Corrupt Spells — Vile Magic Rules
Corrupt spells are a special form of vile magic, not a Cleric domain. They originated in D&D 3.0’s Book of Vile Darkness and can be prepared by eligible prepared spellcasters, whether their magic is divine or arcane.
At a Glance
| Rules Type | Special corrupt-magic spell rules |
|---|---|
| Original Edition | D&D 3.0 supplemental material |
| Source | Book of Vile Darkness |
| Cleric Domain? | No. This page is retained as a related rules reference. |
| Key Cost | Corrupt spells exact an ability-damage or ability-drain cost from the caster |
How Corrupt Magic Works
Prepared spellcasters can prepare corrupt spells in the same general way they prepare ordinary spells. Corrupt spells are not inherently divine or arcane: a divine caster casts one as divine magic, while an arcane caster casts one as arcane magic.
Instead of ordinary material components, corrupt spells impose a corruption cost, usually ability damage or ability drain. The cost is paid according to the individual spell’s rules. When a corrupt spell is used through a magic item, the user rather than the item’s creator pays that cost.
Corrupt Spells Present on This Site
| Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 1st | Seething Eyebane |
| 2nd | Lahm’s Finger Darts |
| 2nd | Devil’s Tongue |
| 3rd | Rotting Curse of Urfestra |
| 9th | Apocalypse from the Sky |
Corrupt Spells and Clerics
A Cleric may be capable of preparing corrupt magic when the campaign uses these rules, but that does not make “Corrupt Spells” a domain and does not grant a separate domain spell slot. Domain choice and corrupt-magic access are different rule systems.
Related Divine Options
Rules Sources and Licensing
The corrupt-magic rules originate in D&D 3.0’s Book of Vile Darkness. The defining rules point is that corrupt spells are not tied to one character class and are not inherently divine or arcane.