Permanent levitate spell


Homebrew and House Rules


Effectively I'd like to create a spell that mimics the augmented version of of the Mythic Levitate spell.

My main question is what level should this be?

Also, please critique the write up, though it's a copy/paste from the mythic version + non-mythic version.

Should I add a material component cost?
Maybe increase the casting time to 10 minutes?

School transmutation;

Level sorcerer/wizard ???
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (a leather loop or golden wire bent into a cup shape)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target a 5-foot cube of rock
Duration Permanent (D)
Saving Throw none (Harmless); Spell Resistance no (harmless)

You permanently levitate a 5-foot cube of rock, which you can move 20 feet vertically or horizontally as a move action.

If you have created multiple cubes and they are physically touching each other, you can direct them all as a single move action (as if they were one object), even if some of them are out of range. Each levitating cube can support approximately 1,000 pounds of weight, allowing you to use it as a portion of the foundation for a bridge, floating castle, or similar construction project.


I would add a material component cost, at least.

The problem I see with this as written is, you can just cast it over and over for weeks and get a GIGANTIC chunk of rock that you can move around at will. As you mention, it can be used to build a floating castle, which is an enormously powerful ability.

Another way to make it more reasonable is that you can only move CL number of cubes at a time, instead of being able to move around an entire castle.


RumpinRufus wrote:

I would add a material component cost, at least.

The problem I see with this as written is, you can just cast it over and over for weeks and get a GIGANTIC chunk of rock that you can move around at will. As you mention, it can be used to build a floating castle, which is an enormously powerful ability.

Another way to make it more reasonable is that you can only move CL number of cubes at a time, instead of being able to move around an entire castle.

Do you think 2000 GP per casting is reasonable? That'll cut down on spamming it all day every day.

Also if it's a high level spell maybe 8 or 9 it's less of an issue as only high level casters will have access.

Moving a limited number of cubes is an unnecessary mechanic I think. It's only 20 feet per move action and the caster is the only one that can do it. It's a really inefficient means of transportation. If you want to spend all your time moving your flying castle you won't be able to do much else.


Sure, if it's an 8th level spell and costs 2,000 gp per casting that sounds reasonable to me.


Edited original. How's this? I think it's interesting for world building. It also gives a mechanic for stuff like flying boats, though they wouldn't be fast, floating islands, etc.

Tiny Coffee Golem wrote:


School transmutation;

Level sorcerer/wizard 8
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (a leather loop or golden wire bent into a cup shape), M 2,000 GP worth of diamond dust
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target a 5-foot cube of rock
Duration Permanent (D)
Saving Throw none (Harmless); Spell Resistance no (harmless)

You permanently levitate a 5-foot cube of rock, which you can move 20 feet vertically or horizontally as a move action.

If you have created multiple cubes and they are physically touching each other, you can direct them all as a single move action (as if they were one object), even if some of them are out of range. Each levitating cube can support approximately 1,000 pounds of weight, allowing you to use it as a portion of the foundation for a bridge, floating castle, or similar construction project.


But shouldn't the material component be 2,000 gp worth of unobtanium?


1 person marked this as a favorite.
RumpinRufus wrote:
But shouldn't the material component be 2,000 gp worth of unobtanium?

I almost wrote "2000 GP of powdered McGuffin."


Compare with the Permanency spell, a 2nd level spell being made permanent costs (generally speaking) 5k gold and requires a 10th level caster.

Of course that would only do levitating up and down. Permanency RAW doesn't work on levitate. While it would affect up to caster level of 20 (2000 pounds) that is not specific. And perhaps most importantly, even mythic augmented levitate is vague on how it works with orientation. Your average levitated archer spends most of her time spinning.

Finally, the concept of permanently controlling a spell feels a bit weird to me in general. Like, you set a permanent levitation, but you would need to tag it with a fresh casting of a spell (or at least be touching it) to "turn it on" and control it for as long as you maintain concentration. Maybe that's just my own sense of arcania talking though.

Anyway, I'd make your spell level 7 (permanency is level 5 after all) and leave the price as is.

To be honest, I wish Wall of Force hadn't been nerfed in the first place, since it would do quite a bit of what your talking about (foundations, construction, etc.) or at least an "improved wall of force" spell had been made at a higher level. but them's the breaks.


boring7 wrote:

Compare with the Permanency spell, a 2nd level spell being made permanent costs (generally speaking) 5k gold and requires a 10th level caster.

Of course that would only do levitating up and down. Permanency RAW doesn't work on levitate. While it would affect up to caster level of 20 (2000 pounds) that is not specific. And perhaps most importantly, even mythic augmented levitate is vague on how it works with orientation. Your average levitated archer spends most of her time spinning.

Finally, the concept of permanently controlling a spell feels a bit weird to me in general. Like, you set a permanent levitation, but you would need to tag it with a fresh casting of a spell (or at least be touching it) to "turn it on" and control it for as long as you maintain concentration. Maybe that's just my own sense of arcania talking though.

Anyway, I'd make your spell level 7 (permanency is level 5 after all) and leave the price as is.

To be honest, I wish Wall of Force hadn't been nerfed in the first place, since it would do quite a bit of what your talking about (foundations, construction, etc.) or at least an "improved wall of force" spell had been made at a higher level. but them's the breaks.

My intent was that you do have to be touching it to control it after casting. Is that not clear? I'll change the range to touch.


Edited the spell level, range to touch, and added some language about having to be in contact to control them.

better?

Tiny Coffee Golem wrote:

School transmutation;

Level sorcerer/wizard 7
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (a leather loop or golden wire bent into a cup shape), M 2,000 GP worth of diamond dust
Range Touch
Target a 5-foot cube of rock
Duration Permanent (D)
Saving Throw none (Harmless); Spell Resistance no (harmless)

You permanently levitate a 5-foot cube of rock, which you can move 20 feet vertically or horizontally as a move action.

If you have created multiple cubes and they are physically touching each other, you can direct them all as a single move action (as if they were one object), even if some of them are out of range as long as you are touching one of the stones. Each levitating cube can support approximately 1,000 pounds of weight, allowing you to use it as a portion of the foundation for a bridge, floating castle, or similar construction project.


Tiny Coffee Golem wrote:

Edited the spell level, range to touch, and added some language about having to be in contact to control them.

better?

Tiny Coffee Golem wrote:

School transmutation;

Level sorcerer/wizard 7
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (a leather loop or golden wire bent into a cup shape), M 2,000 GP worth of diamond dust
Range Touch
Target a 5-foot cube of rock
Duration Permanent (D)
Saving Throw none (Harmless); Spell Resistance no (harmless)

You permanently levitate a 5-foot cube of rock, which you can move 20 feet vertically or horizontally as a move action.

If you have created multiple cubes and they are physically touching each other, you can direct them all as a single move action (as if they were one object). Each levitating cube can support approximately 1,000 pounds of weight, allowing you to use it as a portion of the foundation for a bridge, floating castle, or similar construction project.

Slight verbiage update.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Homebrew and House Rules / Permanent levitate spell All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.
Recent threads in Homebrew and House Rules