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Forcecage

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Forcecage
  • Level: 7
  • School: Evocation
  • Class: Bard, Warlock, Wizard
  • Casting Time: Action
  • Range: 100 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (ruby dust worth 1,500+ GP, which the spell consumes)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

An immobile, Invisible, Cube-shaped prison composed of magical force springs into existence around an area you choose within range. The prison can be a cage or a solid box, as you choose.

A prison in the shape of a cage can be up to 20 feet on a side and is made from 1/2-inch diameter bars spaced 1/2 inch apart. A prison in the shape of a box can be up to 10 feet on a side, creating a solid barrier that prevents any matter from passing through it and blocking any spells cast into or out from the area.

When you cast the spell, any creature that is completely inside the cage's area is trapped. Creatures only partially within the area, or those too large to fit inside it, are pushed away from the center of the area until they are completely outside it.

A creature inside the cage can't leave it by nonmagical means. If the creature tries to use teleportation or interplanar travel to leave, it must first make a Charisma saving throw. On a successful save, the creature can use that magic to exit the cage. On a failed save, the creature doesn't exit the cage and wastes the spell or effect. The cage also extends into the Ethereal Plane, blocking ethereal travel.

This spell can't be dispelled by Dispel Magic.

Tactical Usage​

Ultimate Containment: Forcecage provides powerful single-target containment or area denial. This 7th-level evocation spell excels at removing key enemies from combat or creating impenetrable barriers.

Optimal Timing: Deploy against priority targets, when battlefield control is crucial, or for creating secure areas during combat.

Resource Management: Uses a 7th-level spell slot - available from character level 13+. 1-hour duration with no concentration required.

Target Selection: 20-foot cube area within 100 feet, affecting creatures within the chosen configuration.

Spell Combinations​

Synergistic Spells:

  • Damage Magic: Combine with area damage spells to target trapped enemies
  • Control Magic: Layer with other containment spells for comprehensive battlefield control
  • Utility Magic: Pair with teleportation prevention for enhanced containment

Class Feature Interactions:

  • Spell Save DC: Higher spellcasting ability improves success against enemy Charisma saves
  • Evocation Mastery: Wizards specializing in evocation gain enhanced force magic effectiveness
  • Metamagic: Sorcerers can modify forcecage with metamagic options

Multi-Caster Coordination: Multiple forcecages can create complex battlefield control zones.

Material Component Details​

Component Acquisition: Ruby dust worth 1,500 gp - expensive gemstone component requiring significant investment.

Component Handling: Valuable component consumed during casting, representing substantial magical investment.

Roleplay Opportunities: Different cage configurations reflect magical traditions or containment philosophies.

Economic Considerations: Very expensive component cost (1,500 gp) for ultimate containment capability.

Creator Notes​

Encounter Balancing: Complete containment or area denial dramatically affects encounter balance and enemy capabilities.

NPC Usage: High-level wizards or powerful entities might use forcecage for ultimate battlefield control.

Environmental Considerations: 20-foot cube provides substantial area control. No concentration allows other spell usage.

Campaign Integration: Ultimate control magic for high-level encounters requiring powerful containment solutions.

Environmental Interactions​

Terrain Effects: 20-foot cube affects significant encounter area. Immobile once created.

Weather Influence: Unaffected by weather conditions, providing reliable containment regardless of environment.

Structural Interactions: Force barriers interact with physical structures and magical effects.

Elemental Interactions: Force magic generally bypasses elemental resistances and immunities.

Common Rulings & Clarifications​

Timing Questions: Action casting time with 1-hour duration. No concentration required.

Target Limitations: Creatures within 20-foot cube area. Charisma save to avoid containment.

Duration Interactions: 1-hour duration without concentration. Cage or box configuration affects containment.

Mechanical Interactions: Two configurations - cage (partial cover) or box (total containment). Different escape methods.

Alternative Applications​

Non-Combat Uses: Secure containment, area protection, interrogation assistance, or valuable item protection.

Social Encounters: Dramatic containment displays, security demonstrations, or protective barriers.

Exploration Applications: Secure rest areas, dangerous creature containment, or area protection.

Utility Functions: Ultimate containment, area protection, security assistance, or barrier creation.

Same School: Other evocation spells like wall of force (5th level force barrier), resilient sphere (4th level single containment), prismatic wall (9th level ultimate barrier).

Similar Effects: wall of force (5th level force barrier), resilient sphere (4th level single containment), imprisonment (9th level permanent containment).

Progression Options: resilient sphere (4th level single target), forcecage (7th level area containment), imprisonment (9th level permanent containment).

Complementary Magic: counterspell (prevent escape attempts), teleport (positioning), dispel magic (remove enemy protections).

Scaling Analysis​

Level Progression: Ultimate containment for highest-level play (13+) where powerful enemies require absolute control.

Upcast Benefits: No improvement from higher spell slots, making this a pure 7th-level control investment.

Campaign Phases: Most valuable in high-level campaigns where single powerful enemies require ultimate containment.

Comparative Value: Exceptional control magic that justifies 7th-level slot and expensive components for ultimate containment.

Narrative Flavor​

Casting Description: Powerful force magic creates an immobile prison of magical energy that completely contains or restricts targets.

Effect Manifestation: A cube of shimmering force energy appears, either as bars of force or a solid containment box.

Personal Style: Different casters create unique force patterns - some geometric and precise, others flowing and organic.

World Integration: Represents ultimate force magic available to master evokers, often associated with imprisonment magic, security spells, or absolute battlefield control.