A Greater Passwal


Homebrew and House Rules


I was considering a Greater Passwall spell, that functions basically the same as Passwall, but works on metal and harder materials, and additionally allows passing through wall spells safely, from wall of fire to wall of force all the way to prismatic wall. Does that seem reasonable for a ninth-level spell? Also, should the range or duration be changed (shorter duration for spells)? I have a few other ideas for changing it in various ways, but I don't know if that would increase or alter the power too much or make it too complicated.


Admittedly this isn't that gripping of a topic, but does anyone have any advice or feedback?


The solution for metal walls used to be disintegrate. A spell that can open a passage through anything is a bit higher than 9th level, if it also punches through magical spells (what about prismatic sphere if you can kill prismatic wall with it?).

The higher wall spells like wall of force and prismatic wall are all vastly immune to magic. Wall of force is only brought down by disintegrate or mage's disjunction or improbable amounts of damage. Prismatic wall requires a set of seven spells to get broken. To replace all that with a single spell that is also allaround useful is probably a bad idea.

There was a spell in AD&D/D&D named Ruby Ray of Reversal. It opened all locks and chains, triggered all traps, returned polymorphed and petrified creatures back to their natural state and form, broke magic jar, removed all movement hindering spells in a radius (like web or grease), and it finally punched holes in a wall of force. There was no saving throw or anything, it had medium range and was 6th level.
They didn't continue it in Pathfinder, not even as a down-toned version like many others. Spells like it should probably not be around in Pathfinder, which pretty much did away with the swiss knife spells.


I think you could make an argument that Disintegrate and Disjunction (and most of the things you need for prismatic wall/sphere) are fairly useful too. It is a useful all-around spell, but EXCEPT for those things that make it a ninth-level spell (passing walls of force etc.), it's no better than its 5th-level equivalent or Disintegrate, which is level 6/7. You have a point about Prismatic Wall or Prismatic Sphere, I suppose, since the other ninth-level spell that can get rid of them easily (wish) has an expensive material component. Would having a material or focus component (Probably an expensive key or model door or drill made of an exotic material) balance it better? Or excepting prismatic wall/sphere unless an additional condition is met, such as having to be cast at the point where you normally cast passwall?


An expensive and/or rare component can balance powerful spells, as long as it stays rare. Other conditions (like a complicated ritual only possible at the winter solstice) can do so, too, but cost and rarity are mechanically best.

What is a rare component in your game world is something only you can decide. In our campaign it would probably be something like a mastercrafted adamantium key (there is very little adamantium and less who can work it), the left eye of a disenchanter (very rare critter), or 1.500-3.000 gp worth of jewel dust (whatever our DM thinks right).


Passwall should ONLY work on dirt, earth, stone and rock. Let metals, liquids, (and gasses) continue to be unaffected.
It does need to be a better spell as the spell effect depth is rather limited making Dig, Trans Rock to Mud, Disintegrate, Fabricate etc MORE effective.
My advice is to go with 5w*8h*5(RndDwn(CL/2))d ft(S) this essentially doubles the AoE.

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