Witchcraft • Legacy Weapon Ward
Blade Resistance
Blade Resistance wards one creature against metal slashing and piercing weapons until the spell has absorbed a fixed amount of damage. It is a legacy Witch, Cleric and Druid protection spell.
Blade Resistance at a Glance
| 5.5e / 2024 | No direct conversion published here |
|---|---|
| 5e / 2014 | No direct conversion published here |
| Pathfinder 1e | Not a default Pathfinder Witch spell |
| D&D 3.x Legacy | Witch 5, Cleric 6, Druid 5 |
Spell Rules by Edition
Blade Resistance — 5.5e / 2024
Status: no direct conversion is published here. Modern resistance rules work differently from the legacy damage-reduction pool.
Blade Resistance — 5e / 2014
Status: no direct core spell by this name.
Blade Resistance — Pathfinder 1e
Status: this archive spell is not automatically added to the Pathfinder Witch list.
Blade Resistance — D&D 3.x Legacy
| School | Transmutation |
|---|---|
| Level | Witch 5, Cleric 6, Druid 5 |
| Components | V, S, arcane focus |
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Range | Touch |
| Target | Creature touched |
| Duration | 1 round/level or until discharged |
| Saving Throw | None |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
The subject gains legacy damage resistance 25/non-metal against metal slashing and piercing weapons. Once the spell has prevented 10 damage per caster level, to a maximum 150, it ends.
Wood, stone, natural weapons and other non-metal attacks bypass the ward. It also protects against several legacy cutting spells, including Biting Blade, Ghostly Slashing, Phantom Lacerations and Dreadful Bloodletting.
Focus: the Witch’s athame.
What Changed?
No modern conversion is assumed. The 25-point legacy damage-reduction mechanic and finite absorbed-damage pool remain confined to d20 play.
Using Blade Resistance in Play
Cast it before fighting heavily armed humanoids, soldiers or assassins. It is far less useful against beasts, wooden weapons, stone weapons, spells that do not deal cutting damage, or creatures whose bodies are themselves the weapon.
Counterplay and Rulings
- Non-metal piercing or slashing attacks bypass the ward.
- Natural weapons bypass it unless the attack itself is genuinely metallic.
- Dispel Magic can end the ongoing ward.
- The absorbed-damage pool ends the spell early when exhausted.
Related Magic
Mythical Context
Athena’s aegis was a sign of protection even in the company of armed heroes. A spell that turns away blades might be imagined as a fleeting invisible aegis, making the protected warrior look untouchable without actually transforming their armour. See the Parthenon frieze showing Athena’s aegis.
Historical Context
Protective amulets from ancient Egypt preserve inscriptions naming enemies and feared harm. Such objects show what historical people hoped to ward away; they did not provide the mechanical damage resistance of a roleplaying spell. See the British Museum’s inscribed protective amulet.
Rules Sources and Licensing
Legacy source: Liber Mysterium: The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks.
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