Negative Energy Flood
2014 Rules
- Level & School
- 5th-level necromancy
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range
- 60 feet
- Components
- V, M (a broken bone and a square of black silk)
- Duration
- Instantaneous
- Classes
- Warlock, Wizard
- Source
- Xanathar's Guide to Everything
You send ribbons of negative energy at one creature you can see within range. Unless the target is undead, it must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 5d12 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A target killed by this damage rises up as a zombie at the start of your next turn. The zombie pursues whatever creature it can see that is closest to it. Statistics for the zombie are in the Monster Manual.
If you target an undead with this spell, the target doesn't make a saving throw. Instead, roll 5d12. The target gains half the total as temporary hit points.
Negative Energy Flood 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences
Negative Energy Flood is currently only available in the 2014 edition.
Negative Energy Flood popularity
How popular is Negative Energy Flood? It is one of the rarest spells in the game, and it is almost never chosen when available. This spell is virtually unheard of in most campaigns, but you can change that.
- Bottom 25% picked level 5 Warlock spell
- Bottom 25% picked level 5 Wizard spell
- Bottom 25% of all level 5 spells
- Bottom 10% of all 5e spells
Read about how this popularity data is calculated.
Spells similar to Negative Energy Flood
Finger of Death 7th-level necromancy
It’s the closest match: a big necromancy blast for the same classes, and it also turns a slain foe into undead.
Players prefer Finger of Death over Negative Energy Flood
Harm 6th-level necromancy
Like the target spell, it is a powerful necrotic hit aimed at one creature, just with a very different class overlap.
Players prefer Harm over Negative Energy Flood
Blight 4th-level necromancy
This is another single-target necrotic strike that asks for a Constitution save and fits the same offensive niche.
Players prefer Blight over Negative Energy Flood
Vampiric Touch 3rd-level necromancy
Both spells deal necrotic damage and have a life-draining feel, even though this one works through sustained melee attacks.
Players prefer Vampiric Touch over Negative Energy Flood
Enervation 5th-level necromancy
It shares the same dark theme and class list, and it steadily drains a creature while keeping the caster going.
Players prefer Negative Energy Flood over Enervation