Forbidden Spells (5e Variant Rule)
Forbidden Spells[edit]
A forbidden spell is a very secretive technique that cannot be learned through normal means. It appears on no spell list, and thus cannot be learned by things that grant general spell access, such as levelling up in a spellcasting class, copying from another wizard's spellbook, or gaining a feature such as bard's Magical Secrets.
As a player, when you learn a forbidden spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn't count against the maximum number of spells you can know. You can't copy it into your spellbook, and you can't teach it to anyone else.
As a DM, forbidden spells should be treated with similar reverence to magic items, and should be handed out to your spellcasting players with this in mind. The following table shows the equivalent magical item rarity of a given forbidden spell:
| Spell Level | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Cantrip | Common |
| 1 | Uncommon |
| 2 | Uncommon |
| 3 | Rare |
| 4 | Rare |
| 5 | Very rare |
| 6 | Very rare |
| 7 | Very rare |
| 8 | Legendary |
| 9 | Legendary |
You are encouraged to be creative with how a forbidden spell is learned in your game, as there are more sources one could receive one from than merely a dusty old tome:
- It might be the signature spell of a unique being, that can only be taught directly by them. This being might reward someone with its spell for completing a quest, or sell the secret for money.
- It might be ancient lost lore that no one knows, only intelligible if translated directly from its source.
- It might represent the special ability of a monster, acquired only after slaying the monster associated with it and/or consuming a vital part of that monster.
- It might be a special power of a deity, granted either permanently or temporarily.
- It might be infused with an object of great power, absorbed by touching the object.
- It might be associated with a place of intense energy, infusing its being into those that spend some amount of time within this place.
You can grant any spell as a forbidden spell, but there may also be some types of magic which exist only as forbidden spells. These are accounted below.
Forbidden Spell List[edit]
To put a spell onto this list, add the [[Category:Forbidden Spell]] category to the bottom of the page. A spell should only be put here if you intend for it to not appear on any class's spell list at all, period.
| Spell Name | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Nefario's Battery Zap | 5th | |
| Dragon's Stolen Breath | 8th | |
| Forest of Bone and Sinew | 9th | |
| Greater Dragon's Stolen Breath | 9th |
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