Divination • Warning of Approaching Danger
Foresight
Foresight grants supernatural warning of immediate danger. Fifth edition turns that foreknowledge into broad Advantage and defensive Disadvantage; PF1e and D&D 3.5e use the older sixth-sense model with insight bonuses.
At a Glance
| 2024 | Bard 9, Druid 9, Warlock 9, Wizard 9 |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Bard 9, Druid 9, Warlock 9, Wizard 9 |
| Pathfinder 1e | Druid 9, Sorcerer/Wizard 9 |
| D&D 3.5e | Druid 9, Knowledge 9, Sorcerer/Wizard 9 |
| Modern duration | 8 hours, no Concentration |
Choose Your Edition
Foresight — 5.5e / 2024
| Level | 9th |
|---|---|
| School | Divination |
| Casting Time | 1 minute |
| Range | Touch |
| Components | V, S, M (a hummingbird feather) |
| Duration | 8 hours |
| Classes | Bard, Druid, Warlock, Wizard |
Touch one willing creature. For the duration, that creature has Advantage on D20 Tests, and other creatures have Disadvantage on attack rolls against it.
The spell ends early if you cast it again.
Foresight — 5e / 2014
| Level | 9th |
|---|---|
| School | Divination |
| Casting Time | 1 minute |
| Range | Touch |
| Components | V, S, M (a hummingbird feather) |
| Duration | 8 hours |
| Classes | Bard, Druid, Warlock, Wizard |
Touch one willing creature. It cannot be surprised and has Advantage on attack rolls, ability checks and saving throws. Other creatures have Disadvantage on attack rolls against it.
The spell immediately ends if you cast it again before the duration expires.
Foresight — Pathfinder 1e
| School | Divination |
|---|---|
| Level | Druid 9, Sorcerer/Wizard 9 |
| Casting Time | 1 standard action |
| Components | V, S, M/DF (a hummingbird’s feather) |
| Range | Personal or Touch |
| Duration | 10 minutes/level |
| Saving Throw | None or Will negates (harmless) |
| Spell Resistance | No or Yes (harmless) |
If you cast the spell on yourself, you receive immediate warnings of danger, are never surprised or flat-footed, and gain a +2 insight bonus to AC and Reflex saves. You also receive a general sense of what action would best protect you.
If another creature is the subject, you receive the warnings and must communicate them in time. The other creature does not gain the +2 insight bonus to AC or Reflex saves.
Foresight — D&D 3.5e
| School | Divination |
|---|---|
| Level | Druid 9, Knowledge 9, Sorcerer/Wizard 9 |
| Casting Time | 1 standard action |
| Components | V, S, M/DF (a hummingbird’s feather) |
| Range | Personal or Touch |
| Duration | 10 minutes/level |
| Saving Throw | None or Will negates (harmless) |
| Spell Resistance | No or Yes (harmless) |
The 3.5e spell uses the same sixth-sense procedure as PF1e, including the self-only +2 insight bonus to AC and Reflex saves and the need to warn another creature when it is the target.
The class-list difference is important: D&D 3.5e also grants the spell through the Knowledge 9 domain slot.
What Changed?
- 2024: replaces the older list of Advantage on attacks, checks and saves with the broader rules term D20 Tests. The explicit “can’t be surprised” clause from 2014 is no longer present.
- 2014: explicitly prevents surprise and grants Advantage on attack rolls, ability checks and saving throws.
- PF1e: no Knowledge-domain entry; self-casting grants +2 insight to AC and Reflex saves.
- D&D 3.5e: uses the same legacy mechanics but also appears as Knowledge 9.
Using Foresight
Cast it before the decisive stretch of the day. Eight hours of modern Foresight can cover a dungeon assault, diplomatic summit, pursuit or major battle without Concentration.
2024 is broader but cleaner. Advantage on D20 Tests covers attacks, ability checks and saving throws in one rule term, while incoming attack rolls suffer Disadvantage.
Legacy editions reward self-casting most directly. When the caster targets another creature in PF1e or 3.5e, the caster still receives the warnings and must communicate them quickly; the target does not receive the self-only insight bonus.
Related Magic
- True Seeing — reveals hidden visual truth rather than future danger.
- Clairvoyance — remote sensing rather than foreknowledge.
- Mind Blank — another long-duration 8th–9th-level defensive effect.
- Bard Spells — modern Bard access.
- Druid Spells — access across every edition here.
Sources and Licensing
- D&D 2024 Basic Rules — Foresight. SRD 5.2 material is available under CC BY 4.0.
- D&D 2014 Basic Rules — Foresight. SRD 5.1 material is available under CC BY 4.0.
- Pathfinder 1e Core Rulebook — Foresight. Open Game Content under OGL v1.0a.
- D&D 3.5 SRD — Foresight. Open Game Content under OGL v1.0a.
Keep this reference growing
If this page helped with your reading or game, you can support its upkeep or explore the curated books.
Explore the Bookshop — epics, classics and stories behind imagined worlds.