Thunderwave Spell
Thunderwave releases a cube of concussive sound that damages creatures, pushes them away and announces the caster’s position with a boom heard hundreds of feet away.
At a Glance
| 2024 | Bard, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard 1 |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Bard, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard 1 |
| Area | 15-foot Cube originating from you |
| Damage | 2d8 Thunder; Constitution save for half; failed saves also push creatures 10 feet |
| Casting | Action; V, S; Instantaneous; no Concentration |
| Higher Slots | +1d8 damage per slot level above 1 |
| Sound | Boom audible within 300 feet |
Choose Your Edition
Thunderwave — 5.5e / 2024
| Level | 1st-level Evocation |
|---|---|
| Classes | Bard, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard |
| Casting Time | Action |
| Range | Self |
| Area | 15-foot Cube originating from you |
| Components | V, S |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
Each creature in the Cube makes a Constitution save. On a failure, it takes 2d8 Thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a success, it takes half damage and is not pushed.
Unsecured objects wholly inside the Cube are pushed 10 feet, and the boom is audible within 300 feet. Damage rises by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.
Thunderwave — 5e / 2014
| Level | 1st-level Evocation |
|---|---|
| Classes | Bard, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard |
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Range | Self (15-foot Cube) |
| Components | V, S |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
Each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from you makes a Constitution saving throw. A failed save deals 2d8 thunder damage and pushes the creature 10 feet away from you. A successful save halves the damage and prevents the push.
Unsecured objects entirely within the cube are automatically pushed 10 feet away from you. The spell produces a boom audible within 300 feet.
At Higher Levels. Add 1d8 damage for each spell slot level above 1st.
What Changed?
The damage, Constitution save, push distance, object movement, audible range and higher-slot scaling are unchanged. The 2024 entry lists Self as its range and describes the 15-foot Cube in the effect; the 2014 entry lists Self (15-foot cube).
Using Thunderwave
Place the cube before rolling. Use the edition’s cube-area rules to position it from the caster. A 15-foot cube is not a 15-foot-radius area. The spell affects every creature in the cube, so include allies caught in it.
Make space. A failed save can push an enemy away from a doorway, an ally or a valuable position. The effect does not knock creatures prone, and a successful save prevents the push. Ordinary rules decide what happens when a pushed creature reaches a ledge, hazard or obstruction.
Expect witnesses. A boom audible within 300 feet can alert guards or creatures in nearby chambers. Loose objects entirely inside the cube are pushed too; consider fragile contents and the direction of travel.
Related Magic
- Shatter — thunder damage centred at a point within range.
- Sound Burst — a sonic-area spell for Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e.
- Bard Spells — spell lists by edition.
Sources
Rules 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.
This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 (“SRD 5.2.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
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.