Illusion • Dreams, Haunting and Sleepless Terror
Nightmare
Nightmare sends a named sleeper a vision of dread, turning rest into pain and exhaustion. Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e preserve the famous unlimited-range fifth-level spell, with saving-throw modifiers for how well the caster knows the victim. Two clearly marked optional fourth-level adaptations provide short-range dream curses for modern fifth-edition campaigns.
Nightmare at a Glance
| 5.5e / 2024 | Optional 4th-level Illusion, 1-mile range, 10-minute casting, Wisdom save, 2d6 Psychic damage and an interrupted rest |
|---|---|
| 5e / 2014 | Optional 4th-level illusion, 1-mile range, Wisdom save, 2d6 psychic damage; not the official 5th-level Dream spell |
| Pathfinder 1e | Official Bard 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5, plus later classes; illusion (phantasm) [mind-affecting, evil], Will save, spell resistance, unlimited range, 1d10 damage, fatigue and failed spell recovery |
| D&D 3.5e | Official Bard 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5; Will save, spell resistance, 1d10 damage, fatigue and 24-hour arcane spell recovery loss |
| Witch archive | Historical 4th-level listing only. Not part of the standard Pathfinder Witch or D&D 3.5e Witch spell lists; Pathfinder Witches instead have a separate Nightmares hex |
Key distinction: fifth-edition Dream is a published 5th-level Illusion with an existing hostile-dream option. The fourth-level Nightmare tabs here are explicitly optional new rules, narrower in range and consequences. The Pathfinder and 3.5e versions remain separate published spells and retain their knowledge-and-connection saving throw modifiers.
Spell Rules by Edition
Nightmare — 5.5e / 2024
Optional 4th-level 2024 conversion, not an official named spell. A shorter-range, more restricted dream curse than the published 5th-level Dream.
| Level / School | 4th-level Illusion |
|---|---|
| Suggested Classes | Bard, Warlock, Wizard; optional Witch by GM permission |
| Casting Time | 10 minutes; not a Ritual |
| Range | 1 mile, same plane |
| Components | V, S, M (a personal token or accurate likeness of the target; not consumed) |
| Target | One known creature that is asleep and capable of dreaming |
| Duration | Instantaneous; the caster spends 10 minutes in a vulnerable trance |
| Saving Throw | Wisdom negates |
| Effect | 2d6 Psychic damage upon waking and disruption of the current rest on failure |
Effect. You name one known, sleeping creature within range and focus on its personal token. Throughout the casting you are Incapacitated with Speed 0 and unaware of your surroundings. If disturbed, moved, or harmed, the casting fails and the spell slot is expended. If the recipient is awake or out of range when the casting finishes, the spell fails.
The target makes a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure it experiences an overwhelming nightmare, takes 2d6 Psychic damage upon waking and cannot complete its current Short Rest or Long Rest without starting that rest again under the 2024 rules. This does not deny rest for 24 hours, impose Exhaustion by itself, or undo spell slots already recovered. A creature that does not sleep or dream is immune. On a success its rest continues normally.
Counterplay. Wake the sleeper before the casting finishes, interrupt the caster, leave the one-mile range, or apply suitable magic that protects the sleeper from dream intrusion. A dream ward only blocks the spell if its text or the GM’s stated ruling actually allows that interaction. This spell cannot target multiple sleepers and requires no Concentration after casting.
Official comparison: Dream (2024) is a published 5th-level Illusion with a dream messenger and a separate hostile-dream option. This optional 4th-level spell is not its official name or rules text.
Nightmare — 5e / 2014
Optional 4th-level 2014 conversion, not a published core spell. This is a narrower, lower-level counterpart to Dream, not a replacement for that official 5th-level spell.
| Level / School | 4th-level illusion |
|---|---|
| Suggested Classes | Bard, Warlock, Wizard; optional Witch by GM approval |
| Casting Time | 10 minutes; cannot be cast as a ritual |
| Range | 1 mile, same plane |
| Components | V, S, M (a personal possession or accurate likeness of the target; not consumed) |
| Target | One known sleeping creature that can dream |
| Duration | Instantaneous; the casting involves a ten-minute trance |
| Saving Throw | Wisdom negates |
| Damage and Effect | 2d6 psychic damage on waking, and the current rest is interrupted on failure |
Effect. You enter a helpless trance for the ten-minute casting, during which you are incapacitated, have speed 0 and are unaware of your surroundings. Name a known creature that is sleeping within a mile on your plane and use its token as your focus. If the trance is disturbed, or the target is awake or outside range when casting finishes, the spell fails and its slot is expended.
On a failed Wisdom saving throw, the creature endures terrifying dreams and takes 2d6 psychic damage upon waking. Its current short or long rest is interrupted; it must restart the rest to receive its ordinary benefits. The spell does not automatically cause exhaustion, block spell recovery for 24 hours, prevent a new rest or remove earlier benefits. On a success the dream passes and sleep continues. Creatures that cannot sleep or dream are immune.
Counterplay. Interrupt the trance or wake the intended target before the casting finishes. A protected sleeper is affected only if the protections allow dream intrusion; resolve the 2014 ward’s actual rules. The illusion is instantaneous, not a concentration effect.
Official comparison: the published Dream (2014) is a 5th-level illusion with a dream messenger and a hostile variant. It has its own range, components, save, damage and rest-denial rules; do not silently replace them with this optional 4th-level spell.
Nightmare — Pathfinder 1e
Official Pathfinder spell: Bard 5 and Sorcerer/Wizard 5 in the Core Rulebook, with additional classes in later sourcebooks. It is not a standard Pathfinder Witch spell. The Witch has a separate Nightmares hex.
| School | Illusion (Phantasm) [Mind-Affecting, Evil] |
|---|---|
| Level | Alchemist 5, Arcanist 5, Bard 5, Investigator 5, Medium 4, Mesmerist 5, Psychic 5, Skald 5, Sorcerer 5, Spiritualist 5, Wizard 5 |
| Casting Time | 10 minutes |
| Components | V, S |
| Range | Unlimited |
| Target | One living creature |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Saving Throw | Will negates; see text |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
The nightmare prevents restful sleep, deals 1d10 damage, leaves the target fatigued and prevents recovery of arcane spells for the next 24 hours. Save modifiers depend on how well the caster knows the target and what physical connection is available.
Creatures that do not sleep or dream are immune under Pathfinder’s rules.
Special casting procedure. If the recipient is awake, the caster can stop or wait in an undefended trance until the recipient falls asleep. While waiting the caster is unaware of the world and automatically fails Reflex and Will saves. A disturbance requires the normal Pathfinder Concentration check or the spell is lost. A Dispel Evil cast upon the victim while Nightmare is being cast dispels the spell and stuns the caster for 10 minutes per caster level of Dispel Evil. A non-sleeper or non-dreamer cannot be affected.
Legacy modifiers: apply the combined knowledge and physical-connection modifiers in the table immediately below the edition tabs. These modifiers apply to the victim’s Will save and are not the fifth-edition rules.
Nightmare — D&D 3.5e
Official legacy spell: Bard 5 and Sorcerer/Wizard 5. The historical Witch archive records a 4th-level placement, but that is not a core D&D 3.5e class grant.
| School | Illusion (Phantasm) [Mind-Affecting, Evil] |
|---|---|
| Level | Bard 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5 |
| Casting Time | 10 minutes |
| Components | V, S |
| Range | Unlimited |
| Target | One living creature |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Saving Throw | Will negates; see text |
| Spell Resistance | Yes |
The target takes 1d10 damage, becomes fatigued and cannot regain arcane spells for 24 hours. Knowledge and physical connections modify the target’s Will save under the 3.5e rules.
Special casting procedure. A caster whose intended victim is awake can stop the spell or remain in a defenseless trance until the victim sleeps. During the trance the caster is unaware of nearby events and automatically fails Reflex and Will saves; an interruption requires a Concentration check or ends the spell. Dispel Evil used on the recipient while the casting is underway dispels Nightmare and stuns its caster for 10 minutes per caster level of Dispel Evil. Creatures that do not sleep or dream are immune.
Save modifiers: apply the edition’s knowledge-and-connection table. The spell deals 1d10 damage, fatigue and lost arcane spell recovery for 24 hours if the target fails its Will save.
Legacy Save Modifiers: Knowledge and Connection
Use these Will save modifiers only for the published Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e versions. A more intimate connection makes resistance harder. Apply the appropriate knowledge modifier together with any available physical-connection modifier. The optional fifth-edition conversions use their own flat Wisdom saves instead.
| Knowledge | Save modifier |
|---|---|
| None, but with some connection | +10 |
| Secondhand | +5 |
| Firsthand | +0 |
| Familiar | −5 |
| Connection | Save modifier |
|---|---|
| Likeness or picture | −2 |
| Possession or garment | −4 |
| Body part, lock of hair or similar sample | −10 |
What Changed Between Editions?
- 5.5e / 2024: the optional fourth-level Illusion has a one-mile same-plane range and must affect a creature already asleep. A failed Wisdom save deals 2d6 Psychic damage when the sleeper wakes and forces the current rest to restart. It has no 24-hour arcane spell-blocking effect.
- 5e / 2014: a separate playable optional fourth-level illusion using 2014 rest and incapacitation terminology. The official Dream is a fifth-level spell with a much broader dream-messenger function and its own hostile nightmare rules.
- Pathfinder 1e: the official fifth-level Bard/Sorcerer/Wizard spell reaches any sleeping target under its rules, deals 1d10 damage, causes fatigue and prevents arcane spell recovery for 24 hours. Its Will saving throw is modified by knowledge and physical connections; later classes also gain access.
- D&D 3.5e: the official fifth-level Bard/Sorcerer/Wizard spell preserves the same core consequences and special interruption rules. The Witch archive placement is a separate historical listing, not an official core Witch class grant.
Nightmare — GM Rulings and Counterplay
Visible clue. The victim wakes unrested and shaken by a terrifying vision; there need be no visible attacker. The caster, if observed in a legacy waiting trance, appears unresponsive and unable to defend themself.
First decision. Is the victim asleep, capable of dreaming, known to the caster, and in range? The modern optional spell is limited to one mile on the same plane. The original Pathfinder and 3.5e spell has unlimited range but still requires proper designation and an eligible target.
Saving throws. Fifth-edition conversions use an ordinary Wisdom save. Pathfinder and 3.5e use Will with the source’s knowledge and physical connection modifiers; those modifiers are cumulative and can make a known target much more vulnerable.
Vulnerable caster. The source permits a legacy caster to wait for an awake victim to sleep, but leaves the caster defenseless in a trance. Disrupting the trance can end the casting. The modern optional conversions instead require the target to be asleep when the ten-minute casting completes.
Special legacy defence. Dispel Evil cast on the recipient while the legacy spell is being cast cancels Nightmare and stuns its caster for 10 minutes per caster level of Dispel Evil. This special effect should not be added automatically to optional fifth-edition rules.
Rest versus death. A single Nightmare is not a guaranteed kill: a successful save negates the spell, and targets immune to dreaming are safe. Damage, fatigue, rest interruption and spell recovery must be applied using the selected edition only.
Worked Example: Before the Battle
A sorceress knows that an enemy mage is planning a dawn assault. The victim is asleep at a distant camp and the caster intends to break that night’s rest before spells can be prepared.
5.5e / 2024 — optional conversion
A 7th-level Warlock holding a token belonging to the mage begins a 10-minute casting from within 1 mile. During the trance the Warlock is Incapacitated with Speed 0 and vulnerable to interruption. On completion the sleeping mage makes a Wisdom save against the caster’s spell save DC (for example, DC 15). On failure, the mage takes 2d6 Psychic damage upon waking and must restart the interrupted rest. The spell does not automatically prevent all rest for 24 hours or undo recovered spell slots. On a successful save, rest proceeds.
5e / 2014 — optional conversion
The same narrow-range dream curse uses the 2014 rules for short and long rests. The caster still enters a ten-minute helpless trance, and the victim makes a Wisdom saving throw; on failure the spell causes 2d6 psychic damage upon waking and interrupts the current rest. The official 2014 Dream is not replaced: it has its own fifth-level nightmare mode, including separate casting, duration and target rules.
Pathfinder 1e — official Nightmare
A 9th-level Wizard casts the fifth-level spell against a distant sleeping rival. The caster knows the rival secondhand, giving the victim a +5 Will save modifier, and possesses the rival’s garment, which supplies a −4 modifier. Together the modifiers give the target a net +1 bonus to its Will save against the spell. On failure, the sleeper suffers 1d10 damage, becomes fatigued, gains no restful sleep, and cannot regain arcane spells for 24 hours. A non-sleeper is immune.
D&D 3.5e — official Nightmare
A ninth-level Bard uses the same knowledge-and-connection modifiers but the D&D 3.5e version’s own rules. If the victim is awake, the Bard may end the attempt or enter a vulnerable trance until the victim sleeps. The spell cannot be cast as an ordinary direct battlefield attack. On a failed Will save it deals 1d10 damage, imposes fatigue and prevents recovery of arcane spells for the next 24 hours.
Mythical Context
Greek tradition imagined dreams as beings that pass from a dark world into the sleeper’s mind. The Oneiroi were the spirits of dreams, and Epiales or Epialtes was a spirit of oppressive nightmares. The ancient image of a dreadful presence pressing upon the sleeping body captures the spell’s power to turn rest into fear. The myths supply its tone, not its numerical damage or spell-recovery penalties.
The Oneiroi — dreams and their two gates in Greek sources · Epiales — spirit of nightmares · Morpheus in the divine archive
Historical Context
Henry Fuseli’s The Nightmare (1781) depicts a sleeper with a threatening figure resting upon her and a horse-like face emerging through the curtain. The painting is held by the Detroit Institute of Arts. Its imagery draws upon the much older notion of a dream-visitor whose presence seems physically oppressive, which makes it particularly suited to the spell’s character. The image records a work of art and cultural imagination, not evidence that a spirit can inflict real supernatural injuries through dreams.
Related Magic
Rules Sources and Licensing
Pathfinder 1e: Nightmare, Core Rulebook; the normal Bard 5 and Sorcerer/Wizard 5 spell and its knowledge/connection saving-throw modifiers. The Advanced Player’s Guide Witch has a separate Nightmares hex, not Nightmare as a default prepared Witch spell.
D&D 3.5e: Nightmare, System Reference Document, Bard 5 and Sorcerer/Wizard 5. Its mind-affecting and evil descriptors, 1d10 damage, fatigue, lost spell recovery and unusual trance protection rules have been retained. The old Witch archive placement is not misrepresented as a 3.5e core class grant.
5.5e / 2024 and 5e / 2014: the page supplies complete original optional fourth-level conversions of the hostile dream idea, not an official named spell. The published 2024 Dream and 2014 Dream are fifth-level Illusion spells with distinct rules. The fifth-edition versions draw upon edition terminology from SRD 5.2.1 and SRD 5.1 under CC BY 4.0.
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