Cozy Cabin spell

[Chawmaster]

Howdy folks,

From the Structure trait: "An item with the structure trait creates a magical building or other structure when activated. The item must be activated on a plot of land free of other structures. The structure adapts to the natural terrain, adopting the structural requirements for being built there. The structure adjusts around small features such as ponds or spires of rock..."

What is your interpretation of 'plot of land'? Is a natural cave floor a plot of land? Is a worked cave floor a plot of land?

[Unicore]

Beware the plotting of land. Its machinations are often dirty affairs best not overanalyzed too heavily.

If you are asking as a player, concerned a GM will deny you a comfortable place to rest for the evening, it is best to ask this question to them.

If you are a GM, be kind with your reading. This is not a spell that is going to be exploited in combat (it takes a minute to cast) and its walls are simple wooden structures with minimal hardness and HP. If there is a specific reason this spell nulifies your planned adventure, talk to your players about, or maybe find a different way to frustrate its usage, (Like a mischievous fey creature that dispels the cabin and then runs away, only to eventually be defeated.

[Chawmaster]

I appreciate your advice. I'm asking as a GM and am of like mind: If there's no reason not to, I tend to rule in favor of the PCs. However, I also don't like to be too 'wishy washy' or arbitrary, and look to have consistent rulings when possible. So, I was just curious how other folks are handling it.

[Errenor]

Chawmaster wrote:

What is your interpretation of 'plot of land'? Is a natural cave floor a plot of land? Is a worked cave floor a plot of land?

Yes and yes. As you see in the trait even sands and swamps can be, so caves definitely are.

[Finoan]

I think it is left deliberately vague so that different campaigns and different tables can run things differently as needed for their particular table.

As a GM, I wouldn't run it too restrictively. In general, the players could have their characters find a place to set up their structure with a pretty trivial amount of time. 15 minutes in a wilderness environment. Maybe 30 if underground. It may not be possible to do in a settled environment like a city.

Ultimately it comes down to the purpose of the spell. It isn't really meant for combat, as Unicore pointed out. It is for a quick and easy setup of camp so that the characters can have some minor level of safety and comfort while adventuring. It is honestly mostly for narrative and flavor rather than any sort of mechanical power used to beat the game with.

I have a pet project idea of creating a keep or mansion that has a few big empty rooms large enough to set up Private Workshop, Portable Gaming Hall, Pocket Stage, and Pocket Gala. Then the keep can be kept fairly small, but be modular and configurable to the purpose needed at any given time.