Feign Death
2024 Rules
- Level & School
- 3rd-level necromancy
- Casting Time
- Action or Ritual
- Range
- Touch
- Components
- V, S, M (a pinch of graveyard dirt)
- Duration
- 1 hour
- Classes
- Bard, Cleric, Druid, Wizard
- Source
- Player's Handbook (2024)
You touch a willing creature and put it into a cataleptic state that is indistinguishable from death.
For the duration, the target appears dead to outward inspection and to spells used to determine the target's status. The target has the Blinded and Incapacitated conditions, and its Speed is 0.
The target also has Resistance to all damage except Psychic damage, and it has Immunity to the Poisoned condition.
2014 Rules
- Level & School
- 3rd-level necromancy
- Casting Time
- Action or Ritual
- Range
- Touch
- Components
- V, S, M (a pinch of graveyard dirt)
- Duration
- 1 hour
- Classes
- Bard, Cleric, Druid, Wizard
- Source
- Player's Handbook (2014)
You touch a willing creature and put it into a cataleptic state that is indistinguishable from death.
For the spell's duration, or until you use an action to touch the target and dismiss the spell, the target appears dead to all outward inspection and to spells used to determine the target's status. The target is blinded and incapacitated, and its speed drops to 0. The target has resistance to all damage except psychic damage. If the target is diseased or poisoned when you cast the spell, or becomes diseased or poisoned while under the spell's effect, the disease and poison have no effect until the spell ends.
Feign Death 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences
Feign Death popularity
How popular is Feign Death? It is a commonly found spell in the game, but is chosen less than other options when available. This spell may be situational for many spellbooks.
- Top 50% of all 5e spells
- Top 50% of all level 3 spells
- Bottom 50% picked level 3 Wizard spell
- Bottom 50% picked level 3 Bard spell
- Bottom 50% picked level 3 Druid spell
- Bottom 25% picked level 3 Cleric spell
Read about how this popularity data is calculated.
Spells similar to Feign Death
Death Ward 4th-level abjuration
This protective spell also centers on preventing or disguising the consequences of death for a single touched creature.
Players prefer Death Ward over Feign Death
Protection from Poison 2nd-level abjuration
Both are touch spells lasting an hour and protect the subject from poison-related threats.
Players prefer Protection from Poison over Feign Death
Gentle Repose 2nd-level necromancy
Its necromantic, ritual nature and close connection to preserving the appearance or condition of a dead creature make it especially thematically similar.
Players prefer Gentle Repose over Feign Death
Nondetection 3rd-level abjuration
Both can help conceal a creature's true condition from magical examination and last for many hours.
Players prefer Nondetection over Feign Death
Stoneskin 4th-level transmutation
It is a touch-based, hour-long defensive spell that grants substantial damage resistance to one creature.
Players prefer Feign Death over Stoneskin
Sequester 7th-level transmutation
Although much higher level, it similarly hides a creature from observation and magical attempts to determine its status.
Players prefer Feign Death over Sequester