Mind Sliver

A
Damage

Mind Sliver is a Damage spell. Damage spells focus on dealing harm to enemies.

See all Damage spells →
 spell that frays a foe’s mind with psychic pain and leaves it vulnerable to its next saving throw with a
debilitating curse

Mind Sliver is a Save or Suck spell. Save or Suck spells fall entirely flat if the target succeeds on a saving throw.

See all Save or Suck spells →
.

2024 Rules
Level & School
Enchantment cantrip
Casting Time
Action
Range
60 feet
Components
V
Duration
1 round
Classes
Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You try to temporarily sliver the mind of one creature you can see within range. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or take 1d6 Psychic damage and subtract 1d4 from the next saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.

Cantrip Upgrade. The damage increases by 1d6 when you reach levels 5 (2d6), 11 (3d6), and 17 (4d6).

2014 Rules
Level & School
Enchantment cantrip
Casting Time
Action
Range
60 feet
Components
V
Duration
1 round
Classes
Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You drive a disorienting spike of psychic energy into the mind of one creature you can see within range. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. Unless the saving throw is successful, the target takes 1d6 psychic damage, and the first time it makes a saving throw before the end of your next turn, it must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the save.

Cantrip Upgrade. This spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).

Mind Sliver 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

Effectively the same spell. The 2024 version is reworded but functions identically.

Mind Sliver popularity

Mind Sliver is a commonly chosen cantrip. Choosing it adds an established option to your spellbook.

Spells similar to Mind Sliver

  • Vicious Mockery Enchantment cantrip

    A low-level insult that deals psychic cantrip damage and imposes a follow-up penalty on the target, making it the closest in concept and class overlap.

  • Bane 1st-level enchantment

    It doesn't deal psychic damage, but it imposes a short-term numeric penalty to rolls and saves on targets, matching Mind Sliver's 'subtract from a future roll' mechanic.

  • Dissonant Whispers 1st-level enchantment

    This enchantment deals psychic damage on a failed save and creates an immediate tactical effect, so it shares the same damage type and single-target, save-based utility.

  • Mind Spike 2nd-level divination

    A psychic-damage spell available to similar classes that targets one creature at range and has an information/marking secondary effect, making it thematically and mechanically related.

  • Bestow Curse 3rd-level necromancy

    An enchantment that can impose persistent penalties on a target's abilities or rolls, reflecting Mind Sliver's short-term debuffing flavor even though it's a higher-level spell.