Contagion

A
Damage

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

See all Damage spells →
 spell that inflicts a wasting contagion, sapping a foe with necrotic harm and a
save-or-suck

Contagion is a Save or Suck spell. Save or Suck spells fall entirely flat if the target succeeds on a saving throw.

See all Save or Suck spells →
 curse.

2024 Rules
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.

2014 Rules
Level & School
5th-level necromancy
Casting Time
Action
Range
Touch
Components
V, S
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.

  • Blinding Sickness. Pain grips the creature’s mind, and its eyes turn milky white. The creature has disadvantage on Wisdom checks and Wisdom saving throws and is blinded.
  • Filth Fever. A raging fever sweeps through the creature’s body. The creature has disadvantage on Strength checks, Strength saving throws, and attack rolls that use Strength.
  • Flesh Rot. The creature’s flesh decays. The creature has disadvantage on Charisma checks and vulnerability to all damage.
  • Mindfire. The creature’s mind becomes feverish. The creature has disadvantage on Intelligence checks and Intelligence saving throws, and the creature behaves as if under the effects of the confusion spell during combat.
  • Seizure. The creature is overcome with shaking. The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity checks, Dexterity saving throws, and attack rolls that use Dexterity.
  • Slimy Doom. The creature begins to bleed uncontrollably. The creature has disadvantage on Constitution checks and Constitution saving throws. In addition, whenever the creature takes damage, it is stunned until the end of its next turn.

Contagion 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

The spell is completely rebuilt: no melee spell attack or disease choices anymore. Now the target makes a Con save, taking 11d8 necrotic damage and becoming Poisoned on a failure. You choose one ability, and while Poisoned it has disadvantage on saves with that ability. The “end poison” clause now needs a Con save.

Contagion popularity

Contagion is a commonly chosen level 5 spell. Choosing it adds an established option to your spellbook.

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.