Detect Poison and Disease

A
Utility

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

See all Utility spells →
 spell that reveals poisons, venomous creatures, and magical contagions nearby, giving you
key details

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

See all Information spells →
 about each.

2024 Rules
Level & School
1st-level divination
Casting Time
Action or Ritual
Range
Self
Components
V, S, M (a yew leaf)
Duration
Concentration, up to 10 minutes
Classes
Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger

For the duration, you sense the location of poisons, poisonous or venomous creatures, and magical contagions within 30 feet of yourself. You sense the kind of poison, creature, or contagion in each case.

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, M (a yew leaf)
Duration
Concentration, 10 minutes
Classes
Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger

For the duration, you can sense the presence and location of poisons, poisonous creatures, and diseases within 30 feet of you. You also identify the kind of poison, poisonous creature, or disease in each case.

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 Poison and Disease 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

It now has the Ritual tag. It no longer detects diseases; instead, it detects magical contagions. It also expands the creature detection to poisonous or venomous creatures.

Detect Poison and Disease popularity

Detect Poison and Disease is a commonly chosen level 1 spell. Choosing it adds an established option to your spellbook.

Spells similar to Detect Poison and Disease

  • Detect Magic 1st-level divination

    Both are 1st-level divination spells that let you sense nearby supernatural or hazardous properties while you concentrate and can be cast as rituals.

  • Detect Evil and Good 1st-level divination

    This spell likewise senses nearby invisible or harmful presences around you for up to ten minutes and is used as a short investigative utility by similar classes.

  • Locate Animals or Plants 2nd-level divination

    It’s a divination that pinpoints biological targets within range and is chosen for investigative tracking of creatures, similar to finding poisonous animals.

  • Locate Object 2nd-level divination

    Also a concentration divination that reveals the location of specific things within a radius, making it mechanically close in purpose and playstyle.

  • Find Traps 2nd-level divination

    A low-level divination used to detect nearby hazards and their locations, so it fills the same niche of in-encounter danger detection.