18 Best 5th-Level Spells D&D 5e

The ability to cast spells of the 5th-Level Spells is only a tiny increase in power over spells of the 4th level but is a significant step for spell-casters who require greater utility (or more damage) in their kit.

All spellcasting classes acquire the ability to cast spells of the 5th level at the 9th level, aside from Paladins, who acquire this ability at the 17th level.

Below, I’ve listed the top 5th level spells available in D&D in my opinion.

I like the ability to adjust damage at any time and this includes clever methods to modify your game according to your preference.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

18. Telekinesis

As the name suggests, not everything can be moved by telekinesis.

Casters may move both beings and items with this transmutation spell, but only by lifting them into the air following a successful roll against the creature’s strength.

Any living being is confined for the length of the spell, but the caster has no influence over the trapped creature’s words or deeds.

There are countless options when it comes to modifying items. Any object weighing up to a tonne can be moved, as well as tools or key fobs.

Thus, neither a dungeon door nor a prison cell will prevent you or your crew from completing your mission.

17. Teleportation Circle

The caster of Teleportation Circle can create a 10′ diameter circle on the ground and then create a portal to another circle that has already been constructed.

It is quite likely that the group will establish some type of permanent foundation by the time the party’s arcane spellcaster is capable of casting this spell.

That base should set aside one room specifically for this spell.

This will enable the group to escape a powerful force without delay. If the spell is used every day for a year, it can also produce a permanent teleportation circle.

The caster would therefore be able to permanently connect two bases, even if they were thousands of kilometres apart.

16. *Conjure Elemental

Since everyone enjoys having a minion, Conjure Elemental is a natural option for a favourite spell.

Having a strong, supernatural servant who is amiable to you and your party is helpful, at least initially.

The power of the caster’s elemental servant increases with that of the caster.

The drawback of this spell is that you must focus when performing it, and if you do not, the elemental servant will turn against you and your party.

15. Conjure Volley

Source: Player’s Handbook p.226
Casting Time: 1 Action
Band: 150 feet
components: Verbal, Somatic Materials (one part of an ammunition item or weapon that is thrown)
Duration: Instantaneous

To begin our list with stimulating effects that Rangers can access

You shoot a piece of unmagical ammo (or you throw an axe/knife) up into the air and pour thousands of them down that cause 8d8 damage (of a similar type to the weapon employed) or half of it when you make an effective Dexterity saving roll.

This not only causes a decent amount of destruction but also a decent size cylinder, covering the ground in a large amount and air coverage as well.

You can also copy any ammunition you use.

This could lead to exciting battles where you can shoot down poison arrows or flaming bullets and cause havoc across the battleground.

It’s not equipped with any practical use, unfortunately.

14. Control Winds

Source: Elemental Evil Player’s Companion
Casting Time: 1 Action
Band: 300 feet
Components: Verbal, Somatic
Durée: Concentration, up to an hour

A powerful spell that provides the player lot of flexibility.

Control Winds lets you pick between three options.

You can use an action that allows you to change between these three options within the spell’s 100 feet cube area.

You can pick one of the following three options:

Gusts are most likely to be the most combat-oriented.

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It lets you pick a horizontal direction and the intensity of the wind blows.

This results in disadvantages for those who use weapons that can be aimed at from a distance.

It also slows the speed of those trying to move through it.

Updraft is probably the most convenient alternative, allowing creatures to take only the equivalent of half damage when they fall.

It will also increase their vertical leap by 10 feet, making them able to jump higher, if required and a good NBA player as well!

In addition to having a disadvantage of weapon attacks that are ranged, Downdraft is the weakest of three options, blasting wind down and causing flying enemies to fall, in addition to having a disadvantage of weapon attacks that are ranged.

Some spells do not work for everyone.

The potential of this spell puts it in the middle of our list but it is not entirely ruled out.

13. Danse Macabre

5th-Level Spells

Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything p.153
Casting Time: 1 Action
Distance: 60 feet
Components: Verbal, Somatic
Time: Concentration, up to an hour

One of my favorite necromancy spells! Danse Macabre offers not flexibility but bodies.

Actual bodies.

You can attack up to five corpses and transform them into zombies or skeletons.

You can also give the players bonuses for their attacks.

If you don’t require to use them in combat, you may make them fodder to look for traps or to put them in danger and ensure that your group is safe.

This spell is a mouthful for those who are Necromancers.

It can easily change the course of an argument if you require additional five meat puppets.

Who doesn’t enjoy being an overlord of zombies?

Although you may not possess all five targets at hand, this spell is potent at its most effective potential targets.

However, it can be a bit weak when cast too late in the fight.

12. Destructive Wave

Source: Player’s Handbook p.231
Casting Time: 1 Action
Band: 30ft radius around you
Components: Verbal
Duration: Instantaneous

This spell is extremely powerful. However, the fact that Paladins aren’t able to access this spell until the 17th level limits its power.

Not only can you deal 5d6 thunder and another 5d6 damage from the necrotic or radiant as well, but you can also knock them out of the way!

Your Destructive Wave has an area of 30 feet around you, which gives you an effective area of capability on the frontlines to protect your allies and your enemies.

Being able to engage in combat and cast this spell makes Paladins truly magicians, and it is essential when you have to open an ice-cold container of whoop-ass.

11. Dominate Person

Source: Player’s Handbook p.235
Casting Time: 1 Action
The range: 60 feet
Components: Verbal, Somatic
The duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Talk about an enthralling spell.

Humanoid creatures are forced to make a Wisdom saving throw or be attracted to you.

This isn’t your typical charm, however, you create a telepathic link which allows you to command the telepathic link to do tasks as other spells with charm, however, it also adds a new characteristic:

An action can be used to have complete control over your desired target and have them do the actions you want them to take (including reaction).

Being able to take complete control of an individual for an entire minute gives you the ability to engage in all kinds of fun.

In particular, if you have control over the power of someone (politically as well), you could make the entire kingdom a mess!

10. Enervation

Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything p.155
Casting Time: 1 Action
Distance: 60 feet
Components: Verbal, Somatic
Time: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Another spell I love from the Necromancy School, Enervation, offers regular damage and an occasional heal if they do not succeed on a saving throw for Dexterity.

Not only will you be able to get your target hit for 4d8, but you also have the option of using this action rather than another slot, causing the target to damage each cycle until your spell is over.

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Since certain casters possess so few spell slots, even at higher levels, Enervation lets you maintain a severe impact on your targets without having to spend any.

In addition, you’re recovering for half the damage this spell does, regardless of whether they make the saving roll.

9. Far Step

Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything p.155
Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action
Range: Self
Components: Verbal
Time: Concentration, up to one minute

Far Step offers one of the best methods to keep squishy casters squeaky alive while putting them in the right position to cast spells.

For the duration, you can teleport anywhere within 60 feet of space as a reward.

Other than combat this spell lets you extend the massive distance.

If you assume that you teleport once per six seconds or 10 times during the entire time, you could reach 600 feet in one minute.

nearly doubling Usain Bolt’s record as the fastest human.

That’s not even counting the dash action before taking the far step.

8. Flame Strike

Source: Player’s Handbook p.242
Casting Time: 1 Action
The range: 60 feet
components: verbal, somatic Material (a small amount of sulfur)
Duration: Instantaneous

One of the very few high-damage spells Clerics can add to their arsenals, Flame Strike lets them cause massive damage.

You summon a magnificent glowing pillar and force your enemies for a Dexterity Save or suffer 4d6 fire damage and another 4d6 damage from radiants!

Since clerics aren’t typically able to access many harmful spells or zone effect spells, Flame Strike lets them enjoy both with no negatives.

7. Geas

Source: Player’s Handbook p.245
Casting Time: 1 Minute
Distance: 60 feet
Components: Verbal
Time: 30 days

A powerful enchantment spell, Geas lasts the longest of all spells until this point and can cause some harm as well.

This means you can use a random NPC for any task, such as robbing a bank or paying guards.

Geas provides a myriad of possibilities for social interactions.

For instance, you could try to penetrate a faction that has an individual from their group.

Perhaps you can cause a major distraction while performing some criminal acts elsewhere in town.

6. Immolation

Source: Elemental Evil Player’s Companion p.19
Casting Time: 1 Action
Distance: 90 feet
Components: Verbal
Time: Concentration, up to 1 minute

In truth, the act of immolation is a little gruesome.

In contrast to the versatility of other spells we have listed, Immolation only offers one thing:

Damage

Anyone you choose is covered in a magical fire as if they’re male models at the gas station engaged in a gas fight to “Wake me up before You Leave”.

If they miss their Dexterity throwing save, they will suffer 8d6 of fire damage in addition to 4d6 each turn in case they continue to fail the throw.

The spell isn’t offering anything additional, none of the fancy after-effects, or modality options that can be adapted to the scenario.

The only thing you do is set an individual on fire, and it causes a great deal of harm.

They also emit bright light within 30 feet of radius.

If you’re looking to lighten up your space.

5. Infernal Calling

Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything p.158
Casting Time: 1 Minute
Distance: 90 feet
components: verbal, somatic Material (a ruby with a value of at least 999 grams)
Durée: Concentration, up to an hour

Who doesn’t want to make new acquaintances from Hell?

You can summon any demon you want (up to a limit of challenge rating) however, he’s not the most ideal pet.

Look, the Devil is controlled by the Dungeon Master.

The devil will only follow its own rules and not yours.

It’ll do as it pleases, and even try to take your life and the lives of your friends if it believes that it has the power to do so.

It is still possible to send an order to it however, it can challenge you over it.

If it prevails it will break the spell and will do whatever it pleases, obeying your commands when it wants to.

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If you have a doctorate in Demonology and are aware of a particular demon you wish to invoke, understanding their real name or having their talisman makes the magic easier to manage.

It is possible to work together with the DM to understand this, and perhaps go off on an adventure to find out!

4. Negative Energy Flood

Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything p.163
Casting Time: 1 Action
Distance: 60 feet
Contents Materials, Verbal (a cracked bone as well as the black silk square)
Duration: Instantaneous

A powerful damage spell, Negative Energy Flood offers a lot of damage. However, it could easily become out of control if you’re not careful.

The spell shoots out dark energy, which deals 5d12 necrotic damage to your opponent, and if they suffer death as a result of this spell, you will be able to revive their corpse, with just one drawback:

The zombie is not yours to control.

They will pursue any creature that is close to them that they see, which includes your family members and friends.

Wanna wreck a town?

Done.

Do you want to release a loose monster out to the globe and then follow it as the characters in a David Attenborough documentary?

You can!

Do you want to kill a weak victim who is surrounded by family members, making him the kind of animal that can attempt to kill anyone who is near him?

Why not?

3. Seeming

Source: Player’s Handbook p. 274
Casting Time: 1 Action
Distance: 30 feet
Components: Verbal, Somatic
Time: 8 hours

One of the most interesting Illusion spells that we’ve listed, seeming does a lot for just one spell.

You can create an illusion of any number of creatures in your range, either willingly or unwillingly.

This kind of spell will permit you to accomplish a lot.

Create a plethora of duplicates of one sap, and cause him to have an anxiety attack or make everyone appear like the largest, meanest-looking ruffian you can.

You can also use it to infiltrate or disguise your group as an emcee or a group of priests while you penetrate the occult.

The spell hides the appearance of your body and also the appearance of any worn items.

The person you disguise may appear different from normal, but you cannot alter them completely.

2. Steel Wind Strike

Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything p.166
Casting Time: 1 Action
Distance: 30 feet
Components Materials, Somatic (a melee weapon with at one sp)
Duration: Instantaneous

A very interesting ability for Rangers (and sort of a strange one for Wizards).

You disappear and hit up to five targets with melee spells that deal 6d10 damage to each target that you hit.

Once you have that, you can transfer to an area that is not occupied within 5 feet of the target.

I’m not sure Wizards are the ones who would normally employ this type of spell.

But rangers could get plenty of value with some impressive damage and also the ability to move around during combat.

1. Synaptic Static

Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything p.167
Casting Time: 1 Action
Band: 120 feet
Components: Verbal, Somatic
Duration: Instantaneous

Our final magic spell that tops this list Synaptic Static is the psychic Fireball with some additional effects.

You select a spot within your range and it is sprayed with psychic energy.

It forces creatures with an intelligence higher than 2 to attempt an intelligence saving roll or suffer the equivalent of 8d6 damage to their psychics (or half upon the successful save).

If they fail the saving throw, there are confused thoughts for a minute.

They roll a die and subtract that number from any attack roll, as well as ability tests, as well as maintain their focus.

This is an extremely powerful impact.

Not because of its damage, but because intelligence is one of the lowest scores when it comes to monsters.

You’ll usually benefit massively from it.

Make sure your friends are secure while keeping your adversaries in a state of euphoria.