control winds spell and sailing

[Chrizzt]

Hello!

Can you use control winds spell (lvl 5) to accelerate sailing ships? While the duration is 1h, it also seems like the area is fixed, so the ship would be quickly outside of its area of effect?

[Damon_Tor]

Hello!

Can you use control winds spell (lvl 5) to accelerate sailing ships? While the duration is 1h, it also seems like the area is fixed, so the ship would be quickly outside of its area of effect?

The question is, fixed to what? All movement is relativ. The planet is rotating and orbiting it's star which is itself hurtling through space, so a strict adherence to an absolutist stance on effects remaining "stationary" would mean such effect would vanish in an instant as the world rushed away from it.

If you use a spell like Create Bonfire, for example, on the deck of a moving ship, you would expect that the effect would travel along with the ship and stay in the same place relative to it. But on the same token, could you expect to cast the Bonfire on someone's shield and have them carry it around? Probably not.

So I guess I'm saying the DM has to make the call. Personally I would allow it.

[Bardon]

Hello!

Can you use control winds spell (lvl 5) to accelerate sailing ships? While the duration is 1h, it also seems like the area is fixed, so the ship would be quickly outside of its area of effect?

I'd certainly allow it. You're spending a fifth-level spell and I'd say that this is a perfect use of this particular magic - and one that makes a spellcaster with this one a valuable member of any ship's crew!