Description: | When this spell is cast, all natural, undressed earth or stone
in the spells area is softened. Wet earth becomes thick
mud; dry earth becomes loose sand or dirt; and stone becomes soft
clay that is easily molded or chopped. The character affects a
10-foot-square area to a depth of 1 to 4 feet, depending on the
toughness or resilience of the ground at that spot (DMs
option). Magical, enchanted, dressed, or worked stone cannot be
affected. Earth or stone creatures are not affected.
Creatures in mud must succeed at Reflex saves or be caught for
1d2 rounds and unable to move, attack, or cast spells. Creatures
who succeed at their saves can move through the mud at half
speed, and they cant run or charge.
Loose dirt is not as troublesome as mud, but all creatures in
the area are reduced to half their normal speed and cant
run or charge over the surface.
Stone softened into clay does not hinder movement, but it does
allow characters to cut, shape, or excavate areas they may not
have been able to affect before. For example, a party of
adventurers trying to break out of a cavern might use this spell
to soften a wall. While soften earth and stone does not affect
dressed or worked stone, vertical surfaces such as cliff faces or
cavern ceilings can be affected. Usually, this causes a moderate
collapse or landslide as the loosened material peels away from
the face or the wall or roof and falls.
A moderate amount of structural damage can be dealt to a
manufactured structure (such as a wall or a tower) by softening
the ground beneath it, causing it to settle. However, most
well-built structures will only be damaged by this spell, not
destroyed.
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