Ward Walls - anti "dungeon shortcut" spell

Making a wall an actual obstacle is a bit of a challenge for players or enemy npcs with demolition-friendly spells. Why not protect your dungeon or castle with this handy abjuration:

Ward Walls
Abjuration
Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 6 rounds
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: 10-ft. square/level
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: No

This spell grants stone, plaster, brick, wood, and metal walls, ceilings, floors, and doors spell resistance equal to 12 + your caster level. Only the caster of the ward may ignore this spell resistance. This functions exactly like spell resistance on a creature, except it can also block any spell without an attack roll that directly weakens, damages, or creates a passage through the warded barrier in any way, even if the spell is not usually subject to spell resistance. This includes knock, meld into stone, passwall, and phase door. Ethereal and incorporeal creatures are also prevented from crossing through a warded barrier, but may potentially go around it. Effects that indirectly damage or bypass a barrier, such as using Soften Earth and Stone on the ground beneath the enchanted surface, are not blocked. Teleportation spells are likewise not blocked, unless the spell specifically affects a protected barrier.

Dispel magic does not dispel the ward unless the dispeller’s caster level is at least as high as that of the caster of the ward.

Material Component
Rare incense worth 150gp per 10ft square enchanted.

I like it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lysander

Ethereal travel and teleportation are likewise not blocked, unless the spell specifically affects a protected barrier.

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Bummer. That was exactly what I was hoping this spell WOULD do.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lapak

Bummer. That was exactly what I was hoping this spell WOULD do.

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There are other spells that handle that already. Dimensional Lock, Forbiddance, etc. I wouldn't want to duplicate their effects at a lower level, in addition to protecting the walls.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lysander

There are other spells that handle that already. Dimensional Lock, Forbiddance, etc. I wouldn't want to duplicate their effects at a lower level, in addition to protecting the walls.

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I was thinking more in terms of pseudo-line-of-effect blocking. You could still Dimension Door past the wall by going around it, but if it's between you and your proposed destination it stops you. It would be much less thorough than either of the effects you mentioned.

Here's a spell for you. I've also decided to prevent ethereal travel with ward walls.

Planar Ward
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: One round
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: 10-ft. cube/level
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: No

This spell makes it difficult for extradimensional travel to function within the warded area. To enter, leave, or move within the warded area with a spell such as dimension door or teleport its caster must succeed on a caster level check equal to 12 + your caster level. Failing this check causes the spell to have no effect.

This includes spells that shift between coterminous planes such as blink. Spells that temporarily make one ethereal or incorporeal such as ethereal jaunt must make a caster level check or end when someone attempts to enter the area. If this embeds them in solid material they are always shunted away from the warded area. Ethereal creatures may otherwise enter but may have trouble using spells to reach the warded plane.

Dispel magic does not dispel the ward unless the dispeller’s caster level is at least as high as that of the caster of the ward.

Material
25gp of rare incense per cube

Its cute, but there are plenty of ways to forbid players for doing "shortcuts" without a blatant spell. and spells that simply forbidden make it feel cheap for players. its much better to come up with original ideas that force the players to think of ways to beat your odd dungeon.

Dungeonscape names a few.

And if you are original, you can really throw the player's mind in a hoop.

Heck, one of my dungeons made it pretty much impossible to sortcut without even anti-teleportation barriers and without wall protection, and the party was ECL 17 one. it was simply NOT SAFE to do any of these unless you got a good knowing of what you are doing.
(Teleportation was problametic because some area of the dungeon overlapped and teleporting to an overlapped zone would result in a random place for each one, so it could split you, and send you to unwanted area.)
("digging" was problematic because the area "out" of the dungeon was lava. accidentally dig at a non-sealed area, and lava floods you.
And another area was made of flesh that tended to self-heal at an incredible rate. you could dig, but it could "eat" you if you didn't dig fast enough.)