You call into existence a vaguely shaped, shadowy mote that is about 1 inch high. The mote is silent and amorphous in shape and leaps to interpose attacks. It places itself between you and the most apparent danger (but not attacks you are unaware of). This magical guardian mote blocks damage from the next successful attack made against you, absorbing 1d3 points of damage. No matter how much or how little damage is actually inflicted by the attack, the guardian mote winks out of existence as soon as it prevents damage from one attack; you take any excess damage. The effect also only prevents damage; any additional effects of an attack are not prevented (for example the effect of a vorpal weapon).

A guardian mote cannot prevent damage dealt by area effect spells or similar effects. For example, it can prevent damage from a single magic missile but not from multiple missiles or from a fireball.