Recently, I was playing a 9th level, Hill Dwarf, Grave Domain Cleric when I was engulfed by a shambling mound. I cast antilife shell to break the grapple. No one was sure if it works like that. The spell says it hedges out creatures, but also that I cannot move so as to force creatures past the barrier.
So does the initial casting push creatures away, but not after? What is the intent of the spell and how does it work in this instance; if at all?
As a DM, I would allow that, breaking the engulfment and hedging out the shambling mound. The condition for which the spell ends is for the caster to move and force the barrier on a creature with that movement.
I wonder what happens when the caster is swallowed by a monster like a purple worm.
For the sake of simplicity I would say that the spell would cause a violent expulsion, in this case you being shunted 5ft but not causing the spell to end. I am loathe to say that it would cause immediate and deadly explosions from the insides of a monster, it would become way too abuse-able on "smaller" creatures like a Purple Worm, and not make sense for a "larger" creature like a Kraken.
There's also the question of whether you could cast the spell in the first place due to being Engulfed or Swallowed. In the case of the Shambling Mound you're unable to breath, which means speaking would be just this side shy of impossible. In the case of Swallowed there's only the Restrained condition which doesn't make casting the spell as difficult. So depending on the situation you may not be able to produce the Verbal side of the spell and the Somatic side may be hindered as well.
Shambling Mound + Antilife shell = no chance or Con check for having held your breath, you can't speak
Purple Worm + Antilife shell = go for it and the worm spits you out.
For the sake of simplicity I would say that the spell would cause a violent expulsion, in this case you being shunted 5ft but not causing the spell to end. I am loathe to say that it would cause immediate and deadly explosions from the insides of a monster, it would become way too abuse-able on "smaller" creatures like a Purple Worm, and not make sense for a "larger" creature like a Kraken.
There's also the question of whether you could cast the spell in the first place due to being Engulfed or Swallowed. In the case of the Shambling Mound you're unable to breath, which means speaking would be just this side shy of impossible. In the case of Swallowed there's only the Restrained condition which doesn't make casting the spell as difficult. So depending on the situation you may not be able to produce the Verbal side of the spell and the Somatic side may be hindered as well.
Shambling Mound + Antilife shell = no chance or Con check for having held your breath, you can't speak
Purple Worm + Antilife shell = go for it and the worm spits you out.
The DM gave me a check to hold my breath before being engulfed and said I could cast with a verbal component, but then start suffocating.
I had no idea what had me as a character or a player, I was just crapshooting antilife shell would stop it.
So I cast and, after googling and hemming and hawing, the DM let it go, but we are all curious about how it should or shouldn't have worked. As always, up to the DM
I get it, there are always fringe cases and the crazy moments where players do the oddest of things. I think your DM did just fine, it was a situation where many people go with the "Rule of Cool" response. My only real concern is the implication that it might be used to harm a creature which has engulfed or swallowed you. I feel that is the type of shenanigan that leads to abuse.
Recently, I was playing a 9th level, Hill Dwarf, Grave Domain Cleric when I was engulfed by a shambling mound. I cast antilife shell to break the grapple. No one was sure if it works like that. The spell says it hedges out creatures, but also that I cannot move so as to force creatures past the barrier.
So does the initial casting push creatures away, but not after? What is the intent of the spell and how does it work in this instance; if at all?
As a DM, I would allow that, breaking the engulfment and hedging out the shambling mound. The condition for which the spell ends is for the caster to move and force the barrier on a creature with that movement.
I wonder what happens when the caster is swallowed by a monster like a purple worm.
For the sake of simplicity I would say that the spell would cause a violent expulsion, in this case you being shunted 5ft but not causing the spell to end. I am loathe to say that it would cause immediate and deadly explosions from the insides of a monster, it would become way too abuse-able on "smaller" creatures like a Purple Worm, and not make sense for a "larger" creature like a Kraken.
There's also the question of whether you could cast the spell in the first place due to being Engulfed or Swallowed. In the case of the Shambling Mound you're unable to breath, which means speaking would be just this side shy of impossible. In the case of Swallowed there's only the Restrained condition which doesn't make casting the spell as difficult. So depending on the situation you may not be able to produce the Verbal side of the spell and the Somatic side may be hindered as well.
Shambling Mound + Antilife shell = no chance or Con check for having held your breath, you can't speak
Purple Worm + Antilife shell = go for it and the worm spits you out.
The DM gave me a check to hold my breath before being engulfed and said I could cast with a verbal component, but then start suffocating.
I had no idea what had me as a character or a player, I was just crapshooting antilife shell would stop it.
So I cast and, after googling and hemming and hawing, the DM let it go, but we are all curious about how it should or shouldn't have worked. As always, up to the DM
I get it, there are always fringe cases and the crazy moments where players do the oddest of things. I think your DM did just fine, it was a situation where many people go with the "Rule of Cool" response. My only real concern is the implication that it might be used to harm a creature which has engulfed or swallowed you. I feel that is the type of shenanigan that leads to abuse.