[Top 15] D&D Best Attack Spells

Offensive Magic

Dungeons and Dragons is a game of possibility, probability, and looting bodies. With a casting class, the possibilities of what you can do are endless. Reshaping the landscape, sending messages through the cosmos, assembling the very fabric of matter into whatever your heart may desire.

But man, there’s nothing quite like just blowing a dude up.

Yeah! Spells that do cool things are fun but there is just something so exhilarating about picking up hand fulls of dice and rolling them to see how many faces you melt. 

So let’s, as scholars, figure out just the right spells to melt just the perfect amount of face. 

15. Scorching Ray

How does it work?

• Range 120ft
• Create 3 rays of fire and they strike targets within range. All to the same target or split to multiple targets.
• Range attack roll for each ray is required.
• On a hit, the target takes 2D6 Fire damage.
• Create an additional ray for each spell level after 2nd

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• Let’s just come out and say it, we’re starting the list off with many faces melted. Or maybe, just one extra crispy face.
• This spell can do up to 6D6 damage right off the bat and adding 2D6 per upcast is nothing to scoff at.
• Being able to target multiple enemies allows you to relieve your party on multiple fronts.
• If you are trying to break a caster’s concentration this could force 3 or more concentration checks for the price of only 1 spell slot.

14. Polymorph

How does it work?

• Range 60ft
• Requires Concentration
• Transform a creature that you can see into a new creature with a CR that is equal to or less than the target’s level.
• If using on an unwilling creature, they must attempt a Wisdom save to avoid the effect.
• The target assumes the hit points of its new form, if it is knocked to 0, the target will revert with the same amount of hit points it had before the transformation.

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• This spell has so many cool capabilities in the utility department but remember, we are thinking offensively. Hear me out: an adventuring party full of T-Rexes.
• You can turn the baddies into slugs and put them in a jar.
• Turn yourself into a Giant Gorilla and throw the bad guys around.
• If you are about to go down in combat, transform into a creature with a lot of hit points for the quick “heal”.

13. Bigby’s Hand

How does it work?

• Range 120ft
• Requires Concentration.
• Create a Large hand of shimmering, translucent force in a space you can see within range.
• The hand is an object with AC 20 and HP equal to your max HP
• The hand has a Strength of 26 and a Dexterity of 10
• As a bonus action on each of your turns, you may move the hand up to 60ft.
• You may attack creatures with the clenched fist, push creatures with the forceful hand, grapple with the grasping hand, or protect yourself with interposing hand.

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• This is like Aladdin’s carpet if it was more powerful. Fly around on it and cast spells while providing yourself some cover.
• Using the hand’s abilities only costs a bonus action, so you get to keep casting all the spells you want, then using the hand as an afterthought.
• You can upcast the spell for more damage which already starts at 4d8 for the clenched fist.
• It’s a great all-around spell for offense but its versatility makes it a must-have spell. Just there to give you a “hand” when you need it most.

12. Banishment

How does it work?

• Range 60ft
• Requires Concentration.
• A creature you can see within range must attempt a Charisma saving throw or be banished.
• If the target is native to the plane you are on then they will go to a harmless demiplane for the spell’s duration. That’s right, no save per turn. 
• If the target is not from the plane you are on then they are banished to their home plane. If the spell lasts through its entire duration, then the target is stuck on their home plane and will not come back when the spell ends.

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• Removing an entire combatant from the fray will dramatically shift the odds in favor of your party.
• If you are battling a creature that you know is from another plane, you can send them away then not worry about them coming back any time soon.
• You can yell “BE GONE” at your DnD table.
• Charisma saving throw proficiency is very rare so there is a good chance this spell lands!

11. Hold Person/Monster

How does it work?

• Range 60ft
• Requires Concentration
• A target you can see within range must succeed a saving throw or be paralyzed. At the end of each of its turns, they can attempt another saving throw to end the effect.
• Upcasting these spells allow you to affect multiple targets.

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• I have said before, I am not a huge fan of the hold person/monster spell when thinking of keeping a combatant out of the battle but, from an offensive standpoint, this can be pretty broken!
• Paralyzing your foe means your allies will have advantage to hit them, then, if they are hit, the attack is an automatic crit!
• Your barbarian will love you for gifting him the world’s easiest piñata!
• The target is not un-paralyzed when they are hit either so your entire party can have a chance to get the critical hits on the target for an entire round!

10. Reverse Gravity

How does it work?

• Range 100ft
• Requires Concentration
• In a 50ft radius and a 100ft high cylinder area centered on a point within range, gravity is reversed!
• If a creature or object within the area is not anchored somehow then they begin to fall upward.
• A creature can make a dexterity save if there is a fixed object they can grab within their reach.
• If the creature or object hits a ceiling or some other solid object before reaching the upper limit of the spell, then they take damage as if they fell that distance.
• When the spell ends all creatures and objects fall back down.

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• No save is given to avoid the effect! The enemy just has to hope they are close enough to something they can grab!
• Pinning a creature against the ceiling removes numbers from battle, tipping the scales in your party’s favor. The creature also takes a D6 damage per 10 feet they “fell”
• If the creatures are at the top of the spells reach when the spell ends, they fall 100ft and take 10d6 damage due to the fall. Ankles will, for sure, be twisted.

9. Fireball

How does it work?

• Range 150ft
• Centered on a point within range, a 20ft radius fireball explodes forcing all creatures in the radius to roll a Dexterity save.
• On a failed save each creature takes 8d6 fire damage, half on a success.
• This spell may be upcast for an extra D6 added to the damage per level.

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• Fireball is THE Dungeons and Dragons spell; it was made overpowered for its level on purpose because it is so classic.
• This one will melt face 100%, and everything else will also be melted. Hopefully not the loot.
• This is a great way to punish enemies for grouping up, allowing your party flexibility in handling a much less cluttered battlefield.

8. Tsunami

How does it work?

• Range = SIGHT. If you see it, you can hit it!
• Requires Concentration
• A Tsunami springs into existence at a point within range up to 300ft long, 300ft high, and 50ft thick.
• All creatures within its area must make a Strength save, on a fail the creature takes 6D10 damage (half on a success).
• At the start of each of your turns, the Tsunami moves 50ft away hitting all creatures it passes on the way but reducing by 1D10 and 50ft in height every turn. 

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• Just the area of this spell will, most likely, cover your DM’s entire battle map, forcing every single creature to attempt a Strength save.
• Creatures stuck inside of the Tsunami are taken out of the battle and are, continuously, taking damage every turn!
• This is a spell that reshapes the entire battlefield, getting rid of cover so you can overwhelm your enemies moments later.

7. Cone of Cold

How does it work?

• Range: 60ft cone originating from yourself
• Each creature within the 60ft cone must attempt a constitution saving throw.
• On a failed save creatures take 8D8 cold damage (half on a success)
• This spell may be upcast to add an additional D8 per slot level.

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• This spell dishes out just some easy, good ol’ damage. But, a lot of it!
• Cone of Cold’s Cone can affect a lot of creatures and spreading 8d8 to each one gives you one of the highest damage counts in the game! (When applying to each creature).
• This one doesn’t quite MELT face but popsicles are terrifying too!

6. Bones of the Earth

How does it work?

• Range 120ft
• Cause up to 6 pillars of stone to burst from the ground within the spell’s range.
• Each cylinder has a diameter of 5ft and can reach up to 30ft high.
• You may target ground under a Medium or smaller creature, thrusting them into the air or smashing them against a ceiling for 6D6 bludgeoning damage and they are restrained.
• The creature may attempt a Dexterity save to avoid being lifted by the pillar.
• Each pillar has an AC of 5 and 30 HP but if a pillar crumbles, the 10ft radius around the pillar is difficult terrain.
• A creature may use its action to attempt a strength or dexterity check to get unpinned by the pillar but must climb down the pillar or fall.
• This spell may be upcast to create 2 additional pillars per slot level.

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• In utility alone, this spell is worth it. Create cover for you and your party, give yourselves the high ground (Sorry Anakin), build cool forts.
• Beyond utility, offensively this spell can be used to restrain your enemies, taking them out the fight and dishing out some pretty considerable damage.
• Even if the pillars are destroyed, you restrict the movement of your enemy, allowing for further assault.

5. Sunburst

How does it work?

• Range 150ft
• In a 60ft RADIUS (this is a HUGE spell!) each creature must attempt to make a Constitution saving throw.
• On a failed save, the creature takes 12D6 radiant damage and is blinded for 1 minute! They only take half damage on a success and they avoid being blinded.
• Undead and Oozes have disadvantage on the save.
• Any darkness in the area created by a spell is dispelled.

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• Radiant damage is one of the least resisted damage types, especially among bad guys.
• 12D6 damage is AMAZING, but better yet, causing a creature to go blind for a minute makes them into a free punching bag for your barbarian to pound on with advantage on each swing. Your rogue will generate free sneak attacks from this as well! This multiplies the underlying damage possibility 10 fold!
• Undead and Oozes suck, it’s just nice to beat up on them now and then.
• If you find yourself being ambushed from within a darkness spell, you can not only dispel it but surprise the creature that cast it with an insane amount of sunlight. Hopefully, they put on the maximum SPF before the battle started.

4. Prismatic Spray

How does it work?

• Range 60ft cone originating from you
• Each creature within a 60ft cone must attempt a Dexterity saving throw and you must roll 1d8 per target.
• The D8 determines what color the enemy is hit by, the first 5 cause 10D6 damage from various damage types. The 6th causes the target to begin turning to stone, 7th causes the creature to go blind with a possibility of being transported to another plane of existence, and on the 8th the target is hit by 2 rays allowing you to reroll the D8 twice (ignoring 8s).

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• This spell is one of the highest in potential damage in the game. If an 8 is rolled, the spell can do up to 20D6 damage.
• It can, also, take enemies completely out of the fight by turning them to stone or banishing them to another plane. 
• Hitting as many creatures as possible with this one will give you an incredible bang for your buck. This one melts faces, freezes faces, electrocutes faces, needless to say, there will be a multitude of faces that aren’t very happy.

3. Disintegrate

How does it work?

• Range 60ft
• Target a creature, object, or creation you can see within range.
• A creature targeted by the spell must make a Dexterity save. On a fail, the target takes 10d6 + 40 force damage. If this reduces the creature to 0 Hitpoints, they are disintegrated.
• A Disintegrated creature can only be returned to life with a true resurrection spell or a wish.
• This spell can be upcast for an additional 3d6 per slot level.

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• This is one of, if not the, most powerful single-target attack spell in the game with average damage around 75.
• If you reduce a target to 0 there are no death saves. They are just dust. Poof. Nothing. The green is mean.
• This spell can also take down an opposing caster’s Wall of Force or destroy equipment/objects that may be important to your enemies.

2. Power Word Spells

How do they work?

• All power word spells have a range of 60ft
• Power Word Pain with NO SAVE. If a creature within range that you choose has less than 100 HP, they are subject to crippling pain that decreases their speed to 10ft, gives disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws (other than Constitution), and if the target attempts to cast a spell they must first succeed a Constitution saving throw.
• Power Word Stun again NO SAVE. If a creature has less than 150 HP, they are stunned.
• Power Word Kill, the target is not even given a save, if your target has less than 100 HP they just die. Unavoidable death. Avada Kedavra.

Why are they such great offensive spells?

• These Power Word spells simplify plans. You don’t need to account for the possibility that your target passes their save because there is none. Just guaranteed control.
• Power Word Kill is DEVASTATING it can do up to the 100 HP of damage instantly without any save and there are no death saves. The target just dies.
•  Power Words could just get thrown around in a Rap and as you go through your performance people just start dropping! A show to die for!

1. Meteor Swarm

How does it work?

• Range 1 MILE
• At 4 different points you can see within range, GIANT BALLS OF SPACE DEATH COME PLUMMETING TO THE BATTLEFIELD! 
• Each creature within a 40ft radius of each point you chose must attempt a Dexterity save.
• On a Failed save creatures take 20D6 fire damage and 20D6 bludgeoning damage (half damage on a success)
• bummer alert: a creature can only be affected by one fiery death rock, so you can’t overlap the areas to hit the same creature with all death rocks.

Why is it such a great offensive spell?

• This is my, personal, favorite spell in the game BECAUSE SPACE ROCKS ARE COOL! It belongs here for good reason, though, with an average damage output of 140!
• Once your caster can send down these giant bringers of death and destruction, in the eyes of the enemy you become a God.
• This spell can take out entire armies, level cities, and create an amazing sight for a first date *saxophone starts playing*

That’s it, guys! The Top 15 attack spells in Dungeons and Dragons!

Let me know if you think I got it wrong or if you don’t see your favorite attack spell on the list. Let me know some of the awesome spell combos you guys have pulled off in battle! 

Now, go prepare your spells for a day of adventuring! If you found this article useful you might also enjoy:

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