Top 20 Best 6th-Level Spells in D&D 5E [Ranked]

Upon reaching level 11, most spellcasters can cast 6th-level spells.

At this point, a spellcaster has reached D&D’s high-tier spells. 

6th-level spells are basically stepping stones for higher-leveled spells while also being far above mid and low-tier spells.

At this point, spellcasters become quite formidable!

Best 6th-Level Spells 5e

20. Planar Ally

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

With Planar Ally, you ask not a mortal but a being of cosmic power for assistance in whatever task you must complete.

You ask for aid from an otherworldly entity (god, primordial, demon, or other cosmic power), and it sends a fiend, elemental, or celestial loyal to it.

The entity usually requires a donation, the completion of a quest, or payment for services completed.

Tasks requiring donations can include magic items and gold, while payment is most often valued as follows: 100 GP a minute, 1,000 GP an hour, or 10,000 GP a day for up to 10 days.

Note: While this spell is powerful, having the entity turn hostile puts everyone in immediate danger.

19. Word of Recall

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 5 feet

Components: V

Duration: Instantaneous

Whether for a strategic retreat or to escape a near-death encounter, Word of Recall can simply teleport you away to a place of tranquility.

Teleport up to 5 willing creatures within 5 feet of you to a designated sanctuary. 

To designate a sanctuary, simply cast Word of Recall in a location strongly dedicated to your deity (temple or religious building).

Note: Only cast this spell after designating a sanctuary, as, without one, the spell will do nothing.

18. Tenser’s Transformation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (a couple of hairs from a bull)

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Martial classes multiclassing with a spellcasting class benefit greatly from Tenser’s Transformation, as it empowers their martial playstyle.

You empower yourself with martial prowess and great endurance. While affected, you can’t cast any spells, but you gain 6 different benefits:

– Gain 50 temporary HP.

– Advantage on attack rolls with simple and martial weapons.

– Targets struck with a weapon attack take an extra 2d12 Force damage.

– Proficiency with all armor, shields, martial weapons, and simple weapons.

– Proficiency in Constitution and Strength saving throws.

– Attack twice if you make an Attack action (only if you can’t already attack twice).

Note: When the spell ends, you must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. If you fail, you’ll suffer 1 level of exhaustion.

17. Disintegrate

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (a pinch of dust and a lodestone)

Duration: Instantaneous

If you want a spell not only to kill a target but turn it into dust, then you should consider Disintegrate.

Target a creature, having it make a Dexterity saving throw or take 10d6 + 40 Force damage. A creature left with 0 HP will be disintegrated.

A disintegrated creature is wholly reduced to fine gray dust, except for its magic items.

Note: Disintegrated creatures can only be brought back to life by a Wish or True Resurrection spell.

16. Scatter

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V

Duration: Instantaneous

Scatter can save a group of adventurers who find themselves surrounded.

Choose up to 5 creatures of your choice that you can see. You then teleport all affected creatures to a visible unoccupied space within 120 feet. 

The area must be on the floor or ground.

Note: Unwilling creatures must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw to resist Scatter.

15. True Seeing

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (ointment for the eyes costing 25 GP; made from fat, mushroom powder, and saffron, which the spell consumes)

Duration: 1 hour

Dungeons, castles, and even ordinary buildings all have secrets, and with True Seeing, you’ll be able to see what is kept hidden in plain sight.

Touch a willing creature, allowing it to witness things as they truly are. The creature has truesight for the duration and can notice secret entrances hidden with magic. 

An affected creature can also look into the Ethereal Plane with a range of 120 feet.

14. Sunbeam

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (60-foot line)

Components: V, S, M (one magnifying glass)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Sunbeam sends glorious sunlight to a location, showing creatures the power of the divine.

Send brilliant light from your hand in a 60-foot-line that’s 5-foot-wide. All affected creatures must make a Constitution saving throw.

A failed save has the creature taking 6d8 Radiant damage, and being blinded while succeeding means the creature takes half the damage without any added conditions.

Note: The light created by Sunbeam is identified as sunlight, meaning Vampires will be given disadvantages and dealt damage if it remains in the light.

13. Investiture of Wind

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

As if you are an Airbender, Investiture of Wind imbues you with the power of the wind!

While affected, players will gain different benefits tied to the wind.

– Ranged weapon attacks against you have disadvantaged attack rolls.

– Gain a flying speed of 60 feet.

– Use an action to create a 15-foot cube of swirling wind, dealing 2d10 Bludgeoning damage to creatures failing a Constitution saving throw.

Note: Large or smaller creatures are also pushed up to 10 feet away.

12. Tasha’s Otherworldly Guise

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (one object engraved with a symbol representing the Outer Planes, which is worth at least 500 GP)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Tasha’s Otherworldly Guise provides multiclassed martial classes with incredible buffs.

You can draw magic from the Lower Planers or Upper Planes to transform yourself and gain 6 different benefits.

These benefits range from immunity to Fire and Poison damage, gaining flight, a +2 AC bonus, or even being able to attack twice in one turn.

Note: The transformation functions exceptionally well with weapon-efficient classes.

11. Transport via Plants

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 10 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: 1 round

Plants are all around you, so having Transport via Plants can provide players with easy methods of teleportation travel.

Create a magical link between a Large (or bigger) inanimate plant and another plant. The link works at any distance but only in the same plane of existence.

Stepping through the target plant brings you to the destination plant while the spell is active.

Note: Make sure you’ve touched the destination plant once before.

10. Otiluke’s Frozen Sphere

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 300 feet

Components: V, S, M (one small crystal sphere)

Duration: Instantaneous

With Otiluke’s Frozen Sphere, you create a mini-blizzard.

Otiluke’s Frozen Sphere has 2 different effects, and it can be saved for later use:

Effects

– Have it explode on a point dealing 10d6 Cold damage in a 60-foot radius for creatures who fail their Constitution saving throw.

– Striking a body of liquid freezes the liquid over an area of 30 feet to a depth of 6 inches.

Choosing not to throw Otiluke’s sphere turns it into a small globe the size of a sling stone. The globe can be thrown or used in a sling at any time.

9. Heroes’ Feast

Casting Time: 10 minutes

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (one gem-encrusted bowl that’s worth a minimum of 1,000 GP, which the spell will consume)

Duration: Instantaneous

Great food and drink from Heroes’ Feast benefits not just your hunger but also your stats.

Magnificent food and drink are presented to your party, providing up to 12 creatures benefits if they partake in the feast.

At the end of the feast (after 1 hour), all diseases and poison are cured, creatures become immune to being frightened and poisoned, they have advantage on Wisdom saves, and have 2d10 increased maximum HP.

Note: Benefits last for 24 hours.

8. Globe of Invulnerability

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (10-foot radius)

Components: V, S, M (a crystal of glass bead which shatters when the spell comes to an end)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

The protection from Globe of Invulnerability works wonderfully against enemy spellcasters!

Create a 10-foot radius barrier keeping those inside safe from spells lower than the 5th level.

Note: The same spell cast at a higher spell slot level still can’t affect creatures within the barrier.

7. Heal

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

Simple yet effective, Heal can be used throughout the entire game and still provide value to your party.

Choose a creature and have it regain 70 HP, curing blindness, deafness, or other diseases.

Note: Heal doesn’t affect constructs or undead.

6. Chain Lightning

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 150 feet

Components: V, S, M (three silver pins, a piece of amber, glass, or a crystal rod, and a bit of fur)

Duration: Instantaneous

Groups of enemies can be challenging to deal with, but by using Chain Lightning, the encounter can easily be won.

Arc a lightning bolt toward a target, having 3 others leap from it, targeting 3 other targets within 30 feet. 

A target is forced to make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d8 Lightning damage if failed and only half if successful.

Note: Each lightning bolt can only target one object or creature.

5. Otto’s Irresistible Dance

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Otto’s Irresistible Dance turns a merry gesture into a life-threatening debuff!

Target a creature, forcing it to start dancing. While affected, the creature has disadvantage on its Dexterity saving throws and attack rolls. Other creatures will also have advantage on attack rolls against the creature.

Note: This spell cannot affect creatures immune to being charmed.

4. Mass Suggestion

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, M (a snake’s tongue and either a drop of sweet oil or a bit of honeycomb)

Duration: 24 hours

Simply suggesting a course of action is incredibly powerful, so you’ll make no mistake by choosing Mass Suggestion.

Influence up to 12 creatures of your choice to perform a reasonable-sounding suggestion. 

The course of action is limited to 1 or 2 sentences and takes effect if the target fails its Wisdom saving throw.

3. Eyebite

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Highly effective against power melee enemies, Eyebite provides great debuffs for almost any situation.

Choose 1 creature, having it succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be affected by either Asleep, Panicker, or Sickened, all with a different effect.

Note: On your other turns, you can choose to affect another target that hasn’t succeeded on its Wisdom saving throw.

2. Contingency

Casting Time: 10 minutes

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (a small statue of yourself carved from ivory and decorated with some gems that are worth at least 1,500 GP)

Duration: 10 days

Many spellcasters underestimate contingency, yet it can create powerful combinations or save you from imminent death.

Choose a 5th-level spell (or lower) that uses 1 action. You decide which circumstances lead to the spell taking effect, expending its spell slot along with Contingency.

Note: An obvious example would be having a Feather Fall spell kick in when you fall more than 10 feet.

1. Mental Prison

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Strong enemies are found in any encounter, and Mental Prison completely obliterates them, making it an ideal spell for any spellcaster.

Attempting to bind 1 creature and having it fail its Intelligence saving throw deals 5d10 Psychic damage to the creature. The creature will also perceive it’s surrounding to be dangerous.

Note: Even if the target succeeds, it’ll still take 5d10 Psychic damage.

Full List of 6th Level Spells in D&D 5e

Final Thoughts

While 6th-level spells have some damaging spells, most of their spells are utility, control, or supportive spells.

Even at this point in the game, spells like Fireball (3rd-level) or Sickening Radiance (4th-level) will be used in combination with powerful 6th-level spells.

You’ll start to realize how intertwined D&D spells are!

You might also be interested in the following:

• Best Cantrips 5e
• Best 1st-Level Spells 5e
• Best 2nd-Level Spells 5e
• Best 3rd-Level Spells 5e
• Best 4th-Level Spells 5e
• Best 5th-Level Spells 5e
• Best 7th-Level Spells 5e
• Best 8th-Level Spells 5e
• Best 9th-Level Spells 5e