What Stink Cloud Does in D&D 5e
Stink Cloud creates a foul, greasy cloud that lightly obscures the area and heavily impedes creatures inside it. It is a situational control option that trades reliability for strong sensory denial. Understanding its mechanics, interactions, and limits helps you decide when casting or avoiding this spell is worthwhile.
Spell Details at a Glance
Quick Reference Table
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Level | 2nd | Player's Handbook |
| School | Conjuration | Player's Handbook |
| Casting Time | 1 action | Player's Handbook |
| Range | 120 feet | Player's Handbook |
| Components | Verbal, Material (a piece of foul-smelling substance) | Player's Handbook |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 1 minute | Player's Handbook |
| Area | 10-foot cube, centered on a point within range | Player's Handbook |
| Saving Throw | Constitution | Player's Handbook |
| Effect on Success | Half damage and avoid cloud entry | Player's Handbook |
| Effect on Failure | Blinded until start of their turn and lightly obscured within cloud | Player's Handbook |
How the Cloud Works in Play
When you cast Stink Cloud, you create a 10-foot cube filled with thick, oily mist. The cloud lightly obscures creatures inside it, which means attackers have disadvantage on attack rolls against those creatures. Any creature that starts its turn inside the cloud must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the start of its next turn. Creatures that succeed on the save take half as much damage and can freely enter or exit the cloud without becoming blinded. The spell requires concentration and lasts up to 1 minute, giving you flexibility to maintain or drop it as the battlefield evolves.
Blindness and Obscurement Mechanics
Blindness is a powerful condition in 5e: attacked creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls, and attackers have disadvantage on attack rolls against them. Combined with light obscurement, a Stink Cloud can effectively blind an entire group of enemies within its area. However, creatures can exit the cloud to avoid these effects, so positioning and timing matter. A creature that succeeds on its save is immune to further blindness from that cloud for 24 hours, preventing repeated automatic failures if the spell persists.
Tactical Uses and Limitations
Stink Cloud excels at area denial in corridors, doorways, or around hazardous terrain. It can protect an ally, block enemy advances, or create a window for your party to reposition. Because it only lightly obscures the cloud itself, ranged attacks into or out of the cloud are penalized, but line of effect is not blocked unless the DM treats the cloud as blocking sight. Compare this to spells like Cloud of Daggers or Wall of Force, which provide harder control. Stink Cloud is weaker against enemies that can see in darkness, rely on hearing rather than sight, or have truesight, so its value depends on enemy composition.
- Concentration-dependent, so a strong save can end the effect early.
- Does not deal ongoing damage after the initial blinded effect.
- Save immunity after 24 hours can limit repeated use in the same area.
- Material component is inexpensive and easy to find (e.g., sulfur, rotting garbage).
Comparisons to Similar Spells
Stink Cloud sits in a crowded field of control spells. Unlike Hold Person or Banishment, it affects multiple creatures in an area rather than a single target. Compared to Fog Cloud, Stink Cloud adds blindness and a noxious theme but shares the concentration and area control aspects. Spells like Slow or Hypnotic Pattern offer different control mechanics—ability checks versus sensory deprivation—so choosing the right tool depends on your goal: disable sight, slow movement, or lock down actions. Stink Cloud is most effective when you need sustained area denial with a sensory theme, and it pairs well with allies who can exploit the blinded condition.
Best Classes and Builds for Stink Cloud
Wizards gain Stink Cloud at level 6 and can extend its duration with Metamagic or subclass features. Bards using the College of Lore can also access it via Magical Secrets, fitting a mischievous or theatrical theme. Artificers and certain subclasses that emphasize control over burst damage may find Stink Cloud situationally valuable. Because the spell offers no direct damage after the initial blinded effect, build synergy around control-focused spell selection, concentration-boosting items, or features that reward maintaining spells on the battlefield.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Stink Cloud block line of sight completely? It lightly obscures, which hides creatures within the cloud, but line of effect usually remains unless your DM rules otherwise.
- Can creatures breathe inside the cloud? The rules do not explicitly block breathing; blindness and obscuration are the primary effects.
- What happens on a successful Constitution save? The target is not blinded, takes half damage (if the spell deals any), and can enter or exit the cloud freely.
- Is the cloud harmful to allies? Allies within the cloud are also lightly obscured and must succeed on a Constitution save or be blinded, so coordinate carefully.
- Can concentration be broken easily? Concentration checks are required when taking damage; spells or effects that force concentration saves can end Stink Cloud early.
Summary
Stink Cloud is a 2nd-level Conjuration spell that creates a 10-foot cube of foul mist, lightly obscuring the area and blinding creatures that fail a Constitution save. Concentration, a 1-minute maximum duration, and immunity after 24 hours shape its tactical footprint. While not the most powerful control spell, it offers flexible area denial, especially in tight spaces or against squishy, sight-reliant foes. For DMs and players, understanding its rules, limits, and synergies ensures it remains a useful tool in an evergreen spellcaster’s toolkit.