Forcecage
(Evocation)
Forcecage
(Evocation)
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Effect:
This powerful spell enables the caster to
bring
into being a cube of force, but it is unlike the magic item of that
name
in one important respect: The forcecage does not have solid
walls
of force; it has alternating bands of force with 1/2’ gaps between.
Thus,
it is truly a cage rather than an enclosed space with solid walls.
Creatures
within the area of effect of the dweomer are caught and
contained
unless they are able to pass through the openings - and of
course
all spells and breath weapons can pass through the gaps in
the
bars of force of the forcecage. Furthermore, creatures with a magic
resistance
can apply that resistance in a single attempt to pass
through
the walls of the cage. If resistance fails, then the creature in
question
is caged. Regardless of success, any and all other creatures
also
in the area of effect of the spell are trapped unless they also have
magic
resistance which allows them to escape. The forcecage is also
unlike
the solid-walled protective device, cube of force, in that it can
be
gotten rid of only by means of a dispel magic spell or by expiration
of
the dweomer.
By
means of special preparation at the time of memorization, a forcecage
spell
can be altered to a forcecube spell. Forcecube has one eighth
the
area of effect (a cube 1 “ on a side), and the dweomer then
resembles
the magic of a cube of force in all respects except for the
differences
between a cast spell and the magic of a device, including
the
methods of defeating its power.
Although
the actual casting of either application of the spell requires
no
material component, the study of the spell required to commit it to
memory
does demand that the magic-user powder a diamond of at
least
1,000 gp value, using the diamond dust to trace the outlines of
the
cage or cube he or she desires to create via spell casting at some
later
time. Thus, in memorization, the diamond dust is employed and
expended,
for upon completion of study, the M-U
must then
toss
the dust into the air and it will disappear.
WSG:
The spell description does not specify that the
cage
must be anchored to a solid surface. There is a chance
equal
to 5% per level of the caster that the spell could be used to
halt
a falling character or creature in mid-air (assuming, of
course,
that the target is within range when the spell is discharged).
Failure
on this chance indicates that the intended target
was
missed and the forcecage is formed around thin air.
Success
indicates that the target is prevented from falling any
farther,
and he only takes damage as for a 20-foot fall (the length
of
one side of the cage). There must be a way to rescue the character
by
other means before the duration expires, or his fall will
resume
from that point when the cage disappears. It is possible,
for
instance, to pass a rope through the bars of the cage; the
character
can tie it around his waist and then be hauled to safety
when
the duration expires or the magic is dispelled.
Q: The description
of the forcecage
spell says that a creature
with magick
resistance can make only
one
attempt to get out. Is such
a creature
limited to one attempt to
pass
through the bars in either
direction,
or can it force its way
into the cage
and then try to get out
again?
A: A creature with
magic resistance can try
to force its way into a
forcecage once only
(or once per day if the
cage is permanent).
It can also attempt to escape
the cage
using its magic resistance
once (or once
per day). A creature could
be trapped
after entering the cage
in this manner.
Note that the forcecage
does not prevent
teleportation, astral projection,
or other
forms of magical travel,
nor does it prevent
its occupant(s) from polymorphing
into something small enough
to pass
through the ?bars.?
(145.12)