Abjuration · Legacy Divine Warding
Arcane Prohibition
Arcane Prohibition fills a region with divine power, imposing a 50% failure chance on arcane spells cast inside it. Successful spells continue normally, and magic already in place is not dispelled by the ward. This is a legacy Cleric 6 spell from Relics & Rituals: Olympus, not a modern Antimagic Field.
Arcane Prohibition at a Glance
| 5.5e / 2024 | No same-named spell in SRD 5.2.1 |
|---|---|
| 5e / 2014 | No core spell by this exact name |
| Pathfinder 1e | Not a default Pathfinder spell |
| Legacy d20 | Cleric 6; 50% arcane spell failure, 10 min./level, eight gold discs costing 100 gp |
Spell Rules by Edition
2024 — No Direct Spell
The current SRD does not contain Arcane Prohibition. Fifth-edition Counterspell, Silence and Antimagic Field have separate rules. Do not insert a flat 50% spell-failure chance into 2024 combat without explicitly agreeing a new homebrew spell.
2014 — No Direct Spell
There is no 2014 core spell under this name. Spell slots, class lists, concentration and antimagic effects are governed by the rules of that edition rather than by the historical arcane-failure procedure.
Pathfinder 1e — No Default Access
This third-party Cleric 6 spell is not automatically on the Pathfinder list. A Pathfinder adaptation must distinguish arcane spell-failure chance from its existing armour spell-failure mechanic, magical suppression and spell resistance.
Original Legacy d20 Rules
| School | Abjuration |
|---|---|
| Level | Cleric 6 |
| Components | V, S, M, DF |
| Casting Time | 1 round |
| Range | 10 ft., as printed |
| Area | 10-ft./level radius emanation from caster |
| Duration | 10 min./level |
| Saving Throw | None |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
| Components cost | Eight gold discs inscribed with arcane symbols, worth 100 gp |
Within the ward, creatures attempting to cast arcane spells suffer a 50% chance of spell failure. An arcane spell successfully cast inside functions normally. Existing arcane spells remain active when their casters or effects enter the area. The source describes a storm-like crackle in the air and objects glittering as though dusted with gold.
This is an emanation associated with the caster, not a spell that automatically destroys every enchantment on nearby creatures or items.
Arcane Prohibition Versus Greater Arcane Prohibition
| Original rule | Arcane Prohibition | Greater |
|---|---|---|
| Spell level | Cleric 6 | Cleric 8 |
| New arcane spell attempts | 50% failure | 95% failure |
| Material components | Eight gold discs; 100 gp | Eight platinum discs; 500 gp |
| Duration | 10 min./level | 10 min./level |
| Already-active arcane spells | Unaffected by entry | Unaffected by entry |
The Greater Arcane Prohibition version is harder to cast and harder for opposing arcane magic to survive; it is not a larger or permanent Antimagic Field.
Using Arcane Prohibition in Play
A priest might cast the ward before a council hearing to discourage spells that could alter testimony. The gold-hued air does not reveal which attendees already bear protective enchantments, and a mage who has prepared magic before entering does not automatically lose it. That creates tactical decisions about when to cast and how to approach a defended region.
In a temple defence, the spell can make a wizard’s next attack unreliable without preventing the enemy from using mundane weapons, prepared magical gear or spells cast outside the protected space. Because the ward remains centred on its caster under the source’s emanation wording, the defenders must consider where that person stands as the fight unfolds.
The one-round casting time makes interruption possible before the shimmering field takes hold. The presence of eight inscribed gold discs also gives the party a clue that a ritual has been prepared, even though the discs themselves do not function as permanently placed wall anchors.
Worked Encounter Example
A 12th-level cleric casts Arcane Prohibition. The printed 10-foot-per-level radius gives the emanation a 120-foot radius, and the ten-minute-per-level duration is 120 minutes. A wizard standing inside that area tries to cast an arcane spell. Resolve the specified 50% failure chance; if it succeeds and all other requirements are met, the spell operates normally.
A shield spell the wizard cast before entering does not wink out upon crossing the ward. Nor does the barrier automatically dispel enchantments on the wizard’s possessions. The original mechanism affects spells being cast within the zone, not every magical phenomenon in the space.
Counterplay and Games Master Rulings
- Arcane spellcasting: apply the failure roll only where the original spell prescribes it, not to all divine spells or supernatural abilities.
- Already active spells: the text explicitly excludes these from automatic suppression.
- Successful casting: if an arcane spell beats the failure chance, it functions normally; the ward does not secretly halve its damage.
- Material cost: the eight gold discs are part of the original components, not optional decoration.
- Area: use the stated radius and centre; do not transform a personal emanation into a permanent ward on a tower.
- Edition boundaries: the 50% figure does not become a modern disadvantage roll or the target’s saving throw in 2024 rules.
Related Magic
Greater Arcane Prohibition · Antimagic Field · Dispel Magic · Magic index
Mythical Context
Hecate’s association with crossroads and entrances makes a mythic parallel for prohibiting an area to intruders. See Hecate’s ancient threshold symbolism.
Historical Context
Engraved Late Roman amulets show the use of symbols and texts on protective objects; they are not evidence of invisible magical exclusion zones. See the British Museum’s inscribed gemstone.
Rules Sources and Attribution
The original spell comes from Relics & Rituals: Olympus (2004), White Wolf Publishing / Sword & Sorcery Studios, credited in the archived entry to W. Jason Peck, Aaron Rosenberg, Christina Stiles and the team. These are third-party legacy rules, not published Pathfinder 1e or D&D fifth-edition spells. The original image is preserved.
The historical and mythical links above provide cultural context, not mechanical licensing for this spell.
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