A shimmering, multicolored plane of light forms a vertical opaque wall--up to 90 feet long, 30 feet high, and 1 inch thick--centered on a point you can see within range. Alternatively, you can shape the wall into a sphere up to 30 feet in diameter centered on a point you choose within range. The wall remains in place for the duration. If you position the wall so that it passes through a space occupied by a creature, the spell fails, and your action and the spell slot are wasted.
The wall sheds bright light out to a range of 100 feet and dim light for an additional 100 feet. You and creatures you designate at the time you cast the spell can pass through and remain near the wall without harm. If another creature that can see the wall moves to within 20 feet of it or starts its turn there, the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become blinded for 1 minute.
The wall consists of seven layers, each with a different color. When a creature attempts to reach into or pass through the wall, it does so one layer at a time through all the wall's layers. As it passes or reaches through each layer, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw or be affected by that layer's properties as described below.
The wall can be destroyed, also one layer at a time, in order from red to violet, by means specific to each layer. Once a layer is destroyed, it remains so for the duration of the spell. Antimagic field has no effect on the wall, and dispel magic can affect only the violet layer.
1. Red. The creature takes 10d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. While this layer is in place, nonmagical ranged attacks can't pass through the wall. The layer can be destroyed by dealing at least 25 cold damage to it.
2. Orange. The creature takes 10d6 acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. While this layer is in place, magical ranged attacks can't pass through the wall. The layer is destroyed by a strong wind.
3. Yellow. The creature takes 10d6 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This layer can be destroyed by dealing at least 60 force damage to it.
4. Green. The creature takes 10d6 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A passwall spell, or another spell of equal or greater level that can open a portal on a solid surface, destroys this layer.
5. Blue. The creature takes 10d6 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This layer can be destroyed by dealing at least 25 fire damage to it.
6. Indigo. On a failed save, the creature is restrained. It must then make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. If it successfully saves three times, the spell ends. If it fails its save three times, it permanently turns to stone and is subjected to the petrified condition. The successes and failures don't need to be consecutive; keep track of both until the creature collects three of a kind. While this layer is in place, spells can't be cast through the wall. The layer is destroyed by bright light shed by a daylight spell or a similar spell of equal or higher level.
7. Violet. On a failed save, the creature is blinded. It must then make a Wisdom saving throw at the start of your next turn. A successful save ends the blindness. If it fails that save, the creature is transported to another plane of the GM's choosing and is no longer blinded. (Typically, a creature that is on a plane that isn't its home plane is banished home, while other creatures are usually cast into the Astral or Ethereal planes.) This layer is destroyed by a dispel magic spell or a similar spell of equal or higher level that can end spells and magical effects.
Wow...
Just used this in a level 20 death match tonight where every spell was okay other than Wish. It went really well. It will be forever before I can use it again.
We have two wizards in our party- our pièce de resistance is have one cast prismatic wall overhead when surrounded by enemies in a large empty room, then having the other cast reverse gravity so everyone (save us) gets obliterated!
Call me a spoil sport but, the way I read,
"The wall consists of seven layers, each with a different color. When a creature attempts to reach into or pass through the wall, it does so one layer at a time through all the wall's layers. As it passes or reaches through each layer, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw or be affected by that layer's properties as described below."
I imagine that there needs to be some form of intent to pass through and simply touching or "landing" on the wall, or even being thrown into it via shoving or forced movement doesn't instantly trigger any of the walls effects. That's just how I read it.
The way I read it, the sections on deliberate passing and on what happens if you pass through are two different things.
So "The wall consists of seven layers, each with a different color. When a creature attempts to reach into or pass through the wall, it does so one layer at a time through all the wall's layers."
Additionally, "As it passes or reaches through each layer, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw or be affected by that layer's properties as described below."
I feel that if a creature didn't have to make a save upon being involuntarily forced through the walls, the text would be written more like this:
"The wall consists of seven layers, each with a different color. When a creature attempts to reach into or pass through the wall, it does so one layer at a time through all the wall's layers, and must make a Dexterity saving throw at each layer or be affected by that layer's properties as described below."
Additionally, in a Sage Advice ruling on "willingness" for spells, Jeremy Crawford supports my interpretation:
https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/956701037963784192
Used this with combination reverse gravity.
1st turn reversed gravity, lifted the boss up.
2nd turn cast prismatic wall in a sphere around him, and free action dropped concentration on reverse gravity. Profit.
DM ruled since he couldn't fly and was completely enclosed in the sphere, no way he could pass a DEX save realistically since there was no openings, and failed every save.
I used each layer ass a divider between themed rooms in a dungeon and it worked perfectly. The other thing I changed was I made the violet one send them back to the start.
All the colors of the rainbow beating the crap out of you.
Prismatic Wall and Gust of Wind (or any spell to force movement). Watch the BBEG uses all the legendary resistances and still end up ****ed.
Gives a whole new meaning to the song Rainbow Connection
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it should be possible to bypass all seven layers using the spell Etherealness.
Unless the BBEG also casted Wall of Force, the location is somewhere in the Outer planes or there is something in the Ethereal plane blocking passage.
that does seem possible. nowhere does it say that the wall extends into the ethereal plane. nice spot
Prismatic Wall with one spellcaster and Blade of Disaster with another because Blade of Disaster is immune to all barriers, either they stay in the sphere and get hammered by the blade or they try to leave and risk the saving throws
Looking forward to accessing this spell...yikes
I’m very glad that “Tasha’s Cauldron” added Prismatic Wall to the Bard spell list (and Color Spray & Prismatic Spray, as well).
I feel that an “artist” like a Bard would deliberately wish to learn such spells...potent, yes, but mainly because of the COLORS.
It was always a strong contender for my 9th Level “Magical Secrets”; now I can freely choose others. : )
But the word "it" in the third sentence "As it passes or reaches through each layer, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw or be affected by that layer's properties as described below," is referring to the creature in the previous sentence "When a creature attempts to reach into or pass through the wall, it does so one layer at a time through all the wall's layers." That creature referred to in this paragraph of the spell is clearly attempting to get through the wall, and that seems to be required for the spells damaging effects to trigger.
Action Surge + Prismatic Wall (no concentration!) & Reverse Gravity.
Your victim goes through 7 layers of Prismatic Wall twice as it is a sphere, practically guaranteeing that it succumbs to any of its horrifying effects and all of its insane damage. If the gravity becomes re-reversed, it becomes another 2 trips through the insanity of prismatic wall. No amount of legendary resistance can be effective versus 14-28 saving throws
That would be cool and could still work, but it would have to be on separate turns because even with action surge, you can't cast two leveled spells in the same turn.
Incorrect. Neither is a bonus action spell, thus not affected by the restriction :)
And this can be done on the same turn cause you can free action drop the concentration on the Reverse Gravity thus causing them to fall immediately back through.