Hello everyone and thank you for checking this thread out.
This post may belong to the Rules & Game Mechanics section instead, but we will see.
Also, I recognize that whatever is stated here, it ultimately comes down to the DM allowing it.
Anyways, what I am interested in is how Mold Earths ability to dig out soil would interact with AOE spell effects.
Context: Party is going to fight a Level 11-16 Fathomless Warlock. DM builds full on characters for some Boss Fights. I did all the right checks so my character is speculating that the Warlock has Evard's Black Tentacles.
Black Tentacles states Squirming, ebony tentacles fill a 20-foot square on ground that you can see within range. For the duration, these tentacles turn the ground in the area into difficult terrain.
When a creature enters the affected area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 bludgeoning damage and be restrained by the tentacles until the spell ends. A creature that starts its turn in the area and is already restrained by the tentacles takes 3d6 bludgeoning damage.
A creature restrained by the tentacles can use its action to make a Strength or Dexterity check (its choice) against your spell save DC. On a success, it frees itself.
Mold Earth states
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.
It would be my understanding that if the character uses Mold Earth to excavate the ground below them, and then drop prone (dropping prone costs zero feet of movement), you are effectively out of the effects of Black Tentacle. This would also apply to a Small size creature like a Kobold.
I would imagine that this would not be the most efficient way to deal with the tentacles normally, but the Fathomless cannot fail a Concentration check when using this spell. What do you guys think?
Like you said, it's up to the DM. Personally as a DM I'd say that you wouldn't be able to escape that way - my general rule of thumb is that if you're putting two spells against each other in the hopes of nullifying one's effects, the higher level spell usually comes out on top.
I think there's definitely some shenanigans I'd allow in order to escape the tentacles, but using a cantrip to dig beneath them wouldn't fly. Especially when the tentacles spell specify that they're on the *ground* - they're not all floating at the same Y Axis. If you change where the ground is, the tentacles will also be changing.
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I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
Like you said, it's up to the DM. Personally as a DM I'd say that you wouldn't be able to escape that way - my general rule of thumb is that if you're putting two spells against each other in the hopes of nullifying one's effects, the higher level spell usually comes out on top.
I think there's definitely some shenanigans I'd allow in order to escape the tentacles, but using a cantrip to dig beneath them wouldn't fly. Especially when the tentacles spell specify that they're on the *ground* - they're not all floating at the same Y Axis. If you change where the ground is, the tentacles will also be changing.
Ah, I see what you mean. I was thinking of the Cube point of origin, but this is very much just a square on the ground.
Nope, nothing about Edvard's Black Tentacles requires the ground to be flat. You could be on a super steep incline where the vertical displacement for 20 ft horizontal is 10 ft and Edvard's would still cover 20ft of the ground surface - i.e. it wouldn't suddenly end as the ground sloped up over it's casting point, nor would there be a empty gap between the lip of the spell area and the ground where the ground sloped down below the casting point. If you dig out a 5ft hole the tentacles will come out of the bottom of the hole as that is now the top of the ground.
I would allow mold earth to possibly disrupt the concentration of the spellcaster. However, since it is a cantrip and it doesn't do damage, the spellcaster would get Advantage to the save if they can see or hear you casting the spell and they are not distracted.
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Hello everyone and thank you for checking this thread out.
This post may belong to the Rules & Game Mechanics section instead, but we will see.
Also, I recognize that whatever is stated here, it ultimately comes down to the DM allowing it.
Anyways, what I am interested in is how Mold Earths ability to dig out soil would interact with AOE spell effects.
Context: Party is going to fight a Level 11-16 Fathomless Warlock. DM builds full on characters for some Boss Fights.
I did all the right checks so my character is speculating that the Warlock has Evard's Black Tentacles.
Black Tentacles states
Squirming, ebony tentacles fill a 20-foot square on ground that you can see within range. For the duration, these tentacles turn the ground in the area into difficult terrain.
When a creature enters the affected area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 bludgeoning damage and be restrained by the tentacles until the spell ends. A creature that starts its turn in the area and is already restrained by the tentacles takes 3d6 bludgeoning damage.
A creature restrained by the tentacles can use its action to make a Strength or Dexterity check (its choice) against your spell save DC. On a success, it frees itself.
Mold Earth states
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.
It would be my understanding that if the character uses Mold Earth to excavate the ground below them, and then drop prone (dropping prone costs zero feet of movement), you are effectively out of the effects of Black Tentacle. This would also apply to a Small size creature like a Kobold.
I would imagine that this would not be the most efficient way to deal with the tentacles normally, but the Fathomless cannot fail a Concentration check when using this spell.
What do you guys think?
Like you said, it's up to the DM. Personally as a DM I'd say that you wouldn't be able to escape that way - my general rule of thumb is that if you're putting two spells against each other in the hopes of nullifying one's effects, the higher level spell usually comes out on top.
I think there's definitely some shenanigans I'd allow in order to escape the tentacles, but using a cantrip to dig beneath them wouldn't fly. Especially when the tentacles spell specify that they're on the *ground* - they're not all floating at the same Y Axis. If you change where the ground is, the tentacles will also be changing.
I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
Ah, I see what you mean. I was thinking of the Cube point of origin, but this is very much just a square on the ground.
Nice, thanks for the insight!
Nope, nothing about Edvard's Black Tentacles requires the ground to be flat. You could be on a super steep incline where the vertical displacement for 20 ft horizontal is 10 ft and Edvard's would still cover 20ft of the ground surface - i.e. it wouldn't suddenly end as the ground sloped up over it's casting point, nor would there be a empty gap between the lip of the spell area and the ground where the ground sloped down below the casting point. If you dig out a 5ft hole the tentacles will come out of the bottom of the hole as that is now the top of the ground.
I would allow mold earth to possibly disrupt the concentration of the spellcaster. However, since it is a cantrip and it doesn't do damage, the spellcaster would get Advantage to the save if they can see or hear you casting the spell and they are not distracted.