DEATH WARD

Abjuration Level 4

STANDARD

Casting Time 1 action
Range Touch
Components V, S
Duration 8 hours

You touch a creature and grant it a measure of protection from death. The first time the target would drop to 0 hit points as a result of taking damage, the target instead drops to 1 hit point, and the spell ends. If the spell is still in effect when the target is subjected to an effect that would kill it instantaneously without dealing damage, that effect is instead negated against the target, and the spell ends.

SPELL VARIANT #1

Casting Time 1 action
Range Touch
Components V, S, M
Duration 8 hours

You touch a creature and grant it a measure of protection from death. The first time the target would drop to 0 hit points as a result of taking damage, the target instead heals 1d8 hit points, and the spell ends. If the spell is still in effect when the target is subjected to an effect that would kill it instantaneously without dealing damage, that effect is instead negated against the target, and the spell ends.

Components. Cure Wounds (spell).

SPELL VARIANT #2 (Necromancy)

Casting Time 1 action
Range Touch
Components V, S, M
Duration 8 hours

You touch a creature and grant it a measure of protection from death. The first time the target would drop to 0 hit points as a result of taking damage, the target instead drains 1d4 hit points from all living beings in a 100-foot radius, and the spell ends. If no living beings are present within the radius, then the spell drains the living essence of the surrounding environment but the target heals 1d4 hit points only. If the spell is still in effect when the target is subjected to an effect that would kill it instantaneously without dealing damage, that effect is instead negated against the target, and the spell ends. This spell variant falls into the necromancy school of magic.

Components. Flower of Vampire Rose, Pinch of Vampire’s ash.