Hello spellcasters fo all shapes and sizes! Thank you so much for checking out the 41st episode of our first level spell series. Today we are going to be taking a look at one of my personal favorite cleric spells in the entire game. Now these in terms of damaging this is one of my top 10 for sure. Alright today we’re going to be taking a look at dnd 5e guiding bolt spell.
Thematically and mechanically this is probably one of the best first level spells you can pick for the cleric and naturally it’s only usable by them. There’s a couple other classes that can’t get access to this, but as per the spell list it’s on it’s only found on the cleric. It has also found in the players handbook so we should all have access to it. Without further ado let’s take a look at the mechanics.
Table of Contents
Mechanics
- Damage: 4d6(+1d6 per spell slot above 1st)
- Effect: on a hit, the next attack roll against the target has advantage.
- Casting Time: 1 Action
- Range: 120ft
- Duration: 1 Round
- Saving throw: None
- Components: Somatic and Verbal
- School: Evocation
- Damage Type: Radiant
So your initial damage is a whopping four die six. Holy moly…that’s quite good and you get an additional die six per each spell slot above 1st and if you thought damaging was all it did you’d be wrong on a hit the next attack roll against the target has advantage. So not only did you do a decent chunk of damage but you set your party member up to do the same i think that’s incredible.
The cast time is a standard one action with the range even impressive 120 ft, the duration is 1 round so the effect only lasts around which makes sense logically. The saving throw there is none. it’s just a spell attack.
The components are somatic and verbal meaning you have to gesture with one hand and speak forth incantation. The school is evocation and the damage type is radiant. So pretty cool stuff there. Also going to the full description and kind of break it down a little more. Reads as follows.
Description
In this Guiding Bolt 5E…Actually, within a range a flash of light would streak towards the creature which you’ve chosen as per your choice. Make one ranged spell attack against to the target. Basically, on a hit, the target would take 4d6 radiant damage and also the next attack roll has made against to this target but before the end of your next turn has an advantage and you need to be thankful to the mystical dim light glittering on the target until that.
At Higher levels:
At higher levels of dnd 5e Guiding Bolt when you cast this spell by using a spell slot of 2nd level or more than the 2nd level, the damage would also be increasing by 1d6 for each slot above the 1st level.
You may also like: banishing smite spell 5e
Really, really cool stuff! Once again mechanically this things an absolute beast and thematically it’s so cool. The fact that it attracts dim light to the target as well. Awesome just super awesome. That being said! let’s take a look at some alternative uses.
Alternative Uses
So, the best one i could think of at least off the top of my head would be if let’s say you’re dealing with a creature that only you could see like let’s say it was night even a dark vision and you notice something flying above you could hit it with guiding bolts and you would reveal the targets location to the rest of your party members and anyone else looking as well.
In addition to doing a decent chunk of damage. I really like this, i suppose you could also use it as fireworks or some kind of a flare but the spell specifies that it has to target a creature. So i would leave that up to your DM to decide.
Attributes Of d&d Guiding Bolt
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Classes | Cleric |
| Components | V S |
| Damage | 4d6 |
| Damage Type | Radiant |
| Duration | 1 round |
| Higher Spell Slot Desc | When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st. |
| Higher Spell Slot Dice | 1 |
| Higher Spell Slot Die | d6 |
| Level | 1 |
| Name | Guiding Bolt |
| Range | 120 feet |
| School | Evocation |
| Spell Attack | Ranged |
| Target | A creature of your choice within range |
Conclusion
In any case guys, thank you so much for tuning in today and if you can think of any like cool uses for it or build ideas, or combos please put them down in the comments section beneath i’m really curious to see what you guys can come up with. In any case hope you all have a great day and as always happy casting.