Vicious Mockery Spell — 2024 & 2014 Rules
Vicious Mockery weaponises a cutting remark with enchantment magic. It deals modest psychic damage, but its real value is disrupting the target’s next attack.
At a Glance
| 2024 | Bard cantrip — 1d6 Psychic damage |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Bard cantrip — 1d4 psychic damage |
| PF1e / D&D 3.5e | No core spell of this name |
| Range | 60 feet |
| Save | Wisdom |
Choose Your Edition
Vicious Mockery — 5.5e / 2024
| Level | Enchantment cantrip |
|---|---|
| Casting Time | Action |
| Range | 60 feet |
| Components | V |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Class | Bard |
Choose one creature you can see or hear within range. It makes a Wisdom saving throw.
On a failure, it takes 1d6 Psychic damage and has Disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
Cantrip Upgrade: damage rises to 2d6 at level 5, 3d6 at level 11 and 4d6 at level 17.
Vicious Mockery — 5e / 2014
| Level | Enchantment cantrip |
|---|---|
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Range | 60 feet |
| Components | V |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Class | Bard |
Choose a creature you can see within range. If it can hear you, it makes a Wisdom saving throw; it does not need to understand your words.
On a failure, it takes 1d4 psychic damage and has disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
Damage rises to 2d4 at level 5, 3d4 at level 11 and 4d4 at level 17.
What Changed?
- Damage: the die increases from d4 in 2014 to d6 in 2024.
- Targeting: 2024 can target a creature you can see or hear; 2014 requires sight and then requires the target to hear you.
- PF1e / 3.5e: there is no core spell of this name, so no artificial legacy tab is added.
Using Vicious Mockery
The damage is secondary. The spell is most useful when an enemy’s next attack matters: a powerful single attack, a likely critical hit, or a strike aimed at a vulnerable ally.
The target does not need to be intellectually wounded by the insult. The magic carries the effect. In 2014 it only needs to hear you; in 2024 the targeting rule is even broader.
Related Magic
- Bard Spells — Bard cantrip and spell lists.
- Enthrall — attention and distraction magic.
- Dissonant Whispers — a stronger psychic Bard attack that can force a target to flee.
Sources and Licensing
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