My understanding of the spell would be, that the ropes can float, but are anchored to the heavy object. It is the reverse of you being able to pull yourself along a surface.
If by twin-cast you mean using the Twinned Spell Metamagic to cast both simultaneously, then you can't do this as Twinned Spell only works when your original target is one creature (and then lets you pick a second, different, creature).
This means that you'd instead need two casters each casting levitate on each target simultaneously; you could possibly argue simultaneous casting if one caster takes the Ready to fire off at the same time the other caster does, but that'd be a DM ruling.
Strictly in rules as written one spell is always cast first, and you will need to discuss what object you are targeting; if you're only targeting the rope then only the rope is levitated, the spell doesn't say it provides 500 lbs of lift, only that 500 lbs is its limit. If the target object is the rope and the load attached to it and that load is greater than 500 lbs, then it will be too heavy and the spell will fail. The same thing then happens to the second casting of the spell.
Part of the problem is that extending the levitation to the whole object means overlapping the spells, but a single target cannot be subject to the same spell more than once at the same time (one takes priority, they don't stack).
If I were DMing then personally I might allow stacking levitations for convenience (moving heavier objects more easily/quickly) but purely as a utility case; the moment the players start trying to build themselves a fantasy bomber using levitation they get kicked in the nards by a vengeful ghost. 😉
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If by twin-cast you mean using the Twinned Spell Metamagic to cast both simultaneously, then you can't do this as Twinned Spell only works when your original target is one creature (and then lets you pick a second, different, creature).
This means that you'd instead need two casters each casting levitate on each target simultaneously; you could possibly argue simultaneous casting if one caster takes the Ready to fire off at the same time the other caster does, but that'd be a DM ruling.
Strictly in rules as written one spell is always cast first, and you will need to discuss what object you are targeting; if you're only targeting the rope then only the rope is levitated, the spell doesn't say that it provides 500 lbs of lift, only that 500 lbs of weight is its limit. If the target object is the rope and the load attached to it and that load is greater than 500 lbs, then it will be too heavy and the spell will fail. The same thing then happens to the second casting of the spell.
You could maybe cheese it in raw if you levitate something with no weight on it, e.g- an empty net, then load it with stuff afterwards, so long as neither spell is lifting more than 500 lbs on its own, but that'd be 100% a DM ruling. I'd personally allow something like this if it's just for moving something more quickly/easily, but the moment you start trying to create medieval fantasy bombers (by tipping ~1000 lbs of rocks out of the net) then you'd suddenly find it's no longer reliable. 😉
Okay then I tie mice to the rope that is tied to the object.
Okay then I tie mice to the rope that is tied to the object.
This still doesn't get around the other targeting issue unfortunately, which is that if you levitate each mouse, then you're not levitating whatever they're attached to; the levitate spell has a weight limit of 500 lbs, it doesn't say that it provides 500 lbs of lift.
To do something like this you could maybe target two separate objects or creatures in advance, then load them afterwards; so long as your DM agrees that neither exceeds 500 lbs then they should continue to levitate. If you wanted to use Twinned Spell then you would need to use something like a pair of rugs of smothering, otherwise you're looking to cast the spell twice (two different casters, due to concentration) on suitable objects instead.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
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Technically the Twinned Spell metamagic only enables a spell that targets one and only one creature to also target an additional creature. RAW it has no impact on your ability to target more objects.
As for Levitate's ability to affect objects it can lift 1 object that weighs up to 500lbs. As for what happens if you target an object lighter than 500lbs the spell doesn't specify. If you cast it on Rope, hempen (50 feet) a DM may rule that the spell only lifts the rope and that tying the rope to something anchors the rope, even if what you tied it to weighs less than the remaining 490lbs.
If you target a creature then it can lift an undefined amount of weight. One assumes that it lifts at least the weight of the targeted creature but it may not. It may just raise the creature without applying any actual forces, it is magic after all.
So how this plays out is entirely up to the DM. Keep in mind D&D is a game and not a physics engine. The rules in general don't accurately reflect real works physics and this is especially true for magic.
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For the sake of argument the ropes don't break.
you tie 2 bundles of rope to an object. if you twin cast levitate targeting each bundle of ropes, can you now lift 1 thousand pounds?
(Simplified) The spell levitate has a 500 pound weight limit. If you twin cast would it double the weight limit?
My understanding of the spell would be, that the ropes can float, but are anchored to the heavy object. It is the reverse of you being able to pull yourself along a surface.
No lifting possible.
If by twin-cast you mean using the Twinned Spell Metamagic to cast both simultaneously, then you can't do this as Twinned Spell only works when your original target is one creature (and then lets you pick a second, different, creature).
This means that you'd instead need two casters each casting levitate on each target simultaneously; you could possibly argue simultaneous casting if one caster takes the Ready to fire off at the same time the other caster does, but that'd be a DM ruling.
Strictly in rules as written one spell is always cast first, and you will need to discuss what object you are targeting; if you're only targeting the rope then only the rope is levitated, the spell doesn't say it provides 500 lbs of lift, only that 500 lbs is its limit. If the target object is the rope and the load attached to it and that load is greater than 500 lbs, then it will be too heavy and the spell will fail. The same thing then happens to the second casting of the spell.
Part of the problem is that extending the levitation to the whole object means overlapping the spells, but a single target cannot be subject to the same spell more than once at the same time (one takes priority, they don't stack).
If I were DMing then personally I might allow stacking levitations for convenience (moving heavier objects more easily/quickly) but purely as a utility case; the moment the players start trying to build themselves a fantasy bomber using levitation they get kicked in the nards by a vengeful ghost. 😉
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Okay then I tie mice to the rope that is tied to the object.
This still doesn't get around the other targeting issue unfortunately, which is that if you levitate each mouse, then you're not levitating whatever they're attached to; the levitate spell has a weight limit of 500 lbs, it doesn't say that it provides 500 lbs of lift.
To do something like this you could maybe target two separate objects or creatures in advance, then load them afterwards; so long as your DM agrees that neither exceeds 500 lbs then they should continue to levitate. If you wanted to use Twinned Spell then you would need to use something like a pair of rugs of smothering, otherwise you're looking to cast the spell twice (two different casters, due to concentration) on suitable objects instead.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Technically the Twinned Spell metamagic only enables a spell that targets one and only one creature to also target an additional creature. RAW it has no impact on your ability to target more objects.
As for Levitate's ability to affect objects it can lift 1 object that weighs up to 500lbs. As for what happens if you target an object lighter than 500lbs the spell doesn't specify. If you cast it on Rope, hempen (50 feet) a DM may rule that the spell only lifts the rope and that tying the rope to something anchors the rope, even if what you tied it to weighs less than the remaining 490lbs.
If you target a creature then it can lift an undefined amount of weight. One assumes that it lifts at least the weight of the targeted creature but it may not. It may just raise the creature without applying any actual forces, it is magic after all.
So how this plays out is entirely up to the DM. Keep in mind D&D is a game and not a physics engine. The rules in general don't accurately reflect real works physics and this is especially true for magic.