The ligand-field strength in metal complexes of polydentate ligands depends critically on how the ligand backbone places the donor atoms in three-dimensional space. Distortions from regular coordination geometries are often observed. In this work, we study the isolated effect of ligand-sphere distortion by means of two structurally related pentadentate ligands of identical donor set, in the solid state (X-ray diffraction, (57)Fe-Mössbauer spectroscopy), in solution (NMR spectroscopy, UV/Vis spectroscopy, conductometry), and with quantum-chemical methods. Crystal structures of hexacoordinate iron(II) and nickel(II) complexes derived from the cyclic ligand L(1) (6-methyl-6-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,4-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-1,4-diazepane) and its open-chain congener L(2) (N(1),N(3),2-trimethyl-2-(pyridine-2-yl)-N(1),N(3)-bis(pyridine-2-ylmethyl) propane-1,3-diamine) reveal distinctly different donor set distortions reflecting the differences in ligand topology. Distortion from regular octahedral geometry is minor for complexes of ligand L(2), but becomes significant in the complexes of the cyclic ligand L(1), where trans elongation of Fe-N bonds cannot be compensated by the rigid ligand backbone. This provokes trigonal twisting of the ligand field. This distortion causes the metal ion in complexes of L(1) to experience a significantly weaker ligand field than in the complexes of L(2), which are more regular. The reduced ligand-field strength in complexes of L(1) translates into a marked preference for the electronic high-spin state, the emergence of conformational isomers, and massively enhanced lability with respect to ligand exchange and oxidation of the central ion. Accordingly, oxoiron(IV) species derived from L(1) and L(2) differ in their spectroscopic properties and their chemical reactivity.