Elminster's Effulgent Spheres
2024 Rules
- Level & School
- 6th-level evocation
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range
- Self
- Components
- V, S, M (an opal worth 1,000 GP+)
- Duration
- 1 hour
- Classes
- Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
- Source
- Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn
Six chromatic spheres orbit you for the duration.
While the spheres are present, you can expend spheres to create the following effects:
- Absorb Energy. When you take Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Thunder damage, you can take a Reaction to expend one sphere and give yourself Resistance to the triggering damage type until the start of your next turn.
- Energy Blast. As a Bonus Action, you send one sphere hurtling toward a target within 120 feet of yourself. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Thunder damage (your choice). Regardless of whether you hit, the sphere is expended.
The spell ends early if you have no more spheres remaining.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The number of spheres increases by 1 for every spell slot level above 6.
Elminster's Effulgent Spheres 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences
Elminster's Effulgent Spheres is a new spell for the 2024 edition.
How popular is Elminster's Effulgent Spheres in 5e?
Elminster's Effulgent Spheres is the #14 most popular level 6 spell (of 51) and the #14 most picked level 6 Wizard spell (of 35).
Among level 6 spells, Elminster's Effulgent Spheres ranks just below Heroes' Feast and just above Move Earth in popularity.
- #428 (of 567) most popular 5e spell
- #14 (of 51) most popular level 6 spell
- #14 (of 35) most picked level 6 Wizard spell
- #11 (of 21) most picked level 6 Sorcerer spell
- #13 (of 18) most picked level 6 Druid spell
Read about how this popularity data is calculated.
Spells similar to Elminster's Effulgent Spheres
Crown of Stars 7th-level evocation
Both create multiple orbiting magical projectiles that can be launched over time with a Bonus Action.
Players prefer Crown of Stars over Elminster's Effulgent Spheres
Primordial Ward 6th-level abjuration
Both are sixth-level self-targeted elemental spells that provide ongoing protection against several common damage types.
Players prefer Primordial Ward over Elminster's Effulgent Spheres
Absorb Elements 1st-level abjuration
Its Reaction-based resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder closely mirrors the defensive use of the spheres.
Players prefer Elminster's Effulgent Spheres over Absorb Elements
Songal's Elemental Suffusion 5th-level transmutation
The matching class lists and broad selection of acid, cold, fire, lightning, and thunder effects make it a strong thematic and tactical parallel.
Players prefer Elminster's Effulgent Spheres over Songal's Elemental Suffusion
Storm Sphere 4th-level evocation
This sustained Evocation spell combines a long-range elemental attack with repeated Bonus Action damage.
Players prefer Elminster's Effulgent Spheres over Storm Sphere
Melf's Minute Meteors 3rd-level evocation
It also stores several elemental attacks around the caster and releases them efficiently across multiple turns.
Players prefer Elminster's Effulgent Spheres over Melf's Minute Meteors