The Slippery Truth About Grease in 5e

The Grease spell in 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons is a 1st-level conjuration spell that creates a 10-foot square of slick, greasy terrain centered on a point within range. Any creature standing in that area when the grease appears must make a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. The area also becomes difficult terrain for the duration of the spell, making movement slower and more challenging. It’s a surprisingly versatile spell for controlling the battlefield and hindering your foes.

Understanding the Mechanics of Grease

Grease isn’t just a funny spell that makes people fall down (although that is part of its charm!). It’s a tactical tool with several important considerations:

• Range and Area: The spell has a range of 60 feet, allowing you to target areas from a safe distance. The 10-foot square area can be strategically placed to affect multiple enemies or block off a narrow passage.
• Saving Throw: The Dexterity saving throw is crucial. Creatures with high Dexterity, like rogues and monks, are more likely to resist the effect. Consider this when targeting enemies.
• Difficult Terrain: This effect halves movement speed within the area. Even if a creature succeeds on its initial saving throw, it will still struggle to move through the grease. This is where the spell shines against larger or slower creatures.
• Duration: The grease lasts for 1 minute. This may seem short, but in combat, 10 rounds can be a significant amount of time to control the battlefield.
• Schools and Classes: Grease is typically available to Wizards, Sorcerers, and sometimes Artificers, making it a common choice for early-level spellcasters focused on control and manipulation.
• Concentration: Thankfully, Grease does not require concentration, meaning you can cast it and then follow up with other spells or actions without worrying about losing the effect.

Tactical Applications of Grease

Grease is more than just a simple “trip ’em up” spell. Here are some tactical ways to employ it effectively:

• Crowd Control: Place the grease in a chokepoint to slow down or knock prone multiple enemies at once. This can buy your party valuable time to reposition or focus their attacks.
• Escape Route: Cast grease behind you while retreating to hinder pursuing enemies. This can be especially useful in dungeons or confined spaces.
• Disrupt Spellcasters: Spellcasters often rely on maintaining concentration. Knocking them prone can force them to make a Constitution saving throw to maintain their spell, potentially disrupting their plans.
• Aid Allies: Create a greasy patch in front of a melee-focused ally to make it harder for enemies to reach them.
• Environmental Interaction: While not explicitly stated as flammable (more on that later!), you could flavor the grease as something particularly nasty, like rendering or a similar substance, to add to the immersion and roleplaying aspect.

Grease: Beyond the Basics and into Roleplaying

The best spells aren’t just about their mechanics; they’re about the story they tell. The Grease spell offers ample opportunities for creative roleplaying. Think about how your character casts it. Is it a quick, muttered incantation? Or a flamboyant gesture accompanied by a shower of shimmering dust? The visual of a suddenly greasy patch of ground is ripe for comedic moments, especially when the party’s tank unexpectedly slips and slides! The Games Learning Society understands the importance of incorporating engaging narratives into games. Learn more at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.

FAQ: Grease Spell Edition

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about the Grease spell in 5e:

1. Is Grease a sorcerer spell? Yes, Grease is on the Sorcerer’s spell list, along with Wizards and Artificers.
2. What is a Scroll of Grease? A Scroll of Grease is a consumable item that allows a character who has the Grease spell on his class spell list to cast the spell once without expending a spell slot.
3. Is the Grease spell flammable? No, the spell description does not state that Grease is flammable, so it’s generally considered non-flammable RAW (Rules As Written). Homebrew rulings may differ.
4. Can Grease be used to climb walls? While not its intended purpose, a creative player might try to use the Grease spell to make a wall difficult to climb. This would be up to the DM’s discretion, but it could potentially make the wall more slippery and require Athletics checks to scale.
5. Does Grease work on water? The spell description doesn’t restrict its use on water. The DM would need to rule if the grease spreads out too thin to be effective or if it creates a slippery surface on the water.
6. Can you cast Grease multiple times in the same area? Yes, you can cast Grease multiple times. The effects would likely stack, creating an even larger area of difficult terrain, and multiple chances for creatures to fall prone, subject to DM’s interpretation.
7. Does Grease affect flying creatures? Generally no. Since it affects the ground, flying creatures would not be affected. However, if a flying creature lands in the grease, it would then be subject to the Dexterity saving throw and difficult terrain.
8. Can Grease be dispelled? Yes, as a conjuration spell, Grease can be dispelled using spells like Dispel Magic.
9. What happens if a creature is already prone when Grease is cast? A creature already prone would not be affected by the initial saving throw, but would still find the area to be difficult terrain.
10. Can you use Grease on objects? Yes, you can target an object with the Grease spell, potentially making it slippery and hard to hold. Imagine greasing the hilt of a sword an enemy is wielding.
11. Does Grease affect creatures with immunity to being knocked prone? Yes, but only the difficult terrain effect. Creatures immune to being knocked prone will not need to make a saving throw, and can traverse the grease with reduced movement.
12. How does Grease interact with other spells that affect terrain? This depends on the specific spells and DM’s ruling. Generally, if two spells create conflicting terrain effects, the more powerful or recent spell might take precedence.
13. Is Grease considered magical difficult terrain? Yes, since the difficult terrain is a direct effect of a spell, it is considered magical. This is relevant for creatures or abilities that are specifically affected by magical terrain.
14. Can I flavor the grease as something other than “grease”? Absolutely! Talk to your DM about flavoring it as ice, mud, or even something more exotic. The mechanics remain the same, but the description adds flavor to the game, this concept is supported by GamesLearningSociety.org.
15. Is Grease a good spell for all character levels? Grease is most effective at lower levels when enemies are less likely to have high Dexterity saving throws or abilities that negate its effects. However, even at higher levels, the difficult terrain can still be useful for controlling the battlefield, especially when combined with other spells or abilities.

Final Thoughts on Grease: Embrace the Silliness

The Grease spell might not be the most powerful spell in the game, but its versatility and comedic potential make it a favorite among players and DMs alike. Don’t be afraid to get creative with its use and embrace the inherent silliness of a well-placed patch of magical grease. After all, a little bit of chaos can make for a truly memorable D&D session.