Blight: Wither Me Timbers

Usable By: Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

Spell Level: 4

School: Necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Duration: Instantaneous

Components: V, S

Necromantic energy washes over a creature of your choice that you can see within range, draining moisture and vitality from it. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. The target takes 8d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs. If you target a plant creature or a magical plant, it makes the saving throw with disadvantage, and the spell deals maximum damage to it. If you target a nonmagical plant that isn’t a creature, such as a tree or shrub, it doesn’t make a saving throw; it simply withers and dies.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 4th.

Review by Sam West, Twitter: @CrierKobold

A 4th level spell, when cast targeting a single creature according the DMG, should be dealing roughly 10d8 damage. Blight is a 4th level single target damage spell… that deals 8d8 damage. So for losing 2d8 (9ish damage), you’re getting something somewhat important, right? Something that makes this sweet sounding iconic necromantic magic worth preparing, right?

Well, if you’re frequently going into forests and murdering Treants, absolutely! In exchange for the 2d8 of raw power, Blight imposes disadvantage on the save against plants, and crucially, deals maximum damage to the target if it fails. Huh. Neat!

Out of the entirety of the Monster Manual, Volo’s Guide to Monsters, and Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, there are 19 total plant monsters. Of these, 11 are CR 1 or less, and die to lower level spells. The remaining 8 plants are likely then the kind you’d be looking to cast Blight on. Now you have to ask yourself: is preparing a 4th a level spell that deals 64 damage to one of these 8 plants worth it when thirteen other creature types exist, most with far more than 8 creatures you’ll want some kind of magic to fight? Unless you’re diving into a magical jungle infested with vengeful treants, you’re probably better off with just about any other damage option.

If you’re playing out of the PHB, and are playing a druid, Blight still may come up as its one of the few decent damaging spells offered to you. If you’re not in the market for conjuration nonsense and are trying to play the full caster druid, it won’t kill you to use Blight. 8d8 damage, while lower than it could be for its level, is still a decent chunk of damage, and sometimes you just want to cast a spell that deals a decent chunk of damage. In most other cases, though, you have way better options than this at dealing damage.

At the end of the day Blight fills a lovely niche that barely matters. Most characters will never want this, but those that do take it won’t find it uncastable because its still just a point and shoot 8d8 damage. If you know you’re facing down an Audrey 2 or some other unfathomable plant monstrosity, sure, prepare it. Otherwise Blight is really just a funny gimmick.

5e Spells

Blight: Wither Me Timbers