Fear
2024 Rules
- Level & School
- 3rd-level illusion
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range
- Self
- Components
- V, S, M (a white feather)
- Duration
- Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Classes
- Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
Each creature in a 30-foot Cone must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or drop whatever it is holding and have the Frightened condition for the duration.
A Frightened creature takes the Dash action and moves away from you by the safest route on each of its turns unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a space where it doesn't have line of sight to you, the creature makes a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the spell ends on that creature.
2014 Rules
- Level & School
- 3rd-level illusion
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range
- Self (30-foot cone)
- Components
- V, S, M (a white feather or the heart of a hen)
- Duration
- Concentration, 1 minute
- Classes
- Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
You project a phantasmal image of a creature's worst fears. Each creature in a 30-foot cone must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or drop whatever it is holding and become frightened for the duration.
While frightened by this spell, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from you by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn't have line of sight to you, the creature can make a Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the spell ends for that creature.
Fear 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences
Fear popularity
How popular is Fear? It is a commonly found spell in the game, and is often chosen over other options when available. This spell is a reliable addition to any spellbook.
- Top 25% of all level 3 spells
- Top 50% of all 5e spells
- Top 50% picked level 3 Wizard spell
- Top 50% picked level 3 Bard spell
- Top 50% picked level 3 Sorcerer spell
- Top 50% picked level 3 Warlock spell
Spells similar to Fear
Calm Emotions 2nd-level enchantment
Though lower level, it manipulates creatures’ emotional state across an area with saving throws and is often chosen to control crowds without doing direct harm.
Players prefer Calm Emotions over Fear
Compulsion 4th-level enchantment
It forces multiple creatures to take certain actions for up to a minute and relies on saves to resist, producing the same kind of enforced, disruptive behavior on enemy turns.
Players prefer Compulsion over Fear
Hypnotic Pattern 3rd-level illusion
A 3rd‑level illusion that incapacitates or otherwise neutralizes groups for up to a minute with a single saving throw, making it the closest analogue in level, school, and multi‑target crowd control effect.
Players prefer Hypnotic Pattern over Fear
Sleep 1st-level enchantment
An area enchantment that disables multiple low‑hp foes with an instant effect and a single area roll, serving a similar tactical role of removing enemies from the fight.
Players prefer Fear over Sleep
Crown of Madness 2nd-level enchantment
It seizes control of a target’s actions and forces hostile behavior that disrupts enemy plans, making it a comparable way to bend foes to the caster’s will in combat.
Players prefer Fear over Crown of Madness