Confusion
2024 Rules
- Level & School
- 4th-level enchantment
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range
- 90 feet
- Components
- V, S, M (three nut shells)
- Duration
- Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Classes
- Bard, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
Each creature in a 10-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point you choose within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or that target can't take Bonus Actions or Reactions and must roll 1d10 at the start of each of its turns to determine its behavior for that turn, consulting the table below.
| 1d10 | Behavior for the Turn |
|---|---|
| 1 | The target doesn't take an action, and it uses all its movement to move. Roll 1d4 for the direction: 1, north; 2, east; 3, south; or 4, west. |
| 2-6 | The target doesn't move or take actions. |
| 7-8 | The target doesn't move, and it takes the Attack action to make one melee attack against a random creature within reach. If none are within reach, the target takes no action. |
| 9-10 | The target chooses its behavior. |
At the end of each of its turns, an affected target repeats the save, ending the spell on itself on a success.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The Sphere's radius increases by 5 feet for each spell slot level above 4.
2014 Rules
- Level & School
- 4th-level enchantment
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range
- 90 feet
- Components
- V, S, M (three nut shells)
- Duration
- Concentration, 1 minute
- Classes
- Bard, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
This spell assaults and twists creatures' minds, spawning delusions and provoking uncontrolled action. Each creature in a 10-foot radius sphere centered on a point you choose within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw when you cast this spell or be affected by it.
An affected target can't take reactions and must roll a d10 at the start of each of its turns to determine its behavior for that turn.
| d10 | Behavior |
|---|---|
| 1 | The creature uses all its movement to move in a random direction. To determine the direction, roll a d8 and assign a direction to each die face. The creature doesn't take an action this turn. |
| 2-6 | The creature doesn't move or take actions this turn. |
| 7-8 | The creature uses its action to make a melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach. If there is no creature within its reach, the creature does nothing this turn. |
| 9-10 | The creature can act and move normally. |
At the end of each of its turns, an affected target can make a Wisdom saving throw. If it succeeds, this effect ends for that target.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the radius of the sphere increases by 5 feet for each slot level above 4th.
Confusion 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences
Confusion popularity
Confusion is a commonly chosen level 4 spell. Choosing it adds an established option to your spellbook.
- #3 most popular level 4 Bard spell
- #2 most popular level 4 Druid spell
- Top 50% level 4 Sorcerer spell
- Top 25% level 4 Wizard spell
Spells similar to Confusion
Compulsion 4th-level enchantment
It’s the same spell level and forces altered, often involuntary, behavior in a multi-creature area with repeated saving throws over the spell's duration.
Hypnotic Pattern 3rd-level illusion
Both are area effects that incapacitate or scramble multiple enemies for up to a minute using a save and concentration to control the battlefield.
Slow 3rd-level transmutation
Slow similarly limits targets’ actions and reactions for the duration, changing how foes can act rather than dealing damage.
Crown of Madness 2nd-level enchantment
This spell forces a target to take actions they wouldn’t choose, including attacking allies, which mirrors confusion’s coerced behaviors on a smaller scale.
Banishment 4th-level abjuration
Although it removes rather than randomizes behavior, Banishment is a level-4 control option that neutralizes opponents via a contested save for a sustained period.