D&D 5e spell changes

Rule changes

Race changes

Class changes

Spell changes

Feat changes

This page describes any changes that have been made to the rules of certain spells in Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3), from their original specifications in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition (D&D 5e). Other rule changes can be found on their related pages.

The rule changes described on this and related pages are written with the assumption the reader understands the relevant D&D 5e rule. These pages will not explain what the D&D 5e rule is, only what the changed or altered BG3 rule is. These pages also include many BG3 features and abilities that are unchanged from D&D 5e to help a D&D 5e player quickly see which options have changed and which have not, and make decisions without having to do additional research. If the BG3 rule aligns with a OneD&D rule or other playtest material from D&D 5e, that is considered a rule change from D&D 5e.

General

• In the same turn, you can use both your action and bonus action to cast non-cantrip spells.
  • Example:  Fireball (action) and  Misty Step (bonus action) can be cast during the same turn.
• No spells have a somatic component. You can cast spells without a free hand, such as while wielding a weapon and wearing a shield.
• All spells have an implicit verbal component and cannot be cast while  Silenced, unless the spell description specifically mentions that it can be cast while Silenced.
  • Way of the Four Elements spells lack verbal components.
• No spells have a material component. There are no component pouches or spellcasting foci in the game.
  • To cast spells from the Bard spell list, Bards either use their equipped musical instrument or whistle. This visually acts as a spellcasting focus.
• All spells have a casting time of a single Action, Bonus Action or Reaction. Some spells that have a longer casting time in D&D 5e have been modified so that they cannot be cast in combat.
  • Ritual Spells are always cast as a ritual when cast outside of combat, and ritual casting does not increase the casting time. Some spells which are not ritual spells in 5e have become so (see below).
• Combat areas tend to have a large amount of verticality, but are rather small in horizontal size. This has led to many spells having a reduced range, often 60 ft.
  • Spells with a range of Touch have been changed to a range of 5 ft.
• All spell durations are either until taking a Long Rest, or are measured in rounds (up to 10 rounds).
  • Most spells with a duration of more than one minute in D&D 5e have been modified to last until taking a Long Rest.
• Scrolls can be used by any character, regardless of their class, level or Intelligence score. No ability check is needed to successfully cast a scroll.
• Cantrips get their second upgrade when reaching level 10 instead of level 11, e.g.  Fire Bolt deals 3d10 damage by level 10.
• No spells of 7th level or higher are available, as 7th level spell slots are generally first acquired at class level 13 and BG3's level cap is 12.
• Summoning spells such as Conjure Elemental or Animate Dead that originally lasted more than one minute are no longer Concentration spells and last until the next Long Rest. It is possible for one character to have multiple Summons actively out at once, as long as each was summoned from a different spell.
• Concentration on a spell is automatically broken, without a saving throw, if the caster becomes Prone for any reason.
  • The lack of a saving throw for this makes knocking a spellcaster over often a more reliable way of breaking their concentration than damaging them.
• Spells that allow multiple attack rolls against separate targets (such as Scorching Ray, or Eldritch Blast at level 5+) require all of the targets to be selected before casting the spell. As clarified in the Sage Advice Compendium, in 5e the caster is allowed to target, roll, and resolve each attack separately before choosing the target for the next one.

Reaction spells

When choosing whether to use a reaction, players have access to a lot more information than they normally would in D&D 5e. For example:

• When choosing whether to use a reaction that can modify the result of an attack roll or impose advantage or disadvantage, you are told the result of the attack roll, the required roll needed for a hit, and whether the attack roll was a critical hit or miss.
• You can choose to use a reaction that imposes advantage or disadvantage after the check or save is first rolled.
• When choosing whether to use a reaction that can modify the result of another creature's spell, you are told the name of the spell being cast, whether or not it was upcast, the spell DC, and the result of any saving throw (if applicable).
  • No Arcana check is needed to identify the spell being cast.

Cantrips

Changes to cantrips

Spell name	Range and duration changes	Other changes
Acid Splash	-	Affects all creatures within a 2 m / 7 ft radius.
Blade Ward	-	While the spell's description says two turns, it is effectively until the end of the caster's next turn like in D&D 5e. This is because the spell's duration includes the turn on which it was cast.
Bone Chill (prev. Chill Touch)	Range reduced from 120 ft to 60 ft	Undead have disadvantage on all attacks for a round, not just attacks against the caster.
Dancing Lights	Range reduced from 120 ft to 60 ft	Only creates one light, which sheds light in a 9 m / 30 ft radius and cannot be moved by the caster.
Eldritch Blast	Range reduced from 120 ft to 60 ft	May cast three beams at level 10, rather than level 11.
Fire Bolt	Range reduced from 120 ft to 60 ft	-
Friends	-	You lose -10 reputation with whoever you cast Friends on when the spell ends in Balanced difficulty and above. This can sometimes be avoided by casting Friends while under effects of Disguise Self, except against playable Origins.
Guidance	-	The bonus to ability checks is applied automatically until the spell ends. Using it once does not end the spell. It can be cast during conversation without consequences.
Light	Duration increased from 1 hour to until Long Rest.	Radius of shed light increased to 25 ft, instead of 20 ft bright and an additional 20 ft dim.
Mage Hand	Range increased from 30 ft to 60 ft. Duration increased to until long rest for Arcane Tricksters.	Can only be cast once per short rest. The mage hand is a summon with its own initiave, movement and actions. It can use the Shove action.
Minor Illusion	Range increased from 30 ft to 60 ft	Requires concentration, does not break stealth to cast. The spell is limited to making a distraction which NPCs may move or turn towards to investigate. The illusion is limited only to a cat that meows once.
Poison Spray	-	-
Produce Flame	Duration increased from 10 minutes to until Long Rest.	Added to the Cleric spell list. Radius of shed light increased to 30 ft, instead of 10 ft bright and an additional 10 ft dim.
Ray of Frost	-	Can freeze a water or blood surface to become an ice surface. Hitting a target standing on such a surface will also freeze said surface and force everyone standing in it to roll a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
Resistance	-	The bonus to saving throws is applied automatically until the spell ends. Using it once does not end the spell. Can be used in conversations when a dialogue choice triggers a saving throw.
Sacred Flame	-	-
Shillelagh	-	-
Shocking Grasp	-	-
Thaumaturgy	Range reduced from 30 ft to self	Grants advantage on Intimidation and Performance checks. Can be used during a conversation if an option using one of these skills is selected.
Thorn Whip	-	-
True Strike	Range increased from 30 ft to 60 ft	While the spell's description says two turns, it is effectively until the end of the caster's next turn like in D&D 5e. This is because the spell's duration includes the turn on which it was cast. Unlike in 5e, the advantage can be used with an attack roll made on the same turn the spell is cast.
Vicious Mockery	-	The spell causes the caster to make a verbal quip which is voice acted. The insult is chosen randomly from a list of several.

First level spells

Changes to first level spells

Spell name	Range and duration changes	Other changes
Animal Friendship	Range increased from 30 ft to 60 ft, duration reduced from 24 hrs to 1 minute	Once the spell ends, the creature knows it was Charmed and might attack the spellcaster.
Armour of Agathys	Duration increased from 1 hour to until Long Rest.	-
Arms of Hadar	-	-
Bane	-	-
Bless	-	-
Burning Hands	Range increased from 15 to 17 ft	-
Charm Person	Range increased from 30 to 60 feet, duration reduced from 1 hr to 1 minute	On Explorer and higher difficulty you will lose reputation with whoever you cast Charm Peson on when the spell ends. This can sometimes be avoided by casting Charm Person while under the effects of  Disguise Self.
Chromatic Orb	Range reduced from 90 to 60 feet	The spell will only do 3d8 damage if you select thunder damage. If you choose any of the other elements it does 2d8 damage and creates a relevant surface at the target’s feet.
Colour Spray	Range increased from 15 to 17 ft	Always blinds creatures with an HP total of 33 hit points + 11 HP per upcast level. Instead of rolling the 6d10+2d10 per upcast level, though 33+11x is the average of such a roll.
Command	-	The spell's tooltip describes this as requiring Concentration, but this appears to be a typo.
Compelled Duel	Duration reduced from 1 minute to 3 rounds	The spell does not end if you attack another creature, or if an ally harms or targets, or end your turn more than 30 ft away.
Create or Destroy Water	The area of effect is a 15 ft radius circle, rather than 30 ft cube. This radius increases by 5 ft per spell level.	The option to fill or destroy water from a container is not present. Create water will create a water surface and cause creatures in the area to be subject to the wet condition, while destroy water removes water surfaces and the wet condition. Create Water will also remove blood and dirt from characters and put out fires.
Cure Wounds	-	-
Disguise Self	Duration increased from 1 hr to until long rest	You can only choose from preset appearances that do not resemble any of the game's NPCs. Became a Ritual spell. Using a disguise of a small enough size category allows an affected character to access areas that only smaller creatures normally can, which is contrary to how the effect is described in 5e (i.e., it's only an illusion and doesn't physically change the target).
Dissonant Whispers	-	The target does not have to use their reaction to flee, but is frightened for 2 rounds. This is a tactically significant change as the Frightened condition completely immobilizes targets in BG3, rather than just preventing them from moving closer to the source of their fear.
Divine Favour	Duration reduced from 1 minute to 3 rounds	-
Enhance Leap (Jump)	-	Became a Ritual spell. Triples the caster's base jump distance. Any other modifiers that increase jump distance (such as the benefits of Athlete and Advanced Unarmoured Movement) are not tripled.
Ensnaring Strike	-	This is part of the attack action, and will only consume the bonus action and spell slot if the attack hits. The concentration is to maintain the Ensnared effect, rather than the spell's effect on your weapon. The Help action automatically frees the target with no check required.
Entangle	Area changed from a 20 ft square to a circle with 10 ft radius	Creatures can be restrained each turn they are in the spell area, rather than just those present at the initial cast.
Expeditious Retreat	Duration increased from 10 minutes to until long rest, but still requires concentration	-
Faerie Fire	Area of effect is changed from a 20 ft cube to a circle with a 20 ft radius.	Does not affect objects (which would provide no benefit anyway, as attacks against objects always hit in BG3).
False Life	Duration increased from 1 hr to until long rest	Grants a flat 7 temporary hit points rather than 1d4+4. Upcasting still grants an additional 5 temporary hit points per level.
Feather Fall	Radius reduced from 60 ft to 30 ft.	Feather fall becomes a bonus action to cast in most scenarios, but there are some cutscenes where you may use the spell as well. Became a Ritual spell. In 5E casting time is a Reaction, not in BG3 (has to be precast so you need to plan to be blown off a rooftop etc.)
Find Familiar	Casting time is instant, and can only be cast while out of combat	Limited to cat, crab, frog, rat, raven, and spider unless a class feature like Pact of the Chain grants additional options. They are able to attack, and have special moves with unique effects.
Fog Cloud	Range reduced from 120 ft to 60 ft. Persists for as long as you maintain concentration.	As of EA patch 9 there is no known way to dispel with gust of wind or other similar effect.
Goodberry	-	Only 4 berries are summoned, but they each restore 1d4 hit points rather than just 1, and can be eaten as a bonus action rather than an action.
Grease	Instead of a 10 ft cube, it is a circle with 15 ft diameter	Grease can be lit on fire, which does fire damage to creatures in the area and also ends the spell.
Guiding Bolt	Range reduced from 120 ft to 60 ft	-
Hail of Thorns	Radius slightly increased from 5 ft to 7 ft.	Concentration is not required. (uncertain if using the spell consumes a bonus action if the attack misses)
Healing Word	-	-
Hellish Rebuke	Unlimited range.	-
Hex	Spell lasts for as long as the caster can maintain concentration, range reduced to 60 ft	As of EA patch 9 the spell is bugged, causing hex damage to activate a second time on eldritch blast if you have agonizing blast Eldritch Invocation.
Hunter's Mark	Spell lasts for as long as the caster can maintain concentration, range reduced to 60 ft	-
Ice Knife	Radius slightly increased from 5 ft to 7 ft.	-
Inflict Wounds	-	-
Longstrider	Duration increased to until long rest.	Became a Ritual spell. Uniquely among BG3 spells, it can be cast at a higher level when ritual casting.
Mage Armour	Duration increased to until long rest.	-
Magic Missile	Range reduced to 60 ft	-
Protection from Evil and Good	Duration is increased from 1 hr to until Long Rest, concentration is still required.	The effect does not mention granting advantage on future saves if the target is already charmed, frightened, or possessed. Verification required on if this means the spell automatically ends such conditions, or if the spell has no effect on an existing condition.
Ray of Sickness	While the spell's description says two turns, it is effectively until the end of your next turn like in 5e	-
Sanctuary	Range increased to 60 ft	Enemies cannot attack the warded target for the duration of the spell. They do not get to make a save and try to attack the protected creature. If the warded creature attacks, they get the Sanctuary Blocked condition, resulting in them being unable to gain Sanctuary for 1 turn.
Searing Smite	-	This is part of the attack action, and will only consume the bonus action and spell slot if the attack connects. The concentration is to maintain the burning effect on the target, rather than the spell's effect on your weapon.
Shield	-	Reaction only raises when you can contest the attack roll to make it miss.
Shield of Faith	Duration increased til long rest for as long as you can maintain concentration	-
Sleep	Range reduced to 60 ft, duration reduced to 2 turns	Always makes creatures with a hit point total of 24 fall asleep, which increases by 8 for higher level casts of the spell. There is no rolling of 5d8+2d8 per upcast level. Unusually, the average of such a roll would be 22.5+9x. Thus, this spell is, on average, more powerful in BG3 when cast with a level 1 and 2 spell slot.
Speak with Animals	Duration increased to until long rest, and concentration is still required.	Owlbears are classified as beasts in BG3, so this spell allows you to communicate with them. In 5e they are monstrosities and thus not eligible.
Tasha's Hideous Laughter	Range increased to 60 ft	Does not actually apply the Prone condition, although the target does visually appear to be prone. The distinction is relevant for certain mechanics such as the attacks of Hook Horrors.
Thunderous Smite	-	This is part of the attack action, and will only consume the bonus action and spell slot if the attack connects. Unlike the other Smite spells, Thunderous Smite does not require concentration, since BG3 applies that to the persistent effect which this spell does not have. The target always gets pushed back 10 feet on hit, and the save is only to resist falling prone.
Thunderwave	Cube size slightly increased from 15 ft to 17 ft	-
Witch Bolt	Range increased form 30 ft to 60 ft	-
Wrathful Smite	Verification required on duration	This is part of the attack action, and will only consume the bonus action and spell slot if the attack connects. The concentration is to maintain the frightened effect on the target, rather than the spell's effect on your weapon.

Second level spells

Changes to second level spells

Spell name	Range and duration changes	Other changes
Aid	Lasts until long rest	Affects all allies within range, not a limited number. Downed allies heal an additional 1 hit point similar to a help action.
Arcane Lock	Lasts 10 turns instead of 100.	Renders the target immune to the  Knock spell, instead of that spell suppressing it for 10 minutes.
Barkskin	Lasts until long rest, but still requires concentration	-
Blindness/Deafness	Distance increased to 60 ft	Deafen is not an option, the target can only be blinded
Blur	-	-
Branding Smite	-	This is part of the attack action, and will only consume the bonus action and spell slot if the attack lands. The concentration is to maintain the frightened effect on the target, rather than the spell's effect on the caster's weapon.
Calm Emotions	-	The spell only includes the option to make humanoids in the area immune to the Charmed or Frightened conditions. However, it also deactivates (and prevents further activation of) the Rage ability used by Barbarians and certain other creatures, which, while a logical interpretation, is not a function of the 5e version as written.
Cloud of Daggers	Size increased from a 5 ft square to a 7 ft radius circle.	-
Crown of Madness	Duration is reduced to three rounds	Does not require the caster to use their action to control the target. The target will automatically attack the closest creature to them, rather than a target of the caster's choosing within melee range.
Darkness	Duration reduced to 1 minute. Can only be targetted on a point, and cannot target an object.	-
Darkvision	Duration changed from 8 hours to until Long Rest	The range of darkvision granted by the spell is reduced to 40 feet, in line with reductions to the racial darkvision features.
Detect Thoughts	Duration increased from 1 minute to until Long Rest so long as the caster maintains concentration	There are dialogue prompts to use Detect Thoughts at specific instances. Became a Ritual spell.
Enhance Ability	Duration increased from 1 hour to until long rest for as long as the caster can maintain concentration.	Bear's Endurance gives 7 temporary hit points, rather than 2d6. Cat's grace gives resistance to falling damage rather than mitigating fall damage from 20 ft or less.
Enlarge/Reduce	-	The weight changes according to whether the caster uses enlarge or reduce, but the formula for determining the new weight of the affected creature is different.
Enthrall	Range is 20 ft instead of 60	-
Flame Blade	Duration increased from 10 minutes to until long rest as long as the caster can maintain concentration	The blade can be equipped or unequipped, but cannot leave the caster's inventory.
Flaming Sphere	-	At the end of combat the chained party members of your group will all group back together. That includes this flaming sphere returning to its caster, where it may damage them and others for the remaining duration of the spell. If you have this spell active at the end of combat, prepare to pause and drop concentration or give orders for the sphere to stay away.
Gust of Wind	AoE is 40 ft instead of 60. Spell is immediate rather than lasting 10 turns and requiring concentration.	Since the spell is immediate the direction cannot be changed after the fact. Off Balance does not halve the movement speed of the victims if they try to move towards the caster.
Heat Metal	-	If a target has a metal weapon and metal armour then this spell will prioritize the weapon. If armour is targeted, it cannot be removed.
Hold Person	-	The spell itself is not changed, but note that the range for automatic critical hits is increased from 5 ft to 10 ft for all Paralyse effects.
Invisibility	Duration reduced to 1 minute instead of 1 hr.	-
Knock	-	Cannot be used to open something that has had  Arcane Lock cast on it, instead of suppressing that spell's effects for 10 minutes.
Lesser Restoration	-	Can remove Diseased conditions in addition to those it can remove in 5e.
Magic Weapon	Lasts until long rest or until the caster loses concentration	Can be applied to a weapon that is already magical, and does stack with any magical bonuses from that weapon. Cannot be applied to ranged weapons.
Melf's Acid Arrow	Range reduced from 90 ft to 60 ft.	Creates an Acid surface on the ground under the target in addition to its other effects.
Mirror Image	-	The spell still grants three illusory duplicates, but each gives the caster a +3 bonus to AC. Each time an attack misses, one of these duplicates disappears.
Misty Step	Range increased from 30 ft to 60 ft	-
Moonbeam	Range reduced from 120 ft to 60 ft, cylinder radius reduced from 5 ft to 3.3 ft	Shapechangers do not have disavantage on the saving throw, and are not reverted to their original form if they fail.
Pass Without Trace	Duration increased from 1 hr to until long rest for as long as the caster maintains concentration.	-
Phantasmal Force	-	The target cannot make investigation checks to end the spell. The flavorful aspects of the spell are replaced by changing the damage type on subsequent turns from psychic to the damage type that affected it last.
Prayer of Healing	Can only be cast outside of combat, where it is then cast instantaneously	-
Protection from Poison	Duration increased from 1 hour to until long rest, and concentration is still not required	Neutralizes all poisons affecting the targets instead of just one.
Ray of Enfeeblement	-	The creature does not get to make a save to end the effect.
Scorching Ray	Range reduced from 120 ft to 60 ft	-
See Invisibility	Lasts until Long Rest instead of 1 hour.	Does not provide the ability to see into the Ethereal Plane, which in general is not implemented in BG3.
Shatter	-	-
Silence	Range reduced from 120 ft to 60 ft	Note that although spell components are not a thing in BG3, some spells are explicitly immune to this, and it's generally spells that lack verbal components in 5e.
Spiritual Weapon	-	The weapon is considered a creature and can be directly attacked. It has AC 10, 20 HP, and all ability scores 10; it has immunity to psychic and poison damage, and resistance to all other damage types except Force. Upcasting the spell adds 8 HP for every 2 extra slot levels, in addition to the damage increase. The weapon behaves like a summoned creature, with its own turn in the initiative order, rather than requiring the caster to use a bonus action to activate it. Unlike in 5e, it is not possible for the same caster to summon more than one at a time. A limited set of weapon types are available: greataxe, greatsword, halberd, maul, spear, and trident. The weapon can use the Weapon actions associated with the selected weapon type. However, the save DC for these is fairly low (fixed at 12) and does not scale with the spell slot level or any of the caster's stats.
Spike Growth	Range reduced from 150 ft to 60 ft. Duration increased from 10 minutes to until long rest for as long as you can maintain concentration.	-
Warding Bond	-	Does not end if the caster and the target move more than 60 ft from one another.
Web	Duration increased from 1 hour to until long rest for as long as you can maintain concentration.	Creates a Web surface which can be destroyed with fire damage, and which does not cause falling damage if a creature falls onto it from any height. The web surface applies Enwebbed, which has the same mechanical effects as Restrained (which is what this spell does in 5e) but is technically a different condition.

Third level spells

Changes to third level spells

Spell name	Range and duration changes	Other changes
Animate Dead	-	The caster can choose between a zombie or skeleton with each cast. Both creatures have different stat blocks than what is in the Monster Manual, and can be found on the spell's page.
Beacon of Hope	-	-
Bestow Curse	-	-
Blinding Smite	-	Concentration is not required to maintain the Blinded status on the target.
Blink	-	Ends concentration effects on others (i.e Haste, Invisibility) when phased to other plane
Call Lightning	Range reduced from 120 ft to 60 ft. Duration reduced from 10 minutes to 1 minute	The radius is 7 ft, and therefore able to hit a group of targets that are tightly packed together.
Counterspell	-	Verification required on mechanics for countering spells cast at a higher level than the spell slot.
Crusader's Mantle	-	-
Daylight	The light radius is only 50 ft	The spell can only target a point or a weapon, but not other objects. Daylight is considered sunlight which affects creatures that are sensitive to sunlight such as Shadows and a certain Vampire.
Elemental Weapon	-	No upcast benefits, even if a multiclass character casts it from a higher level non-Paladin spell slot.
Fear	Duration reduced to 3 turns.	Does not require affected creatures to Dash away from the caster; like other Fear effects in BG3, it immobilizes the affected creatures instead.
Feign Death	Duration reduced to 1 minute	The effect can be removed using the Help action.
Fireball	Range reduced to 60 ft	Blast radius reduced to 15 feet.
Gaseous Form	Duration increased from 1 hour to until long rest so long as the caster maintains concentration	Does not reduce the target's movement speed. The target becomes tiny in size, which is how the game mechanically allows them to fit through small spaces.
Glyph of Warding	Range increased from touch to 30 feet, and only takes an action to cast. The radius is fixed to 13 ft	The caster may select from the Explosive Runes option with all associated damage types, or use glyphs that cause creatures to fall asleep or get pushed away. There is no generic option to have the glyph trigger a spell of the caster's choice.
Grant Flight (Fly)	Duration reduced to 1 minute	Name changed so to avoid confusion with the Fly action that creatures with a flying speed have. The target's movement speed increases to 60 ft and they are able to fly between two points, but they must end each move on the ground.
Haste	-	The hastened condition the target receives from the spell is allows the target to take an additional action with no limits, similar to Action Surge. The target can multiattack or cast a spell with the hastened action. The Lethargic condition applied after the spell ends prevents the target from taking reactions (as well as actions and movement as in 5e).
Hunger of Hadar	Range reduced from 150 ft to 60 ft	-
Hypnotic Pattern	Duration reduced to two rounds. Range reduced from 120 ft to 60 ft. Area of effect changed from a 30 ft square to a circle with radius 15 ft.	The effect can be ended with a bonus action, rather than a full action, by someone shoving the target.
Lightning Arrow	-	Uses a ranged spell attack for the primary damage rather than being combined with a ranged weapon attack. No upcast benefits, even if a multiclass character casts it from a higher level non-Ranger spell slot.
Lightning Bolt	-	-
Mass Healing Word	-	This spell is cast like Bless or Bane, where the caster can't select individual targets but only up to 6 targets within 30 ft of a point of the caster's choice.
Plant Growth	Range reduced from 150 ft to 60 ft. Radius reduced from 100 ft to 20 ft.	The caster can only choose the option that causes creatures to use quadruple movement. The spell can be ended if it is hit by any fire damage.
Protection from Energy	Duration increased from 1 hr to until long rest	-
Remove Curse	-	There are no cursed items/equipment that require attunement, hence this not being mentioned in the description.
Revivify	The spell's range is increased to 30 feet, and when cast the caster can bring the ally back to life with 1 hp at any location in the spell's AOE.	There is no time limit on using revivify. Revivify can be used regardless of how damaged, burned or mutilated the body is. If the body went missing such as falling into a chasm, a blue soul spawns in its place which can be used to revive the target. The spell can only be used on Companions or the player character.
Sleet Storm	Range reduced to 60 feet, radius reduced to 30 feet	Spell does not make the area heavily obscured. Fire damage will melt away the ice surface, but it will return if the caster continues to concentrate.
Slow	Range is 60 ft instead of 120.	-
Speak with Dead	The spell is cast on self, giving the caster the ability to speak with the dead. The duration is increased from 10 minutes to until long rest. Concentration is not required.	The creature will still not talk with their killer, but one can sometimes get around this by using disguise self. Each corpse can only be subject to the spell once. The deceased will not be able to talk if they were killed by acid, fire, lightning, necrotic, or radiant damage. Became a Ritual spell.
Spirit Guardians	The radius is reduced to 10 ft. Duration reduced to 1 minute	The damage type is chosen by the caster when the spell is cast, rather than being affected by the caster's alignment.
Stinking Cloud	Range is reduced to 60 ft	The spell is considered a poison effect for the purposes of immunity or advantage on saving throws. It is unable to be dispelled using wind effects.
Vampiric Touch	-	-
Warden of Vitality (Aura of Vitality)	-	-

Fourth level spells

Changes to fourth level spells

Spell name	Range and duration changes	Other changes
Banishment	Duration reduced from 1 Minute / 10 rounds to 2 rounds.	Does not have the secondary effect of permanently banishing extra-planar entities (e.g. Celestials, Fiends) at the end of the spell.
Blight	-	Does not affect undead or constructs
Confusion	Duration reduced from 1 Minute / 10 rounds to 3 Turns, Radius increased to 6 m / 20 ft	Does not affect allies in the area of effect.
Conjure Minor Elemental	-	Upcasting grants no benefit. Concentration not required. Effect limited to 1-2 units.
Conjure Woodland Being	-	Upcasting grants no benefit. Concentration not required. Effect limited to 1 Dryad.
Death Ward	Range increased to 1.5 m / 5 ft, Duration increased to Long Rest	Effect protecting from non-damaging instant death is removed.
Dimension Door	Range reduced to 1.5 m / 5 ft.	Effect reduced to line of sight only. When teleporting with another creature, they must be Medium or smaller, rather than your size or smaller.
Dominate Beast	-	Upcasting grants no benefit. Target does not get Advantage on save from being in combat with you or allies.
Evard's Black Tentacles	Range reduced to 18 m / 60 ft.	Creatures must use Strength Saves against the effect.
Fire Shield	Duration reduced from 10 Minutes/100 Rounds to 10 Turns.	Light spreads in 3 m / 10 ft radius only. Cannot be dismissed as an action.
Freedom of Movement	Duration increased from 1 hour to Long Rest.	Removes the Stunned condition (in addition to Paralysed and Restrained). Does not affect underwater movement, as there is none in BG3.
Grasping Vine	-	The vine is treated as a summoned creature which has 26 hit points, an AC of 13, and its own place in the initiative order.
Greater Invisibility	-	Invisible creature must now make increasingly difficult Stealth checks when attacking, casting spells, or doing anything else that would automatically end the basic Invisibility spell.
Guardian of Faith	Duration reduced from 8 hours to 10 Turns.	The Guardian now acts as a summoned creature with associated stat block and can be defeated by enemies. It loses hit points when it deals damage, instead of disappearing after it has dealt a certain amount of damage.
Ice Storm	Range reduced to 18 m / 60 ft instead of 90 m /300 ft.	-
Otiluke's Resilient Sphere	Duration reduced from 1 Minute / 10 Turns to 3 Turns.	The interaction with Disintegrate is omitted.
Phantasmal Killer	Range reduced from 36 m / 120 ft to 18 m / 60 ft.	Does not apply the Frightened condition, but its own Phantasmal Killer condition, which includes both the fear effect and the ongoing psychic damage effect.
Polymorph	Duration reduced from 1 Hour / 600 Turns to 5 Turns.	Excess revert-causing damage no longer carries over to the creature's hit points. Can only turn a creature into a sheep instead of any beast under a certain challenge rating.
Staggering Smite	Duration reduced from 1 Minute / 10 Turns to 1 Turn.	Concentration not required, Spell now includes an attack in the casting with cast time moving from Bonus Action to Action + Bonus Action.
Stoneskin	Duration increased from 1 Hour/ 600 Turns to Long Rest.	-
Wall of Fire	Range reduced from 36 m / 120 ft to 18 m / 60 ft.	The maximum length of the wall is increased from 60 ft to 120 ft; there is no option to create a circular wall.

Fifth level spells

Changes to fifth level spells

Spell name	Range and duration changes	Other changes
Banishing Smite
Cloudkill	Range reduced to 18 m / 60 ft instead of 120 ft.	The caster can manually reposition the cloud, instead of it automatically moving away from the caster each round.
Cone of Cold	Range reduced to 9 m / 30 ft instead of 60 ft.	-
Conjure Elemental	Range reduced to 18 m / 60 ft instead of 90 ft.	Rather than any elemental below a certain Challenge Rating, the caster can summon one of four specific types. At level 6, four stronger types become available. The conjured creature will never go hostile against those who summoned them since Concentration is not required to maintain control of the summoned creature.
Contagion	-	-
Destructive Wave	-	Does not offer the option to deal Necrotic damage.
Dispel Evil and Good	-	Affects Aberrations and Elementals, in addition to Celestials, Fey, Fiends, and Undead as in 5e. Does not offer the option to send extraplanar creatures back to their home plane.
Dominate Person	-	Always grants full control over the target without using the caster's actions to do so. Can only be used on enemies.
Flame Strike	-	Deals 5d6 Fire damage and 5d6 Radiant damage, instead of 4d6 of each. Both damage types are increased when upcast, rather than the caster choosing one or the other.
Greater Restoration	-	Can remove Cursed and Stunned conditions, as well as Charmed and Petrified. Eliminates all such effects on the target, rather than just one.
Hold Monster	Range reduced to 18 m / 60 ft instead of 90 ft.	The spell itself is not changed, but note that the range for automatic critical hits is increased from 5 ft to 10 ft for all Paralyse effects.
Insect Plague	Range reduced to 18 m / 60 ft from 300 ft.	-
Mass Cure Wounds	-	Heals all allies in range rather than being limited to 6.
Planar Binding	Casting time reduced to 1 action from 1 hour; duration reduced to 1 minute from 24 hours.	Greatly simplified; just charms the target and turns it into an allied NPC for the duration if it fails the save. Requires concentration. Upcasting does not increase the duration.
Seeming	Range increased to 18 m / 60 ft instead of 30 ft. Lasts until dispelled rather than 8 hours.	Same limited set of disguises as  Disguise Self. Can only be applied to the 4 members of your main party, rather than any number of creatures in range. Requires concentration.
Telekinesis	-	Does not require spellcasting ability checks to be able to throw things. Throwing a creature requires the creature to fail a Strength save, rather than a contested ability check.
Wall of Stone	Range reduced to 18 m / 60 ft instead of 120 ft.	The stone panels are immune to Psychic damage and vulnerable to Force and Thunder damage.

Sixth level spells

Upcasting benefits are not listed for any sixth level spells, as it is not possible to acquire spell slots of 7th level or higher in the game.

Changes to sixth level spells

Spell	Range and duration changes	Other changes
Arcane Gate	Both portals can be anywhere within 18 m / 60 ft, rather than one within 10 ft and one within 500 ft.	Does not allow using a bonus action to rotate the portals.
Blade Barrier	Range decreased to 18 m / 60 ft, instead of 90 ft.	-
Chain Lightning	Range decreased to 18 m / 60 ft, instead of 150 ft.	Secondary targets can be anyone within range of the spell, not just within 30 ft of the primary target.
Circle of Death	Range decreased to 18 m / 60 ft, instead of 150 ft. Radius of affected area reduced to 9 m / 30 ft, instead of 60 ft.	-
Create Undead	-	Creates a single undead mummy out of nothing, rather than turning up to 3 corpses into ghouls. No requirement that the spell be cast at night.
Disintegrate	Range decreased to 9 m / 30 ft, instead of 60 ft.	-
Eyebite	-	The sleep effect can be ended with a bonus action, rather than a full action, by someone shoving the target. The sickened effect can be resisted with a Constitution saving throw, rather than Wisdom. The panicked effect imposes a normal Frightened condition and does not also require the target to move away from the caster.
Flesh to Stone	-	-
Globe of Invulnerability	Can be placed anywhere within 18 m / 60 ft, rather than only centered on the caster.	Makes creatures and objects inside the sphere immune to all damage, rather than making them immune to spells of 5th level and lower cast from outside. In practice this means that the globe now blocks non-magical ranged attacks from outside, but spells cast from outside can still impart non-damaging effects on creatures inside.
Harm	-	-
Heal	-	Has a secondary memory restoration effect if cast on a character with the Dark Urge origin.
Heroes' Feast	Range increased to 18 m / 60 ft, instead of 30 ft.	Affected creatures' hit point maximum is increased by a fixed value of 12, rather than 2d10.
Otiluke's Freezing Sphere	Range decreased to 1.5 m / 5 ft, instead of 300 ft.	Casting the spell never immediately launches the sphere; it is always stored for later use.
Otto's Irresistible Dance	-	-
Planar Ally	Summoned creature persists until it is killed or until a long rest.	Simplified into a typical summoning spell offering three options (Djinni, Deva, or Cambion).
Sunbeam	-	-
Wall of Ice	Range reduced to 18 m / 60 ft, instead of 120 ft.	The frigid air left behind by a destroyed section of wall deals 10d6 damage rather than 5d6.
Wall of Thorns	Range reduced to 18 m / 60 ft, instead of 120 ft.	In addition to taking damage, creatures who fail the Dexterity save while trying to move through the wall become Entangled.
Wind Walk	Lasts until the next long rest, rather than 8 hours.	Affects all party members within range, rather than up to 10 creatures within range. The effect is identical to  Gaseous Form.

See also

• D&D 5e rule changes
• D&D 5e class changes
• D&D 5e race changes
• D&D 5e feat changes