Harm

Damage

Level & School
6th-level necromancy
Casting Time
Action
Range
60 feet
Components
V, S
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Cleric

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.

Level & School
6th-level necromancy
Casting Time
Action
Range
60 feet
Components
V, S
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Cleric

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

The 2024 version clarifies that damage reduces the hit point maximum by the same amount as damage taken, and explicitly states the maximum reduction can't reduce HP below 1. The 2014 version states the maximum HP reduction lasts 1 hour and can be reversed by effects removing a disease; the 2024 version omits this duration and disease removal detail.

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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.