Forbiddance

Control Battlefield ShapingMulti Target

Level & School
6th-level abjuration
Casting Time
10 minutes or Ritual
Range
Touch
Components
V, S, M (ruby dust worth 1,000+ GP)
Duration
1 day
Classes
Cleric

You create a ward against magical travel that protects up to 40,000 square feet of floor space to a height of 30 feet above the floor. For the duration, creatures can't teleport into the area or use portals, such as those created by the Gate spell, to enter the area. The spell proofs the area against planar travel, and therefore prevents creatures from accessing the area by way of the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, the Feywild, the Shadowfell, or the Plane Shift spell.

In addition, the spell damages types of creatures that you choose when you cast it. Choose one or more of the following: Aberrations, Celestials, Elementals, Fey, Fiends, and Undead. When a creature of a chosen type enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there, the creature takes 5d10 Radiant or Necrotic damage (your choice when you cast this spell).

You can designate a password when you cast the spell. A creature that speaks the password as it enters the area takes no damage from the spell.

The spell's area can't overlap with the area of another Forbiddance spell. If you cast Forbiddance every day for 30 days in the same location, the spell lasts until it is dispelled, and the Material components are consumed on the last casting.

Level & School
6th-level abjuration
Casting Time
10 minutes
Range
Touch
Components
V, S, M (a sprinkling of holy water, rare incense, and powdered ruby worth at least 1,000 gp)
Duration
1 day
Classes
Cleric

You create a ward against magical travel that protects up to 40,000 square feet of floor space to a height of 30 feet above the floor. For the duration, creatures can't teleport into the area or use portals, such as those created by the gate spell, to enter the area. The spell proofs the area against planar travel, and therefore prevents creatures from accessing the area by way of the Astral Plane, Ethereal Plane, Feywild, Shadowfell, or the plane shift spell.

In addition, the spell damages types of creatures that you choose when you cast it. Choose one or more of the following: celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. When a chosen creature enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the creature takes 5d10 radiant or necrotic damage (your choice when you cast this spell).

When you cast this spell, you can designate a password. A creature that speaks the password as it enters the area takes no damage from the spell.

The spell's area can't overlap with the area of another forbiddance spell. If you cast forbiddance every day for 30 days in the same location, the spell lasts until it is dispelled, and the material components are consumed on the last casting.

Forbiddance 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

The 2024 version allows casting as a ritual, while the 2014 version does not. The damage triggers on creatures entering or ending their turn in the area (2014: first entry or start of turn); 2024: first entry or ending turn. Damage types include Aberrations (2024 only). Damage type choice remains the same.

Spells similar to Forbiddance

  • Guards and Wards, 6th-level abjuration

    Both are high-level area wards that shape and protect a location for a long duration and are used to fortify buildings or zones.

  • Hallow, 5th-level abjuration

    Hallow creates a persistent sanctified area with selectable effects against certain types of creatures, serving a similar defensive and thematic purpose.

  • Symbol, 7th-level abjuration

    Symbol is an installed, long-lasting ward that triggers harmful effects and can be tuned to affect creatures that enter, much like a harmful protective perimeter.

  • Glyph of Warding, 3rd-level abjuration

    Both spells place a prepared trap-like magic on a location that triggers damage or other effects when creatures enter or interact with the area.

  • Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, 4th-level abjuration

    Private Sanctum is an area-focused abjuration that modifies travel, sensing, and access inside a bounded space, overlapping with the access-control side of this spell.