Blade Barrier

A
Damage

Blade Barrier is a Damage spell. Damage spells focus on dealing harm to enemies.

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 spell that raises a whirling blade wall to
battlefield control

Blade Barrier is a Battlefield Shaping spell. Battlefield Shaping spells alter terrain, create obstacles, introduce hazards, and affect enemy positioning.

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 and strike
multiple creatures

Blade Barrier is a Multi Target spell. Multi Target spells have an area of effect or can explicitly target multiple allies or enemies.

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 at once.

2024 Rules
Level & School
6th-level evocation
Casting Time
Action
Range
90 feet
Components
V, S
Duration
Concentration, 10 minutes
Classes
Cleric
Source
Player's Handbook (2024)

You create a wall of whirling blades made of magical energy. The wall appears within range and lasts for the duration. You make a straight wall up to 100 feet long, 20 feet high, and 5 feet thick, or a ringed wall up to 60 feet in diameter, 20 feet high, and 5 feet thick. The wall provides Three-Quarters Cover, and its space is Difficult Terrain.

Any creature in the wall's space makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking 6d10 Force damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature also makes that save if it enters the wall's space or ends its turn there. A creature makes that save only once per turn.

2014 Rules
Level & School
6th-level evocation
Casting Time
Action
Range
90 feet
Components
V, S
Duration
Concentration, 10 minutes
Classes
Cleric
Source
Player's Handbook (2014)

You create a vertical wall of whirling, razor-sharp blades made of magical energy. The wall appears within range and lasts for the duration. You can make a straight wall up to 100 feet long, 20 feet high, and 5 feet thick, or a ringed wall up to 60 feet in diameter, 20 feet high, and 5 feet thick. The wall provides three-quarters cover to creatures behind it, and its space is difficult terrain.

When a creature enters the wall's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 6d10 slashing damage. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage.

Blade Barrier 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

Blade Barrier now deals force damage instead of slashing. Its save timing changed: creatures save if they’re in the wall, enter it, or end their turn there, and they only make that save once per turn. The old “starts its turn there” trigger is gone.

Blade Barrier popularity

How popular is Blade Barrier? 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.

Read about how this popularity data is calculated.

Spells similar to Blade Barrier