Detect Evil and Good

A
Utility

Detect Evil and Good is a Utility spell. Utility spells solve problems outside of combat or provide unique situational advantages.

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 spell of
revealing hidden foes

Detect Evil and Good is a Information spell. Information spells provide ways to transmit, perceive, detect, or reveal hidden or unknown information.

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 that lets you sense nearby outsiders, undead, and holy wards.

2024 Rules
Level & School
1st-level divination
Casting Time
Action
Range
Self (30-foot radius)
Components
V, S
Duration
Concentration, 10 minutes
Classes
Cleric, Paladin
Source
Player's Handbook (2024)

For the duration, you sense the location of any Aberration, Celestial, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, or Undead within 30 feet of yourself. You also sense whether the Hallow spell is active there and, if so, where.

The spell is blocked by 1 foot of stone, dirt, or wood; 1 inch of metal; or a thin sheet of lead.

2014 Rules
Level & School
1st-level divination
Casting Time
Action
Range
Self
Components
V, S
Duration
Concentration, 10 minutes
Classes
Cleric, Paladin
Source
Player's Handbook (2014)

For the duration, you know if there is an aberration, celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead within 30 feet of you, as well as where the creature is located. Similarly, you know if there is a place or object within 30 feet of you that has been magically consecrated or desecrated.

The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt.

Detect Evil and Good 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

The spell now has a Self (30-foot radius) range instead of just Self, and it no longer detects magically consecrated or desecrated places/objects. It now only reveals whether Hallow is active, and where. It also clarifies that dirt blocks it.

How popular is Detect Evil and Good in 5e?

Detect Evil and Good is the #46 most popular level 1 spell (of 82) and the #11 most picked level 1 Cleric spell (of 17).

Among level 1 spells, Detect Evil and Good ranks just below Create or Destroy Water and just above Goodberry in popularity.

Read about how this popularity data is calculated and see Detect Evil and Good visualized with all 5e spells.

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