The Magic Tactics Toolbox introduced the spell Roaming Pit.
The spell:
Roaming Pit School conjuration (creation); Level cleric 6, druid 6, psychic 6, sorcerer/wizard 5, summoner 5
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (powered diamond dust worth 10 gp)
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect mobile 10-ft.-by-10-ft. hole, 10 ft. deep/2 levels
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Reflex negates; Spell Resistance no
This spell functions as create pit, except the pit is capable of movement. As a move action, you can direct the pit to move up to 20 feet, though it must always remain on a horizontal surface large enough to accommodate its area. If the pit’s movement causes it to share a space with a creature on the same horizontal surface, that creature must succeed at a Reflex saving throw or fall into the pit. Any creature that avoids falling into the pit when it reaches its new destination moves to the nearest safe space. Creatures that fall into the pit move with it if it is relocated.
I have ALL kinds of questions about this.
1) Roaming Pit specifies "it must always remain on a horizontal surface large enough to accommodate its area." Create Pit specifies that "the edges of the pit are sloped, and any creature ending its turn on a square adjacent to the pit must make a Reflex saving throw with a +2 bonus to avoid falling into it."
Does the area refer to the 10x10 pit itself, or does it include the adjacent squares? Can I move the pit all the way up to a wall, or does it stop five feet from the wall to accommodate the sloped area?
2) If I move the pit under an inanimate object, obviously the object would fall into the pit with no save. But does the object have to be flush with the horizontal surface? For example, if I conjure the pit on a forest floor, can I move it beneath a boulder whose bottom 2 inches are under the surface of the ground?
3) How solid does a vertical surface need to be in order to halt its motion? Would a paper wall in a traditional Japanese house stop the motion of the wall? Assuming I find a door as wide as the pit, can I slide the pit under the door, or does it count as a vertical surface?
4) If a vertical surface is narrower than the width of the pit, does it block the motion? For example, a pillar with a 2 foot diameter is much narrower than the pit. Does the pit halt on encountering it, or can I slide it under the pillar, causing it to fall upon my hapless enemies like a pestle in a mortar?
5) The spell says: "As a move action, you can direct the pit to move up to 20 feet, though it must always remain on a horizontal surface large enough to accommodate its area." Is that movement instantaneous or does it take time? Can I sweep the pit under a line of opponents, or does it instantly open up underneath a specific spot in the line?
The spell looks really, really useful. Maybe even overpowered for level 5. But the mechanical details are a bit unclear in places.
1) The sloped area around the pit is not constrained to a horizontal surface, but if any part of the sloped area would occupy a surface that cannot be sloped, such as a vertical wall, then that part of the area does not slope. A vertical pillar on the sloped area would remain vertical instead of tilting.
2) A boulder large enough to be treated as part of the terrain would prevent the terrain from being a horizontal surface, so the roaming pit cannot be moved there. On the other hand, if you agree with my opinion on question 1, then moving the sloped area under a round boulder could cause it to roll into the pit (and land on the occupants!).
3) A wall or pillar is not a horizontal surface, so the roaming pit cannot be moved under it, regardless of how flimsy the wall is. On the other hand, a door is separate from the surface under it, so the roaming pit can be moved under a door wide enough to accommodate it.
4) The roaming pit cannot be moved under vertical terrain no matter how narrow the terrain is. A flagpole could stop it. Short vertical objects, such as blades of grass, count as part of the horizontal surface and disappear along with the ground.
5) The pit does not teleport, so it moves through all intervening area on its path. Anything standing on that area and the adjacent sloped area is at risk of falling into the pit. Besides, sweeping the pit under several foes is too hilarious to declare illegal.
