I've seen a number of posters mentioning that they use Maximilians Earthen Grasp to block a corridor/doorway. Can anyone shed any insight on how this works as I and my DM are struggling.
"You choose a 5-foot-square unoccupied space on the ground that you can see within range. A Medium hand made from compacted soil rises there"
Our thoughts:
Only 'Creatures' benefit from rules against enemies moving through the hostile creature space.
If it is a creature, then it can be subject to Overrun/Tumble or Grapple/Shove.
If it is an object, then can it be bypassed as difficult terrain, or climbed as a 5' wall/fence? Medium size implies that it is smaller than a 5' cube, and the spell only has limited control of the hand, so I'm unsure how much of the doorway/corridor would be obstructed.
It is a level 2 spell, so it's power level should sit between Mold Earth (cantrip) and Stone Shape (level 4).
Edit:
Medium creatures can 'squeeze' through 1/2 a square. If a Medium object (the hand) is in the middle of the square then RAW there is not enough room to pass. Small creatures may 'squeeze' and Tiny creatures pass unhindered.
If you make the strength save, I would assume you walk right through unhindered.
The hand can only be cast on/relocated to an unoccupied space, with a 5' range to 'grapple'. This implies it has mass, or you would be able to cast it under the feet of an enemy.
Even so, if you make the spell save, you are unaffected. If a spell puts a burning wall of flame on the ground but, says you take no damage if you pass the save, you walk right on through, right?
For clarity, I think you are reading too much into it. The intent seems that the spell is a deterrent or a trap. You can't cast it directly on a creature. It doesn't say anything about the area the spell occupies being difficult terrain or an actual obstruction so, I would say it isn't. Unless you fail your save. If that happens, it can kick you ass for several rounds.
Even so, if you make the spell save, you are unaffected. If a spell puts a burning wall of flame on the ground but, says you take no damage if you pass the save, you walk right on through, right?
If you make the save, you are only unaffected by the restrain. The hand still persists in the adjacent square until concentration breaks. Same as Flaming Sphere, Bonfire, etc.
You don't get restrained or get bludgeoned if you make your save. These are the only 2 actual effects caused.
Your Bonfire example is exactly what I'm talking about, if you have a high enough Dex save, you can literally stand in the fire and possibly not be affected. That's in contrast to a spell that always causes at least half damage. Something the neither Create Bonfire or Earthen Grasp do.
You don't get restrained or get bludgeoned if you make your save. These are the only 2 actual effects caused.
Your Bonfire example is exactly what I'm talking about, if you have a high enough Dex save, you can literally stand in the fire and possibly not be affected. That's in contrast to a spell that always causes at least half damage. Something the neither Create Bonfire or Earthen Grasp do.
Bonfire can be cast on an occupied square. I am debating this no further.
RAW, it wouldn't block movement, since the spell doesn't say it does. It can be used to restrain/crush one enemy, but if it's not actively doing that, then enemies can walk through that space just fine.
(If you're confused about how that works thematically, here's one way to think about it. Typically, enemies block movement through their spaces not because they're physically taking up the entire space - it's pretty easy to move through a 5-foot-wide corridor that has a person in the middle of it. It's because an enemy is actively fighting you, and can prevent you from passing through their area. It's not at all easy to move through a 5-foot-wide corridor with a person in the middle of it if that person is a linebacker who's trying to stop you. This magic hand? It is not a person, it is not sentient, it is the result of a spell. It is under the caster's control, and is only doing the things the caster explicitly tells it to, so it doesn't block movement like an actively resisting enemy. An enemy can pretty easily just walk around the medium hand in its 5-foot space, unless the hand actually reaches out and grabs them - which it can do either immediately when cast or when the caster spends an action to make it do so.)
RAW, it wouldn't block movement, since the spell doesn't say it does. It can be used to restrain/crush one enemy, but if it's not actively doing that, then enemies can walk through that space just fine.
(If you're confused about how that works thematically, here's one way to think about it. Typically, enemies block movement through their spaces not because they're physically taking up the entire space - it's pretty easy to move through a 5-foot-wide corridor that has a person in the middle of it. It's because an enemy is actively fighting you, and can prevent you from passing through their area. It's not at all easy to move through a 5-foot-wide corridor with a person in the middle of it if that person is a linebacker who's trying to stop you. This magic hand? It is not a person, it is not sentient, it is the result of a spell. It is under the caster's control, and is only doing the things the caster explicitly tells it to, so it doesn't block movement like an actively resisting enemy. An enemy can pretty easily just walk around the medium hand in its 5-foot space, unless the hand actually reaches out and grabs them - which it can do either immediately when cast or when the caster spends an action to make it do so.)
No confusion here; I did the math before making this post. RAW, a medium sized creature can "squeeze" through half of a square. If a medium object is roughly in the middle, then there is simply not enough room to pass.
If you want a visual, a Black Bear is Medium, as is my 3.5'x3.5'x6' refrigerator.
You made a topic with your mind made up about the answer. That is obvious by the fact that you reject everyone else's posts whether it is opinion or based on RAW. Go find Jeremy Crawford's "the rules are not trying to trick you" philosophy so you can understand that the rules tell you exactly what they do. If you and your DM want to homebrew the situation to be more along the lines of your own logical reasonings, you can.
I've seen a number of posters mentioning that they use Maximilians Earthen Grasp to block a corridor/doorway. Can anyone shed any insight on how this works as I and my DM are struggling.
"You choose a 5-foot-square unoccupied space on the ground that you can see within range. A Medium hand made from compacted soil rises there"
Our thoughts:
Edit:
If you make the strength save, I would assume you walk right through unhindered.
The hand can only be cast on/relocated to an unoccupied space, with a 5' range to 'grapple'. This implies it has mass, or you would be able to cast it under the feet of an enemy.
Even so, if you make the spell save, you are unaffected. If a spell puts a burning wall of flame on the ground but, says you take no damage if you pass the save, you walk right on through, right?
For clarity, I think you are reading too much into it. The intent seems that the spell is a deterrent or a trap. You can't cast it directly on a creature. It doesn't say anything about the area the spell occupies being difficult terrain or an actual obstruction so, I would say it isn't. Unless you fail your save. If that happens, it can kick you ass for several rounds.
If you make the save, you are only unaffected by the restrain. The hand still persists in the adjacent square until concentration breaks. Same as Flaming Sphere, Bonfire, etc.
You don't get restrained or get bludgeoned if you make your save. These are the only 2 actual effects caused.
Your Bonfire example is exactly what I'm talking about, if you have a high enough Dex save, you can literally stand in the fire and possibly not be affected. That's in contrast to a spell that always causes at least half damage. Something the neither Create Bonfire or Earthen Grasp do.
Bonfire can be cast on an occupied square. I am debating this no further.
I would say that it doesn't block movement, since it isn't a creature (and it can't make opportunity attacks either).
RAW, it wouldn't block movement, since the spell doesn't say it does. It can be used to restrain/crush one enemy, but if it's not actively doing that, then enemies can walk through that space just fine.
(If you're confused about how that works thematically, here's one way to think about it. Typically, enemies block movement through their spaces not because they're physically taking up the entire space - it's pretty easy to move through a 5-foot-wide corridor that has a person in the middle of it. It's because an enemy is actively fighting you, and can prevent you from passing through their area. It's not at all easy to move through a 5-foot-wide corridor with a person in the middle of it if that person is a linebacker who's trying to stop you. This magic hand? It is not a person, it is not sentient, it is the result of a spell. It is under the caster's control, and is only doing the things the caster explicitly tells it to, so it doesn't block movement like an actively resisting enemy. An enemy can pretty easily just walk around the medium hand in its 5-foot space, unless the hand actually reaches out and grabs them - which it can do either immediately when cast or when the caster spends an action to make it do so.)
No confusion here; I did the math before making this post. RAW, a medium sized creature can "squeeze" through half of a square. If a medium object is roughly in the middle, then there is simply not enough room to pass.
If you want a visual, a Black Bear is Medium, as is my 3.5'x3.5'x6' refrigerator.
You made a topic with your mind made up about the answer. That is obvious by the fact that you reject everyone else's posts whether it is opinion or based on RAW. Go find Jeremy Crawford's "the rules are not trying to trick you" philosophy so you can understand that the rules tell you exactly what they do. If you and your DM want to homebrew the situation to be more along the lines of your own logical reasonings, you can.
The solidity of the hand detracts from the discussion of "how".
Stone Shape, Shape Water, Hold Person, etc, also make no mention of obstructing movement/providing cover, but that is what they get used for.