If You Cast Wish
There's no shortage of incredibly powerful spells in D&D 5e, but the Wish spell is simply legendary.
Those who have heard of this spell'southward power volition frequently do anything to larn information technology. With their greatest dreams and desires only a casting action away, it'south quite the motivator!
But such great ability requires a great bargain of responsibility…
When you lot're literally reforming reality itself to arrange your goals, y'all could easily find yourself creating all kinds of unexpected side effects!
So today we're taking a closer look at what is quite possibly the most ballsy spell in all of D&D 5e: Wish.
Contents
- one What is the Wish spell in D&D 5e?
- 1.1 What Classes Can Get Wish?
- 2 How to Employ the Wish Spell
- two.1 Umm… Phrasing?!
- 2.2 Brand Time For Recovery!
- 2.3 Limitations of Wish in D&D 5e
- 3 Wish Advice for Dungeon Masters
- three.1 Plan Ahead
- 3.2 Don't Exist a Jerk
- iii.3 Exist Clear
- 3.4 Fourth dimension Limits
- 3.five Exist Fair
- four Ofttimes Asked Questions
- iv.1 How Many Times Can You Utilize Wish?
- 4.2 Does Wish Upcast Spells?
- 4.3 Does Wish Ignore Casting Fourth dimension and Material Components?
- 4.4 Tin Wish Plow You lot Into a God?
- 4.5 Can You Use Counterspell on Wish?
- v Conclusion – The Wish Spell in D&D 5e
What is the Wish spell in D&D 5e?
The Wish spell isn't just good, it'southward amazing! This is a spell that can fundamentally change reality every bit your characters know it to a greater degree than anything else in the game.
In fact, the Wish spell is so powerful that information technology'southward not unheard of for people to brand characters with the primary goal of gaining access to it!
Wish can be used to cast non-Wizard/Sorcerer spells. Y'all're able to indistinguishable the outcome of whatever spell in the game that is level 8 or lower regardless of what course'southward spell listing it's on.
Alternatively, you're able to use your casting of Wish to attain furnishings that are well beyond that of other spells. Some might be useful in a compression like using Wish to recover all of your political party's hit points whereas others could be colossal and entirely reality-altering based on your entrada and character's goals.
Nosotros'll go into more detail about these when we talk about how to utilize the Wish spell in just a moment!
What Classes Can Get Wish?
In D&D 5e, the Wish spell is establish on the Wizard and Wizard spell lists. By default, these are the only classes with access to Wish.
Even so, at that place are a few exceptions!
Warlocks can learn use of the Wish spell if they brand their pact with a Noble Genie. (You can find my guide to the Genie Warlock here by the way!)
In fact, Genie Warlocks likewise get admission to a more than limited version of Wish at level 14. A few levels later, they're able to ask their patron for the real deal!
Though nosotros tin't forget Bards!
Bards specifically can gain access to the Wish spell with their Magical Secrets feature. This feature lets you larn spells from any spell list of a level that you can bandage. To learn Wish as a Bard, take it as 1 of your Magical Secrets at level xviii.
Related: Complete Guide to the Bard Grade in D&D 5e
Clerics that take the Arcana Domain from the Sword Coast Adventurers Guide are able to take Wish with their level 17 feature, Cabalistic Mastery.
Beyond that, information technology's worth mentioning that all Clerics get something similar to Wish with their Divine Intervention feature. They commencement become this at level 10, only the odds of it working are pretty slim. Once they striking level xx, it's guaranteed to work every 7 days.
At the time of writing this, Druids are the only full caster class that don't have access to the Wish spell.
How to Use the Wish Spell
It's best to think of Wish every bit having two ways to utilise information technology: basic and avant-garde.
The basic use is to have the Wish spell duplicate the event of any other level 8 or lower spell. All things considered, this is the safest apply of Wish.
Merely permit's exist honest, that'due south not what this spell is famous for…
Using Wish in the "advanced" way is the most fun and the nearly campaign-altering option.
The Player'south Handbook gives a few examples of some effects that y'all might create by casting Wish:
- Create one nonmagical object worth up to 25,000gp that is no more 300 feet in whatsoever direction.
- Allow upward to xx creatures that you lot can meet to regain all striking points and take all effects ended on them as if from the Greater Restoration spell.
- Grant 10 creatures you can come across resistance against a type of damage.
- Grant x creatures you tin can see immunity to a unmarried spell or other magical issue for 8 hours.
- Disengage a recent event past forcing a reroll of any scroll made within the concluding round (including your last turn.) The reroll can be made with advantage or disadvantage and you can choose whether to accept the reroll or original roll.
Alternatively, y'all could use Wish to attain something far beyond even those suggestions.
You might use this spell to bring someone back to life or bring them to your plane of existence. If there'due south a specially tragic mistake in your history, you lot might use Wish to undo that.
If the BBEG has caused some powerful cabalistic antiquity that is threatening the world, you lot might wish that they never acquired the artifact or that they couldn't activate it.
Y'all could grant yourself a position of nobility, wish for a ane,000,000gp, or anything that your heart desires.
Equally far equally what the Wish spell is capable of doing, the only real limits are your own imagination and what the DM agrees is reasonable.
There'due south not necessarily a single all-time "catch-all" use of Wish. The applications are limitless and heavily depend on your graphic symbol, the political party's needs, and what is happening in the story.
Wish is the ultimate Deus Ex Machina available to players. In other words, the pulley can make pretty much anything happen for the simple reasoning of "information technology's magic!"
Still, exceptionally grand wishes past their very nature have a lot more moving parts to them. That means in that location are more possibilities for things to get… well… maybe not how you specially envisioned them…
Umm… Phrasing?!
When using the Wish spell, you want to exist very careful and specific with how you phrase your Wish.
Some things are by and large pretty safe similar duplicating a spell effect or the examples listed in the spell'due south description.
It's when y'all attempt to push a Wish beyond these "safe" examples that things can start to get a picayune weird. Generally speaking, the grander your Wish is, the more that could maybe go wrong and the worse that could be.
So cull your words carefully!
You might wish to be the strongest warrior in the land just to detect yourself constantly attacked by people who desire to claim that title for themselves. Non only could these be very formidable foes, but yous'll probable never have a moment of peace again!
Heard well-nigh a powerful magic particular that you want to claim for yourself? If you aren't careful with your wish, you could observe the item (and the very aroused dragon who is in possession of information technology) right in front end of yous. You lot might be teleported to the particular's location in the dragon's hoard or y'all might stop upwardly teleporting the dragon and the item to you!
Using Wish to make yourself the King or Queen of the realm? That'southward possible, simply what are yous going to do almost the gathering peasants who are currently going full French Revolution and coming to drag you to the guillotine?
If you lot're going to utilise Wish for something exceptionally powerful and world-irresolute, it's a very good idea to spend time talking about it with your party. Your wording should be as precise (but go along it succinct) as possible.
Piece of work together to find a desired event and phrasing that you call back will exist safe. Otherwise, you are casting this at your own hazard!
If the party plans to cast the Wish spell and has the luxury of time, information technology might even be worth hiring some very intelligent NPCs to assistance craft the wording for the specific goal that you have in mind.
Make Time For Recovery!
If you lot utilize Wish for annihilation other than the "basic" use of duplicating some other spell effect, you should be prepared to spend some time recovering.
Once again, this is some serious arcane energy y'all're playing with! It's going to take a concrete price on y'all!
If you use Wish for anything other than duplicating another spell'south outcome, y'all're weakened until y'all finish a long rest.
Until you've rested, casting any spell causes you to have 1d10 necrotic damage for every level of that spell. Furthermore, you tin't outwit this cost as the necrotic damage cannot be reduced or prevented in any way!
Oh merely information technology gets even more intense…
Your Forcefulness score too drops to 3 for 2d4 days. Spending an entire day doing nothing simply resting and light activities (like reading or such) counts as two days recovery.
But lest nosotros forget the greatest kickback of all…
Using anything more than the "basic" Wish comes with a 33% chance that you will never be able to cast the spell over again as a result of the stress that comes with casting something so powerful.
This ways "never" as in "never ever" being able to cast it again. I suppose someone else casting Wish might be enough to allow y'all to cast it again, but now we're but getting silly with it.
The point is: casting Wish is going to render your character pretty much useless for nearly a week.
Combining that with the fact that you take a pretty skilful gamble of this being your 1 and only casting of the spell, you really want to make sure that y'all make information technology count and have no plans while you recover later!
Fun fact: back in the days of 3e/3.v, using Wish had an extra price of 5,000 xp (minimum and often more!) to cast it! Talk most a steep price!
Limitations of Wish in D&D 5e
Across the recovery time and possibility of never existence able to bandage the spell over again, Wish doesn't actually have any hard-set limitations.
The real limiting cistron with the spell is that things might not go every bit you await. It's the classic proverb of "exist conscientious what you wish for lest it comes true."
You could wish for the destruction of all undead simply to too wipe out anyone who had been previously brought dorsum to life. This could very well include your party members or even yourself!
Perhaps you wish that the Demons who have been escaping the Hells to cause chaos on the Material Plane were forever trapped in the lower planes. But now the Devils have uncontested admission to tempt and manipulate the mortals on the Material Aeroplane.
And so while there aren't necessarily whatsoever specific limits on the Wish spell beyond what the DM rules, information technology's the consequences of your wish that permit you know where the limits truly ought to be.
To wax poetic for a moment, information technology's a perfect example of my favorite scrap from my favorite poet, William Blake: "the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom, you never know what is enough until you lot know what is more than enough."
Spoiler alarm: there are very good odds that you're going to visit the palace of wisdom sooner than you might think with the Wish spell!
Wish Advice for Dungeon Masters
With a spell this powerful, it's time for some real talk with the DMs out there. I've got v guidelines for DMs who are planning on giving their players access to the Wish spell.
It can't be stressed plenty how completely and entirely entrada-altering this spell is.
While in that location's definitely a lot of fun in watching your players aimlessly try to effigy out the perfect use of this spell, you lot as well need to be prepared to be proactive. This could be the stop of the campaign or this could set the stage for the most over-the-top gamble you'll ever DM.
Plan Ahead
The biggest matter you demand to exercise as a DM is to plan ahead.
The players gaining access to the Wish spell should not sneak upwards on y'all. By the time they're level 17 and able to cast level ix spells, yous should have admittedly seen this coming and have a plan in place to go far piece of work inside the story.
In the case of a Sorcerer or Bard, where are they learning this spell from? Finding the necessary data to cast a spell as powerful equally Wish could (and should!) be a quest in and of itself!
Furthermore, it'southward likely that they'll need to find parts of the spell in various locations. I part might be in a lich'southward underground lair, another might be possessed by the Archmage in charge of a Mage'due south Club, and another could be stashed away in a dragon's hoard.
Non only does this tactic add more narrative and excitement to the story while positioning the completed Wish spell as a MacGuffin, but information technology also gives the players more than time to recall nearly what they'll use the spell for.
Related: Why and How You Should Exist Using a MacGuffin In Your D&D Games
Ultimately, it will go on things moving while besides giving you insights into what they're thinking and so that you can prepare accordingly.
In the example of a Sorcerer, having a mentor NPC who is able to assistance awaken the Wish spell inside the sorcerer could achieve a similar effect. Perhaps they need some materials that are found in the locations I described.
If you starting time planting these seeds before the party is able to cast level 9 spells, it will experience natural to the story while also giving you enough of fourth dimension to properly programme for when they finally cast Wish.
Don't Exist a Jerk
Wish is one of those spells where the full general view of it is, shall we say, antagonistic.
Wait, I'one thousand going to be existent with you: this is a huge moment for the players so don't be a jerk. Yes, it's fun finding ways to turn wishes around on the person making it, simply it just doesn't make sense in this context.
If the political party is making a deal with a diabolical genie, then get for it!
Are they making a deal with Moloch or some other powerful Devil? Then admittedly find a way to ultimately make them regret the bargain.
Simply they've worked very long and hard to access the Wish spell and deserve to employ information technology without having to hire a team of lawyers to make their Wish ironclad and DM-proof.
Now, with that said, I'm not proverb that they shouldn't confront consequences from what they wish for. Consider the examples that I gave earlier. You might wish to be King, but does that make you a competent Male monarch? If not, it's only a affair of fourth dimension earlier the people insubordinate and drag you out of your castle!
At most, I'd say keep the grandest of wishes to a blazon of "malicious compliance" if you only absolutely accept to mess with your players. Simply the intent behind the wish should count for a lot if for no reason other than keeping the game fun.
If you've planned alee and listened to what your players are saying, you should be able to tell what it is that they're trying to reach.
Be Clear
This is simple: speak directly and bluntly with the party.
Wish is a colossal spell and you might need to have off the DM hat for just a moment to really bulldoze the bespeak home. It's not something to be taken lightly!
If you are clear and direct with the political party about what Wish is, what information technology's capable of, and what they should know almost using it, information technology volition get a long fashion.
Having NPCs who take helped the political party piece together the secrets of the wish spell speak of legends of the spell's power is a way that you tin can do this without having to pause the game.
If that'southward not an pick, then just remind your players how big of a affair this is then get back to the game.
Fourth dimension Limits
I once had a group gain access to the Wish spell (as a type of MacGuffin) well-nigh 30 minutes into our weekly game.
What followed was nigh 3 hours of semantics trying to figure out the best way to word the specific wish in a manner that wouldn't backlash.
By the end of the first hour, my eyes were probably completely rolled back into my caput. Having lost interest, I simply started doodling in my notebook while offering occasional ideas meant to hopefully speed it along.
After 3 hours, the party decided on the wording of the Wish, cast the spell, effectively saved the world, and ended the campaign.
It wasn't exactly a fun feel despite every session to that point existence bully. Peculiarly with it becoming the stop of the campaign, it just felt weird.
That's why I recommend putting a time limit on the Wish spell. Information technology has to be something (a sentence or ii) that can exist said in 6 seconds.
While the party is almost certainly trying to effigy out how to word the Wish, take the initiative to assistance them. Retrieve: the DM is not the players' enemy.
Yous don't necessarily have to requite the party ideas, simply you can help their controlling process. Saying things like "so, if I sympathize yous correctly, it sounds like you guys are wanting to use this spell to make XYZ happen?" volition help move the process along. Otherwise, information technology'south very likely that they'll waffle on in circles for the entire session.
Once more, if you've had a good buildup to this moment, you lot should accept some pretty good ideas of where the players' heads are at.
Exist Fair
This tip honestly just supplements the "Don't Exist a Jerk" guideline.
Information technology's a game and anybody is there to accept fun. Trying to "pull a fast one" on the political party isn't going to go over particularly well.
Merely that doesn't mean that there should be no logical results from the political party's actions.
When y'all make it a signal to be off-white in how you lot run a Wish scenario, you're looking at the unbiased and logical results of whatsoever the party used their Wish on. Sometimes this might exist quick and easy while other times it may require you to take a whole week to consider how diverse sections of the world accept been impacted.
It'south like getting rid of all the snakes in a town only to take information technology go completely overrun by rats. Nobody is going to be justified in saying "that's not fair!" Instead, at that place's a sure level of "oh… I didn't think well-nigh that…"
Grant the wish merely proceed the consequences focused on the natural and logical progression of things. It shouldn't feel like the consequences are solely meant to victimize the political party.
Often Asked Questions
Because the Wish spell is most limitless in what it's able to practice, there are tons of questions virtually it. Not all of these fit neatly into the to a higher place article, so I wanted to make this section to hopefully answer some of the most common questions.
If you nevertheless have questions regarding the Wish spell, don't hesitate to reach out in the comments! Every bit always, I'm happy to help and there are certainly other people who would benefit from you request!
How Many Times Tin You Use Wish?
The number of times that you're able to use Wish depends on what you're using it for.
If yous use Wish to duplicate another spell'south upshot, it functions equally a typical level 9 spell that you tin can use once per long rest.
Using Wish for anything other than duplicating a spell effect takes more of a toll on your character though. As I mentioned in the "How To Utilise The Wish Spell" section, you want to make fourth dimension for recovery afterward casting it like this.
The biggest take chances here is that you accept a 33% chance of never being able to cast the Wish spell again. The Wish tin still work, only if you whorl a 33 or lower on the percentile dice, that's the final time you'll be able to cast it.
So cull your Wishes carefully!
Does Wish Upcast Spells?
You can absolutely use the Wish spell to cast spells at a higher level than they typically are (as well known every bit upcasting.)
Let's say you're fighting the BBEG and you've exhausted most of your spell resource. To brand matters worse, you've taken a beating, your hp is getting low, and the political party'south chief healer is down.
The cherry-red on top: you didn't prepare whatsoever damage spells that can assistance you in this state of affairs.
Retrospect is ever 20/20, eh?
Yous look at your character sheet every bit you endeavor to plan your next move. You've got a few level 1 slots, a level ii, and that utilize of Wish you've been holding on to.
Things are looking grim as the BBEG and his minions close in on your political party.
Looking at the initiative order, they're correct later on you. If you can't do something big, the entire party is nigh certainly going to go down. It's time for a Hail Mary…
The DM looks at you.
"It's your turn."
Considering Wish can duplicate whatever spell effect of level viii or lower, you use it to cast a Fireball at level 8. The enemies were grouped together and weakened from the boxing and then far. Equally everything in a 20-foot radius takes 13d6 fire harm, your surprise Fireball manages to clear the field.
The political party tends to their wounds and takes a deep breath having merely avoided certain defeat.
Don't downplay the value of upcasting spells!
(Also perchance go along a fireball up your sleeve in the futurity, just in case…)
Does Wish Ignore Casting Fourth dimension and Material Components?
The Wish spell has a casting fourth dimension of i action and can duplicate the consequence of any other spell. This ways that it is possible to utilise the Wish spell to indistinguishable the effects of a spell that would typically take a longer casting time.
Additionally, the Wish spell ignores the requirement for costly material components to create furnishings in this way.
For example, the Simulacrum spell is a level 7 illusion spell that typically requires 12 hours to cast and 1500gp worth of powdered rubies.
If you utilize Wish to duplicate the Simulacrum spell's effects, it but takes one action and doesn't require materials. You simply wish for an awesome clone/construct of yourself and it appears.
While it'due south ultimately up to your DM, this could potentially likewise be used to set upward a permanent teleportation circle. Typically this would require you to cast the Teleportation Circumvolve spell on a spot every day for a year.
Considering how powerful Wish is, it'due south non much of a stretch (in my opinion) to utilise information technology to set up a permanent teleportation circle for quick traveling instead of spending an unabridged year trying to build it.
Can Wish Turn Y'all Into a God?
It'south hard to imagine an effect more powerful than turning someone into a full-blown deity.
If you lot're looking to use the Wish spell to ascend to godhood, that entirely falls to your DM to decide.
Personally, I might be tempted to allow a character to get a lesser deity with the Wish spell. However, the pure chaos that would follow from such a sudden ascension would be a spectacle similar none other.
Not simply does this throw diverse pantheons into disarray, simply information technology would too require the character to accept developed a reasonably big amount of followers. No followers/worshippers = no powers = no existent godhood.
Is information technology possible? Maybe.
Would the supreme powers that be take an active involvement in stopping this from happening? Definitely.
Even if yous do defy the wishes of the gods themselves, amass a sizeable group of followers, and use Wish to make yourself into a god, that's far from the end.
As the adept deities likely view this as sacrilege and are upset that you've ignored their advice/orders/pleas to terminate your quest, you probably won't exactly get along with them.
This means you're probably more probable to find yourself attracting evil deities who are more accepting or encouraging of selfish ambitions. If that's the visitor yous're looking to continue for all eternity, then so exist it.
Of grade, fifty-fifty if all of that happens, there's really only one fashion that that's going to manifest at the tabular array: you'll be making a new graphic symbol as your quondam one at present becomes an NPC deity.
Then while it's ultimately up to the DM to decide if this adds to the story, you lot'll desire to as well enquire yourself if this is something your character really wants.
Can Y'all Use Counterspell on Wish?
Yous'll desire to employ Wish in a safe environment free from other casters who might seek to stop you from using the spell.
It is possible to use Counterspell on someone who is casting the Wish spell. Yet, only a Counterspell bandage at level 9 is guaranteed to prevent the casting.
Conclusion – The Wish Spell in D&D 5e
The Wish spell is incredibly divisive. Some love it and view information technology every bit the ultimate arcane reward. Others detest information technology and retrieve that it pretty much only leads to chaos at the game table.
Frankly, in my experience, the vast majority of wishes issue in the terminate of the campaign or the character who fabricated/received the wish merely becoming an NPC.
If you wish for riches and wealth, why should you carp adventuring now? If you lot gain infinite noesis, what need do yous accept for treasure and adventure?
Used as a device for advancing the group'due south story, Wish can be a powerful motivator. If it'southward used carelessly or without planning, you're just asking for trouble.
That said, almost everyone has a story almost how the Wish spell went in one of their games.
Share your Wish story in the comments! I'd love to read it!
Yous have Successfully Subscribed!
Source: https://tabletopjoab.com/wish-5e/
Postar um comentário for "If You Cast Wish"