So we are in a sacred temple trying to stop a some drow from obtaining an artifact. We get in the final room and there's a spellcaster of some kind in the back of the room casting teleportation circle. After a few rounds our artificer sends her homunculus servant over to the circle to smudge the lines and try to stall or stop the casting.
Sounds like a reasonable attempt to disrupt a teleportation circle. My personal DM take on this would be that if the user of the circle attempted to transport without repairing the damage to the circle, they would have a chance of teleporting somewhere they didn't intend. They could still teleport, and depending on how bad the smudge is (make a roll of some sort to see how much damage they caused), they would most likely make it close to the intended destination, but maybe inside of a wall or over a giant cliff or something. My reason behind this as opposed to stalling or stopping the cast is because to make a permanent circle, the caster doesn't even need to draw the circle, they just cast the same spell in the same place for a year. So while there is magic in the circle itself, I don't think it's as important as the spell is. Maybe roll a d100 and see what percentage of the circle they messed up, increase the chances of a failed teleportation by that much.
Sounds like a reasonable attempt to disrupt a teleportation circle. My personal DM take on this would be that if the user of the circle attempted to transport without repairing the damage to the circle, they would have a chance of teleporting somewhere they didn't intend. They could still teleport, and depending on how bad the smudge is (make a roll of some sort to see how much damage they caused), they would most likely make it close to the intended destination, but maybe inside of a wall or over a giant cliff or something. My reason behind this as opposed to stalling or stopping the cast is because to make a permanent circle, the caster doesn't even need to draw the circle, they just cast the same spell in the same place for a year. So while there is magic in the circle itself, I don't think it's as important as the spell is. Maybe roll a d100 and see what percentage of the circle they messed up, increase the chances of a failed teleportation by that much.
Cool thats just about what we did also, it was just a basic move that we werent expecting and had never thought about it before. In the end the caster got away without completing the circle.
Once a Teleportation Circle has been successfully cast, tempering with the circle's chalk line on the ground has no effect on the sshimmering portal that opened within it and it remains open until the end of caster's next turn. Until the, any creature that enters the portal instantly appears within 5 feet of the destination circle or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.
Once a Teleportation Circle has been successfully cast, tempering with the circle's chalk line on the ground has no effect on the sshimmering portal that opened within it and it remains open until the end of caster's next turn. Until the, any creature that enters the portal instantly appears within 5 feet of the destination circle or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.
it was like 4 turns into the casting so it still had 6 more rounds of casting
I homebrewed that in one particular temple, Teleportation Circle was cast so often that the symbols were carved into the stone floor. That was the spot any circle was cast all the time and so for ease of use, the clerics simply carved the sigils into the floor. As such, there was no stopping the creation of the circle without stopping said cleric(s).
If there's a story reason to have the circle undisrupted, think about if that's an option. Genuinely, there doesn't appear to be anything in the core rules that would prevent my approach...an established group probably have more resources than a single adventurer in order to pull something more permanent off.
Personally though, I disallow artificers. Like some of the newer content they feel too much like a headache to deal with.
I homebrewed that in one particular temple, Teleportation Circle was cast so often that the symbols were carved into the stone floor. That was the spot any circle was cast all the time and so for ease of use, the clerics simply carved the sigils into the floor. As such, there was no stopping the creation of the circle without stopping said cleric(s).
Hopefully your "permanently" etched circle was always going to the same place - the runes inscribed within the circle have to be different for each destination.
Once a Teleportation Circle has been successfully cast, tempering with the circle's chalk line on the ground has no effect on the sshimmering portal that opened within it and it remains open until the end of caster's next turn. Until the, any creature that enters the portal instantly appears within 5 feet of the destination circle or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.
it was like 4 turns into the casting so it still had 6 more rounds of casting
As written, doing this as no impact on spellcasting it neither.
When casting longer spell such as this one, spellcasting fails when you fail to spend your action each turn or when you fail to maintain your concentration while you do so.
This is a slight tangent. If there was a permanent Teleportation Circle how would one destroy it?
I asked base one Waterdeep: Dragon Heist:
O5. Teleportation Circle
Arcane runes are inscribed in a circle on the floor of this otherwise empty chamber. The circle is a permanent teleportation circle (see the teleportation circle spell description in the Player’s Handbook).
There is a mention in the adventure that the characters could destroy the circle.
The characters must fight Amath and her acolytes to get the Stone of Golorr. When they finally obtain it, fate deals them an unkind hand as Manshoon’s simulacrum arrives by way of the teleportation circle in area O5. If the characters had the opportunity and the foresight to destroy the circle prior to obtaining the stone, the simulacrum instead must travel to Yellowspire on foot, giving the characters ample time to get away before it arrives as long as they leave within 1 hour after obtaining the stone. The simulacrum tirelessly pursues the stone, and characters who flee would do themselves well not to leave tracks in the snow.
I cannot imagine using Shatter to destroy a portion of the ground to break up the circle but is there a way to break up the circle?
I would make it kind of like a nerfed phylactery, where each one needs to be destroyed in a different way, because of the uniqueness of every circle. One could need acid, or dispel magic, or shatter, or just being smudged. If it was smudged mid-casting, I would add an extra turn to the time needed to cast (aka, fixing the smudged line using one action.)
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“Magic is distilled laziness. Put that on my gravestone.”
If there is a way to destroy a teleportation circle its not written in the spell.
Yeah, I read the spell and I see that.
What I was really asking is as a DM what would you allow?
I mean, assuming that the whole point is that the circle is responsible for conducting and concentrating magical energies, interrupting said flow would seem to be the best way. Strikes me then that a pickaxe or something similar applied to break the circle and thus break the flow of energies would be sufficient to disrupt it.
If a character with a lot of strength hit stone with the right tool...stone's going to crack or shatter.
Magically, I could see lots of different tactics too....my mind immediately goes to stone shape though. Off the wall suggestion, if someone cast stone shape to a permanently carved circle...how would that affect it (I don't actually know just thinking out loud here so to speak). Could a player theoretically destroy the circle with stone shape? Could they change the sigils to alter the destination? Some interesting thoughts.
With respect, that goes without saying. The area was three teleportation rooms each with differently carved sigils and runes. Each room led to a different destination. I even had in my notes a 'repair schedule' where the clerics divvied up responsibility for maintaining the circles....the players never found that flavour text though :(
So we are in a sacred temple trying to stop a some drow from obtaining an artifact. We get in the final room and there's a spellcaster of some kind in the back of the room casting teleportation circle. After a few rounds our artificer sends her homunculus servant over to the circle to smudge the lines and try to stall or stop the casting.
How would you handle this?
Sounds like a reasonable attempt to disrupt a teleportation circle. My personal DM take on this would be that if the user of the circle attempted to transport without repairing the damage to the circle, they would have a chance of teleporting somewhere they didn't intend. They could still teleport, and depending on how bad the smudge is (make a roll of some sort to see how much damage they caused), they would most likely make it close to the intended destination, but maybe inside of a wall or over a giant cliff or something. My reason behind this as opposed to stalling or stopping the cast is because to make a permanent circle, the caster doesn't even need to draw the circle, they just cast the same spell in the same place for a year. So while there is magic in the circle itself, I don't think it's as important as the spell is. Maybe roll a d100 and see what percentage of the circle they messed up, increase the chances of a failed teleportation by that much.
Cool thats just about what we did also, it was just a basic move that we werent expecting and had never thought about it before. In the end the caster got away without completing the circle.
Once a Teleportation Circle has been successfully cast, tempering with the circle's chalk line on the ground has no effect on the sshimmering portal that opened within it and it remains open until the end of caster's next turn. Until the, any creature that enters the portal instantly appears within 5 feet of the destination circle or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.
it was like 4 turns into the casting so it still had 6 more rounds of casting
If the circle needs to stay
I homebrewed that in one particular temple, Teleportation Circle was cast so often that the symbols were carved into the stone floor. That was the spot any circle was cast all the time and so for ease of use, the clerics simply carved the sigils into the floor. As such, there was no stopping the creation of the circle without stopping said cleric(s).
If there's a story reason to have the circle undisrupted, think about if that's an option. Genuinely, there doesn't appear to be anything in the core rules that would prevent my approach...an established group probably have more resources than a single adventurer in order to pull something more permanent off.
Personally though, I disallow artificers. Like some of the newer content they feel too much like a headache to deal with.
DM session planning template - My version of maps for 'Lost Mine of Phandelver' - Send your party to The Circus - Other DM Resources - Maps, Tokens, Quests - 'Better' Player Character Injury Tables?
Actor, Writer, Director & Teacher by day - GM/DM in my off hours.
Hopefully your "permanently" etched circle was always going to the same place - the runes inscribed within the circle have to be different for each destination.
As written, doing this as no impact on spellcasting it neither.
When casting longer spell such as this one, spellcasting fails when you fail to spend your action each turn or when you fail to maintain your concentration while you do so.
This is a slight tangent. If there was a permanent Teleportation Circle how would one destroy it?
I asked base one Waterdeep: Dragon Heist:
There is a mention in the adventure that the characters could destroy the circle.
The characters must fight Amath and her acolytes to get the Stone of Golorr. When they finally obtain it, fate deals them an unkind hand as Manshoon’s simulacrum arrives by way of the teleportation circle in area O5. If the characters had the opportunity and the foresight to destroy the circle prior to obtaining the stone, the simulacrum instead must travel to Yellowspire on foot, giving the characters ample time to get away before it arrives as long as they leave within 1 hour after obtaining the stone. The simulacrum tirelessly pursues the stone, and characters who flee would do themselves well not to leave tracks in the snow.
I cannot imagine using Shatter to destroy a portion of the ground to break up the circle but is there a way to break up the circle?
As a DM what would you allow?
If there is a way to destroy a teleportation circle its not written in the spell.
Yeah, I read the spell and I see that.
What I was really asking is as a DM what would you allow?
I would make it kind of like a nerfed phylactery, where each one needs to be destroyed in a different way, because of the uniqueness of every circle. One could need acid, or dispel magic, or shatter, or just being smudged. If it was smudged mid-casting, I would add an extra turn to the time needed to cast (aka, fixing the smudged line using one action.)
“Magic is distilled laziness. Put that on my gravestone.”
I would allow reflavoring but use RAW otherwise.
I mean, assuming that the whole point is that the circle is responsible for conducting and concentrating magical energies, interrupting said flow would seem to be the best way. Strikes me then that a pickaxe or something similar applied to break the circle and thus break the flow of energies would be sufficient to disrupt it.
If a character with a lot of strength hit stone with the right tool...stone's going to crack or shatter.
Magically, I could see lots of different tactics too....my mind immediately goes to stone shape though. Off the wall suggestion, if someone cast stone shape to a permanently carved circle...how would that affect it (I don't actually know just thinking out loud here so to speak). Could a player theoretically destroy the circle with stone shape? Could they change the sigils to alter the destination? Some interesting thoughts.
DM session planning template - My version of maps for 'Lost Mine of Phandelver' - Send your party to The Circus - Other DM Resources - Maps, Tokens, Quests - 'Better' Player Character Injury Tables?
Actor, Writer, Director & Teacher by day - GM/DM in my off hours.
With respect, that goes without saying. The area was three teleportation rooms each with differently carved sigils and runes. Each room led to a different destination. I even had in my notes a 'repair schedule' where the clerics divvied up responsibility for maintaining the circles....the players never found that flavour text though :(
DM session planning template - My version of maps for 'Lost Mine of Phandelver' - Send your party to The Circus - Other DM Resources - Maps, Tokens, Quests - 'Better' Player Character Injury Tables?
Actor, Writer, Director & Teacher by day - GM/DM in my off hours.