Spike Growth

A
Damage

Spike Growth is a Damage spell. Damage spells focus on dealing harm to enemies.

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 spell that hides a patch of thorny ground, turning the area into
battlefield control

Spike Growth is a Battlefield Shaping spell. Battlefield Shaping spells alter terrain, create obstacles, introduce hazards, and affect enemy positioning.

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 and punishing movement.

2024 Rules
Level & School
2nd-level transmutation
Casting Time
Action
Range
150 feet
Components
V, S, M (seven thorns)
Duration
Concentration, 10 minutes
Classes
Druid, Ranger
Source
Player's Handbook (2024)

The ground in a 20-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point within range sprouts hard spikes and thorns. The area becomes Difficult Terrain for the duration. When a creature moves into or within the area, it takes 2d4 Piercing damage for every 5 feet it travels.

The transformation of the ground is camouflaged to look natural. Any creature that can't see the area when the spell is cast must take a Search action and succeed on a Wisdom (Perception or Survival) check against your spell save DC to recognize the terrain as hazardous before entering it.

2014 Rules
Level & School
2nd-level transmutation
Casting Time
Action
Range
150 feet
Components
V, S, M (seven sharp thorns or seven small twigs, each sharpened to a point)
Duration
Concentration, 10 minutes
Classes
Druid, Ranger
Source
Player's Handbook (2014)

The ground in a 20-foot radius centered on a point within range twists and sprouts hard spikes and thorns. The area becomes difficult terrain for the duration. When a creature moves into or within the area, it takes 2d4 piercing damage for every 5 feet it travels.

The transformation of the ground is camouflaged to look natural. Any creature that can't see the area at the time the spell is cast must make a Wisdom (Perception) check against your spell save DC to recognize the terrain as hazardous before entering it.

Spike Growth 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

The area is now a 20-foot-radius Sphere instead of just a ground area, so it works as a 3D volume. Also, noticing the hazard now requires a Search action and a Wisdom (Perception or Survival) check, instead of only a Perception check.

Spike Growth popularity

How popular is Spike Growth? It is a commonly found spell in the game, and is chosen above nearly all other options when available. This spell is a widely sought-after option.

Read about how this popularity data is calculated.

Spells similar to Spike Growth