Uttering a holy word spell creates magic of tremendous power. It drives off evil creatures from other planes, forcing them to return to their own planes of existence, provided the speaker is in his home plane. Creatures so banished cannot return for at least a day. The spell further affects creatures of differing alignment as shown on the following table:
| Creatures Hit Dice or Level |
General | Attack Move |
Dice | Spells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 4 | Kills | — | — | — |
| 4 to 7+ | Paralyzes 1d4 turns |
— | — | — |
| 8 to 11 + | Slows 2d4 rds. |
-50% | -4* | — |
| 12 or more | Deafens 1d4 rounds |
-25% | -2 | 50% chance of failure |
- * Slowed creatures attack only on even-numbered rounds until the effect wears off.
Affected creatures are those within the 30-foot-radius area of effect, which is centered on the priest casting the spell. The side effects are negated for deafened or silenced creatures, but such are still driven off if other-planar.
The reverse, unholy word, operates exactly the same way but affects creatures of good alignment.
Notes: Common for clerics (PHB).