spell.

[Mjolnirbear]

6th-level Major Arcana. Especially if you are an Illusionist.

Yes, I'll take moaning, Eldritch walls that you can make real for 200, Alex.

You are invaded and rendered weaponless? Major Arcana still responds to your command.

[NRSASD]

Just wanted to say, I misread the title "What spells, across the various levels, should a Wizard research to build his hair?"

[Chronos]

"Major Arcana" isn't the name of a spell. Are you thinking of "Mirage Arcana", which I already mentioned?

[RSP]

Nystul’s to make everything, including yourself, seem completely mundane.

Arcane Lock, Magic Mouth and Alarm to secure the place.

Lymph of awarding (or Glyph of Warding if you don’t autocorrect) for added security. I’d have the ones towards the outside of the lair, or the first line of GoW be for Fear-type spells.

Nondetection for secret-type stuff (can never be too careful).

Modify Memory for anyone who learns more than they should.

Simulacrum because you need you to watch the place while you’re gone, and why not have a body double?

Major Images (cast at 6th level) for permanent illusions of various things that sit around motionless unless you’re within range and controlling them (again, a good illusory body double never hurt).

Though not a Wizard Spell, I’d use an ASI on Ritual Caster: Cleric and get Forbiddence, spam it for everything, all over your lair (particularly surrounding the Teleportation Circle, if including that).

Word of Recall to make the fast get-a-way.

Again, Nystul’s so nothing pops as magical or off, in case anyone looks.

This is where I’d start, anyway.

[dehro]

Impressive contributions and ideas.
Thank you all...

[Chronos]

You probably don't want to use Glyphs of Warding (of any sort) for your outer ring of defenses. They're single-use, and it costs money to recast them, so you don't want them triggered by wildlife and harmless villagers. Start them in the second ring, after a wall or something, so they're only encountered by those intending to come in.

[plisnithus7]

There is also Matt Colville’s Strongholds & Followers that has mechanics for a (wizard’s) tower.

[KorvinStarmast]

though the slaad and others may attack/destroy your home whilst your not there.. That's a Slaad version of flipping a house.

[Deox]

One I haven't seen mentioned yet is Planar Binding. If needed, couple this with the Magic Circle spell. I used this combination to summon an Earth Elemental to help dig a rough, but intricate set of tunnels and underground pathways. While it can be costly (1,000 gold per casting), this a great utility spell / combo to construct an underground foundation or network.

[Sigreid]

One I haven't seen mentioned yet is Planar Binding. If needed, couple this with the Magic Circle spell. I used this combination to summon an Earth Elemental to help dig a rough, but intricate set of tunnels and underground pathways. While it can be costly (1,000 gold per casting), this a great utility spell / combo to construct an underground foundation or network.

That's in there but worth mentioning twice.

[Deox]

That's in there but worth mentioning twice.

Yep, you already mentioned it. My bad for skimming!

[RSP]

You probably don't want to use Glyphs of Warding (of any sort) for your outer ring of defenses. They're single-use, and it costs money to recast them, so you don't want them triggered by wildlife and harmless villagers. Start them in the second ring, after a wall or something, so they're only encountered by those intending to come in.

Right, that’s why I said to use them “towards the outside of the lair”, not “outside the lair”. Having them inside but toward the outside, with Fear associated effects, prevents unwanted people from getting deeper into your lair (behind the facade), without making people disappear and only having them know they got in, but got frightened during their break in and took off. This is better than having them know they broke in and set off a magical trap with exploding runes.

As you move deeper inward, you can get more creative with spells that make a more obvious and noticible effect.

[noob]

wall of stone, for building.

Morderkainens private sanctum, for anti-scrying

Guards and Wards

Morderkainens Magnificent Mansion, for that instant over night palace.

Demi plane

... or Plane Shift to limbo, with a good int/wis score you can manifest your dream home with willpower alone! though the slaad and others may attack/destroy your home whilst your not there..

I think of the lot guards and wards, private sanctum and mordenkainen magnificent mansion stands out.

[Deathtongue]

Rock to Mud (crucially, you want the Xanathar version, not the EE version), Mold Earth, and Dispel Magic are your best bets. Find your favorite kind of rock to make a hideout out of (I recommend Brown Buff Sandstone, but any kind of hard rock will do) and target cubes of mud as you see fit. Move the mud blocks either by hand or by minion to where you want them, shape the mud however you want it to, and then cast Dispel Magic.

Even at the casting of only one Rock to Mud per day, you can get a castle built that would normally take a decade to traditionally construct built in one or two months

[Sigreid]

Yep, you already mentioned it. My bad for skimming!

The horror that you don't read and retain every word of every post! :smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin::smallbi ggrin:

Faithful hound now that I think about it.

[Chronos]

What's different between the two versions of the Transmute Rock spell?