Greater Teleport (3.5) is a fourth-level divination spell that lets you transport one or more creatures to a distant location with precision but not complete certainty. Unlike simple teleport, it allows partial knowledge of the destination and includes built-in safeguards against reckless misplacement. This guide explains how the spell works, its range and duration, who it can target, how destination familiarity and error chances interact, and how to use it safely in campaign play.
What Greater Teleport Does in D&D 3.5
Casting Greater Teleport requires one standard action and lets you specify a precise destination either by seeing it or by name and relative direction, using a known map, or relying on clear conceptual knowledge. You may bring one or more willing creatures, provided the total weight does not exceed your caster level times 10 pounds per level. The spell can cover extremely long distances, potentially interplanar, as long as the destination is known well enough to set an arrival spot within 5 feet. Targets appear in a legal square or hex at the exact arrival location, avoiding harmful spots if possible, making it one of the most efficient long-distance travel options available to prepared parties.
Range, Duration, and Material Components
Distance and Targeting Rules
Greater Teleport has a range of one mile per caster level, allowing cross-country travel in a single move when you know the destination. Line of sight or a magical sensor-style view can help you define the exact arrival point. You may also teleport to a place you have named and described with reasonable detail if you have a clear mental picture. Familiar destinations improve accuracy, but even unfamiliar locations can succeed if your knowledge is sufficient and the spell makes a check to confirm the exact spot.
Duration and Focus
The casting time is one standard action, and the spell is instantaneous in effect, so there is no ongoing duration once completed. Verbal and somatic components are required, plus a tiny copper piece consumed as a material component. The cost is trivial compared with the value of rapid, controlled repositioning on the battlefield or between adventures.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Casting Time | 1 standard action | Core Rulebook |
| Components | Verbal, Somatic, Material (copper piece) | Core Rulebook |
| Range | 1 mile per caster level | Core Rulebook |
| Duration | Instantaneous | Core Rulebook |
| Maximum Weight | Caster level × 10 lb per level | Core Rulebook |
Destination Knowledge and Spell Success
The spell requires a clear idea of where you want to arrive. You gain a +10 competence bonus on your caster level check to avoid landing in a wrong or harmful square when you are familiar with the destination, such as returning to your home city or a frequented planar stable. If the destination is unfamiliar but known in outline (a city name, a planar layer, a mountain range), you still attempt the spell, and a check is made to determine whether you arrive close enough to be functional. DM discretion governs what counts as sufficient knowledge, and generous rulings at the table can reward creative planning without undermining the inherent risk of misjumps.
Arrival Safety and Touch Attacks
When the spell resolves, each target appears in a legal square at the designated destination. The game checks whether that square is occupied, harmful, or impossible to enter, moving the creature to the nearest safe spot if necessary. This built-in protection prevents you from materializing inside solid stone or under lava, reducing one common source of lethal mishaps. In practice, this means Greater Teleport is safer than rumor suggests, provided the destination description is precise and the location is reasonably well known.
Common Uses and Tactical Considerations
Greater Teleport shines for fast rallying, emergency escapes, and cross-country missions when time is short. A party can reposition from the wilderness to a city gate, shift between planar layers, or join a battle across the map in a single action. Because it can bring multiple willing allies, it functions as a group transport when planned ahead. Casters carrying allies should confirm total weight limits, ensure everyone is willing, and verify arrival conditions to avoid splitting the group or dropping into danger. In long dungeon crawls, it can replace weeks of overland travel, but limited uses per day mean it should be reserved for moments that truly demand speed.
Safe Deployment Checklist
- Confirm total weight does not exceed your limit (caster level × 10 lb).
- Verify that all targets are willing and able to move.
- Name or visualize the destination with enough precision for a 5-foot arrival area.
- Prefer known maps, planar coordinates, or landmarks over vague descriptions.
- Plan for a safe landing spot to avoid hazards or enemy contact at the destination.
Known Limitations and Error Chances
Despite its power, Greater Teleport is not foolproof. If your knowledge of the destination is inaccurate or insufficient, the spell might fail, bring you partway, deposit you in a harmful square, or send you somewhere unintended. Many DMs treat extreme vagueness or mythic locations as requiring a higher caster level check or even a flat failure. The core mechanic encourages smart preparation, map use, and communication at the table. Treat the spell as a tool that rewards study and planning, rather than a guaranteed escape from every predicament.