Dissonant Whispers

A
Damage

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

See all Damage spells →
spell that assails one creature with maddening whispers, driving it to flee and creating
battlefield control

Dissonant Whispers is a Battlefield Shaping spell. Battlefield Shaping spells alter terrain, create obstacles, introduce hazards, and affect enemy positioning.

See all Battlefield Shaping spells →
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2024 Rules

Level & School
1st-level enchantment
Casting Time
Action
Range
60 feet
Components
V
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Bard

One creature of your choice that you can see within range hears a discordant melody in its mind. The target makes a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 3d6 Psychic damage and must immediately use its Reaction, if available, to move as far away from you as it can, using the safest route. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage only.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 1.

2014 Rules

Level & School
1st-level enchantment
Casting Time
Action
Range
60 feet
Components
V
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Bard

You whisper a discordant melody that only one creature of your choice within range can hear, wracking it with terrible pain. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 3d6 psychic damage and must immediately use its reaction, if available, to move as far as its speed allows away from you. The creature doesn’t move into obviously dangerous ground, such as a fire or a pit. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and doesn’t have to move away. A deafened creature automatically succeeds on the save.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

Dissonant Whispers 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

The forced movement changed: on a failed save, the target now must use its Reaction to move as far away from you as it can, using the safest route, instead of moving only as far as its speed allows away from you. The 2024 version also drops the old note that a successful save avoids the movement.

Dissonant Whispers popularity

Dissonant Whispers is a commonly chosen level 1 spell. Choosing it adds an established option to your spellbook.

Spells similar to Dissonant Whispers

  • Vicious Mockery Enchantment cantrip

    A bard-only offensive cantrip that deals psychic harm to a single foe and is often used in the same tactical slot as this spell.

  • Mind Sliver Enchantment cantrip

    A single-target mental attack that deals psychic damage and interferes with a target's mental defenses in a similar way.

  • Phantasmal Force 2nd-level illusion

    Creates a mental illusion that targets one creature and manipulates its behavior, sharing the solo mind-affecting niche of the target spell.

  • Command 1st-level enchantment

    A short, one-word compulsion that can force a creature to flee or move, matching the target spell's immediate manipulation of a target's movement.

  • Fear 3rd-level illusion

    A spell that causes creatures to drop what they're doing and run away, making it mechanically similar because it provokes forced relocation and disruption.

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