Cure Wounds

A
Support

Cure Wounds is a Support spell. Support spells strengthen, protect, or buff allies.

See all Support spells →
spell that restores
healing

Cure Wounds is a Healing spell. Healing spells restore hit points and bring characters back to life.

See all Healing spells →
to a touched creature, mending wounds with greater power at higher levels.

2024 Rules

Level & School
1st-level abjuration
Casting Time
Action
Range
Touch
Components
V, S
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger

A creature you touch regains a number of Hit Points equal to 2d8 plus your spellcasting ability modifier.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The healing increases by 2d8 for each spell slot level above 1.

2014 Rules

Level & School
1st-level evocation
Casting Time
Action
Range
Touch
Components
V, S
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger

A creature you touch regains a number of hit points equal to 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

Cure Wounds 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

The healing increased from 1d8 + your spellcasting modifier to 2d8 + your spellcasting modifier, and the extra healing for higher-level slots increased from 1d8 per slot level to 2d8 per slot level.

Cure Wounds popularity

Cure Wounds is one of the most popular level 1 spells in the game. Choosing it adds a D&D staple to your spellbook.

Spells similar to Cure Wounds

  • Healing Word 1st-level abjuration

    A 1st-level instant heal available to the same core caster types that serves the same purpose but at range and with different action economy.

  • Goodberry 1st-level conjuration

    Also a 1st-level option for nature-focused casters that provides small, flexible healing usable at touch and can be spread across the party over time.

  • Prayer of Healing 2nd-level abjuration

    A slightly stronger party-healing alternative used by the same divine casters that trades immediacy for a larger, multi-target effect.

  • Mass Healing Word 3rd-level abjuration

    A higher-level version of a quick, ranged heal that scales to affect multiple allies and shares the same brief, instantaneous benefit.

  • Mass Cure Wounds 5th-level abjuration

    A direct scaling-up of single-target healing into a high-level burst that heals multiple creatures at once and comes from the same school of magic.

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