Level: Protection 9, Sorcerer 9, Sun 9, Wizard 9
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 10 ft.
Effect: 10-ft.-radius sphere centered on you
Duration: 10 minutes/level (D)
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: See text
Prismatic sphere conjures an immobile, opaque globe of shimmering, multicolored light that surrounds you and protects you from all forms of attack. The sphere flashes in all colors of the visible spectrum. The sphere is immobile, and you can pass through and remain near the sphere without harm. However, any other creature with less than 8 HD that is within 20 feet of the sphere is blinded for 2d4×10 minutes by the colors if it looks at the sphere.
Typically, only the upper hemisphere of the sphere will exist, since you are at the center of it, so the lower half is usually excluded by the floor surface you are standing on.
Each color in the sphere has a special effect. The accompanying table shows the seven distinct colors of the sphere, the order in which they appear, their effects on creatures trying to attack you or pass through the sphere, and the magic needed to negate each color.
The sphere can be destroyed, color by color, in consecutive order, by various magical effects; however, the first color must be brought down before the second can be affected, and so on. A rod of cancellation or a mage’s disjunction spell destroys a prismatic sphere, but an antimagic field fails to penetrate it. Dispel magic and greater dispel magic cannot dispel the sphere or anything beyond it. Spell resistance is effective against a prismatic sphere, but the caster level check must be repeated for each color present.
Prismatic sphere can be made permanent with a permanency spell.
| Color | Order | Effect of Color | Negated By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | 1st | Stops nonmagical ranged weapons. Deals 20 points of fire damage (Reflex half). | Cone of cold |
| Orange | 2nd | Stops magical ranged weapons. Deals 40 points of acid damage (Reflex half). | Gust of wind |
| Yellow | 3rd | Stops poisons, gases, and petrification. Deals 80 points of electricity damage (Reflex half). | Disintegrate |
| Green | 4th | Stops breath weapons. Poison (Kills; Fortitude partial for 1d6 points of Con damage instead). | Passwall |
| Blue | 5th | Stops divination and mental attacks. Turned to stone (Fortitude negates). | Magic missile |
| Indigo | 6th | Stops all spells. Will save or become insane (as insanity spell). | Daylight |
| Violet | 7th | Energy field destroys all objects and effects.1 Creatures sent to another plane (Will negates). | Dispel magic |
| |||
Source: Player’s Handbook (version 3.5), page 264.