by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Level 1 Evocation spell available to Paladins. It adds 2d6 Thunder to a hit and shoves the target 3m, possibly Prone. A control smite that loves a nearby ledge.
Spell description: Your weapon rings with thunder as you strike, pushing your target 3m away and possibly knocking it Prone. If the spellcaster misses the initial Attack, the Spell Slot and Bonus Action are not consumed.
Spell properties
- Damage: 2d6 Thunder plus normal weapon damage
- Damage type: Thunder
- Range: Weapon range
- Save: STR save
- Attack type: Melee weapon Attack Roll
- Conditions applied: Pushed back 3m and knocked Prone on a failed save.
- Cost: Action + Bonus Action + Spell Slot
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
Casting Thunderous Smite at higher levels provides no additional benefits.
How to obtain Thunderous Smite
- Paladin at Class level 2
- College of Lore (Bard) at Class level 6 via Magical Secrets
- Bard at Class level 10 via Magical Secrets
- Source item: Cacophony
Your weapon rings with thunder as you strike, pushing your target 3m away and possibly knocking it Prone. If the spellcaster misses the initial Attack, the Spell Slot and Bonus Action are not consumed.
When to cast Thunderous Smite
The push and Prone are the value, not the 2d6. Smite an enemy on a ledge and the 3m shove sends it off the edge, and a Prone target is easy pickings for the rest of your party. It is a control smite dressed up as a damage one.
It costs no slot on a miss, so there is no downside to leading with it, and the Strength save to resist the knockback is one many enemies fail. Line up a cliff or a chasm and this Level 1 slot can end a dangerous enemy outright.
by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Level 1 Necromancy spell available to Sorcerers and Wizards. It deals 2d8 Poison and may Poison the target, handing it Disadvantage on attacks and checks. Good where Poison is not resisted.
Spell description: Call forth a ray of sickening energy. Deals 2d8 Poison damage and possibly Poisons the target. When Poisoned, the target suffers Disadvantage on Attack Rolls and Ability Checks.
Spell properties
- Damage: 2d8 Poison
- Damage type: Poison
- Range: 18m (60ft)
- Save: CON save
- Attack type: Ranged
- Conditions applied: Poisoned for 2 turns.
- Cost: Action + Spell Slot
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
Casting Ray of Sickness at a higher level deals an additional 1d8 Poison damage for each spell slot level above the 1st.
How to obtain Ray of Sickness
- Sorcerer, Wizard at Class level 1
- Death Domain (Cleric) at Class level 1, as a Domain Spell
- Draconic Bloodline (Green, Poison ancestry) Sorcerer at Class level 1
- Arcane Trickster (Rogue) and Eldritch Knight (Fighter) at Class level 3
- Granted by features: Magic Initiate: Sorcerer, Magic Initiate: Wizard
- Source items: Markoheshkir, Staff of Crones
Call forth a ray of sickening energy. Deals 2d8 Poison damage and possibly Poisons the target. When Poisoned, the target suffers Disadvantage on Attack Rolls and Ability Checks.
When to cast Ray of Sickness
2d8 for a Level 1 slot is a decent hit, and the Poisoned rider is the bonus: a poisoned enemy attacks and checks at Disadvantage, which is a real debuff on a dangerous target for the next couple of turns.
The weakness is the damage type. Poison is one of the most commonly resisted types in the game, so against a lot of enemies you get half or nothing. Where it lands unresisted it is good; check the target before you rely on it.
by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Level 1 Enchantment spell available to Warlocks. It curses a target for +1d6 Necrotic on every hit and Disadvantage on a chosen Ability, and hops to a new target for free when it dies. The Warlock’s signature opener.
Spell description: Curse a creature so it takes additional damage whenever you attack it and to inflict Disadvantage on Ability Checks with an Ability of your choosing. If the target dies before the spell ends, you can use a Bonus Action to Hex a new creature.
Spell properties
- Damage: 1d6 Necrotic per attack from the caster
- Damage type: Necrotic
- Range: 18m (60ft)
- Duration: Concentration
- Conditions applied: Hexed. Disadvantage on checks with the chosen Ability.
- Cost: Bonus Action + Spell Slot
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
Casting Hex at higher levels provides no additional benefits.
How to obtain Hex
- Warlock at Class level 1
- College of Lore (Bard) at Class level 6 via Magical Secrets
- Bard at Class level 10 via Magical Secrets
- Granted by features: Magic Initiate: Warlock
Curse a creature so it takes additional damage whenever you attack it and to inflict Disadvantage on Ability Checks with an Ability of your choosing. If the target dies before the spell ends, you can use a Bonus Action to Hex a new creature.
When to cast Hex
Hex is the Warlock’s signature opener. It adds 1d6 Necrotic to every hit you land on the target, and an Eldritch Blast Warlock firing multiple beams stacks that 1d6 per beam, so the extra damage adds up fast over a fight.
Because it is a Bonus Action to cast and moves to a new target for free when the current one dies, you keep it running all fight for a single slot. Pick the Ability to hobble based on the enemy: Strength on a brute, Dexterity on a save-heavy target.
by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Level 1 Evocation spell available to Bards, Clerics, and Druids. A Bonus Action heal at 18m that picks a downed ally off the floor from across the battlefield. Every healer should keep a slot for it.
Spell description: Heal a creature you can see. No effect on undead and constructs.
Spell properties
- Healing: 1d4 + Spellcasting modifier
- Range: 18m (60ft)
- Cost: Bonus Action + Spell Slot
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
Casting Healing Word at a higher level heals an additional 1d4 Hit Points for each spell slot level above the 1st.
How to obtain Healing Word
- Bard, Cleric, Druid at Class level 1
- Granted by features: Magic Initiate: Bard, Cleric, or Druid
- Source item: Amulet of Restoration
Heal a creature you can see. No effect on undead and constructs.
When to cast Healing Word
The number is small and it does not matter. Healing Word is a Bonus Action at 18m range, which means it picks a downed ally straight back up off the floor from across the battlefield while your Action still does something useful.
Downed characters in this game stand up on any healing at all, so 1d4 is plenty. Keep a slot for it on every healer, because reviving a party member for a Bonus Action, without walking into the melee that dropped them, wins fights.
by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Level 1 Divination spell available to Bards and Druids, and a Ritual. It lets you talk to beasts, which unlocks a surprising amount of quest content, lore, and shortcuts.
Spell description: Gain the ability to comprehend and verbally communicate with beasts.
Spell properties
- Range: Self
- Duration: Until Long Rest
- Ritual spell
- Cost: Action + Spell Slot
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
Casting Speak with Animals at higher levels provides no additional benefits.
How to obtain Speak with Animals
- Bard, Druid at Class level 1
- Nature Domain (Cleric) at Class level 1, as a Domain Spell
- Ranger at Class level 2
- Oath of the Ancients (Paladin) and Wildheart (Barbarian) at Class level 3
- Knowledge Domain (Cleric) at Class level 6
- Forest Gnome at Character level 1
- Granted by features: Magic Initiate: Bard or Druid, Ritual Caster
- Source item: Potion of Animal Speaking
Gain the ability to comprehend and verbally communicate with beasts.
When to cast Speak with Animals
It is a Ritual, so out of combat it costs you nothing but a moment, and Baldur’s Gate 3 is stuffed with talking animals that hand you quests, secrets, lore, and the occasional shortcut. Keeping it prepared quietly opens a lot of content.
There is no combat use whatsoever, so it lives entirely in the exploration and dialogue half of the game. If you have a Druid or Bard, cast it and forget it, because it lasts until Long Rest and pays off constantly.
Range: Weapon range
Save: STR save
Duration: Until Long Rest 
