This powerful spell is primarily used to defend the character's stronghold. The ward protects 200 square feet per caster level. The warded area can be up to 20 feet high, and shaped as the character desires. The character can ward several stories of a stronghold by dividing the area among them; the character must be somewhere within the area to be warded to cast the spell. The spell creates the following magical effects within the warded area:

Fog: Fog fills all corridors, obscuring all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature within 5 feet has one-half concealment (attacks suffer a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have full concealment (50% miss chance; the attacker cannot use sight to locate the target). Spell resistance: No.

Arcane Locks: All doors in the warded area are arcane locked. Spell resistance: No.

Webs: Webs fill all stairs from top to bottom. These strands are identical with those created by the web spell, except that they regrow in 10 minutes if they are burned or torn away while the guards and wards spell lasts. Spell resistance: Yes.

Confusion: Where there are choices in direction—such as a corridor intersection or side passage—a minor confusion-type spell functions so as to make it 50% probable that intruders believe they are going in the exact opposite direction from the one they actually chose. This is an enchantment (mind-affecting) effect. Spell resistance: No.

Lost Doors: One door per caster level is covered by a glamer to appear as if it were a plain wall. Spell resistance: No.

In addition, the character can place the character's choice of one of the following five magical effects:

• Dancing lights in four corridors. The character can designate a simple program that causes the lights to repeat as long as the guards and wards spell lasts. Spell resistance: No.
• A magic mouth in two places. Spell resistance: No.
• A stinking cloud in two places. The vapors appear in the places the character designate; they return within 10 minutes if dispersed by wind while the guards and wards spell lasts. Spell resistance: Yes.
• A gust of wind in one corridor or room. Spell resistance: Yes.
• A suggestion in one place. The character selects an area up to 5 feet square, and any creature who enters or passes through the area receives the suggestion mentally. Spell resistance: Yes.

The whole warded area radiates strong magic of the abjuration school. A dispel magic cast on a specific effect, if successful, removes only that effect. A successful Mordenkainen’s disjunction destroys the entire guards and wards effect.