You call forth spirits to protect you. They flit around you to a distance of 15 feet for the duration. If you are good or neutral, their spectral form appears angelic or fey (your choice). If you are evil, they appear fiendish.
When you cast this spell, you can designate any number of creatures you can see to be unaffected by it. An affected creature's speed is halved in the area, and when the creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d8 radiant damage (if you are good or neutral) or 3d8 necrotic damage (if you are evil). On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage.
At higher levels
When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 3rd.
How Spirit Guardians plays
Spirits surround you out to 15 feet for up to 10 minutes while you concentrate, and the area moves with you. When you cast it, you pick any number of creatures you can see to leave unaffected, so your party is safe. Every other creature has its speed halved inside the area, and when it enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it makes a Wisdom saving throw: 3d8 radiant damage (13.5 on average) on a failure, half on a success. An evil caster deals necrotic damage instead.
It’s the cleric’s signature spell from 5th level. Enemies that want to hit you have to walk into it and slog through it at half speed, and anything that stays next to you takes the damage again every turn. Over three or four rounds against a crowd of melee enemies, it deals far more than one Fireball, and all it asks is that you keep your concentration.
When to pick Spirit Guardians
Most clerics should have it prepared from 5th level, especially those in medium or heavy armor who can afford to stand in the middle of the fight.
Protect your concentration. You’re next to enemies on purpose, so you’ll make a lot of Constitution saves. High AC and a shield keep the hits, and the saves, down.
Pair it with Spiritual Weapon. The weapon needs no concentration and uses your bonus action, so the two run side by side. Cast one this turn and the other next turn.
Expect less against archers and flyers. Enemies that stay more than 15 feet away never touch it.
Common questions
Does Spirit Guardians damage enemies when I walk up to them?
Read strictly, the 2014 wording needs the creature to enter the area or start its turn in it, so moving the aura onto an enemy doesn’t hurt it until its own turn begins. Many tables allow it anyway. The 2024 version settles it: a creature also makes the save when the aura enters its space, and it saves when it ends its turn there rather than when it starts it, at most once per turn.
Does Spirit Guardians hurt my allies?
Not the ones you choose when you cast it. You can exempt any number of creatures you can see at that moment. Anyone who wasn’t exempted, such as an ally who was out of sight or who arrives later, is affected.
Is the area of Spirit Guardians difficult terrain?
Not technically: an affected creature’s speed is halved while it’s inside. The effect is about the same, and it combines with real difficult terrain.
Do two clerics’ Spirit Guardians stack?
No. The effects of the same spell don’t combine while they overlap, so a creature inside both takes the damage only once. Two clerics should spread their auras apart or pick different spells.
How much damage does Spirit Guardians do when upcast?
One more d8 per slot level above 3rd: 4d8 (18) at 4th level, 5d8 (22.5) at 5th and 9d8 (40.5) with a 9th-level slot.
4th level, no concentration: a spectral guardian deals 20 radiant (Dexterity save for half) to hostile creatures that come within 10 feet, until it has dealt 60 damage. Guards a doorway while you concentrate on something else.
The 2024 Player’s Handbook revised many spells, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new text. What changed from the 2014 version above:
Range: Self (15-foot radius) → Self.
Casting time
Action
Range
Self
Components
V, S, M (a prayer scroll)
Duration
Concentration, up to 10 minutes
School
Conjuration
Level
3
Classes
Cleric
Tags
concentration
Protective spirits flit around you in a 15-foot Emanation for the duration. If you are good or neutral, their spectral form appears angelic or fey (your choice). If you are evil, they appear fiendish.
When you cast this spell, you can designate creatures to be unaffected by it. Any other creature's Speed is halved in the Emanation, and whenever the Emanation enters a creature's space and whenever a creature enters the Emanation or ends its turn there, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d8 Radiant damage (if you are good or neutral) or 3d8 Necrotic damage (if you are evil). On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage. A creature makes this save only once per turn.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The damage increases by 1d8 for each spell slot level above 3.
2024 version from the SRD 5.2. Most tables settle on one edition, so check which one yours uses.
