Ray of Sickness

A
Damage

Ray of Sickness is a Damage spell. Damage spells focus on dealing harm to enemies.

See all Damage spells →
 spell that hurls a sickening green ray, poisoning a creature and dealing toxic harm that can grow with higher spell slots.

2024 Rules
Level & School
1st-level necromancy
Casting Time
Action
Range
60 feet
Components
V, S
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Sorcerer, Wizard

You shoot a greenish ray at a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 Poison damage and has the Poisoned condition until the end of your next turn.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The damage increases by 1d8 for each spell slot level above 1.

2014 Rules
Level & School
1st-level necromancy
Casting Time
Action
Range
60 feet
Components
V, S
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Sorcerer, Wizard

A ray of sickening greenish energy lashes out toward a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 poison damage and must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it is also poisoned until the end of your next turn.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

Ray of Sickness 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

Ray of Sickness changed a lot at the table: on a hit, it now automatically gives the target the Poisoned condition until the end of your next turn, with no Constitution save. The spell’s upcasting and class list are unchanged.

Ray of Sickness popularity

Ray of Sickness is a commonly found spell in the game.

Spells similar to Ray of Sickness

  • Chromatic Orb 1st-level evocation

    It's a 1st‑level attack spell available to sorcerers and wizards that deals direct damage at range, so it fills the same niche as a single‑target damage ray.

  • Witch Bolt 1st-level evocation

    Like the ray, it is a ranged, attack‑focused spell that a caster uses to punish a single target across turns and emphasizes a hit‑or‑maintain damage playstyle.

  • Ray of Frost Evocation cantrip

    This cantrip is a ranged spell attack from the same classes that deals damage and adds a tactical debuff, mirroring the ray's single‑target, hit‑based design.

  • Chill Touch Necromancy cantrip

    A necromancy cantrip that requires an attack and combines damage with a harmful secondary effect, making it thematically and mechanically similar.

  • Inflict Wounds 1st-level necromancy

    Although it's a touch attack, it's a 1st‑level necromancy spell that delivers a burst of single‑target damage like the ray does.

Ray of Sickness is featured in