Passwall

• Level: 5
• School: Transmutation
• Class: Wizard
• Casting Time: Action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: V, S, M (a pinch of sesame seeds)
• Duration: 1 hour

A passage appears at a point that you can see on a wooden, plaster, or stone surface (such as a wall, ceiling, or floor) within range and lasts for the duration. You choose the opening's dimensions: up to 5 feet wide, 8 feet tall, and 20 feet deep. The passage creates no instability in a structure surrounding it.

When the opening disappears, any creatures or objects still in the passage created by the spell are safely ejected to an unoccupied space nearest to the surface on which you cast the spell.

Tactical Usage

Passwall provides unparalleled access and mobility options that can completely bypass physical barriers and architectural defenses that would otherwise require extensive time, tools, or violence to overcome. The 20-foot depth allows passage through most castle walls, dungeon barriers, and fortified positions.

Infiltration missions benefit enormously from silent entry that leaves no permanent damage or obvious signs of intrusion. Enemy fortifications, secured vaults, and restricted areas become accessible without alerting guards or triggering conventional security measures.

Emergency escape applications provide instant exit routes from surrounded positions, collapsing structures, or dangerous environments where normal movement would be impossible or fatal. 1-hour duration ensures passages remain available for tactical retreats and coordinated evacuations.

Spell Combinations

Passwall synergizes excellently with stealth magic like Invisibility and Pass Without Trace to create comprehensive infiltration packages that combine barrier bypassing with detection avoidance. Silence prevents noise from passage creation or traversal.

Reconnaissance benefits from combining with Clairvoyance or Scrying to survey destination areas before creating passages, ensuring safe emergence and optimal positioning. Detect Magic can identify magical wards that might trigger upon barrier penetration.

Group coordination improves through Message or Telepathic Bond for silent communication during passage traversal. Dimension Door provides backup escape options if passages become compromised or discovered during operations.

Material Component Details

Passwall requires a pinch of sesame seeds as its material component, symbolically representing the opening concept through the magical phrase associated with barrier removal in folklore and mythology. Common sesame seeds from cooking supplies serve perfectly without special preparation.

Component accessibility makes this one of the most economical high-level utility spells available, as sesame seeds can be obtained easily in most civilized areas or grown during downtime periods. Bulk acquisition ensures multiple castings without resource concerns.

Symbolic significance connects to ancient magical traditions where specific words and ritual components unlock hidden passages and secret doors. Some practitioners prefer ceremonial seeds or blessed components for enhanced psychological connection to the magic.

Creator Notes

Passwall presents significant encounter design challenges as it can bypass intended obstacles, circumvent puzzles, and access restricted areas that were designed to require alternative solutions or specific keys. Creative problem-solving often exceeds initial expectations.

Structural considerations prevent building collapse or instability, making the spell safe for use in load-bearing walls and critical architecture. Emergency planning should account for passages that might compromise defensive positions or secure areas.

Duration management becomes important when multiple party members need passage access or when extended operations require sustained entry points. Timing coordination ensures optimal passage utilization without premature closure.

Environmental Interactions

Passwall affects wooden, plaster, and stone surfaces exclusively, preventing use on metal barriers, magical walls, or living materials like ice or earth. Construction material identification becomes important for targeting decisions.

Thickness limitations mean extremely thick barriers might require multiple castings from different angles to create complete passages. 20-foot depth covers most conventional architecture but might be insufficient for massive fortifications or geological barriers.

Environmental stability ensures surrounding structures remain intact regardless of passage size or location. Adjacent rooms, foundation integrity, and architectural support remain unaffected by barrier modification.

Common Rulings & Clarifications

Passage dimensions allow up to 5 feet wide, 8 feet tall, and 20 feet deep, providing sufficient space for party movement and equipment transport. Smaller dimensions can be chosen for discrete passages or specific tactical requirements.

Duration effects mean passages automatically close after 1 hour, safely ejecting any creatures or objects still inside. Deliberate positioning near passage exits prevents accidental entrapment during closure.

Surface requirements specify visible target surfaces within 30-foot range. Hidden walls, concealed barriers, or surfaces behind total cover cannot be targeted without direct observation.

Structural safety prevents passage creation that would cause building collapse or structural failure, though strategic placement might weaken defenses or compromise architectural integrity through repeated use.

Alternative Applications

Rescue operations benefit from emergency access to collapsed buildings, trapped areas, or disaster sites where conventional entry methods would be too slow or dangerous. Medical emergencies gain rapid extraction routes.

Construction assistance provides temporary access for building projects, installation work, or maintenance activities that require passage through existing walls without permanent modification. Renovation projects gain flexible access options.

Archaeological exploration enables non-destructive investigation of ancient structures, sealed chambers, or buried ruins where traditional excavation might damage valuable artifacts or historical features.

Related Spells

Barrier manipulation includes Stone Shape for permanent stone modification, Disintegrate for destructive barrier removal, and Dimension Door for teleportation past barriers rather than passage creation.

Movement magic like Spider Climb, Fly, and Gaseous Form provide alternative approaches to obstacle navigation with different advantages and limitations compared to physical passage creation.

Utility comparison with Knock for door opening, Shatter for barrier destruction, and Mending for repair work shows different approaches to architectural challenges and barrier management.

Scaling Analysis

Passwall does not scale with higher-level spell slots as its dimensions and duration represent optimal values for 5th-level magic. Multiple castings provide extended access or additional passage points rather than enhanced individual effects.

Campaign utility scales with architectural complexity and barrier prevalence in adventure environments. Dungeon-heavy campaigns maximize utility, while wilderness adventures might find limited applications for passage creation.

Strategic value increases with party coordination and long-term planning that incorporates passage creation into comprehensive infiltration or exploration strategies requiring sustained access to restricted areas.

Narrative Flavor

Passwall manifestation should emphasize the smooth, magical dissolution of barrier materials that creates clean passages without debris or structural damage. Stone walls might flow like water, while wooden barriers could part like curtains.

Passage appearance varies with target materials - stone passages might have smooth walls with crystalline textures, wooden openings could show natural grain patterns, while plaster tunnels might appear seamlessly finished.

Closure effects should reflect the gentle but inevitable return of original materials. Gradual compression or flowing restoration maintains the magical nature while ensuring safe ejection of any remaining occupants or objects.