Dungeons & Dragons: 10 Best Area Of Effect Spells (2024)

Area of effect spells in are best known for two things: taking out swathes of enemies in a single action and controlling the battlefield. If you need a tool to deal with multiple monsters at the same time, there's no better place to look than these spells.

While there are many things to consider when making your spell selections, some spells get the job done more often and more efficiently than others. This list will look at the most commonly effective area of effect spells you can pick up.

10 Faerie Fire

1st Level Evocation

This concentration spell outlines objects and creatures in a 20-foot cube with sparkling light. Creatures caught in the spell get to make a Dexterity saving throw to resist the effect. While outlined in such a manner, other creatures have advantage on attacks against the affected opponent.

This spell also counters invisibility, which can come in mighty handy against certain opponents. Providing advantage on attacks to all of your allies is no small thing, so it should come as no surprise that Faerie Fire leads this list despite only being a 1st level spell.

9 Web

2nd Level Conjuration

Web is the first powerful control spell that spellcasters can access. This concentration magic creates thick webs in a 20-foot cube. The area the webs take up becomes difficult terrain, and creatures caught in the spell must make a Dexterity saving throw on their turn or become restrained. However, they can make a Strength check as an action on their turn to break free.

Lastly, you can light the webs on fire. Doing so causes them to turn to ash in 1 round, but it also deals 2d4 fire damage to any creature caught in them. This is a great way to delay enemies from getting into melee with your party. Furthermore, using this spell alongside any kind of fire like a firebolt or melee attack made with a torch makes for a nice low-level combo.

8 Hunger Of Hadar

3rd Level Conjuration

Yet another concentration spell, Hunger of Hadar fills a 20-foot-radius sphere with squirming tentacles, magical darkness, and bitter cold. The space becomes difficult terrain and creatures inside of it are blinded. Creatures that start their turn in the space take 2d6 cold damage, and creatures that end their turn there make a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 acid damage from the feelers.

Thanks to the large area that this spell affects, it costs most creatures a dash action to escape it. Trading your one action for the actions of multiple creatures while also dealing some damage to them is a great deal. However, true savants of this spell know that they can use it to funnel enemies exactly where they want them on the battlefield.

7 Spirit Guardians

3rd Level Conjuration

Perhaps the most popular Cleric spell in existence, Spirit Guardians is a concentration spell that creates spectral guardians that surround your character out to fifteen feet. The spirits can appear as Angels, Fey, or Fiends if you are evil. Creatures inside of the affected area have their speed halved and must make a Wisdom saving throw at the start of their turns.

On a failure, they take 3d8 radiant damage if you are playing a good character or 3d8 necrotic damage if you are playing an evil one. On a success, they take half this damage. You can also upcast the spell to deal an additional 1d8 per upcasted level. Thanks to their typically high AC (Armor Class), Clerics can run into melee, drop this spell, and watch the fireworks.

6 Slow

3rd Level Transmutation

An often overlooked option, Slow doesn't deal any damage but is quite effective at controlling multiple enemies. You twist time inside of a 40-foot cube. Up to six creatures that you choose inside of the cube must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, their speed is halved, they lose their reaction, and they take a minus two penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws.

Perhaps most importantly, affected creatures can also only make a single melee or ranged attack on their turn. A smart party can use all of the deficits this spell causes to easily outmaneuver their enemies.

People also often forget that spellcasters hit by slow can only cast spells if you roll a 10 or lower on a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn't take effect until their next turn, and it takes their action on that turn to cast it. The one downfall of this spell is that creatures get to make the Wisdom save again at the end of their turns, but that's the case with most control spells.

5 Fireball

3rd Level Evocation

Every Wizard's simplest solution. Fireball creates an explosive blast in a 20-foot-radius sphere within 150 feet. Creatures inside of the space must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 8d6 fire damage. If they succeed, they take half damage. The fire also spreads around corners and sets flame to anything combustible.

There's not much more that needs to be said about this spell. It's your best method of blowing up batches of less powerful foes. Just remember that fire is the most commonly resisted damage type.

4 Hypnotic Pattern

3rd Level Illusion

Fireball is your best damage option once you reach 5th level, but hypnotic pattern is your best control tool. While fireball might outperform this spell in some situations, it's fair to say that hypnotic pattern is usually more impactful. This concentration trick creates dazzling images in a 30-foot cube within 120 feet.

Creatures inside of the area must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they are charmed by the display. While charmed in this way, they become incapacitated. Creatures wake from this spell upon taking damage or if another creature uses an action to wake them up.

Denying opposing actions is the best thing you can do in D&D aside from outright killing the opponent. While fireball deals great damage, at a certain level it's just not enough to completely wipe enemies out. Hypnotic pattern becomes better at this point.

3 Chain Lightning

6th Level Evocation

This spell technically targets a single creature, but it can leap to up to three other creatures within 30 feet of your initial target. All creatures hit by the lightning must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 10d8 lightning damage. On a success, they take half this damage.

It's difficult to trump the sheer amount of damage this spell puts out. While you can only hit four targets, your Dungeon Master won't have ten-plus enemies on the battlefield all that often. As a matter of game design, it's just hard to run that many creatures in a battle. You can also upcast the spell to hit one additional creature for each level it is upcast.

2 Synaptic Static

5th Level Enchantment

Synaptic Static deals damage and slightly controls enemies simultaneously. That's a winning combination. Creatures inside of a 20-foot radius sphere within 120 feet are assailed by mental force. On a failed Intelligence saving throw, they take 8d6 psychic damage and subtract a d6 from their attack rolls, ability checks, and concentration checks for the next minute.

On a success, they take half the psychic damage. Affected creatures can also make the save again at the end of their turns. Besides the fact that this spell deals good damage and has a great all-purpose control effect, intelligence saving throws are something that most creatures are quite bad at.

1 Meteor Swarm

9th Level Evocation

Fireball on steroids. You create four meteors that streak from the sky within a mile of you and hit four 40-foot radius sphere spaces. Creatures in those spaces make a Dexterity save. On a fail, they take 20d6 fire and 20d6 bludgeoning damage. On a success, they take half as much damage. You can't stack the meteors in the same space.

This is enough damage to murder everything but the most powerful villains. Just don't be surprised if the townsfolk cast you out after causing an earth-shattering event.