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The description of the immovable object spell says (Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 187):

You touch an object that weighs no more than 10 pounds and cause it to become magically fixed in place. You and the creatures you designate when you cast this spell can move the object normally. You can also set a password that, when spoken within 5 feet of the object, suppresses this spell for 1 minute.

If the object is fixed in the air, it can hold up to 4,000 pounds of weight. More weight causes the object to fall. Otherwise, a creature can use an action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, the creature can move the object up to 10 feet.

It seems like I could cast immovable object on something like an umbrella and put it in front of me, and then nothing would be able to penetrate it, essentially giving me full cover. In order for it to be penetrated, it requires something to pierce it, or in other words, move the pieces of the umbrella apart. Am I reading this correctly?

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Maybe half cover

You're hiding behind the umbrella and said umbrella is extraordinarily difficult to move through, so it could serve as cover. Whether the object's resistance to being moved from the spell confers it additional ability to withstand damage is a matter for DM adjudication.

Overall, this would meet the definition for half cover per the cover rules:

A target has half cover if an obstacle blocks at least half of its body

That said, there's nothing preventing your foe from just walking around the umbrella.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ The degree of cover depends on the size of the umbrella of course. You're probably right that a standard personal rain umbrella is 1/2 cover, but a beach umbrella would be more. of course, one may have to weigh some beach umbrellas to determine if any of them are light enough. :) \$\endgroup\$
    – T.J.L.
    Commented Mar 24, 2020 at 20:38
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No, it is immovable, not impenetrable

As you've quoted, the spell does not make an impenetrable barrier, just immovable. It will be up to a DM to rule what kind of cover the object would provide, if any.

And since it is immovable, while it may prevent an initial defense from things requiring line of sight or line of effect, all they have to do is move so that the object is no longer in their way.

Objects can be destroyed

Just because it can't move doesn't mean it can't be destroyed, either. Someone could opt to attack the object and destroy it.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ While enemies can move around the umbrella cover, you can also move the umbrella as needed (since the spell allows that). \$\endgroup\$
    – BBeast
    Commented May 12, 2020 at 2:11
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    \$\begingroup\$ I think this depends on how you understand "immovable". Penetration and destruction most certainly involves moving bits and pieces of the object. \$\endgroup\$
    – Thomas Markov
    Commented May 12, 2020 at 14:11
  • \$\begingroup\$ @BBeast Sure, but moving it to create cover will always be after the attack (unless you Ready something and guess). Unless you're in a corner, an enemy will always be able to get around it. \$\endgroup\$
    – NotArch
    Commented May 12, 2020 at 14:13
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    \$\begingroup\$ @ThomasMarkov If the immovable object granted damage immunity, it'd say so. \$\endgroup\$
    – NotArch
    Commented May 12, 2020 at 14:13
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    \$\begingroup\$ @ThomasMarkov For the most part, I think objects are binary usually. They are either complete, or destroyed. I don't think there's an existing mechanic for chipping away (unless you're talking about a greater than 5x5 and you have to destroy it in sections.) So an immovable object is immovable until it's destroyed. Then there is no object to be immovable. \$\endgroup\$
    – NotArch
    Commented May 12, 2020 at 14:25
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No. The wording of the spell doesn't state it is invulnerable, just immovable. Everyone who is trying to impart our world physics on the atomic level to make immovable meaning you can't move any part of it at the atomic level thus making it invulnerable need to just chill. This is magic in a realm where things aren't exactly as they are in our real universe. The magic of the spell states immovable with other things about carrying weight and such, but an umbrella would still have very few damage points and could be ruined beyond recognition but still be hanging in the air.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Welcome to RPG.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check out the help center too for more guidance. Just a point that sometimes when there is not set RAW to back up an answer, then it is valuable to return to the meaning in the language. Still, I think you are right immovable does not equal invulnerable. :) Maybe you can add a reference (from the PHB, DMG) to the umbrella example (or another object) about it taking so many HPs of damage and it being destroyed. \$\endgroup\$
    – Senmurv
    Commented May 14, 2021 at 7:38

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