Evard's Black Tentacles

A
Control

Evard's Black Tentacles is a Control spell. Control spells restrict enemy options through debuffs or denial effects.

See all Control spells →
 spell that blankets an area in
battlefield control

Evard's Black Tentacles is a Battlefield Shaping spell. Battlefield Shaping spells alter terrain, create obstacles, introduce hazards, and affect enemy positioning.

See all Battlefield Shaping spells →
, pinning
multiple creatures

Evard's Black Tentacles is a Multi Target spell. Multi Target spells have an area of effect or can explicitly target multiple allies or enemies.

See all Multi Target spells →
 with a
save-or-suck

Evard's Black Tentacles is a Save or Suck spell. Save or Suck spells fall entirely flat if the target succeeds on a saving throw.

See all Save or Suck spells →
 hold.

2024 Rules
Level & School
4th-level conjuration
Casting Time
Action
Range
90 feet
Components
V, S, M (a tentacle)
Duration
Concentration, 1 minute
Classes
Wizard
Source
Player's Handbook (2024)

Squirming, ebony tentacles fill a 20-foot square on ground that you can see within range. For the duration, these tentacles turn the ground in that area into Difficult Terrain.

Each creature in that area makes a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 3d6 Bludgeoning damage, and it has the Restrained condition until the spell ends. A creature also makes that save if it enters the area or ends its turn there. A creature makes that save only once per turn.

A Restrained creature can take an action to make a Strength (Athletics) check against your spell save DC, ending the condition on itself on a success.

2014 Rules
Level & School
4th-level conjuration
Casting Time
Action
Range
90 feet
Components
V, S, M (a piece of tentacle from a giant octopus or a giant squid)
Duration
Concentration, 1 minute
Classes
Wizard
Source
Player's Handbook (2014)

Squirming, ebony tentacles fill a 20-foot square on ground that you can see within range. For the duration, these tentacles turn the ground in the area into difficult terrain.

When a creature enters the affected area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 bludgeoning damage and be restrained by the tentacles until the spell ends. A creature that starts its turn in the area and is already restrained by the tentacles takes 3d6 bludgeoning damage.

A creature restrained by the tentacles can use its action to make a Strength or Dexterity check (its choice) against your spell save DC. On a success, it frees itself.

Evard's Black Tentacles 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

The save changed from Dexterity to Strength. The spell now forces a save when a creature enters the area or ends its turn there, and each creature only makes that save once per turn. Escaping now uses a Strength (Athletics) check instead of a Strength or Dexterity check.

How popular is Evard's Black Tentacles in 5e?

Evard's Black Tentacles is the #30 most popular level 4 spell (of 59) and the #12 most picked level 4 Wizard spell (of 43).

Among level 4 spells, Evard's Black Tentacles ranks just below Vitriolic Sphere and just above Summon Elemental in popularity.

Read about how this popularity data is calculated.

Spells similar to Evard's Black Tentacles