Spells and Cubic Feet

[RUMBLETiGER]

This is asking a question. This is also for 3.5.

I've been looking into the use of the Stone shape spell and want to know the application for this spell, but I'm sure it applies to others as well. This is a spell with a range of touch, instantaneously altering 10 cubic feet + 1 cu. ft. of stone per level.

Now, lets assume of simplicity of math that this spell is cast by a 10th level wizard, and the wizard walks up to a mountainside, touches the stone surface, and wants to convert the solid wall of rock into spheres to fall away from the surface, making a cave. This level 10 wizard can affect 20'x20'x20' forth of mountainside. he or she should be able to clear out a cave with those dimensions out of the side of the mountain.

However, here is my question. Does he or she have to affect 20 cubic feet of stone in a cube shape? or, may he use this power to touch the mountainside and convert 64 5'x5'x5' squares (totalling 20 cubic feet) in a straight line, forming a tunnel (assuming he turns all that stone into rock spheres, the tunnel slopes upwards so they all roll out, etc.) How about 64 squares in a curvey line? that goes up and down, side to side? Corkscrew? How about forking off in 2 tunnels of 32 squares as long as they join together at the point where the wizard touches?

does a spell affecting an area of volume have to do so in a cube, or may in be shaped to any dimensions within that volume, if the spell's description doesn't clearly state how it goes?

 

[kitcik]

It certainly is ambiguous. I am not aware of any ruling or FAQ on this, although I will again disclaim wide knowledge on arcane spells (I haven't played an arcane spellcaster since 1E).

That said, I would allow any shape. I read the area of effect as meaning volume and not shape.

In considering the odd shapes you mentioned, I would have to say that it would have to be a contiguous piece of rock since the range is "touch." If you had a granite cliff, I would allow you to corkscrew into it. If there was a hidden room within the cliff, with a stone table that touched the inside of the cliff wall, I would not allow the spell to affect the table since that is not contiguous and you could not touch it.

One other thing, I don't believe 20x20x20 is 20 cubic feet. I believe 20x1x1 is 20 cubic feet. Therefore, the area of effect is smaller than you might imagine.

 

[Eldritch_Lord]

does a spell affecting an area of volume have to do so in a cube, or may in be shaped to any dimensions within that volume, if the spell's description doesn't clearly state how it goes?

In general, as covered in the Magic Overview section of the PHB, if a spell's area/volume is expressed as a number of fixed areas/volumes (like "X 10-foot cubes, for example) it can be manipulated by the caster if it has the Shapeable quality (a little "(S)" in the area line). Otherwise, the area/volume is as given.

However, stone shape is different in that it has a volume of 10 or more cubic feet of stone, and says you can shape the stone "into any shape that suits your purpose." Thus, you could hollow out a straight tunnel, a curvy tunnel, several small tunnels, or anything else as long as (A) the total volume shaped is no greater than 20 cubic feat and (B) the volume shaped is contiguous. And note that kitcik is right that 20 cubic feet is 20x1x1, not 20x20x20; that would be 20 feet, cubed.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Thank you both for your input, both regarding the use of the spell, and correcting my math. I'll have to work more on evening out my understanding of the space 20 cu. ft. covers.

For example, a 5'x5'x4' space should than be 20 cu. ft., am I correct?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I'm comparing this spell to Transmute Rock to Mud and seeing the difference between cubic feet and 10' cubes/level. thanks for pointing this out.

 

[kitcik]

The formula is, in feet, H x W x L = cubic feet. So 5 x 5 x 4 = 100 cubic feet.

Think of it this way - a 1 cubic foot box is 1x1x1. How many of those boxes would fit in a storage room that is 5x5x4. You could have 5 rows of 5 boxes (or 25 boxes) stacked on each other in the rear foot of the room, then another 25 in front of that, then another 25 in front of that, and finally 25 more at the front of the storage room for a total of 100 boxes or 100 cubic feet.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

ah, alright. I was invisioning a stack of 20x20x1. I'm getting this right in my head. Thanks.

So if I'm thinking 1' squared boxes, than 20 cubic feet can create a 3'x3'x2' space, with 2 squared feet left over.

This would create a 5'x5'x5' square in a weeks time, with 15 cubic feet left over.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Well, the spell only takes a standard action to cast and works instantaneously, and it's a 4th-level spell, so there's a good chance your wizard, if he can cast it at all, can cast it twice a day. At 10th-level, he'll probably be able to cast it 4 times a day, and can scoop out 20 cubic feet per casting.

So, to make a 5'x5'x5' area (125 cubic feet), it'll take 7 castings of the spell - or two days' worth of spellslingin'.

EDIT: FYI, 20'x20'x1' = 400 cubic feet.

 

[frankthedm]

Stone shape won't be making new rooms in the dungeon, as others have pointed out, it is quite limited in size.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Yeah, 20 cubic feet of stone isn't a whole lot. Stoneshape isn't really for efficient excavation work. Here are a couple reference pictures.

20 cubic feet of stone on a typical wooden pallet (note the tire in background):

And this thing holds 20 cubic feet of stuff: