View source for Evard's black tentacles

{{Spell
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Evard's black tentacles php5e revised.png|5Re
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| name          = Evard's Black Tentacles
| deity         = 
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| inventor      = [[Evard]]
| descriptors   = 
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| level         = 
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| school5e      = [[Conjuration]]
| patrons5e     = [[Great Old One patron|Great Old One]]
| level5e       = {{spell table|edition=5e|[[Great Old One patron|Great Old One]]|4|[[Wizard]]|4}}
| type5e        = 
| refs5e        = <ref name="PH5e-110,207-211,238">{{Cite book/Player's Handbook 5th edition|110, 207-211, 238}}</ref>
| feature4e     = 
| keywords4e    = {{Desc/arcane}}{{Desc/implement}}{{Desc/necrotic}}{{Desc/zone}}
| level4e       = {{spell table|edition=4e|[[Wizard]]|19}}
| type4e        = Daily
| category4e    = 
| skill4e       = 
| refs4e        = <ref>{{Cite book/Player's Handbook 4th edition|166}}</ref>
| school3e      = [[Conjuration]] (Creation)
| domains3e     = 
| descriptors3e = 
| level3e       = {{spell table|edition=3e|[[Sorcerer]]|4|[[Wizard]]|4|[[Slime domain]]|5}}
| type3e        = 
| refs3e        = <ref name="PH3.5-p288">{{Cite book/Player's Handbook v.3.5|288}}</ref>
| reversible2e  = 
| school2e      = [[Conjuration/Summoning]]<br/>[[Shadow magic|Shadow]]<br/>[[Universal (province)]]
| spheres2e     = 
| level2e       = {{spell table|edition=2e|[[Wizard]]|4}}
| type2e        = 
| refs2e        = <ref name="PHB2e">{{Cite book/Player's Handbook 2nd edition|157}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book/Player's Option: Spells & Magic|184}}</ref><ref name="CSH">{{Cite book/The Complete Sha'ir's Handbook|124-125}}</ref>
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'''''Evard's black tentacles''''', or simply '''''black tentacles''''', was a [[conjuration]] [[spell]] that conjured tentacles to grapple and restrain opponents. It was presumably developed by [[Evard]].<ref name="PH3.5-p288" /><ref name="PH5e-238">{{Cite book/Player's Handbook 5th edition|238}}</ref>

==Effect==
This spell conjured many {{SIAdj|10|ft}} rubbery black tentacles that erupted from flat surfaces and grabbed, grappled, and crushed everything in a {{SIAdj|40|ft}} diameter circular area for a brief time according to the power of the caster.<ref name="PH3.5-p288"/> In a later version, the tentacles would try to restrain anything that entered or stayed in a {{SIAdj|20|ft}} square area, and caused bludgeoning damage, for up to a minute.<ref name="PH5e-238" />

The area that was covered by the tentacles would be difficult for creatures to traverse.<ref name="PH3.5-p288" /><ref name="PH5e-238" />

==Components==
[[Verbal]] and [[somatic]] components were required to cast this spell, as well as a piece of a tentacle from a [[giant octopus]] or [[squid]] as a [[material component]].<ref name="PH3.5-p288" /><ref name="PH5e-238" />

==History==
''Evard's black tentacles'' was apparently unknown to the [[Netherese]]; it was not recorded as being known to them.<ref>{{Cite book/Netheril: Empire of Magic/The Winds of Netheril|22-25}}</ref>

The ''Evard's black tentacles'' spell was once kept in the great library of [[Candlekeep]], until it was stolen by [[Eldrus Wands]], a [[wizard]] and [[Magister]] from [[409 DR]] to [[516 DR]]. He made many copies and, in the guise of a poor and simple former adventurer, sold [[scroll]]s of it across [[Faerûn]] for mere handfuls of [[copper piece]]s.<ref name="SotM-p41">{{Cite book/Secrets of the Magister|41}}</ref>

In the mid–14{{th}} century [[DR]], ''Evard's black tentacles'' was still a rare spell in the Realms.<ref name="FRA-p152">{{Cite book/Forgotten Realms Adventures|152}}</ref><ref name="CSH" /> In the month of [[Eleasis]], of the {{YearlinkName|1371}}, the city of [[Ravens Bluff]]'s [[Ministry of Art]] and [[Wizards Guild]] jointly declared it illegal to cast ''Evard's black tentacles'' within city limits due to a raging unnatural storm at the time called the [[Soulstorm]]. In addition to threatening arrest for those that broke this decree, it was declared that breaking this prohibition would result in a permanent expulsion from either organization.<ref name="trump2-8">{{Cite trumpeter/2-8|2}}</ref>{{LCRB}}

By the {{YearlinkName|1373}}, the [[Halruaa]]n mage [[Daltim Flamefist]] had developed a variant, ''[[Daltim's fiery tentacles]]'', simply adding blue-white flame to the black tentacles.<ref name="SS-p45">{{Cite book/Shining South|44, 45}}</ref> [[Kyristan]] instead formed the tentacles of life-draining [[negative energy]], developing ''[[Kyristan's malevolent tentacles]]''.<ref name="SS-p47">{{Cite book/Shining South|47}}</ref>

==Notable Users==
The following mages knew ''Evard's black tentacles'':
* [[Thebadol]], a [[Halruaan elder]] in 1373 DR.<ref name="SS-p29">{{Cite book/Shining South|29}}</ref>
* [[Pharaun Mizzrym]], a Menzoberranyr [[drow]] [[wizard]].<ref>{{Cite book/Insurrection/Paperback}}</ref>
* [[Kyriani Agrivar]], a [[half-drow]] wizard of [[Waterdeep]].<ref>{{Cite comic/Suspicion!|5}}</ref>

==Appendix==
===Notes===
{{Notes}}
===See Also===
* ''[[Battle tentacles]]''

===Gallery===
<gallery>
Evard's black tentacles 5e.png|''The symbol of Evard's black tentacles from [[Baldur's Gate III]].''
Evard's black tentacles.png|''The symbol of Evard's black tentacles from [[Neverwinter Nights]].''
</gallery>
===Appearances===
{{Appearances
|adventures = {{Duapp|20|The Ship Of Night}};''[[Dark and Hidden Ways]]'';{{Duapp|67|Training Ground}};''[[Storm Lord's Wrath]]'';''[[The Rise of Tiamat]]'';''[[Storm King's Thunder]]'';''[[Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage]]'';''[[Locathah Rising]]'';''[[Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden]]''
|novels = ''[[Into the Void]]'';''[[The Black Bouquet]]'';''[[The Shield of Weeping Ghosts]]''
|films = ''[[Honor Among Thieves]]''
|comics = {{Comapp|Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (comic series)|28}}
|video games = ''[[Baldur's Gate III]]''; {{NWNapp|NWN|NWN2}}
|card games = ''[[AD&D Trading Cards]]''
|organized play = ''[[Come the Lion]]'';''[[Dark Pyramid of Sorcerer's Isle]]'';''[[Escape from Phlan]]'';''[[Boltsmelter's Book]]'';''[[Herald of the Moon]]'';''[[Szith Morcane Unbound]]'';''[[Reclamation]]'';''[[Eye of Xxiphu]]'';''[[Peril at the Port]]'';''[[Into the Dark]]'';''[[Poisoned Words]]'';''[[Stardock Under Siege]]'';''[[The Diabolical Dive]]'';''[[Foreign Affairs]]'';''[[Uncertain Scrutiny]]'';''[[Vile Bounty]]''
}}
===Further Reading===
* {{Cite book/Wizard's Spell Compendium Volume Two|327}}
===External links===
{{External link disclaimer}}
* {{BG3|Evard's Black Tentacles}}
* {{NWNW}}
===References===
{{refs}}
[[Category:Conjuration spells]]
[[Category:Shadow spells]]
[[Category:Universal (province)]]
[[Category:Evard's spells]]
[[Category:Creation spells]]
[[Category:Sorcerer spells]]
[[Category:Wizard spells]]