Blade Barrier is a 6th level priest spell that creates a protective whirl of blades around the caster.
Description[]
| “ | The priest employs this spell to set up a wall of circling, razor-sharp blades. These whirl and flash around the caster, creating an impenetrable barrier. Any creature attempting to pass through the Blade Barrier suffers 8d8 points of damage. Creatures within the area of the barrier when it is invoked are entitled to a Saving Throw vs. Spell to negate the damage. The barrier remains for 1 turn. | ” |
Gameplay[]
The caster applies this spell upon self only.
When the spell casting is complete a blade barrier 3D effect graphic renders upon the caster's sprite for the duration of the spell.
A text displays reading, <Caster>: Blade Barrier.
A player character will show an icon (No. 98) titled "Blade Barrier" on their portrait for the spell's duration.
When the spell expires a sound effect audibles signifying the end of the spell.
The barrier spins, whirls and revolves around the caster for one turn, moving with the caster, and it can't be aborted or cancelled once it is active, and must run its course.
Any creature within a close proximity to the caster is exposed to the blade barrier Slashing damage damage effect, that tics once per six seconds - although a Saving throw vs. Spell is allowed to avoid the damage.
If the save isn't successful, 8d8 damage is applied to the creature.
The range of the effect is approximately 5-6 feet from the caster.
Despite the spell's description, the caster can force a creature to have to make a saving throw against the slashing blades just by close proximity, and the victim doesn't have to willfully decide to try "pass through" the barrier.
The blade's damage is unaffected by Magic resistance, and as the spell uses an AoE effect, no Spell protections type can absorb it, and the blades have a 6 Power level, so they exceed the protective limit of a Globe of Invulnerability - although a Rakshasa or demilich would be immune to this spell.
Any applicable Dispel Magic effect or a Breach spell can remove a Blade Barrier.
Notes[]
- This spell can affect friend, foe or innocent/neutral creatures. Care must be taken to not cause unintended casualties.
- The damage done by the barrier can trigger more frequently with a Haste effect, forcing nearby creatures to roll a save against the damage twice in a single round, as opposed to just once per round.
- The effects of both Blade Barrier and Globe of Blades can be stacked.
- Blade Barrier and Globe of Blades cannot hit very large creatures such as dragons. This is due to the size of the spell not being large enough to sufficiently "reach" inside the oversized red circle and therefore to count as having the creature in its area of effect.
- The game permits an invisible, sanctuaried, or stealthy creature to remain hidden even with an active blade barrier. That is a conceptual problem that hasn't been addressed by the game developers, although several mods do rework this mechanic.
- Enemy spell casters use a special AI version of this spell that only affects enemy creatures, for better AI scripting outcomes and less glitchy behavior.
Trivia[]
The Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition ruleset describes this Priest spell as a setting up a wall of circling, razor-sharp blades. These whirl and flash around a central point, creating an immobile barrier.
In the PnP game this spell doesn't follow the caster around like some kind of forcefield of blades, that a creature has to avoid with a saving throw every time the caster is nearby them, which is what occurs with the BG video game version.
In the PnP game the barrier can occupy an area of effect between 5-60 square feet.
Gallery[]
Mod content[]
This section is about unofficial content that is only available via fan-made mods.
Regarding this type of spell, the Sword Coast Stratagems mod will do the following, but only if you do not install Spell Revisions:
Blade Barrier and Globe of Blades only affect hostile creatures
Even in the unmodded game, hostile priests used a special form of Blade Barrier that only affected their foes. (This is probably because, in the Infinity Engine, it is almost impossible to script creatures to avoid them crashing into each other.) This component (again in the name of fairness, and also of hassle avoidance) extends this to the player's version of these two spells: with it installed, players and NPCs use the same form of Blade Barrier. (They don't quite use the old NPC version, which had a rather shorter range: they use a hybrid version, as large as the old PC version but affecting only enemies only on original-game installs.)
With Spell Revisions installed, this is the equivalent spell description:
Blade Barrier
Level: 6
School: Conjuration
Sphere: Guardian, Creation
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 turn
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: 6’ radius
Saving Throw: None
The priest employs this spell to create a wall of circling, razor-sharp blades. These whirl and flash around the caster, forming a dangerous barrier. Those within a 6-foot radius of the caster suffer 1d8 points of slashing damage every 3 seconds. Magic resistance does not affect this spell.
Note that spells like Invisibility, Shadow Door, etc. will not function on the caster when protected by Blade Barrier. Also, cleric/thieves and cleric/rangers who cast this will not be able to hide in shadows until the spell expires.
External links[]
- Blade barrier on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms.
- Advanced D&D 2nd Edition Wiki - Blade Barrier (Priest Spell)