Lesser ironguard

Ironguard was an arcane spell that used the opposing schools of abjuration and alteration to temporarily render one creature immune and intangible to non-magical metal. After an improved version was developed, this spell became known as lesser ironguard.

Effects
Upon casting this spell, the caster or one creature touched by the caster became completely immune to common, unenchanted metal. Metal weapons would pass through the individual without causing harm. Likewise, the target of this spell could pass through metal barriers such as iron bars, grates, or portcullises. This spell presumably applied to clothing being worn, but did not apply to items carried or attached to the ironguarded creature. Thus, an individual under the effects of this spell could not hold metal coins or use a weapon with a metal grip with their bare hands, but attacking with bare hands or natural weapons such as claws and fangs ignored any metal armor being worn by the victim.

Properties carried by a metal object were not negated by this spell. A poison-coated dagger would still deliver its venom, and while a flaming sword would likely be magical and not affected by lesser ironguard, a red-hot poker would cause heat damage as it passed through the subject's body. Also, immunities to spells and spell-like abilities that used metal as part of their casting (such as blade barrier) were not granted by this spell.

The earlier abjuration/alteration version of this spell lasted one minute for every level of the spellcaster, but if the subject was occupying the same space as a metal object when the spell expired, the subject died instantly. The later version of this spell lasted only six seconds per level of the caster, but if caught sharing space with metal, both took a small amount of damage as either the object or the subject were forced aside to remedy the overlap in location. For example, a sword would be expelled from the body, but the individual would be ejected from a heavy portcullis.

Garments adorned with shandon gems could be given an ironguard effect by casting this spell on one of the gemstones.

Components
In addition to verbal and somatic components, this spell required a small representation of a shield rendered in wood, glass, or crystal. Earlier versions of the spell required material components in the form of a handful of iron fillings and a drop of aqua regia.

History
Lesser ironguard was created by non-specialized mages because it used techniques from two opposing schools of magic and could not be cast by strictly adherent abjurers and transmuters. The later versions were developed to use only abjuration magic.

This spell was first compiled by the mage Shadowhands in the Shadowtome. It was later published in "Volo's Guide to All Things Magical" and became generally known to the magical community.