Harm
2024 Rules
- Level & School
- 6th-level necromancy
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range
- 60 feet
- Components
- V, S
- Duration
- Instantaneous
- Classes
- Cleric
- Source
- Player's Handbook (2024)
You unleash virulent magic on a creature you can see within range. The target makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 14d6 Necrotic damage, and its Hit Point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the Necrotic damage it took. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage only. This spell can't reduce a target's Hit Point maximum below 1.
2014 Rules
- Level & School
- 6th-level necromancy
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range
- 60 feet
- Components
- V, S
- Duration
- Instantaneous
- Classes
- Cleric
- Source
- Player's Handbook (2014)
You unleash a virulent disease on a creature that you can see within range. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 14d6 necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. The damage can't reduce the target's hit points below 1. If the target fails the saving throw, its hit point maximum is reduced for 1 hour by an amount equal to the necrotic damage it took. Any effect that removes a disease allows a creature's hit point maximum to return to normal before that time passes.
Harm 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences
Harm popularity
How popular is Harm? It is one of the rarest spells in the game, but is often chosen over other options when available. This spell is a rare and unique offering.
- #3 picked level 6 Cleric spell
- Bottom 50% of all level 6 spells
- Bottom 10% of all 5e spells
Read about how this popularity data is calculated.
Spells similar to Harm
Finger of Death 7th-level necromancy
A high-level necromancy spell that deals a large amount of single-target necrotic damage, making it thematically and mechanically close to this spell.
Players prefer Finger of Death over Harm
Disintegrate 6th-level transmutation
A same-level, single-target spell that delivers very large instantaneous damage and can drastically change a target's survivability in one hit.
Players prefer Disintegrate over Harm
Circle of Death 6th-level necromancy
Shares the same school and deals heavy necrotic damage at a similar power tier, though it affects an area rather than a single target.
Players prefer Circle of Death over Harm
Blight 4th-level necromancy
A lower‑level necromancy spell that deals potent necrotic damage to a single creature, making it a smaller-scale analogue in the same damage niche.
Players prefer Blight over Harm
Inflict Wounds 1st-level necromancy
A touch-range necromancy spell that focuses on delivering concentrated necrotic damage to one creature, representing the low-level version of this effect.
Players prefer Harm over Inflict Wounds