Insect Plague
2024 Rules
- Level & School
- 5th-level conjuration
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range
- 300 feet
- Components
- V, S, M (a locust)
- Duration
- Concentration, 10 minutes
- Classes
- Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer
- Source
- Player's Handbook (2024)
Swarming locusts fill a 20-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point you choose within range. The Sphere remains for the duration, and its area is Lightly Obscured and Difficult Terrain.
When the swarm appears, each creature in it makes a Constitution saving throw, taking 4d10 Piercing damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature also makes this save when it enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there. A creature makes this save only once per turn.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The damage increases by 1d10 for each spell slot level above 5.
2014 Rules
- Level & School
- 5th-level conjuration
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range
- 300 feet
- Components
- V, S, M (a few grains of sugar, some kernels of grain, and a smear of fat)
- Duration
- Concentration, 10 minutes
- Classes
- Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer
- Source
- Player's Handbook (2014)
Swarming, biting locusts fill a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point you choose within range. The sphere spreads around corners. The sphere remains for the duration, and its area is lightly obscured. The sphere's area is difficult terrain.
When the area appears, each creature in it must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 4d10 piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature must also make this saving throw when it enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 5th.
Insect Plague 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences
Insect Plague popularity
How popular is Insect Plague? It is a seldom seen spell in the game, but is often chosen over other options when available. This spell could be a valuable addition for spellbooks.
- Top 50% of all level 5 spells
- Top 50% picked level 5 Sorcerer spell
- Bottom 50% picked level 5 Druid spell
- Bottom 50% of all 5e spells
- Bottom 50% picked level 5 Cleric spell
Read about how this popularity data is calculated.
Spells similar to Insect Plague
Wall of Thorns 6th-level conjuration
This conjuration also uses piercing damage and maintains a dangerous area for up to 10 minutes.
Players prefer Wall of Thorns over Insect Plague
Call Lightning 3rd-level conjuration
The spells share the druid, cleric-adjacent nature of battlefield damage, concentration, and repeated area attacks over a long duration.
Players prefer Call Lightning over Insect Plague
Blade Barrier 6th-level evocation
It offers a persistent concentration zone that damages groups and restricts movement across the battlefield.
Players prefer Blade Barrier over Insect Plague
Maelstrom 5th-level evocation
Both are fifth-level concentration spells that damage multiple creatures while shaping a distant battlefield zone.
Players prefer Maelstrom over Insect Plague
Cloudkill 5th-level conjuration
Like Insect Plague, it creates a persistent damaging cloud that obscures and punishes creatures remaining in an area.
Players prefer Cloudkill over Insect Plague
Sickening Radiance 4th-level evocation
A large area remains hazardous for 10 minutes, repeatedly damaging creatures that enter or linger within it.
Players prefer Insect Plague over Sickening Radiance