Hello magic casters of all shapes and sizes. Welcome to my website and thank you for checking out the the 70th episode of our second level spell series. Today we are looking at what we’ve actually been discussing in the comment sections for quite a while now. We’re gonna be looking at spider climb 5e. This spell is usable by the sorcerer, warlock, wizard and artificer. It’s found in the good old player’s handbook. So we should all have access to it.
This is a spell that most people like quite a bit, sometimes monks get a little bit upset over it because at later levels they get an ability that let’s them basically do the same thing and it’s also the equivalent of a second level spell slot. But whatever i think this spell balances very nicely. I don’t think it’s scales that great but i do think it’s pretty fun. In any case let’s take a quick look at it’s mechanics here.
Mechanics
Effect: The effect at a glance is as followed: The target could basically walk along vertical surfaces, and also to upside down. However they shall also gain to get a climb speed which is equal to their walking speed. Which is pretty cool.
- Casting Time: Is just an action.
- Range: The range is touch which is very interesting .
- Duration: The duration is one hour and it is concentration. Which is disappointing naturally.
- Components: The components are the holy trinity. So that is a Verbal, Material and Somatic. If you’re curious both a material component it is a drop of bitumen and a spider very cool stuff.
- School: The school is Transmutation. Which makes a lot of sense so.
Now let’s take a look at the full description here and just better break this spell down.
Description
In spider climb spell dnd 5e, until d&d spell ends, one of the willing creatures which you do touch would gain some ability to move up, down and even across the vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, during leaving its hands free. The target even gain a climbing speed too which is equal to its walking speed.
Did you read shocking grasp 5e spell article?
It’s a very cool stuff. I think climb speed is arguably one of the best speeds in the game outside of. Maybe flying but even then flying has a lot of downsides to it. Now something i would like to point though relatively quickly here is that you can cast it on other creatures once again it is a touch spell.
A lot of people seem to assume the range for this itself it is not. Another cool thing to note about it is that it can be cast through familiars as well which just really helps out in a pinch.
DnD 5E Spider Climb Attributes
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Classes | Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard |
| Components | V S M |
| Concentration | Yes |
| Duration | Up to 1 hour |
| Level | 2 |
| Material | A drop of bitumen and a spider |
| Name | Spider Climb |
| Range | Touch |
| School | Transmutation |
| Target | One willing creature you touch |
Now let’s take a quick look at some alternative uses here and see if we can get those creative juices flowing a little bit.
Alternative Uses
So one of my favorite uses is to use this on important NPCs you’re meant to protect. It just really helps them get out of a pinch really helps get them out of combat and just keeps them in a safe area. Naturally it’s safe to say that there are better spells for this. But push comes to shove spider climb still works great.
Another great place to use this spell is to cast it out of one of your clumsier allies while you’re making your way through a trap filled dungeon. I really like this because it lets them circumnavigate a lot of traps that would otherwise give them a great deal of harm and that turn helps a lot with resource management.
As you guys have mentioned in the comment section a great way to use this is alongside the fine steed spell and you can essentially get spider horse. It’s pretty cool, pretty wild, i couldn’t think of a lot of reasons why i’d want to per say, i mean your movements great don’t get me wrong but. It is pretty interesting. I’m surprised you guys have talked about it so much.
In any case there’s another use that i actually thought of after the above uses but. This works really well with any party member capable of grappling. For example i’ll say in a place with higher ceilings or in a multi-level building or beside on at the very least just grapple an enemy run up to the top of the building and throw them off of it. It’s kind of funny and as some DMs are bound to dislike that, but i still think it’s pretty freakin hilarious.
Conclusion
In any case if you have any cool alternative uses, ideas, thoughts, questions, comments, concerns then leave them down beneath in the comment section, i really do appreciate it.