Xanathar's Guide to Everything Spells: A Complete Reference

Xanathar's Guide to Everything presents a large suite of player options for D&D 5th Edition, and this reference focuses on every spell introduced in that sourcebook. Below you will find each spell organized by level, along with class progression, casting time, range, components, and duration. The entries explain mechanical text, clarify intent where errata exists, and highlight practical trade-offs so you can decide when and how to use these options. This guide is designed as an evergreen tool for players and DMs to understand spells that remain relevant across campaigns.

Cantrips from Xanathar's Guide to Everything

0-Level Spells and Quick Decisions

Cantrips scale with character level and offer reliable effects without expending spell slots. The guide adds several options that reward creativity and tactical positioning. Consider these choices when building a versatile spellcaster who needs repeatable utility or damage at low cost.

• Booming Blade: Choose this when your build focuses on melee spell attacks and you want to combine damage with movement control.
• Green-Flame Blade: Suited for melee spell attacks and two-weapon styles that scale with Charisma or Dexterity, depending on interpretation and table rules.
• Fire Bolt: A consistent option for damage at range with no material components, useful when you lack ammunition.
• Light: Provides minor environmental control and creative uses without cost.
• Mage Hand: Enables object interaction at a distance when somatic components are not feasible.
• Minor Illusion: Excellent for disinformation, brief distractions, and noncombine interaction with the environment.
• Poison Spray: Effective against creatures vulnerable to poison when your spell attack can land reliably.
• Produce Flame: Functions like a torch with slight flexibility for somatic use and creative applications.

1st-Level Spells and Early-Game Options

Balancing Power and Opportunity Cost

First-level spells establish how spellcasters allocate limited resources. These entries often define early identities for classes such as the Wizard and multiclass builds. Evaluate them alongside your class features and expected encounter length.

• Armor of Agathys: A defensive option that punishes melee attackers; technically a 1st-level spell in Xanathar's, though wording interacts with certain class features.
• Bless: A staple concentration buff that improves attack rolls and saving throws for multiple allies.
• Command: Useful for single-target control and battlefield positioning via a contested Wisdom save.
• Compelled Duel: Locks a target in place with a Saving Throw, valuable in choke points when you can guarantee concentration.
• Cure Wounds: Provides reliable healing; synergizes with higher-level slots and area-of-effect healing variants.
• Detect Magic: Core scouting utility; identify lingering magical effects and track sources over time.
• Disguise Self: Short-duration illusion for social infiltration when you need modest visual changes.
• Expeditious Retreat: Boosts speed and grants freedom of movement against opportunity attacks for your move action.Heroism: Classic fear immunity and temporary hit points; less powerful than later options but straightforward.
• Longstrider: Simple, efficient mobility boost; concentration required and often replaced by better alternatives.

2nd-Level Spells and Flexible Encounter Tools

Expanding Tactical Impact

Second-level spells increase your influence over multiple targets or conditions. Many remain attractive due to low slot cost and broad applications. Pay attention to concentration trade-offs when selecting among them.

• Arcane Eye: Offers scouting with decent survivability; effective when you need persistent vision beyond 30 feet.
• Calm Emotions: Useful in social escalation or to counter fear, but concentration and action economy can be limiting.
• Darkness: Creates total sensory denial in an area; combine with allies who have Blindsight or tremorsense.
• Enhance Ability: Grants versatile, concentration-based boosts; Cat's Grace for skills stands out for many builds.
• Enlarge/Reduce: Tactical advantage, reach control, and damage adjustment; situational but powerful in the right moment.
• Hold Person: Strong single-target control when facing humanoids; requires concentration and a contested save.
• Invisibility: Classic stealth tool; concentration ends on attack or damage, so plan for sustained casting or timing.
• Knock: Reliable, nonmagical door and lock bypass; excellent utility for exploration and time-sensitive scenarios.
• Mirror Image: Valuable defense with multiple decoys; most effective against attacks that require attack rolls.
• Misty Step: Short-range teleportation that breaks opportunity attacks; very strong for mobility and emergency escapes.
• Nystul's Magic Aura: Conceals spell traditions and counters divination; useful when you want to hide magical identity.
• Pass without Trace: Group stealth boost that avoids detection with successful checks; excellent for infiltration.
• Suggestion: Influences behavior with a contested Wisdom save; roleplay-heavy but can bypass combat when it works.

3rd-Level Spells and Sustained Control

Concentration, Duration, and Encounter Shaping

Third-level spells often provide powerful effects that justify their slot cost, especially in longer fights. Some require concentration, while others grant enduring benefits. Match these to the expected number of enemies and environmental challenges.

• Animate Dead: Raises skeletons or zombies to absorb damage and threaten melee attackers; useful when you can protect them.
• Counterspell: Essential reaction to stop enemy spellcasting; higher-level spell slots extend the range of interruptible levels.
• Dispel Magic: Removes beneficial magic or ends harmful effects; concentration-friendly and strong when timed well.
• Fear: Area control and crowd control; powerful in corridors or choke points where enemies have limited escape routes.
• Feather Fall: Safety net for vertical exploration; cast preemptively when falling is anticipated.
• Gust of Wind: Tactical repositioning and ranged attack modifiers; can extinguish flames or push light objects and creatures.
• Haste: One of the most impactful buffs; grants an extra action, AC boost, and improved reflexes at the cost of concentration.
• Major Image: Flexible illusion for misdirection, information gathering, or brief distractions; limited by hit points.
• Oblivion's Gate: Potentially disruptive summoning that can threaten action economy; use carefully to avoid overwhelming the party.
• Slow: Reduces enemy speed and effectiveness; valuable when facing high-damage foes who rely on reactions or multiple attacks.
• Water Breathing: Enables extended underwater exploration without preparation; great for maritime or coastal campaigns.

4th-Level and Higher Spells for Strategic Advantage

High-Impact Choices with Careful Timing

As spell levels increase, so does the commitment of resources. These spells can define the flow of an encounter or entire session. Understand the context where each option shines, and coordinate with your party to maximize value.

The listed fourth- and fifth-level spells illustrate the kind of durable, high-leverage tools that remain relevant through many tiers of play. Spells like Banishment, Dimension Door, and Death Ward shape encounter tactics for years, while Commune and Raise Dead can influence campaign-level decisions. These options reward thoughtful preparation and understanding of when their full potential justifies the spell slot and action economy.

Use this reference to compare options quickly at level-up or when selecting ritual and combat spells for your next adventure. Because the rules and spell behaviors are described here in a stable and factual manner, this guide stays useful as strategies and tables evolve across edition updates and curated collections derived from foundational sources like Xanathar's Guide to Everything.