by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Level 2 Evocation spell available to Bards, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. A burst of ringing sound for 3d8 Thunder damage in a 3m radius. It is the closest thing Level 2 has to a Fireball, and far fewer things resist Thunder than resist Fire.
Spell description: Generate a painfully intense ringing noise that deals 3d8 Thunder damage to all nearby creatures and objects. Affected creatures made of inorganic material such as stone have Disadvantage on their Saving Throws. On a successful save, creatures still take half damage.
Spell properties
- Range: 18m (60ft)
- Area: 3m (10ft)
- Save: CON save
- Damage: 3d8 Thunder
- Conditions applied: Creatures made of inorganic material such as stone have Disadvantage on their Saving Throw.
- Cost: Action + Spell Slot
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
Deals an extra 1d8 Thunder damage for each spell slot level above the 2nd.
How to obtain Shatter
- Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard at Class level 3
Source items: Markoheshkir, Sentient Amulet, Scroll of Shatter
Generate a painfully intense ringing noise that deals 3d8 Thunder damage to all nearby creatures and objects. Affected creatures made of inorganic material such as stone have Disadvantage on their Saving Throws. On a successful save, creatures still take half damage.
When to cast Shatter
Two things make Shatter better than its damage number suggests. The first is the damage type. Almost nothing in the game resists Thunder, while Fire resistance is everywhere from Grymforge onward. A 3d8 Shatter that lands in full often beats an 8d6 Fireball that gets halved.
The second is the stone clause. Constructs, animated armour, and anything made of rock roll their save with Disadvantage. The things that shrug off the rest of your spellbook are exactly what this is for.
The 3m radius cuts both ways. It is much easier to catch a cluster without cooking your own frontline than it is with Fireball, but you do need them genuinely bunched. Save it for the moment three of them pile into the same doorway.
It damages objects, which includes every smokepowder barrel in Act 1. That is either the best thing that has ever happened to you or a very expensive mistake.
by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Level 2 Divination spell available to Bards, Sorcerers, and Wizards. You can see Invisible creatures until a Long Rest, and anything Invisible within 9m that fails a Dexterity save loses it on the spot. It is a counter to one trick, and the game uses that trick more than you would like.
Spell description: Allows the spellcaster to see Invisible objects and creatures within range while not Incapacitated. Creatures within range which fail a Dexterity Saving Throw lose their Invisibility.
Spell properties
- Range: Self
- Area: 9m (30ft)
- Duration: Long Rest
- Save: DEX save
- Conditions applied: Creatures within range that fail a Dexterity Saving Throw lose their Invisibility.
- Cost: Action + Spell Slot
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
Casting See Invisibility at higher levels provides no additional benefits.
How to obtain See Invisibility
- Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard at Class level 3
Source items: Assassin of Bhaal Cowl, Volo’s Eye, Scroll of See Invisibility
Allows the spellcaster to see Invisible objects and creatures within range while not Incapacitated. Creatures within range which fail a Dexterity Saving Throw lose their Invisibility.
When to cast See Invisibility
There are a handful of fights in Acts 2 and 3 built around enemies that vanish, hit you, and vanish again, and they are infuriating without an answer. See Invisibility is the answer. Cast it on the turn they disappear and they stop being a problem.
The area effect is the part people miss. It is not just you seeing them: anything Invisible within 9m makes a Dexterity save or becomes visible to everyone. Your whole party gets to attack again, not just the caster.
It lasts until Long Rest and it is not Concentration, so on a day when you expect Invisible enemies you cast it in the morning and forget it. On every other day it is a dead spell known, which is why the Bard is usually better off with a scroll.
by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Level 2 Evocation spell available to Sorcerers and Wizards. Three rays of fire, each rolled as its own ranged spell attack for 2d6 Fire damage. Dump all three into one target or spread them about, and because every ray rolls separately, this scales with attack bonuses like almost nothing else at this level.
Spell description: Hurl three rays of fire. Make a ranged spell attack for each ray. For each ray that hits, you deal 2d6 Fire damage. You can hurl the rays at one target or several.
Spell properties
- Range: 18m (60ft)
- Attack: Attack roll
- Damage: 2d6 Fire per ray
- Cost: Action + Spell Slot
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
Hurls an additional ray for each spell slot level above the 2nd.
How to obtain Scorching Ray
- Sorcerer, Wizard at Class level 3
Source items: Circlet of Blasting, Gloves of Cinder and Sizzle, Hellfire Hand Crossbow, Scroll of Scorching Ray
Hurl three rays of fire. Make a ranged spell attack for each ray. For each ray that hits, you deal 2d6 Fire damage. You can hurl the rays at one target or several.
When to cast Scorching Ray
Every ray is its own attack roll, so anything that boosts one attack boosts all three. Advantage, high ground, Bless, and above all flat damage riders like the Callous Glow Ring or the Gloves of Cinder and Sizzle, all applied per ray. Stack two or three of those and this stops being a decent nuke and becomes the hardest-hitting spell you own.
The flip side is that it can miss with everything and achieve nothing at all. Fireball at least does half on a save. Do not cast this into Disadvantage, and do not fire it at long range without high ground.
Spreading the rays is usually a trap. Three targets means three chances to miss and nothing dead at the end of it. Put all three into the scariest thing on the field and remove it.
by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Level 2 Necromancy spell available to Warlocks and Wizards. A ranged spell attack that halves the damage a creature deals with Strength-based weapon attacks for ten turns. No Concentration. It is a debuff aimed squarely at one kind of enemy, and against that enemy it is superb.
Spell description: A beam of enervating energy springs from your fingers to weaken a foe. The target deals half damage with Weapon Attacks using Strength.
Spell properties
- Range: 18m (60ft)
- Duration: 10 turns
- Save: CON save
- Conditions applied: Deals half damage with Weapon Attacks that use Strength.
- Cost: Action + Spell Slot
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
Casting Ray of Enfeeblement at higher levels provides no additional benefits.
How to obtain Ray of Enfeeblement
- Warlock, Wizard at Class level 3
Source item: Scroll of Ray of Enfeeblement
A beam of enervating energy springs from your fingers to weaken a foe. The target deals half damage with Weapon Attacks using Strength.
Duration: 10 turns
- Weapon attacks that use Strength deal half damage.
- The creature repeats a Constitution Saving Throw at the end of each of its turns to end the effect.
When to cast Ray of Enfeeblement
Half damage is a bigger deal than Disadvantage. A brute who was hitting your Fighter for 20 is now hitting for 10, every swing, for ten turns, and your caster is free to concentrate on something else. Against a single scary melee enemy this is the best defensive spell in the tier.
Read the target. It only touches Strength-based weapon attacks. Archers, Rogues with finesse weapons, spellcasters, and anything that bites or claws with Dexterity do not care. Ogres, minotaurs, gith warriors, and anything holding a greataxe care a great deal.
It is a ranged spell attack rather than a save, so Advantage and high ground help it land and Disadvantage makes it useless. Cast it from the ledge, and cast it before the brute reaches your line rather than after.
by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Level 2 Abjuration spell available to Clerics, Druids, Paladins, and Rangers. Touch an ally and they get Resistance to Poison damage and Advantage on saves against being Poisoned until a Long Rest. No Concentration. It exists for the spider fights and the Underdark, and in those places it is excellent.
Spell description: Touch a creature to grant it protection against poisonous influences. You neutralise all poisons affecting it, grant it Advantage on Saving Throws against being Poisoned, and grant it Resistance to Poison damage.
Spell properties
- Range: Melee: 1.5m (5ft)
- Duration: Long Rest
- Conditions applied: Advantage on Saving Throws against being Poisoned, and Resistance to Poison damage.
- Cost: Action + Spell Slot
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
Casting Protection from Poison at higher levels provides no additional benefits.
How to obtain Protection from Poison
- Cleric, Druid at Class level 3
- Paladin, Ranger at Class level 5
Source item: Scroll of Protection from Poison
Touch a creature to grant it protection against poisonous influences. You neutralise all poisons affecting it, grant it Advantage on Saving Throws against being Poisoned, and grant it Resistance to Poison damage.
Duration: Until Long Rest
- Resistance to Poison damage.
Advantage on Saving Throws against being Poisoned.
When to cast Protection from Poison
The Poisoned condition is Disadvantage on every attack and every check, and Act 1 hands it out constantly: phase spiders, the Ettercaps, the Bulette, half the goblin archers. Advantage on the save means your frontliner mostly stops catching it.
It is not Concentration and it lasts all day, so it is a morning buff. Put it on whoever stands in front before you go into the spider caves and never think about it again.
Outside of Poison-heavy areas it does nothing at all, and a Cleric preparing spells for the day should swap it out the moment the spiders are behind you.
Range: 18m (60ft)
Save: CON save
AoE: 3m (10ft) Radius
