Forcecage spell icon: a locked cage of bars
Icon by Delapouite, CC BY 3.0

Forcecage 5e spell

7th-level evocation · 2024 version below

Casting time
1 action
Range
100 feet
Components
V, S, M (Ruby dust worth 1,500 gp)
Duration
1 hour
School
Evocation
Level
7

An immobile, invisible, cube-shaped prison composed of magical force springs into existence around an area you choose within range. The prison can be a cage or a solid box, as you choose.

A prison in the shape of a cage can be up to 20 feet on a side and is made from 1/2-inch diameter bars spaced 1/2 inch apart.

A prison in the shape of a box can be up to 10 feet on a side, creating a solid barrier that prevents any matter from passing through it and blocking any spells cast into or out from the area.

When you cast the spell, any creature that is completely inside the cage's area is trapped. Creatures only partially within the area, or those too large to fit inside the area, are pushed away from the center of the area until they are completely outside the area.

A creature inside the cage can't leave it by nonmagical means. If the creature tries to use teleportation or interplanar travel to leave the cage, it must first make a Charisma saving throw. On a success, the creature can use that magic to exit the cage. On a failure, the creature can't exit the cage and wastes the use of the spell or effect. The cage also extends into the Ethereal Plane, blocking ethereal travel.

This spell can't be dispelled by dispel magic.

Classes that can cast Forcecage

ClassFirst availableSpellcasting ability
Bard spells13th character levelCharisma
Warlock spells13th character levelCharisma
Wizard spells13th character levelIntelligence

Forcecage in the 2024 rules

The 2024 Player’s Handbook revised many spells, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new text. What changed from the 2014 version above:

Casting time
Action
Range
100 feet
Components
V, S, M (ruby dust worth 1,500+ GP,, which the spell consumes)
Duration
Concentration, up to 1 hour
School
Evocation
Level
7
Classes
Bard, Warlock, Wizard
Tags
concentration

An immobile, Invisible, Cube-shaped prison composed of magical force springs into existence around an area you choose within range. The prison can be a cage or a solid box, as you choose.

A prison in the shape of a cage can be up to 20 feet on a side and is made from 1/2-inch diameter bars spaced 1/2 inch apart. A prison in the shape of a box can be up to 10 feet on a side, creating a solid barrier that prevents any matter from passing through it and blocking any spells cast into or out from the area.

When you cast the spell, any creature that is completely inside the cage's area is trapped. Creatures only partially within the area, or those too large to fit inside it, are pushed away from the center of the area until they are completely outside it.

A creature inside the cage can't leave it by nonmagical means. If the creature tries to use teleportation or interplanar travel to leave, it must first make a Charisma saving throw. On a successful save, the creature can use that magic to exit the cage. On a failed save, the creature doesn't exit the cage and wastes the spell or effect. The cage also extends into the Ethereal Plane, blocking ethereal travel. This spell can't be dispelled by Dispel Magic.

2024 version from the SRD 5.2. Most tables settle on one edition, so check which one yours uses.

Other 7th-level evocation spells

Browse: all 7th-level spells · evocation spells