Spell Reference All Spells

Speak with Dead

3rd-level · Necromancy

Source 5e 2024 Rules

Casting Time
Action
Range
10 feet
Duration
10 Minutes
Components
V, S, M
Material Component

burning incense

Source Information
Combat Reference
Target
1 creature
Description

You grant the semblance of life to a corpse of your choice within range, allowing it to answer questions you pose. The corpse must have a mouth, and this spell fails if the deceased creature was Undead when it died. The spell also fails if the corpse was the target of this spell within the past 10 days. Until the spell ends, you can ask the corpse up to five questions. The corpse knows only what it knew in life, including the languages it knew. Answers are usually brief, cryptic, or repetitive, and the corpse is under no compulsion to offer a truthful answer if you are antagonistic toward it or it recognizes you as an enemy. This spell doesn't return the creature's soul to its body, only its animating spirit. Thus, the corpse can't learn new information, doesn't comprehend anything that has happened since it died, and can't speculate about future events.

About Speak with Dead

Speak with Dead is a Level 3 level spell from the school of Necromancy.

This spell has a casting time of action , and a range of 10.0 ft (3 m) . It has a duration of Instantaneous.

Casting Tips

1 tips

Consider these tips when casting this spell:

  • Tactical Use: Mid-tier spell with significant tactical impact. Great for resource management challenges.

School of Magic: Necromancy

Learn more

Necromancy spells manipulate life force, death, and the undead.

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