So I think it is OP because a PC can move 5 cube feet of earth or stone every action. In a few actions you could build a literal wall. You can also create a hole in a stone wall. Like, wat! Anyway I would like to hear your thoughts on this.
If you target an area of loose earth, you can instantaneously excavate it, move it along the ground, and deposit it up to 5 feet away. This movement doesn’t have enough force to cause damage.
You cause shapes, colors, or both to appear on the dirt or stone, spelling out words, creating images, or shaping patterns. The changes last for 1 hour.
If the dirt or stone you target is on the ground, you cause it to become difficult terrain. Alternatively, you can cause the ground to become normal terrain if it is already difficult terrain. This change lasts for 1 hour.
It is great for creating impromptu cover from range attacks, or even if you have enough time, a small earthen trench fort. Dig out a circle or square in an area, move the dirt towards the inside, so that to get to you, an enemy has to scale up 10 feet instead just a normal 5 foot hole. You can even tell the enemy not to do it, for you have the high ground.
I always grab it if I can, but I don't think it's OP. Anything I could do with it, I could with either finding new cover options or a shovel (and some more time to set up) So I 100% agree that its very very useful, but at later levels when you are fighting literal gods, it's next to useless compared to scaling cantrips.
They way I use move Earth makes me think it should not be a cantrip. It is pretty potent when used correctly.
Had a combat a few weeks ago. My druid and a sorcerer were standing near the back, a monster charged us, I held my action until he got in range and used mold earth to excavate a 5 foot cube of dirt, monster ran into it, sorcerer filled in the hole. It is also good for making a quick pit trap
As with many utility spells, this is one that can be good if the DM allows and if the player is creative. RAW it does not do much, but it's a great jumping off point for creative solutions to problems.
I have a player in one of my current campaigns who routinely abuses this cantrip. He buries monsters in dirt trapping them, digs a hole underneath them they fall in, partially encases them in walls, dumps a load of dirt on top of monsters to knock them down, and writes messages along floors and walls as a distraction. Combined with minor illusion it's made for some very interesting situations.
Loose DMs- it’s awesome, DM’s who apply the rules and do even a remote logic soundcheck=super situational as its then only good in prairies and forests...even then, there’s an awful lot of IRL forests/prairies that are rock within a couple feet. Pretty much would have to be in the Midwest to be able to just dig a deep hole ...and then it’d just collapse without reinforcement.
you could do a nice awesome mound...which mobs will be able to run over as the sides will fall...it’d be a mound of dirt, not a wall of dirt.
A guy last night used it to trip a guy coming down the stairs, had spread some soil along the tread of the step and then had it lump up into a ridge that tripped him. He also used it to make footholds on a wall so he could climb up the wall easier.
Pretty much would have to be in the Midwest to be able to just dig a deep hole
Not so sure about that. What's the ruling on clay? Because where I am at in the midwest, after a foot of dirt, it's solid clay :D
yeah, i was thinking about that. I suppose you could say anywhere in the USDA soil texture triangle is 'earth'. Its a crazy complicated topic though and i'm totally not qualified to give a real opinion. its never been a real in-game issue for me- just thought about the issue. I suppose i'd say you're good unless you're in the mountains or in a cave....in which case you'd definitely run into rock really fast. ...but regardless of where you are, i wouldn't allow more than 10 feet down without risk of collapse unless they somehow spend additional time reinforcing it to prevent collapse....that allows for a hidden pit trap, but no 'oh, I make a super deep hole so the bad guy falls down 100 feet and dies from fall damage.' although having said that...i'm now waaaay homebrew, because i'd say a 50 foot hole carved in 100% clay has a way lower risk of collapse than a 1 foot hole of 100% sand....all of which i'd say is 'earth' or 'dirt'.
...and just no need to go into the difference between 'dirt', 'soil', and 'earth' in D&D.
I'll start.
So I think it is OP because a PC can move 5 cube feet of earth or stone every action. In a few actions you could build a literal wall. You can also create a hole in a stone wall. Like, wat! Anyway I would like to hear your thoughts on this.
I'll post back!
If you target an area of loose earth, you can instantaneously excavate it, move it along the ground, and deposit it up to 5 feet away. This movement doesn’t have enough force to cause damage.
You cause shapes, colors, or both to appear on the dirt or stone, spelling out words, creating images, or shaping patterns. The changes last for 1 hour.
If the dirt or stone you target is on the ground, you cause it to become difficult terrain. Alternatively, you can cause the ground to become normal terrain if it is already difficult terrain. This change lasts for 1 hour.
This spell can not put a hole in a stone wall.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
It's a good spell with a imaginative player and easy going DM, but it's not OP.
It can not move stone, only loose dirt
It is great for creating impromptu cover from range attacks, or even if you have enough time, a small earthen trench fort. Dig out a circle or square in an area, move the dirt towards the inside, so that to get to you, an enemy has to scale up 10 feet instead just a normal 5 foot hole. You can even tell the enemy not to do it, for you have the high ground.
I always grab it if I can, but I don't think it's OP. Anything I could do with it, I could with either finding new cover options or a shovel (and some more time to set up) So I 100% agree that its very very useful, but at later levels when you are fighting literal gods, it's next to useless compared to scaling cantrips.
They way I use move Earth makes me think it should not be a cantrip. It is pretty potent when used correctly.
Had a combat a few weeks ago. My druid and a sorcerer were standing near the back, a monster charged us, I held my action until he got in range and used mold earth to excavate a 5 foot cube of dirt, monster ran into it, sorcerer filled in the hole. It is also good for making a quick pit trap
As with many utility spells, this is one that can be good if the DM allows and if the player is creative. RAW it does not do much, but it's a great jumping off point for creative solutions to problems.
Ok my mistake
Keep posting please
Let me know any other thoughts.
You can make a wall out of dirt or a trench but can't make a hole in a wall. It's useful but not overpowered or anything.
I have a player in one of my current campaigns who routinely abuses this cantrip. He buries monsters in dirt trapping them, digs a hole underneath them they fall in, partially encases them in walls, dumps a load of dirt on top of monsters to knock them down, and writes messages along floors and walls as a distraction. Combined with minor illusion it's made for some very interesting situations.
I like this spell for my halfling cleric. He uses it to dig graves. I suppose a necromancer could also use it to dig up graves.
Loose DMs- it’s awesome, DM’s who apply the rules and do even a remote logic soundcheck=super situational as its then only good in prairies and forests...even then, there’s an awful lot of IRL forests/prairies that are rock within a couple feet. Pretty much would have to be in the Midwest to be able to just dig a deep hole ...and then it’d just collapse without reinforcement.
you could do a nice awesome mound...which mobs will be able to run over as the sides will fall...it’d be a mound of dirt, not a wall of dirt.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
A guy last night used it to trip a guy coming down the stairs, had spread some soil along the tread of the step and then had it lump up into a ridge that tripped him. He also used it to make footholds on a wall so he could climb up the wall easier.
Not so sure about that. What's the ruling on clay? Because where I am at in the midwest, after a foot of dirt, it's solid clay :D
yeah, i was thinking about that. I suppose you could say anywhere in the USDA soil texture triangle is 'earth'. Its a crazy complicated topic though and i'm totally not qualified to give a real opinion. its never been a real in-game issue for me- just thought about the issue. I suppose i'd say you're good unless you're in the mountains or in a cave....in which case you'd definitely run into rock really fast. ...but regardless of where you are, i wouldn't allow more than 10 feet down without risk of collapse unless they somehow spend additional time reinforcing it to prevent collapse....that allows for a hidden pit trap, but no 'oh, I make a super deep hole so the bad guy falls down 100 feet and dies from fall damage.' although having said that...i'm now waaaay homebrew, because i'd say a 50 foot hole carved in 100% clay has a way lower risk of collapse than a 1 foot hole of 100% sand....all of which i'd say is 'earth' or 'dirt'.
...and just no need to go into the difference between 'dirt', 'soil', and 'earth' in D&D.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks