Hunger of Hadar: Rubs Me the Right Way

Usable By: Warlock

Spell Level: 3

School: Conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 150 feet

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Components: V, S, M (a pickled octopus tentacle)

You open a gateway to the dark between the stars, a region infested with unknown horrors. A 20-foot-radius sphere of blackness and bitter cold appears, centered on a point with range and lasting for the duration. This void is filled with a cacophony of soft whispers and slurping noises that can be heard up to 30 feet away. No light, magical or otherwise, can illuminate the area, and creatures fully within the area are blinded.

The void creates a warp in the fabric of space, and the area is difficult terrain. Any creature that starts its turn in the area takes 2d6 cold damage. Any creature that ends its turn in the area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 acid damage as milky, otherwordly tentacles rub against it.

Review by Sam West, Twitter: @CrierKobold

Out of all the spell descriptions in 5e, few are as delightfully worded as Hunger of Hadar. Where else can you read “milky, otherworldly tentacles rub against it” in the PHB? Where else can I find “a cacophony of soft whispers and slurping noises” that Hunger invokes? At its minimum, regardless of all of the practical applications, I will love Hunger of Hadar.

A neat element of Hunger of Hadar is it is entirely void of saves or attack rolls; its effects just happen. Outside of all the beautiful descriptors, you’re getting a 20 ft. radius sphere of darkness, difficult terrain, and 2d6 damage when creatures start and end their turn there. That is a lot of things in a single instantaneous spell effect.

Maximizing the effectiveness of Hunger of Hadar comes down to keeping creatures in the area. Blinded creatures suffer from having all attacks made against them happen with advantage, and all attacks they make come with disadvantage. Paired with the difficult terrain, at minimum this can come down and hit a few creatures, deal a guaranteed 2d6 cold, and possibly get some creatures to spend actions dashing out of it. This can be used to cut off enemies for a brief time from you and your friends, or otherwise control environments to force creatures to move in ways you can take advantage of. As far as effects that do this, Hunger does it incredibly well. If you get something to stay in the darkness for two full rounds, this is matching Fireball damage with massive upside.

The main pain point of Hunger is its class. Pact magic is tough, as you’re only ever getting a handful of spell casts. Every 5th level and lower spell you’ll ever get has to compete with every other 5th level or lower spell you have for these precious slots, and unfortunately for Hunger of Hadar, most of the best of those scale with spell level. Hunger does not.

Getting Hunger at 5th level can be a major new tool to put on your warlock tool belt. Blinding a forty-foot wide area for a 3rd level spell is fine, comparable to Darkness, but comes with some meaningful damage you can weaponize with movement effects and difficult terrain to control the area even better. Its lack of up-casting options make it so it's only particularly good when you’re spending a 3rd level slot on it. If you’re just hitting level five, this is a great spell to try out, but won’t fit every encounter, and will be something you’ll look to drop in a few levels. Remember, though, in times of crisis when you just need a giggle, think of the editor who had to okay “milky, otherworldly tentacles rub against it”.

5e Spells

Hunger of Hadar: Rubs Me the Right Way