Elemental Architecture

5th-level conjuration

Classes: cleric, druid, sorcerer, wizard

Casting Time: 1 hour

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (100 gp of crushed corundum gems per 5-foot-square section)

Duration: Until dispelled

This spell allows you to draw forth the elemental essence of the planes, shaping and forming it into a permanent structure like a section of wall or floor. You can create three 5-foot-square sections, with characteristics as described in the Exotic Strongholds section. You cannot create elemental architecture in an area occupied by creatures or objects, though minor obstructions like rubble and undergrowth do not interfere with its creation.

Creating simple structures like straight walls, pillars, straight ramps, and floors requires a successful DC 5 Intelligence check, while more detailed structures like stairs, bridges, curved walls, arches, roofs, and simple idols require a DC 10 check. Moving structures like doors and drawbridges require a DC 15 check, as do statues or similar very detailed static objects.

Elemental architecture can be dispelled, but it is more difficult to do so than for a typical spell. A successful dispel magic suppresses the binding magic holding together a single 5-foot square of an elemental wall or floor, causing it to collapse for a number of rounds equal to the caster level of the dispel magic spell. For every 2 points by which the caster exceeds the DC, one more 5-foot square of the elemental structure can be suppressed. All squares affected by a single casting of dispel magic must be contiguous, and all must be within the area of effect of the dispel magic spell. The structure reforms 1d4 rounds later, and its reforming is slow enough that any creature able to move can get out of the way before it finishes reforming.

If the caster level check to dispel the elemental architecture exceeds the DC by 5 or more, the caster of dispel magic can instead choose to permanently destroy a 5-foot-square section of the structure, plus one more 5-foot-square for every 5 points by which she beats the DC.

An antimagic field suppresses all elemental structures for as long as their areas overlap.

In addition to the above general methods, many structures have additional methods for destroying, eliminating, or otherwise countering them, as described for each specific type of structure.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you create one additional 5-foot section for each slot level above 5th.