Transmutation · Reaction Magic
Feather Fall Spell
Feather Fall arrests a deadly plunge before impact. Modern D&D makes it a 60-foot Reaction affecting up to five falling creatures; PF1e and D&D 3.5e use the older close-range, caster-level-scaled version that can also affect falling objects.
At a Glance
| 5.5e / 2024 | Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard 1; Reaction; 60 feet; up to five falling creatures; 60 feet/round; 1 minute. |
|---|---|
| 5e / 2014 | Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard 1; Reaction; 60 feet; up to five falling creatures; 60 feet/round; 1 minute. |
| Pathfinder 1e | Level 1; immediate action; Close; one Medium-equivalent target/level; creatures or objects; targets within 20 feet of each other; until landing or 1 round/level. |
| D&D 3.5e | Level 1; immediate action; Close; one Medium-equivalent target/level; creatures or objects; targets within 20 feet of each other; until landing or 1 round/level. |
Rules
Feather Fall by Edition
Feather Fall — 5.5e / 2024
| Level | 1st-level Transmutation |
|---|---|
| Classes | Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard |
| Casting Time | Reaction, when you or a creature you can see within 60 feet falls |
| Range | 60 feet |
| Components | V, M (a small feather or piece of down) |
| Duration | 1 minute |
Choose up to five falling creatures within range. Each affected creature descends at 60 feet per round. If a creature lands before the spell ends, it takes no damage from the fall and the spell ends for that creature.
Feather Fall — 5e / 2014
| Level | 1st-level Transmutation |
|---|---|
| Classes | Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard |
| Casting Time | 1 reaction, when you or a creature within 60 feet falls |
| Range | 60 feet |
| Components | V, M (a small feather or piece of down) |
| Duration | 1 minute |
Choose up to five falling creatures within range. Their descent slows to 60 feet per round. A creature that lands before the spell ends takes no falling damage, can land on its feet, and then stops being affected.
Feather Fall — Pathfinder 1e
| School | Transmutation |
|---|---|
| Level | Arcanist 1, Bard 1, Bloodrager 1, Magus 1, Occultist 1, Psychic 1, Red Mantis Assassin 1, Skald 1, Sorcerer 1, Spiritualist 1, Summoner 1, Unchained Summoner 1, Wizard 1 |
| Casting Time | 1 immediate action |
| Components | V |
| Range | Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) |
| Targets | One Medium-or-smaller free-falling creature or object/level, with larger targets counting as multiple creatures; no two targets more than 20 feet apart |
| Duration | Until landing or 1 round/level |
| Saving Throw | Will negates (harmless) or Will negates (object) |
| Spell Resistance | Yes (object) |
The targets fall at 60 feet per round and take no falling damage while the spell lasts. Normal falling resumes if the duration expires before landing. Carried gear is included up to each creature’s maximum load. Large targets count as two Medium targets, Huge as four, and the count doubles at each further size step.
It works only on free-falling creatures or objects and does not slow attacks, charging creatures or flying creatures. An affected falling item deals half its normal weight-based damage, with no extra damage for the drop’s height. Ranged weapons gain no special effect unless falling a substantial distance.
Optional Mythic Feather Fall
The mythic version adds one target per caster level and removes the 20-foot spacing limit.
Augmented (4th): Spend two uses of mythic power. Targets descend at normal speed and land safely. Each landing releases a 10-foot-radius force burst dealing 1d6 damage per caster level, maximum 5d6, with a Reflex save for half against this spell’s DC. All targets of the spell are immune to these bursts.
Feather Fall — D&D 3.5e
| School | Transmutation |
|---|---|
| Level | Bard 1, Sorcerer/Wizard 1 |
| Casting Time | 1 immediate action |
| Components | V |
| Range | Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) |
| Targets | One Medium-or-smaller free-falling creature or object/level, with larger targets counting as multiple creatures; no two targets more than 20 feet apart |
| Duration | Until landing or 1 round/level |
| Saving Throw | Will negates (harmless) or Will negates (object) |
| Spell Resistance | Yes (object) |
Affected creatures or objects descend at 60 feet per round and take no damage on landing while the spell lasts. If its duration expires first, normal falling resumes. Gear up to each creature’s maximum load is included. Large targets count as two Medium targets, Huge as four, and the count doubles at each further size step.
Cast with an instant utterance as an immediate action, including outside your turn. The spell affects free fall, not a sword blow or a charging or flying creature. A falling item deals half its ordinary weight-based damage, without added damage from its drop height. It has no special effect on ranged weapons unless they are falling a substantial distance.
What Changed?
- Modern D&D fixes the target count at five creatures and uses a 60-foot Reaction trigger.
- 2024 adds sight to the Reaction trigger; 2014 only requires the falling creature to be within 60 feet.
- 2014 explicitly says the creature can land on its feet; that sentence is absent from the 2024 text.
- PF1e/3.5e can affect falling objects and scale the number of targets by caster level.
Using Feather Fall
Keep a Reaction available when the party is climbing, flying, fighting on rooftops or crossing bridges. In modern D&D, the spell is strongest as group insurance because one Reaction can protect up to five falling creatures at once.
Legacy editions are more flexible with objects and scale target count by caster level, but they also use the older immediate-action economy and close range. Count larger targets and check the 20-foot spacing limit before selecting the group. In every edition, judge whether the remaining duration is long enough for the descent; the spell provides no horizontal movement or flight.
Related Magic
- Fly — sustained aerial movement rather than emergency descent control.
- Levitate — vertical movement and suspension.
- Bard Spells
Rules Sources and Licensing
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
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