Ok real quick...Maze spell cast on a guy with a portable hole. New rules mean no explosion yet a Bag of holding inside a portable hole does? Whats the difference between extra dimensional spaces?
The whole reason the problem existed in the first place is to prevent people from abusing bags of holding and similar items to gain unlimited storage. Basically, if they needed more space, they'd use one bag (or portable hole) to store others filled with stuff. Need even more space? Just use a bag holding a bunch of bags holding a bunch of bags filled with stuff.
So then they tried to rationalize it as all extra dimensional spaces working that way, but that created other problems. Now, you couldn't enter your magnificent mansion without having your bag go boom. Or walk through a Gate, if I recall correctly. All this punished the characters unnecessarily.
Now, they're back to specifically stating in the item/spell whether it has problems with bags of holding or portable holes and the like. It works better, IMO, and avoids the other problems the original solution created.
So now, the only things that have problems interacting is those extra dimensional spaces meant to be used for storage, and not those meant for a safe resting place (Rope Trick, Magnificent Mansion, etc).
Thanks for the update Xellan. I was working on the old go boom theory...lol. I wondered when it changed.
No problem. That silly rule used to cheese me off to no end. I played a psionic character in the old rules with not only a lot of extra-dimensional abilities, but a bunch of extra-dimensional items too. Had to be extra careful with it in the old days.
Freedom at last! Yay!
Players of mine kept buying up portable holes and bags of holding and thrusting them into each other in various permutations. Eventually I put a house ruled on it:
Read the rope trick spell. Apparently, it is hazardous to take one extradimensional spell into another (eh?). And that's all the info they give you. ;)
I also like the whole magnet thing with the objects, but I am just wondering whether that house rule could not be used as an attack form or trap by an enterprising PC or bad guy?
Okay, I read it, and...
Eh, without further elaboration I'm just inclined to consider it a holdover without much bite and ignore it except where it concerns the stacking of similar spaces (like bags in bags, or a rope trick or magnificent mansion inside a rope trick). Because, again, that's the sort of rule that needlessly complicates things in very bad ways.
Imagine the following scenario:
Fighter: "Man, we really need to rest. Hey wizard, do you have one of those resting place spells handy?"
Wizard: Rolls eyes. "You mean 'rope trick'? Yeah, I'll cast it now; this looks as likely a spot as any." Homina homina *poof* "Okay guys, everyone inside."
DM: Okay, everyone goes inside?
Everyone: "Yes"
DM: "Uh oh, the rogue forgot about his Heward's Handy Haversack. Now you're all drifting on the astral plane. Heh heh heh."
Everyone: *groan*
Now, it's okay to throw a curveball at the players here and there. But extradimensional storage has become a staple of adventuring, and those 'resting place' spells can offer some gravely needed respite in desperate times. It's, IMO, a grossly unfair thing to make them suffer over whether to leave a piece of their hard earned treasure outside just so they can catch a breather to rest and heal.
In short, it's one of those "Screw the player" things that I remember Sean K Reynolds being against.