Mental Prison: Crippled by Fear

Usable By: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

Spell Level: 6

School: Illusion

Casting Time: 1 Action

Range: 60 feet

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

Components: S

You attempt to bind a creature within an illusory cell that only it perceives. One creature you can see within range must make an Intelligence saving throw. The target succeeds automatically if it is immune to being charmed. On a successful save, the target takes 5d10 psychic damage, and the spell ends. On a failed save, the target takes 5d10 psychic damage, and you make the area immediately around the target’s space appear dangerous to it in some way. You might cause the target to perceive itself as being surrounded by fire, floating razors, or hideous maws filled with dripping teeth. Whatever form the illusion takes, the target can’t see or hear anything beyond it and is restrained for the spell’s duration. If the target is moved out of the illusion, makes a melee attack through it, or reaches any part of its body through it, the target takes 10d10 psychic damage, and the spell ends.

Review by Sam West, Twitter:@CrierKobold

Worst case scenario, this is 5d10 damage for a 6th level slot, and while that’s pretty bad, it does SOMETHING. Best case scenario is you trap a villain in a horrific monster cage for up to a minute, and if they touch it, take a whopping 15d10 damage (average of 82). That all SEEMS pretty good, right?

Here’s my problem with Mental Prison: it is trying to be a save or die and a big single target damage spell, but it really only can be one and you never really get to pick which one it is. If the creature fails, it's up to them whether they stay put in the horror cage or immediately get smacked around to get out. Clever players might have a lot of fun coming up with illusions to attempt to spur one action or the other, but ultimately the DM can have the monster act in the opposite way you’d like them to for the intended effect. It can lead to some contentious moments.

This is going to be at its best against creatures that need to be in melee range to fight that you’d rather damage now, as both options for them are pretty bad. If you’re facing down a thick lad you’d rather just make sit still while you beat up his friends, he can just waltz through the meat grinder. If there’s a magic user or ranged assassin you’d really like to nuke with horrific illusions, they can just take the 5d10 damage and stay put. Worse yet, they might wail on you instead, and could potentially end this effect as if they passed the save in the first place.

Mental Prison is left in this nebulous spot as far as its usefulness goes, but I think that’s okay. This isn’t going to be the best spell in most situations, but a fairly useful one in a lot of them. A few monsters will have a miserable time dealing with this. When you come up against them, this spell can be a blast. If you’ve got a roleplay heavy group focused on story, this can be an incredible tool to confront specific characters with. If you’re just in the market for a decent control or damage spell, I’d probably recommend a lower level effect that does the damage or rooting effect more consistently.

5e Spells

Mental Prison: Crippled by Fear