Sever from the Source Spell
Sever from the Source is a third-party legacy judicial curse from Crime and Punishment (Atlas Games, 2003). It is not ordinary counter-magic: after an hour-long restrained ritual, a failed save permanently removes the victim’s ability to cast arcane magic until the curse is deliberately lifted or broken by exceptional magic.
At a Glance
| School | Transmutation [Judicial Curse] |
|---|---|
| Original level | Inquisitor 6, Sorcerer/Wizard 6 |
| Components | V, S, M, XP |
| Casting Time | 1 hour |
| Range | Touch |
| Target | Creature touched |
| Duration | Permanent (dismissible by the original caster) |
| Saving Throw | Will negates |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
| Material Cost | 500 gp |
| XP Cost | 500 XP |
Sever from the Source by Edition
5.5e / 2024 — No Direct Official Equivalent
There is no official 2024 spell that permanently removes a creature’s entire arcane spellcasting capability through this judicial-curse procedure. Antimagic Field suppresses magic temporarily and is not the same effect.
5e / 2014 — No Direct Official Equivalent
The 2014 rules have no direct equivalent. A permanent loss of all arcane spellcasting would be a major campaign effect and should not be inferred from ordinary Dispel Magic, Remove Curse, or Antimagic Field.
Pathfinder 1e — Third-Party Conversion Only
The spell’s d20 save, Spell Resistance, ritual time and material costs can be adapted to PF1e, but Sever from the Source is not a core Pathfinder spell. A conversion must define precisely which prepared, spontaneous, innate, psychic, spell-like, or other magical capabilities count as “arcane magic.”
Original d20 Rules
The target must be unconscious, restrained, or willing for the ritual. The caster also requires at least two assistants; those mandatory assistants do not themselves contribute ceremonial force.
After one hour, the caster spends 500 XP and the target makes a Will save. On a success, the ritual fails. On a failure, the target loses the ability to cast any form of arcane magic for as long as the curse remains.
The original caster can restore the target’s arcane abilities at any time. Otherwise, the source names limited wish, miracle, or wish as ways to restore the severed magic.
Material component: gemstone powder and mystic oils worth 500 gp, consumed by the ritual whether or not the target succeeds on the save.
What Changed?
- The spell is now clearly identified as third-party legacy material.
- No modern conversion is presented as official.
- The two-assistant requirement, 500 gp component, 500 XP cost, restraint requirement, and restoration methods are preserved.
- Modern readers are warned that temporary antimagic is not equivalent to permanent loss of a spellcasting class feature.
Using Sever from the Source
This is sentencing magic, not a combat spell. Its one-hour casting time, touch range, material seal and assistant requirement mean that the victim must already be in custody or participating voluntarily.
That makes the curse politically important: who has authority to impose it, what evidence is required, and who has the power to restore the condemned caster can matter as much as the spell itself.
Source and Provenance
Source: Crime and Punishment
Author: Keith Baker
Publisher: Atlas Games
Published: 2003