Spells in Dungeons and Dragons have different levels, and the higher the spell’s level is, the more powerful it is.
In Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) gamers can form a party and explore fantasy worlds together. The game focuses on storytelling and adventure, so every party has a Dungeon Master (DM) who takes on the role of a storyteller.
The rest of the players can create their own characters with which to solve riddles, gather treasures, complete quests, and defeat monsters.
As the player, you can decide your character’s ability scores, race, character class, and alignment to round out their abilities and backstory.
While you progress in the game, your character will earn experience points, which is necessary to increase your level and become more powerful. You should bear in mind that the spells you use in the game also require experience points to level up.
What are spells?
The spells in DnD are fictional, magical spells that are used in various settings of the game. Spells can be versatile tools, weapons, or protective wards.
Players can use spells to deal damage or undo damage, impose or remove conditions, drain life energy from enemies, or restore life to the dead.
Every spell has a level from 0 to 9. A spell’s level is an indicator of how powerful it is, and the higher the spell’s level is, the higher the level that your character must be.
It is crucial to note that spell level and character level do not correspond. This means that your character has to be at least level 17 to cast a level 9 spell.
DnD 5e: 8th level spells
Once your character has access to level 8 spells, you can use the following:
Spell name | Description |
Animal shapes | Players can turn others into beasts, but you can only select the animal that you can see within range |
Antimagic field | Once cast, other spells cannot be cast, summoned creatures disappear, and magic items become mundane |
Antipathy /Sympathy | This spell attracts or repels creatures of your choice |
Clone | Summons a duplicate of a living creature as a safeguard against death |
Control Weather | This spell enables the caster to control the weather within 5 miles |
Demiplane | Players summon a door on a flat solid surface. Medium creatures can pass through the door unhindered |
Dominate Monster | With this spell, you can charm a creature that you can see within range |
Earthquake | Players create a seismic disturbance on the ground |
Feeblemind | This spell blasts the mind of a creature that you can see within range. It attempts to destroy its intellect and personality |
Glibness | When you perform a Charisma check, you can replace the number that you roll with 15 |
Holy Aura | This spell is cast in a radius around you. Creatures of your choice in that radius shed dim light and have an advantage over all saving throws |
Incendiary Cloud | It summons a cloud of smoke in a radius sphere. Each creature in the cloud must take a Dexterity saving throw |
Maze | Players can banish a creature into a labyrinthine demiplane |
Mind Blank | One willing creature that you touch is immune to psychic damage |
Power Word Stun | After speaking a word of power, it overwhelms the mind of a creature that you see within range |
Sunburst | Each creature in the light must make a Constitution saving throw |
Spell ranges
In order to cast a spell successfully, the target of the spell must be within the spell’s range. Keep in mind that each 8th level spell has varying ranges:
Spell name | Range |
Animal shapes | 30 feet |
Antimagic field | 10-foot-radius sphere |
Antipathy/Sympathy | 60 feet |
Clone | Touch |
Control Weather | Self |
Demiplane | 60 feet |
Dominate Monster | 60 feet |
Earthquake | 500 feet |
Feeblemind | 150 feet |
Glibness | Self |
Holy Aura | Self |
Incendiary Cloud | 150 feet |
Maze | 60 feet |
Mind Blank | Touch |
Power word stun | 60 Feet |
Sunburst | 150 feet |
How to cast a spell
Though there are spells of different levels, the same basic rules apply when a character casts any spells.
Each spell description has to begin with specific information, which should include the spell’s name, level, school of magic, casting time, range, components, and duration. The remaining part of the spell’s entry describes the spell’s effect.
Spell targets
Spells generally require that you pick one or more target(s) to be affected by its magic. The spell’s description indicates whether it targets creatures, objects, or a point of origin for an area of effect. Unless a spell has a perceptible effect, a creature may not know it is being targeted at all.
Before you cast a spell, you have to ensure there is a clear path towards the target. If the path is not clear, the target may not receive the spell, or the area-of-effect could change.