Find Steed 5e spell

2nd-level conjuration · 2024 version below

Casting time: 10 minutes
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
School: Conjuration
Level: 2

You summon a spirit that assumes the form of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed, creating a long-lasting bond with it. Appearing in an unoccupied space within range, the steed takes on a form that you choose: a warhorse, a pony, a camel, an elk, or a mastiff. (Your GM might allow other animals to be summoned as steeds.) The steed has the statistics of the chosen form, though it is a celestial, fey, or fiend (your choice) instead of its normal type. Additionally, if your steed has an Intelligence of 5 or less, its Intelligence becomes 6, and it gains the ability to understand one language of your choice that you speak.

Your steed serves you as a mount, both in combat and out, and you have an instinctive bond with it that allows you to fight as a seamless unit. While mounted on your steed, you can make any spell you cast that targets only you also target your steed.

When the steed drops to 0 hit points, it disappears, leaving behind no physical form. You can also dismiss your steed at any time as an action, causing it to disappear. In either case, casting this spell again summons the same steed, restored to its hit point maximum.

While your steed is within 1 mile of you, you can communicate with it telepathically.

You can't have more than one steed bonded by this spell at a time. As an action, you can release the steed from its bond at any time, causing it to disappear.

How Find Steed plays

After 10 minutes of casting, a spirit appears in the form of a steed you choose, such as a warhorse, a pony, a camel, an elk or a mastiff. It uses that animal’s statistics, but it’s a celestial, fey or fiend instead of a beast, its Intelligence is at least 6, and it understands one language you speak. You can talk to it telepathically while it’s within a mile of you.

The spell’s duration is instantaneous, so the steed stays until it drops to 0 hit points or you dismiss it. Either way it vanishes, and casting the spell again brings back the same steed at full hit points. The best part is the bond: while you ride it, any spell you cast that targets only you can also target your steed.

When to pick Find Steed

Mounted paladins, obviously. A warhorse moves 60 feet, and fighting from its back makes a Medium paladin much harder to escape.
Small paladins can ride a Medium steed like a mastiff or pony, which fits through dungeon corridors a horse can’t.
As a spare body. Even if you don’t ride into battle, a loyal, intelligent animal that scouts, carries gear and comes back for a 2nd-level slot is useful. Cast it after a short rest when you have a slot to spare, not in the middle of a fight: it takes 10 minutes.
Check the ceiling. In a campaign spent in tight dungeons, a Large horse spends most of its time waiting outside.

Common questions

What happens when my Find Steed mount dies?

It disappears without leaving a body. Cast the spell again and the same steed returns, restored to its hit point maximum. You can’t have more than one steed from this spell at a time.

Which spells can I share with my steed?

Any spell you cast that targets only you, such as spells with a range of Self like Divine Favor, can also target the steed while you’re mounted on it. Spells that can target other creatures, like Aid or Shield of Faith, already let you choose it as one of their targets.

Can my steed attack?

It follows the mounted combat rules. As a controlled mount it can only Dash, Disengage or Dodge on its turn; if it acts independently, it keeps its own initiative and can attack with its own stat block. Many DMs let the rider choose, since the steed is intelligent and loyal.

Can I pick a flying steed?

Not under the 2014 spell as written: the examples are all land animals, and anything else is up to your DM. Paladins get Find Greater Steed for flying mounts, but it isn’t in the SRD.

Did the 2024 rules change Find Steed?

Completely. The 2024 spell summons a Large Otherworldly Steed with its own stat block that scales with the slot you use: AC 10 + 1 per spell level, 5 + 10 hit points per spell level, a 60-foot speed, a fly speed with a 4th-level slot or higher, and a bonus action that depends on whether it’s celestial, fey or fiend. It’s cast with an action, and it shares your initiative instead of rolling its own.

Find Steed compared with similar options

Spell	How it compares
Phantom Steed	3rd-level wizard ritual: a horse with a 100-foot speed for an hour. Great for travel, useless in a fight, since any damage ends it.
Find Familiar	The wizard’s version for small spirits: a scout that can’t attack. Costs 10 gp of materials and an hour of casting.
Warhorse	The usual pick: CR 1/2, 19 hit points, 60-foot speed, and a Trampling Charge that knocks targets prone.
Conjure Animals	3rd level: a pack of fighting beasts for up to an hour with concentration. More power for one fight, no lasting bond.

Classes that can cast Find Steed

Class	First available	Spellcasting ability
Paladin spells	5th character level	Charisma

Find Steed in the 2024 rules

The 2024 Player’s Handbook revised many spells, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new text. What changed from the 2014 version above:

Casting time: 10 minutes → Action.
Range: 30 feet → 30 feet Component: V, S.
Components: V, S → .

Casting time: Action
Range: 30 feet Component: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
School: Conjuration
Level: 2
Classes: Paladin

You summon an otherworldly being that appears as a loyal steed in an unoccupied space of your choice within range. This creature uses the Otherworldly Steed stat block. If you already have a steed from this spell, the steed is replaced by the new one.

The steed resembles a Large, rideable animal of your choice, such as a horse, a camel, a dire wolf, or an elk. Whenever you cast the spell, choose the steed's creature type—Celestial, Fey, or Fiend—which determines certain traits in the stat block.

Combat. The steed is an ally to you and your allies. In combat, it shares your Initiative count, and it functions as a controlled mount while you ride it (as defined in the rules on mounted combat). If you have the Incapacitated condition, the steed takes its turn immediately after yours and acts independently, focusing on protecting you.

Disappearance of the Steed. The steed disappears if it drops to 0 Hit Points or if you die. When it disappears, it leaves behind anything it was wearing or carrying. If you cast this spell again, you decide whether you summon the steed that disappeared or a different one.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. Use the spell slot's level for the spell's level in the stat block.

Otherworldly Steed

Large Celestial, Fey, or Fiend (Your Choice), Neutral

AC 10 + 1 per spell level

HP 5 + 10 per spell level (the steed has a number of Hit Dice [d10s] equal to the spell's level)

Speed 60 ft., Fly 60 ft. (requires level 4+ spell)

Ability	Score	Mod	Save
Str	18	+4	+4
Dex	12	+1	+1
Con	14	+2	+2
Int	6	−2	−2
Wis	12	+1	+1
Cha	8	−1	−1

Senses Passive Perception 11

Languages Telepathy 1 mile (works only with you)

CR None (XP 0; PB equals your Proficiency Bonus)

Traits

Life Bond. When you regain Hit Points from a level 1+ spell, the steed regains the same number of Hit Points if you're within 5 feet of it.

Actions

Otherworldly Slam. Melee Attack Roll: Bonus equals your spell attack modifier, reach 5 ft. Hit: 1d8 plus the spell's level of Radiant (Celestial), Psychic (Fey), or Necrotic (Fiend) damage.

Bonus Actions

Fell Glare (Fiend Only; Recharges after a Long Rest). Wisdom Saving Throw: DC equals your spell save DC, one creature within 60 feet the steed can see. Failure: The target has the Frightened condition until the end of your next turn.

Fey Step (Fey Only; Recharges after a Long Rest). The steed teleports, along with its rider, to an unoccupied space of your choice up to 60 feet away from itself.

Healing Touch (Celestial Only; Recharges after a Long Rest). One creature within 5 feet of the steed regains a number of Hit Points equal to 2d8 plus the spell's level.

2024 version from the SRD 5.2. Most tables settle on one edition, so check which one yours uses.

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