Abjuration

Banish: The spell takes something that is out of place and returns it to its proper location. It is important to remember that a character can create many different types of banishments. Sending an extra-planar creature back to its home plane is a classic example. However, banishment-type magic can also drive away a psyche that has used a magic jar spell to invade another mind, return a restless spirit to its grave, or even restore a stolen object to its rightful owner. All other types of magic described in this section are similarly versatile.

The main difference between a banishment and a dispel is that a banishment works even if there is no magic operating on a target. For example, a tanar’ri who has come to the Prime Material Plane of its own free will can be returned to the Abyss. A banishment only returns something to its proper place; it cannot undo a transformation or affliction.

A banishment’s duration cannot be extended. At base difficulty (30), a banishment spell performs one action on one creature or object.

The distance a banished target must travel to return to its proper place is not a factor in a banishment, but the distance between the caster and where the target is when the spell is cast is a factor (see Table 31).

Dispel: The spell ends or undoes other magic. Unlike banishment, a dispel is ineffective unless there is magic currently operating on the target. A dispel can send a summoned tanar’ri back to the Abyss as long as the magic that brought it here is still operating, but it can’t send the tanar’ri away if it left the Abyss on its own or arrived on the Prime Material Plane through the use of instantaneous magic, such as teleport without error or plane shift.

When pitted against other 10th-level spells, a dispel’s area of effect must be large enough to cover the entire target; if not, the dispel automatically fails. A dispel always works against the caster’s own magic; otherwise, the chance to dispel depends on the difference in level between the caster and the targeted magical effect.

At base difficulty (30) the chance to destroy an opposing spell is 50%; the check is made on 1d20, and a roll of 11 or higher indicates success. If the dispel caster is higher level than the character who created the targeted effect, the caster adds the difference in levels to the die roll. If the caster is lower level than the character who created the targeted effect, the caster subtracts the difference in levels from the roll. The caster rolls once for each 10th-level effect present.

If directed against spells or spell-like effects of 9th level or lower, the base chance for success is 100% instead of 50%, and the dispel’s area of effect is irrelevant—dispelling any portion of the effect unravels the whole spell.

A successfully cast dispel destroys a permanent effect or magical item if the caster is of higher level than the creator of the magical item or spell effect. If the caster of the dispel is of lower level, the permanent effect or magical item merely ceases to function for 1d4 rounds. A successful dispel also destroys a permanent effect or magical item if the dispel caster is of higher level than the spell caster or item creator. If the dispel fails, or the dispel caster is of lower level, the permanent effect is rendered nonoperational for 1d4 rounds.

The permanent item or effect must be individually targeted, and the dispel has no other effect when so used. Note that a magical item resists this spell at its creator’s level. If the creator’s level is unknown, the DM should assign one or use the values listed in the dispel magic spell description from the PHB.

Augmenting a dispel can have varied effects. The caster receives a+1 bonus to the die roll for every five points of difficulty added to the spell, making it easier for a lower level caster to dispel a higher level caster’s magic. If a dispel’s duration is extended, the spell creates a zone of antimagic that prevents spellcasting and disrupts any magic brought into the area. See Nazzer’s nullification.

Reflect: The spell reverses or redirects actions within the area of effect. A spell that forces a group of workers to demolish a wall they are building is a reflection. A spell that reflects hostile actions back upon the aggressor is a reflection coupled with a ward.

One specific action, such as brick laying, by one creature can be reversed at base difficulty (25). The reversal can affect several creatures if the caster chooses a larger area of effect. If a limited class of actions, such as movement or physical attacks, is reversed, the base difficulty is doubled (50). If a general class of actions is reversed, such as all attacks, the difficulty is tripled (75).

Ward: The spell foils a specific type of attack or discourages hostile actions.

At base difficulty (35), a ward provides complete immunity to the normal form of a specific type of attack (fire, edged weapons, poison, etc.) and grants a +4 bonus against magical attacks (or a –4 attack penalty if a saving throw is not applicable). Even if the save fails, damage from the warded attack is reduced by half.

If the difficulty is increased further, the ward can negate damage from the warded form of attack by one point of damage for every two points of difficulty. The protection lasts until exhausted or the spell duration ends. Reduced damage is computed after applicable saving throws.

A ward can provide protection against attacks that do not inflict damage (charms, petrifaction, etc.). At base difficulty (35), a ward provides a +4 saving throw bonus against the specified attack. At a difficulty of 105, a ward grants a 50% resistance to the attack form in addition to the saving throw bonus. At a difficulty of 210, the ward provides 100% resistance to the attack. This resistance can be reduced if the attack is a true dweomer that has an increased difficulty (see the notes to Table 34). If a ward spell is applied to a creature that already enjoys magic resistance, the creature is entitled to two resistance rolls when attacked, once for the ward and once for the creature’s magic resistance—the two values are not added together.

A ward can also be used as a hedge to keep a specific creature (Razortooth the orc, Infyrana the red dragon, etc.) from entering the area of effect unless it saves vs. magic. If a type of creature is hedged out (orcs, red dragons), the base difficulty is doubled (70). If a general class of creature is hedged out (humanoids, dragons), the difficulty is tripled (105).

A ward can be combined with another type of spell—usually a strike, reflection, or charm. An active ward can be triggered by a creature entering the area or by a specific action performed within the area. The more general the condition, the greater the difficulty, as above. For example, a ward that triggers a blast of fire if Razortooth the orc enters the room has a difficulty of 35. A similar ward that is triggered when a certain gem is moved also has a difficulty of 35 (because only one specific action triggers it), even though any creature could be affected.

Table of Contents