Locate Animals or Plants

A
Utility

Locate Animals or Plants is a Utility spell. Utility spells solve problems outside of combat or provide unique situational advantages.

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 spell that guides you to the nearest beast or plant you name, revealing its
direction and distance

Locate Animals or Plants is a Information spell. Information spells provide ways to transmit, perceive, detect, or reveal hidden or unknown information.

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 within miles.

2024 Rules
Level & School
2nd-level divination
Casting Time
Action or Ritual
Range
Self
Components
V, S, M (fur from a bloodhound)
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Bard, Druid, Ranger

Describe or name a specific kind of Beast, Plant creature, or nonmagical plant. You learn the direction and distance to the closest creature or plant of that kind within 5 miles, if any are present.

2014 Rules
Level & School
2nd-level divination
Casting Time
Action
Range
Self
Components
V, S, M (a bit of fur from a bloodhound)
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Bard, Druid, Ranger

Describe or name a specific kind of beast or plant. Concentrating on the voice of nature in your surroundings, you learn the direction and distance to the closest creature or plant of that kind within 5 miles, if any are present.

Locate Animals or Plants 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

It now has the Ritual tag. Its target scope is also clarified/expanded: 2024 lets you locate Beasts, Plant creatures, or nonmagical plants, whereas 2014 only said a specific kind of beast or plant.

Locate Animals or Plants popularity

Locate Animals or Plants is a seldom chosen level 2 spell. Choosing it adds a unique option to your spellbook.

Spells similar to Locate Animals or Plants

  • Locate Creature 4th-level divination

    It’s the closest mechanical analogue, giving direction (and for longer duration) to nearby living beings and sharing the same divination focus.

  • Locate Object 2nd-level divination

    This level and school match closely and it likewise pinpoints a nearby target by direction and proximity rather than providing direct interaction.

  • Commune with Nature 5th-level divination

    A higher‑level spell that provides broad natural-world information, including locations of plants and animals, making it a bigger-scale version of the same idea.

  • Beast Sense 2nd-level divination

    It’s a touch divination tied specifically to beasts and used by similar classes, offering sensory information about animal targets rather than simply locating them.

  • Speak with Animals 1st-level divination

    Although it enables conversation rather than locating, it’s thematically focused on animals and used by the same casters for wilderness interaction and reconnaissance.