Cage of Black

4th-level evocation (ritual) (Wizard)


  • Casting Time: 1 minute
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a charcoal rod)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You construct a prison of black energy beams that appears around one or more creatures you can see within a vertically-oriented 5-ft. radius, 15-ft. high cylinder. The creature(s) is surrounded on all sides by bars made of persistent black energy, with 3-inch spaces between. If a creature is too large to fit into the prison, the spell ends. The prison disappears when the spell ends. The prison remains fixed in space for the duration even if created in midair. The prison does not have a floor if oriented upon the ground.

If a creature attempts to enter or exit the prison, it must make a Constitution saving throw. The creature takes 8d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, and half damage on a success.

If cast as a ritual, the spell’s material component is replaced by a black opal worth at least 200 gp, which is consumed in the casting. The prison becomes permanent until dispelled and no longer requires concentration to maintain if the spell is cast as a ritual. Additional castings of the spell as a ritual can further expand the size of the prison instead of creating new prisons. If cast as a ritual, you can establish a spoken password to enable the prison to form an opening large enough for creatures to enter and exit the prison; the same password closes the opening.