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Contagion is a level 5 necromancy spell. This spell allows spellcasters to infect their target with an affliction of their choosing, potentially resulting in the target contracting a disease.
Description
Poison a target and possibly afflict them with a disease of your choice.
Once infected, the target will roll a Constitution 
Saving throw each turn. If it accumulates 3 successes, it recovers. If it accumulates 3 failures, it contracts the Disease chosen by the spellcaster.
Properties
- Cost
Action + 
Level 5 Spell Slot- Details
Attack roll- CON Save
Melee: 1.5 m / 5 ft
At higher levels
Casting this spell at a higher level grants no additional benefit.
Variants
Condition: Contagion Poisoned
- Has
Disadvantage on Attack rolls and Checks. - Each turn, it must succeed on a Saving throw, or the Poison will advance in stage. On 3 successes, it recovers. On 3 failures, it contracts the Disease corresponding to the variant of the spell Contagion that was cast.
How to learn
Classes:
- Class Level 9: Cleric, Druid, Circle of the Spores (Circle Spell), and Circle of the Land (Arctic/Forest/Underdark)
- Class Level 10: Bard (via Magical Secrets)
Notes
- The description of the spell is misleading, if the target fails 3 Saving Throws, the disease persists after a long rest, essentially forever, or until the target gets healed by
or something similar. - Casting Contagion outside of battle onto any NPC is not considered an aggressive action.
- Missing the attack roll when casting the spell, on the other hand, is considered an aggressive action and might turn NPCs hostile.
- However, if an NPC is afflicted with
and fails the 3 Saving Throws, it will turn hostile permanently. Killing an NPC in this way is not considered a crime. - Furthermore, even though successfully casting Contagion on an NPC will not turn it hostile, if it's a key quest NPC, casting on it might update the related quest, turning it hostile regardless.
External Links[edit | edit source]
Contagion on the Forgotten Realms Wiki