Spike Growth

Level 2 Transmutation spell available to Druids and Rangers. Turns a 6m patch of ground into hardened spikes: 2d4 Piercing damage for every 1.5m a creature moves through it, and its Movement Speed is halved. There is no save. In a game where enemies love to charge you, this is a punishment field.

Spell description: Shape a piece of ground into hard spikes. A creature walking on the spikes takes 2d4 Piercing damage for every 1.5m it moves. The spikes are difficult terrain, halving a creature’s Movement Speed.

Spell properties

• Range: 18m (60ft)
• Area: 6m (20ft)
• Duration: 100 turns
• Concentration spell
• Damage: 2d4 Piercing
• Conditions applied: Difficult terrain. Movement Speed is halved. Creatures take 2d4 Piercing damage for every 1.5m they move.
• Cost: Action + Spell Slot
• Recharge: Per action

Spell upcasting

Casting Spike Growth at higher levels provides no additional benefits.

How to obtain Spike Growth

• Druid at Class level 3
• Ranger at Class level 5

Source item: Scroll of Spike Growth

SPIKE GROWTH

Level 2 Transmutation Spell

Shape a piece of ground into hard spikes. A creature walking on the spikes takes 2d4 Piercing damage for every 1.5m it moves. The spikes are difficult terrain, halving a creature’s Movement Speed.

Range: 18m (60ft) AoE: 6m (20ft) Radius Duration: 100 turns

Action Level 2 Spell Slot

SURFACE: SPIKE GROWTH

Duration: 100 turns

AoE: 6m (20ft) Radius

Difficult Terrain. Movement Speed is halved. Creatures take 2d4 Piercing damage for every 1.5m they move through the area.

When to cast Spike Growth

Do the arithmetic and this stops looking like a Level 2. An enemy with 9m of movement crossing the field eats six ticks of 2d4, around thirty damage, no save, one slot. Halve their speed and it takes them two turns to cross, so they eat it twice.

Place it between you and them, not on top of them. Standing still in Spike Growth costs nothing. Walking through it is what hurts. Drop it across the corridor they have to use and let them come to you.

Then there is the combo everyone eventually finds. Anything that forces movement drags an enemy back and forth across the spikes for free damage every turn. Thorn Whip, Repelling Blast, Thunderwave, Gust of Wind. A Repelling Blast Warlock standing next to a Druid with Spike Growth up is one of the nastiest things you can do at low level.

The ground does not care whose side you are on. Your melee characters take exactly the same damage, and the AI will happily bait them in. Fight from range while it is up.