In case anyone else finds themselves questioning the intended limitations of the spell by the authors of the setting, I asked via email as to whether it can be used to create full structures out of sand despite its description stating it creates walls from the ground. I was asking this question from the perspective of someone who has been reading the rather crunchy rules descriptions in the 2024 PHB.
Question Posed to 1985 Games: "I'm enjoying the new Obojima setting and was curious about the intended interpretation for the Sand Structure spell. Can a caster stack subsequent sand walls on top of each other? Can it create a solid ceiling/floor by connecting sand walls with a horizontal section? And can it be used to perhaps bridge/cover a five foot diameter pit?"
Answer: Yes, it could be used to stack multiple sand blocks together to form all kinds of structures. That's the whole building philosophy of Tidewater even. Provided you have the spell slots/time to do repeating 10-minute rituals, you could make all kinds of shapes and structures.
Source: 1985 Games Editor, Kellie-Ann Maxwell
Tidewater is a coastal town of shifting architecture created by master sand sculptors who use this very ritual spell to create entire buildings. The spell requires a piece of sea glass as a material component, not sand. It is also a conjuration spell, not a transmutation spell. So this spell summons sand from the ground, which is then shaped to build up structures via ritual magic. Hope this clarifies the spell for others who want to build their own not-so-miniature sand castles.
Thank you for reaching out to them about this, however, would you mind reaching out again? There is something else that remains unclear but mostly due to the reply you got. In the reply you received they state: "Provided you have the spell slots..." The way the spell is worded though, a wall of sand made from spending a spell slot only lasts 1 minute before crumbling. Duration 1 minute. "When the spell ends, the wall crumbles back into sand. If you cast the spell as a ritual, the wall lasts until it is destroyed or dismissed."
It seems like only walls made by a ritual are actually permanent, anything made by a spell slot crumbles after 1 minute. Would you mind reaching out to them again asking for clarification on if that is the intended effect? If its not, the wording may need a pretty major change.
Just to be clear, this was not a concern I had until after I read their reply to your question since they seem to imply that spell slot walls could be joined together, but there doesn't seem to be much of a point to a structure that would only stand for less than a minute.
Any wall that is created using a spell slot has a duration of 1 minute. At the end of the duration, the wall crumbles. The only way it is permanent is if it is created via ritual. The reason for my question was to clarify whether the use of the word "wall" was to be interpreted literally or if it was to be taken more liberally given the spell's name.
Any wall that is created using a spell slot has a duration of 1 minute. At the end of the duration, the wall crumbles. The only way it is permanent is if it is created via ritual. The reason for my question was to clarify whether the use of the word "wall" was to be interpreted literally or if it was to be taken more liberally given the spell's name.
I'm sorry if I was unclear, I completely understood the reason of the question you asked them, it's their reply that makes me question the wording of how permanent things are. Entirely different question to what you asked.
They replied "Yes, it could be used to stack multiple sand blocks together to form all kinds of structures. That's the whole building philosophy of Tidewater even. Provided you have the spell slots/time to do repeating 10-minute rituals, you could make all kinds of shapes and structures."
Since rituals do not use spell slots, the mention of them is either irrelevant and a typo in their reply or the wording of the spell is written poorly
In case anyone else finds themselves questioning the intended limitations of the spell by the authors of the setting, I asked via email as to whether it can be used to create full structures out of sand despite its description stating it creates walls from the ground. I was asking this question from the perspective of someone who has been reading the rather crunchy rules descriptions in the 2024 PHB.
Question Posed to 1985 Games: "I'm enjoying the new Obojima setting and was curious about the intended interpretation for the Sand Structure spell. Can a caster stack subsequent sand walls on top of each other? Can it create a solid ceiling/floor by connecting sand walls with a horizontal section? And can it be used to perhaps bridge/cover a five foot diameter pit?"
Answer: Yes, it could be used to stack multiple sand blocks together to form all kinds of structures. That's the whole building philosophy of Tidewater even. Provided you have the spell slots/time to do repeating 10-minute rituals, you could make all kinds of shapes and structures.
Source: 1985 Games Editor, Kellie-Ann Maxwell
Tidewater is a coastal town of shifting architecture created by master sand sculptors who use this very ritual spell to create entire buildings. The spell requires a piece of sea glass as a material component, not sand. It is also a conjuration spell, not a transmutation spell. So this spell summons sand from the ground, which is then shaped to build up structures via ritual magic. Hope this clarifies the spell for others who want to build their own not-so-miniature sand castles.
Thank you for reaching out to them about this, however, would you mind reaching out again? There is something else that remains unclear but mostly due to the reply you got. In the reply you received they state:
"Provided you have the spell slots..."
The way the spell is worded though, a wall of sand made from spending a spell slot only lasts 1 minute before crumbling.
Duration 1 minute. "When the spell ends, the wall crumbles back into sand. If you cast the spell as a ritual, the wall lasts until it is destroyed or dismissed."
It seems like only walls made by a ritual are actually permanent, anything made by a spell slot crumbles after 1 minute. Would you mind reaching out to them again asking for clarification on if that is the intended effect?
If its not, the wording may need a pretty major change.
Just to be clear, this was not a concern I had until after I read their reply to your question since they seem to imply that spell slot walls could be joined together, but there doesn't seem to be much of a point to a structure that would only stand for less than a minute.
Any wall that is created using a spell slot has a duration of 1 minute. At the end of the duration, the wall crumbles. The only way it is permanent is if it is created via ritual. The reason for my question was to clarify whether the use of the word "wall" was to be interpreted literally or if it was to be taken more liberally given the spell's name.
I'm sorry if I was unclear, I completely understood the reason of the question you asked them, it's their reply that makes me question the wording of how permanent things are. Entirely different question to what you asked.
They replied "Yes, it could be used to stack multiple sand blocks together to form all kinds of structures. That's the whole building philosophy of Tidewater even. Provided you have the spell slots/time to do repeating 10-minute rituals, you could make all kinds of shapes and structures."
Since rituals do not use spell slots, the mention of them is either irrelevant and a typo in their reply or the wording of the spell is written poorly
Its an irrelevant typo, since 2024 rules take precedence.
Not sure what the 2024 rules have to do with my question but okay... I guess I'll reach out myself...