Awaken
2024 Rules
- Level & School
- 5th-level transmutation
- Casting Time
- 8 hour
- Range
- Touch
- Components
- V, S, M (an agate worth 1,000+ GP, which the spell consumes)
- Duration
- Instantaneous
- Classes
- Bard, Druid
- Source
- Player's Handbook (2024)
You spend the casting time tracing magical pathways within a precious gemstone, and then touch the target. The target must be either a Beast or Plant creature with an Intelligence of 3 or less or a natural plant that isn't a creature. The target gains an Intelligence of 10 and the ability to speak one language you know. If the target is a natural plant, it becomes a Plant creature and gains the ability to move its limbs, roots, vines, creepers, and so forth, and it gains senses similar to a human's. The DM chooses statistics appropriate for the awakened Plant, such as the statistics for the Awakened Shrub or Awakened Tree in the Monster Manual.
The awakened target has the Charmed condition for 30 days or until you or your allies deal damage to it. When that condition ends, the awakened creature chooses its attitude toward you.
2014 Rules
- Level & School
- 5th-level transmutation
- Casting Time
- 8 hour
- Range
- Touch
- Components
- V, S, M (an agate worth at least 1,000 gp, which the spell consumes)
- Duration
- Instantaneous
- Classes
- Bard, Druid
- Source
- Player's Handbook (2014)
After spending the casting time tracing magical pathways within a precious gemstone, you touch a Huge or smaller beast or plant. The target must have either no Intelligence score or an Intelligence of 3 or less. The target gains an Intelligence of 10. The target also gains the ability to speak one language you know. If the target is a plant, it gains the ability to move its limbs, roots, vines, creepers, and so forth, and it gains senses similar to a human's. Your DM chooses statistics appropriate for the awakened plant, such as the statistics for the awakened shrub or the awakened tree.
The awakened beast or plant is charmed by you for 30 days or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. When the charmed condition ends, the awakened creature chooses whether to remain friendly to you, based on how you treated it while it was charmed.
Awaken 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences
Awaken popularity
How popular is Awaken? It is a seldom seen spell in the game, but is often chosen over other options when available. This spell could be a valuable addition for spellbooks.
- Top 50% picked level 5 Bard spell
- Bottom 50% picked level 5 Druid spell
- Bottom 50% of all level 5 spells
- Bottom 50% of all 5e spells
Read about how this popularity data is calculated.
Spells similar to Awaken
Animate Objects 5th-level transmutation
This fifth-level transmutation also turns nonliving material into an independent creature-like ally, though mainly for combat.
Players prefer Animate Objects over Awaken
Animal Friendship 1st-level enchantment
It similarly uses magical charm to establish cooperation with beasts and is available to both bards and druids.
Players prefer Awaken over Animal Friendship
True Polymorph 9th-level transmutation
Both are high-level transformations that can create or fundamentally alter a creature, with strong applications outside combat.
Players prefer Awaken over True Polymorph
Geas 5th-level enchantment
It shares the fifth-level slot, bard and druid access, and a long-lasting magical influence over another creature.
Players prefer Awaken over Geas
Planar Binding 5th-level abjuration
Both establish lasting control or allegiance involving a creature rather than simply dealing damage.
Players prefer Awaken over Planar Binding
Tiny Servant 3rd-level transmutation
The touch-based transmutation creates a mobile, useful servant from an inanimate target, making it a close functional parallel.
Players prefer Awaken over Tiny Servant