The school of necromancy in Dungeons & Dragons is one of the more dangerous schools of magic. With spells that can manipulate life and death, wizards who specialize in this school of magic are called necromancers. Necromancy spells can be used for saving lives and can cause life-draining necrotic damage.
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Necrotic damage is dangerous for players and their enemies, as it is one of the most often unresisted damage types in Dungeons & Dragons. With so few foes being resistant to this type of damage, it's no wonder that some of the spells can deal devastating amounts of damage. Whether casters are creating armies of zombies or cursing their foes necromancy spells are a force to be reckoned with.
Updated on March 15, 2024, by Mara Cowley: Dungeons and Dragons remains an ever-popular tabletop game, with new and exciting content being steadily released to expand upon the ever-growing worlds, and let players experience brand-new adventures. But, adventures are dangerous, and players will need aid in combat to help them survive the dangers of these worlds. Spells are some of the most useful tools in a player's repertoire against dangers such as monsters and bandits. Necromancy spells are just one of the schools and one of the most underestimated. This article already showcases some of these powerful spells, but there are plenty more worth learning. As such, this article has been updated to provide even more proof Necromancy might be the best school.
23 Blindness/Deafness
Remove a Valuable Sense From a Foe
- Classes: Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer and Wizard
- Duration: 1 minute
- Components: Verbal
- Spell Level: 2nd
In combat, hearing and sight are valuable tools to be able to attack effectively as well as having the chance to avoid incoming attacks. When one of those is taken away, combat may be a bit more of a struggle.
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Blindness/Deafness does just that, allowing players to temporarily render an enemy either blind or deaf. If the spell succeeds, it can make the enemy more vulnerable to their attacks, while also impeding their battle prowess.
Picture not from D&D.
22 Ray of Sickness
The Potential to Poison
- Classes: Sorcerer and Wizard
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Components: Verbal and Somatic
- Spell Level: 1st
As it is only a first-level spell, Ray of Sickness does not pack as much of a punch as some of the more late-game spell options. But those on the lookout for useful early-game spells should consider adding this one to their repertoire.
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Not only does it deal a decent amount of damage for a first-level spell (2d8), but there is also a possibility that the creature targeted by this spell could be poisoned if it fails its Constitution saving throw. When a creature is poisoned, it gains disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks which could be vital in combat.
21 False Life
Extra Health
- Classes: Artificer, Sorcerer, and Wizard
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Components: Verbal, Somatic, and Material (a small amount of alcohol or distilled spirits)
- Spell Level: 1st
Healing is one of the major mechanics in D&D. It allows players to survive to fight another round, preventing a snowball that could result in the dreaded TPK (Total Party Kill). In earlier editions, Cure Wounds was a branch in the Necromancy tree, but 5e has since changed that. Of course, that is not to say there are no longer any Necromancy spells to bolster a player's life force. False Life does just that.
This first-level Necromancy Spell allows players to give themselves 1d4 + 4 temporary hit points, with the amount increasing by 5 for each level above 1st. This spell is a must-take when preparing for a big fight.
20 Shadow of Moil
Provides Protection and Damage
- Classes: Warlock
- Duration: Up to 1 minute
- Components: Verbal, Somatic, and Material (an undead eyeball encased in a gem worth at least 150gp)
- Spell Level: 4th
Spells normally have the capacity to either harm, heal, or protect, with very few capable of doing more than one. Shadow of Moil is one of the few rare exceptions, as it wreathes its user in protective shadows that give resistance to radiant damage while also dealing 2d8 necrotic damage to any foes within 10 feet that attack the caster.
The combination of these two facets makes this spell one every warlock should learn, as they might run into enemies that can deal radiant damage, in which case Shadows of Moil will be near vital.
19 Harm
Hit Points Reduction
- Classes: Cleric
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Components: Verbal and Somatic
- Spell Level: 6th
Harm is an aptly named spell, as it does just that. This sixth-level Necromancy spell exclusive to just clerics allows players to output a massive amount of damage to their target. This can total up to 14d6 if they fail their Constitution saving throw, but the target still takes half on a success.
Failing the saving throw has more consequences than just taking more damage. The target's maximum amount of hit points is reduced for an hour, depending on how much damage they took from the spell. This means they cannot heal their way back to the health they had before, allowing players to whittle them down to nothing.
18 Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting
AOE Damage
- Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard, and Arcane Cleric
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Components: Verbal, Somatic, and Material (a bit of sponge)
- Spell Level: 8th
Princes of the Apocalypse brought to D&D 5e a new story that sees the material plane threatened by four prophets who seek to bring the powers and dangers of the elemental plane, as well as a whole host of new spells to choose from, including Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Writing.
This spell levies devastating damage against all creatures in a 30-foot cube centered on a point that the caster chooses. Each creature other than constructs and undead must succeed a Constitution saving throw, or they will be dealt 12d8 points worth of necrotic damage, or half of the roll total should they succeed. Along with dealing a mass amount of damage, any plants in the area immediately wither and die.
17 Wither and Bloom
Healing and Hurting
- Classes: Druid, Sorceror, and Wizard
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Components: Verbal, Somatic, and Material (a withered vine twisted into a loop)
- Spell Level: 2nd
Just one of the spells in the expansive Curriculum of Chaos, Wither, and Bloom is one of the few spells that both hurts and heals, setting it apart as a unique necromancy spell, but also one of the best. If players pay attention to their necromancy classes in Strixhaven, they too can learn this spell.
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The caster chooses a point within the 60-feet spell range, where a 10-foot-radius sphere will fill with necrotic energy, dealing 2d6 necrotic damage to creatures of the caster's choice, or half of the roll of the creatures succeed on a Constitution saving throw. In addition to dealing that damage, a creature of the caster's choice can spend one of its unspent Hit Dice, and heal themselves for the amount rolled.
16 Negative Energy Flood
Raises What it Kills
- Classes: Warlock and Wizard
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Components: Verbal and Material (a broken bone and a square of black silk)
- Spell Level: 5th
One of the spells that the beholder guild leader Xanathar collected was Negative Energy Flood, another spell for the school of Necromancy. This is more typical of a Necromancy spell, involving the creation of undead thralls to serve the caster.
Warlocks or Wizards who cast this spell deal 5d12 points of necrotic damage against a creature they can see within range, or only as much if the target passes their Constitution saving throw. If the target dies because of this damage, they don't stay dead. Instead, they will rise up as a zombie and pursue the closest target to them. Players should take care not to use this spell against enemy undead, as it will instead bolster them with temporary hit points.
15 Create Undead
Create Minions
- Classes: Cleric, Warlock, and Wizard
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Components: Verbal, Somatic, and Material (One clay pot filled with grave dirt, one clay pot filled with brackish water, and one 150 gp black onyx stone for each corpse)
- Spell Level: 6th
For players wanting a spell that aligns more with classical necromancy, look no further than Create Undead. This spell allows players to raise up to three corpses of Medium or Small size, creating loyal thralls to carry out their commands. Higher-level casting allows the user to reanimate more corpses with different variants.
The corpses become ghouls, using the stat block as seen in the Monster Manual. As a bonus action, the caster can issue a command to their ghouls so long as they are within 120 feet. If no commands are given, the creature will simply defend itself against hostiles.
14 Soul Cage
Great Versatility
- Classes: Warlock and Wizard
- Duration: 8 hours
- Components: Verbal, Somatic, and Material (a tiny silver cage worth 100 gp)
- Spell Level: 6th
Soul Cage is a truly unique spell, allowing players to snatch the soul of a recently deceased being from wherever their soul was intended to ascend or descend, trapping them in a jar. Once they have the soul in their possession, they can use the soul in a number of ways until the cage is destroyed, or the 8-hour duration expires.
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The uses for the soul include the following options:
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Steal Life
- Use a bonus action to regain 2d8 hit points.
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Query Soul
- Ask the soul a question (no action required) and receive a brief telepathic answer, which can be understood regardless if they share a language.
- The soul knows only what it knew in life, but it must answer truthfully.
- The answer is no more than a few sentences and might be cryptic.
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Borrow Experience
- Use a bonus action to bolster the caster with the soul’s life experience, making the next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw with advantage.
- The benefit must be used before the start of their next turn, or lose it,
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Eyes of the Dead
- As an action, name a place the humanoid the caster saw in life, which creates an invisible sensor somewhere in that place if it is on the same plane of existence.
- The sensor remains for as long as the caster concentrates, up to 10 minutes. The player receives visual and auditory information from the sensor as if they were in its space using their senses.
- A creature that can see the sensor (such as one using See Invisibility or True Sight) sees a translucent image of the humanoid trapped in the cage.