Telepathic Bond
Telepathic Bond links a small group into a shared telepathic network. Modern SRD rules use a fixed group of up to eight willing creatures for one hour; PF1e and D&D 3.5e use the older level-scaled target count and duration.
At a Glance
| 2024 | Bard 5, Cleric 5, Paladin 5, Sorcerer 5, Wizard 5; not a ritual |
|---|---|
| 2014 SRD 5.1 | Wizard 5; ritual |
| Pathfinder 1e | Sorcerer/Wizard 5 |
| D&D 3.5e | Sorcerer/Wizard 5 |
| Shared limit | Communication works over any distance on the same plane |
Choose Your Edition
Rary’s Telepathic Bond — 5.5e / 2024
| Level | 5th |
|---|---|
| School | Divination |
| Casting Time | Action |
| Range | 30 feet |
| Components | V, S, M (two eggs) |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Classes | Bard, Cleric, Paladin, Sorcerer, Wizard |
Choose up to eight willing creatures within range. Every target is linked to every other target for the duration. A creature unable to communicate in any languages is unaffected.
Linked creatures can communicate telepathically whether or not they share a language. The bond works over any distance, but never across planar boundaries.
2024 naming note: the 2024 Basic Rules present the spell as Rary’s Telepathic Bond. The open SRD may shorten proprietary proper names, but this panel follows the 2024 Basic Rules class access and mechanics.
Telepathic Bond — 5e / 2014 SRD
| Level | 5th |
|---|---|
| School | Divination |
| Casting Time | 1 action; ritual |
| Range | 30 feet |
| Components | V, S, M (pieces of eggshell from two different kinds of creatures) |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Class | Wizard |
Choose up to eight willing creatures within range. Creatures with Intelligence 2 or lower are unaffected. The linked group can communicate telepathically regardless of shared language over any distance on the same plane.
The 2014 SRD version is Wizard-only. A 2014 Bard can gain it through features such as Magical Secrets, but it is not part of the ordinary 2014 Bard spell list.
Telepathic Bond — Pathfinder 1e
| School | Divination |
|---|---|
| Level | Sorcerer/Wizard 5 |
| Components | V, S, M |
| Casting Time | 1 standard action |
| Range | Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) |
| Targets | You plus one willing creature per three levels, no two more than 30 ft. apart |
| Duration | 10 minutes/level (D) |
| Saving Throw | None |
| Spell Resistance | No |
You forge a telepathic link among willing creatures with Intelligence 3 or higher. Every linked creature can communicate with every other linked creature regardless of language.
The bond works over any distance on the same plane. You may exclude yourself from the bond when casting.
Material component: pieces of eggshell from two different kinds of creatures.
Telepathic Bond — D&D 3.5e
| School | Divination |
|---|---|
| Level | Sorcerer/Wizard 5 |
| Components | V, S, M |
| Casting Time | 1 standard action |
| Range | Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) |
| Targets | You plus one willing creature per three levels, no two more than 30 ft. apart |
| Duration | 10 minutes/level (D) |
| Saving Throw | None |
| Spell Resistance | No |
The 3.5e spell uses the same core procedure as PF1e: Intelligence 3 or higher, language-independent communication, any distance on the same plane, and the option to leave the caster outside the bond.
The spell can be made permanent for two creatures through Permanency.
Material component: pieces of eggshell from two different kinds of creatures.
What Changed?
- 2024: the Basic Rules expand normal class access to Bard, Cleric, Paladin, Sorcerer and Wizard, simplify the material component to two eggs, and remove Ritual casting.
- 2014 SRD: Wizard-only class access and the older Intelligence 2-or-lower exclusion.
- PF1e / 3.5e: target count and duration scale with caster level instead of using the modern fixed eight-creature, one-hour model.
Using Telepathic Bond
The spell is strongest when the group must coordinate without speaking: infiltration, split-party scouting, negotiations where overt discussion would be dangerous, or battles where shouted orders would reveal the plan.
The same-plane restriction matters. Once a target leaves the plane, communication through the bond stops even though the spell may still be running for the other linked creatures.
The bond carries communication, not control. It does not compel obedience, read unwilling thoughts or transmit senses.
Related Magic
- Detect Thoughts — reads thoughts rather than creating a cooperative communication network.
- Message — lower-level limited communication.
- Permanency — can make a legacy 3.5e bond permanent between two creatures.
- Bard Spells — 2024 Bard access.
- Sorcerer and Wizard Spells — legacy arcane access.
Sources and Licensing
- SRD 5.2 — Telepathic Bond, available under CC BY 4.0.
- SRD 5.1 — Telepathic Bond, available under CC BY 4.0.
- Pathfinder 1e Core Rulebook — Telepathic Bond. Open Game Content under OGL v1.0a.
- D&D 3.5 SRD — Telepathic Bond. Open Game Content under OGL v1.0a.
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