Contagion

Damage Save or Suck

Level & School
5th-level necromancy
Casting Time
Action
Range
Touch
Components
V, S
Duration
7 days
Classes
Cleric, Druid

Your touch inflicts a magical contagion. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 11d8 Necrotic damage and have the Poisoned condition. Also, choose one ability when you cast the spell. While Poisoned, the target has Disadvantage on saving throws made with the chosen ability. The target must repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns until it gets three successes or failures. If the target succeeds on three of these saves, the spell ends on the target. If the target fails three of the saves, the spell lasts for 7 days on it. Whenever the Poisoned target receives an effect that would end the Poisoned condition, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, or the Poisoned condition doesn't end on it.

Level & School
5th-level necromancy
Casting Time
Action
Range
Touch
Components
Duration
7 days
Classes
Cleric, Druid

Your touch inflicts disease. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, the target is poisoned.

At the end of each of the poisoned target's turns, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. If the target succeeds on three of these saves, it is no longer poisoned, and the spell ends. If the target fails three of these saves, the target is no longer poisoned, but choose one of the diseases below. The target is subjected to the chosen disease for the spell's duration.

Since this spell induces a natural disease in its target, any effect that removes a disease or otherwise ameliorates a disease's effects apply to it.

Contagion 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

The 2024 version inflicts 11d8 necrotic damage and imposes the Poisoned condition with disadvantage on one ability, while the 2014 version poisons the target and applies a disease after three failed saves. The 2024 version requires repeated saves to end the spell, with additional damage and ability disadvantage mechanics.

Spells similar to Contagion

  • Bestow Curse, 3rd-level necromancy

    It’s a necromancy touch spell that imposes a lingering detrimental effect and can impose disadvantage tied to a chosen ability, much like this spell’s ability-targeted penalty.

  • Ray of Sickness, 1st-level necromancy

    Both inflict poison-related harm and can leave a target poisoned after a single attack, so they serve similar tactical purposes against a single foe.

  • Harm, 6th-level necromancy

    This is another high-damage necromancy option that targets one creature with massive necrotic damage, matching the spell’s role as a single-target damage tool.

  • Blight, 4th-level necromancy

    It’s a necromancy spell that deals strong necrotic damage to a single target, making it a close mechanical and thematic analogue for pure necrotic damage.

  • Geas, 5th-level enchantment

    Although it doesn’t deal immediate damage, it enforces a long-lasting compulsion on a single target at the same spell level and is chosen for prolonged battlefield impact.