Spirit Binding

Sidebar Grim Callings Spirit binding causes a noncorporeal undead creature to be trapped wherever the spell is cast. The required material component is either a coffin nail or a shard of stone from a crypt or gravesite.

The caster takes the material component and pounds it into the earth while chanting the words to the spell. The undead must make a saving throw. A material component taken from the exact tomb where the creature's body was interred imposes a -4 penalty to the saving throw. Should the roll fail, the creature cannot travel more than 20 feet from where the nail/shard is embedded, cannot touch the component, and cannot flee to the Astral or Ethereal Plane. A successful save means the undead creature has struggled and succeeded in throwing off the spell but still suffers 2d6 hp damage.

The spell persists for as long as the nail or spike remains embedded in the earth, or until a successful dispel magic has been cast upon the site. No undead creature can dig up the hammered nail or shard, though any living being can do so. A natural event such as a minor quake, erosion, or the like might also free the trapped undead.

Only noncorporeal undead are affected by spirit binding. As sunlight is an anathema to the undead, a creature held outside most likely perishes come day (DM's decision) unless it can somehow hide from the sun. Vampires in gaseous form are susceptible to this spell.