D&D 5E Help needed with creating a spell

[cthulhu42]

I'd like to create a spell that locks down a dead creature's soul, making it incapable of being resurrected. I think the basic spell description would look something like this:

Once cast upon the body of a deceased creature, that creature's soul becomes trapped; out of reach of any resurrection magic. The creature is utterly unable to be brought back to life. The creature's soul is imprisoned within a pre-prepared vessel of the caster's design (a bottle, box, jar, etc) that costs at least Xgp to create.

Should the container be opened again at a later date, the soul is freed and may once again be returned to it's body through normal resurrection magic.

I'm assuming this would be a clerical spell.

What level should it be? Casting time? Any special components that should be used outside of the cost of creation of the vessel? Any obvious loopholes in the description? Any ideas for a name for this spell?

 

[jgsugden]

If I were making this as a spell: I'd make it a ritual (so that those with access to ritual casting can use it). I'd put it at 6th level and I'd the GP cost be equal to 100* the hit dice/level of the creature squared.

However, I wouldn't make this as a spell. I'd just make it a magic item (Very Rare).

 

[cbwjm]

Sounds like a wizard spell to me since it would be perfect for an evil necromancer. I'd probably put it at 5th level, similar to magic jar. I was thinking a level or two less that imprisonment as it already has a hefty requirement in that it requires a dead creature which isn't going to be your typical peasant, this spell would be used on rival kings or annoying adventurers.

Casting time I would put at 1 action (an opponent dies, you pull out the bottle and complete the spell before the soul escapes) or 1 minute. I think revivify requires a creature to have been dead no longer than a minute, could be the time it takes for a soul to slip away.

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[jaelis]

Might use this as a point of reference, from the 3e Spell Compendium.

Barghest's Feast

Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cleric 6, Sorcerer 7, Wizard 7,
Components: V, S, M,
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: Corpse touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

The diamond in your hand turns to coal, and then to dust, which sprinkles down upon the corpse. Where it strikes, ebon flames spring up, and when the flames pass nothing remains, not even grave dust. "Return from that one," you mutter.

Black flames flicker over a corpse, utterly consuming it. You destroy the remains of a dead person or creature, preventing any form of raising or resurrection that requires part of the corpse. There is a 50% chance that a wish,miracle, or true resurrection spell cannot restore to life a victim consumed by a barghest's feast spell. Check once for each destroyed creature. If the d% roll fails, the creature cannot be brought back to life by mortal magic.

Material Component: A diamond worth 5,000 gp.

 

[cthulhu42]

Might use this as a point of reference, from the 3e Spell Compendium.

Cool! That is very close to what I have in mind. Thanks!

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[Blue]

I'm a little torn by how difficult to make this. The spell has a very specific and rare case it's needed, so it already has a high opportunity cost. Except in the specific case that it's a ritual and only a wizard spell (they can cast rituals without preparing), then you need it prepared. If it's a 6th level or higher spell that means it's basically monopolizing your only spell of that level for a rare case.

BUT, when it's needed, it's probably very needed. Against a recurring major villain, or perhaps an evil priesthood that keeps raising their priests after you kill them. (Hmm, need to run that.)

So the question I have is: do we see the high level slot as a cost for the time we want it to happen, or as a gatekeeper so that this doesn't get into the hands of low-level PCs?

If it's just as a gatekeeper, there's a few ways to do it. Because it's a container, it could be a (ritual) spell to prepare the container which would be good for some extended period and then an action to trigger it - that allows the spell to be done ahead of time. Limit it to one container per caster, or make the container an expensive material component.

 

[jaelis]

To be fair, a disintegrate spell will work for everything but true res and wish. (And such a wish would be stress-inducing.)

IMO, the fact that it only functions to block 9th level spells means that it should itself be pretty high level. I think it might be better as an item, like jgsugden suggested.

 

[Quickleaf]

I'd like to create a spell that locks down a dead creature's soul, making it incapable of being resurrected. I think the basic spell description would look something like this:

Once cast upon the body of a deceased creature, that creature's soul becomes trapped; out of reach of any resurrection magic. The creature is utterly unable to be brought back to life. The creature's soul is imprisoned within a pre-prepared vessel of the caster's design (a bottle, box, jar, etc) that costs at least Xgp to create.

Should the container be opened again at a later date, the soul is freed and may once again be returned to it's body through normal resurrection magic.

I'm assuming this would be a clerical spell.

What level should it be? Casting time? Any special components that should be used outside of the cost of creation of the vessel? Any obvious loopholes in the description? Any ideas for a name for this spell?

Comparable to disintegrate, but instead of the "escape clause" being 9th-level spells it is a quest to find the vessel. Because it doesn't deal damage & requires time/money, I'd pin it as lower level than disintegrate. 5th level makes sense since that's when raise dead becomes available. I'd also have it prevent the subject from being turned into undead. I'd borrow the material component from magic jar. And I'd limit it to creatures dying within last 3 days, going back to real world beliefs about the soul lingering for 3 days before moving onto its final resting place...this limit is to avoid situations where Skonjar the Viking's soul is ripped out of Valhalla to be trapped in a gem (which would imply greater power than the gods).

So here's how I'd do it...

Soul Cage
5th level necromancy (Cleric, Wizard)
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a gem, crystal, reliquary, or some other ornamental container worth at least 500 GP)
Duration: Until dispelled

You touch a dead creature that hasn't been dead no longer than 3 days while you simultaneously touch a specially prepared vessel, trapping the dead creature's soul inside the vessel. While the creature's soul remains trapped in the vessel, the creature may not be resurrected through any means (not even true resurrection or wish), nor may it be turned undead.

If an attempt is made to resurrect the trapped soul, the vessel glows with eldritch light alerting you to the attempt (though you gain no further information about the caster or particular spell).

Should the vessel be opened, broken, or its magic dispelled at a later date, the soul is freed and may once again be returned to its body through normal resurrection magic.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Huh... guess Trap the Soul didn't make the 5E cut.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/trapTheSoul.htm

I'd also add to Quickleaf's suggestion that Soul Cage should prevent communication, such as "Speak with Dead".

I would honestly have this as an item, rather than a spell. Maybe letting the owner sub in a new soul if resurrection is attempted, or falsely answer questions via speak w dead, etc.