Top 20 Best 9th-Level Spells in D&D 5e [Ranked]

It’s not very often that players reach level 17, but upon doing so, they gain access to 9th-level spells. 

Being unlocked at such a high level makes 9th-level spells challenging to obtain, also meaning few know about these world-altering spells.

The power of these spells is so great that only a few can be cast by mortals, as giving them more power would provide humans with a way to overthrow a god!

Best 9th-Level Spells 5e

20. Power Word: Kill

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V

Duration: Instantaneous

A damaged enemy can easily be killed by Power Word: Kill.

Choose a creature and compel it to die instantly.

A creature with 100 HP or lower dies; if it doesn’t, the spell has no effect.

19. Gate

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (a diamond that’s worth at least 5,000 GP)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

If you intend on traveling to different planes of existence, Gate is a handy spell to carry around.

Create a portal between 5 to 20 feet in diameter and linked to a precise location on a different plane of existence.

If you want to teleport close to a specific creature, you can use its REAL name to open a portal in its immediate vicinity. The creature’s actions usually depend on its alignment, so be careful.

Note: Planar rulers and deities can prevent portals such as these.

18. Astral Projection

Casting Time: 1 hour

Range: 10 feet

Components: V, S, M (for each affected creature, provide one jacinth that’s worth at least 1,000 GP and one ornately carved silver bar that’s worth a minimum of 100 GP, all of which the spell will consume)

Duration: Special

Traveling the Astral Plane can be treacherous if you have no way back, but your stay is much safer with Astral Projection.

You and up to 8 willing creatures leave your bodies and project into the Astral Plane.

Your astral body is similar to your original in almost every way as your statistics and possessions are replicated. The only difference would be the silvery cord attaching you to your physical body.

In this form, you can freely travel the Astral Plane, returning if the spell ends or if you drop to 0 HP.

17. Mass Heal

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

Mass Heal works well if you heal many targets in a large radius.

Restore up to 700 HP divided among as many creatures as you choose. 

Creatures healed by Mass Heal are also cured of all diseases and the blinded and deafened conditions.

Note: Mass Heal does not affect constructs and undead.

16. Imprisonment

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (a vellum depiction or small carved statue that’s in the likeness of the target, and a special component that varies according to the version of the chosen spell that’s worth a minimum of 500 GP per Hit Die of the target)

Duration: Until dispelled

Imprisonment is often used to seal away dangerous foes or keep specific creatures as trophies.

A magical restraint holds a creature you choose. The creature doesn’t need to breathe, requires no sustenance, and cannot age; it also can’t be perceived or located by Divination Magic.

You can also set a reasonable condition for the spell to end, releasing the target when it’s met. 

There are 5 different forms of imprisonment: Burial, Chaining, Hedged Prison, Minumus Prison, and Slumber.

Note: A 9th-level Dispel Magic spell can end this spell.

15. Weird

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A manifested illusionary nightmare can be as powerful as the real thing when using Weird.

Draw an illusory image of a creature’s deepest fears in a 30-foot-radius sphere.

Each creature makes a Wisdom saving throw, becoming frightened if the save is failed.

The nightmare can also be seen as a threat, dealing 4d10 Psychic damage if the creature fails its Wisdom save.

14. Blade of Disaster

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

If you’re obsessed with being a melee spellcaster/multiclassed spellcaster, you’ll want to try Blade of Disaster!

A 3-foot-long blade is summoned, letting the wielder make two melee spell attacks each turn (against one creature) and dealing 4d12 Force damage on a hit.

The blade can also critically strike, dealing another 8d12 Force damage, totaling 12d12 Force damage.

13. Storm of Vengeance

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Sight

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Storm of Vengeance is the perfect spell to affect an extensive area.

Create a storm cloud with a radius of 360 feet. Each creature beneath the cloud (not more than 5,000 feet) is forced to make a Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 Thunder damage while being deafened for 5 minutes.

While active, the cloud will have different effects on your next turn. The effects differ until it reaches 5 to 10 rounds, as the same effect will be produced.

Note: Maintaining your Concentration on Storm of Vengeance should be a priority if you have this spell in your spell list.

12. Time Ravage

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Components: V, S, M (an hourglass filled with some diamond dust that’s worth at least 5,000 GP, which the spell will consume)

Duration: Instantaneous

Time Ravage lets a creature see if it can withstand the test of time.

Target a creature, aging it rapidly and forcing it to make a Constitution saving throw, dealing 10d12 on a fail and half if successful.

The creature ages to 30 days before it’ll die of old age, meaning it has disadvantage on saving throws, ability checks, and attack rolls.

11. True Resurrection

Casting Time: 1 hour

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (a sprinkle of holy water and diamonds that are worth at least 25,000 GP, which the spell will consume)

Duration: Instantaneous

True Resurrection is the ultimate reanimation spell used even if nothing is left of the target.

Touch a creature deceased for no longer than 200 years, restoring it to life.

The spell can provide a new body, cure all diseases, neutralize any poison, lift any curses, and close all mortal wounds.

10. Psychic Scream

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Components: S

Duration: Instantaneous

Psychic Scream can test the intelligence of the creatures you choose.

Force up to 10 creatures to make an Intelligence saving throw, dealing 14d6 Psychic damage and stunning the target on a fail and half if successful (with no stun).

Note: Creatures with an Intelligence score of 2 or lower aren’t affected.

9. Mass Polymorph

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S, M (a caterpillar cocoon)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

If you aim to transform not one but many targets into beasts, Mass Polymorph is perfect for you.

Transform up to 10 creatures you choose into any beast form of your choice. You must’ve seen the beast, and its CR needs to be equal to or less than the target’s (half the target’s level if it has no CR).

A target will gain that creature’s statistics. It will also gain temporary HP, which, if brought down to 0, reverts the target to its original form.

Note: Don’t target hostile shapechangers; they will instantly succeed in their saving throw.

8. Invulnerability

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (a small piece of adamantine that’s worth at least 500 GP, which the spell will consume)

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Invulnerability has no fancy ability and gives you only what it says.

You are given immunity to all damage until the spell ends.

7. Time Stop

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V

Duration: Instantaneous

Many wish to control the flow of time, and it’s genuinely possible with Time Stop.

Briefly stop time, and take 1d4 +1 turns in a row.

Time Stop ends if you affect another creature (besides yourself) during this period or more than 1,000 away from where you cast Time Stop.

6. Foresight

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (a humming feather)

Duration: 8 hours

Using Foresight to see into the future, no matter how far, can significantly change reality.

Touch a willing creature, letting it see into the immediate future.

The affected creature cannot be surprised and has an advantage on saving throws, attack rolls, and ability checks. Other creatures also will have disadvantage on attack rolls against the target.

5. Meteor Swarm

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 1 mile

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

Often regarded as the offensive spell of offensive spells, Meteor Storm is truly overkill!

Send blazing orbs to hit 4 different points of your choice in a 40-foot-radius sphere, forcing the affected creatures to make a Dexterity saving throw.

Creatures failing their save take 20d6 Fire damage and 20d6 Bludgeoning damage, or half if successful. 

Note: Creatures can only be affected by one fiery burst from the spell.

4. Shapechange

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (a jade circlet that’s worth at least 1,500 GP, which you must place on your head before casting the spell)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

Shapechange provides players with nearly endless shape-shifting possibilities.

Assume a different form with a CR equal to your level or lower. You can’t choose undead or constructs, and you have to have seen the chosen creature at least once.

You gain the creature’s statistics (HP and Hit Dice) but keep some of your statistics which cancel out the creature’s. 

While active, you can change forms once again, but with the same restrictions.

Note: Shapechange has the potential to become overpowered if you think your transformations through.

3. Prismatic Wall

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: 10 minutes

While quite complicated initially, understanding and using Prismatic Wall correctly can change the outcome of entire battles.

Erect a colorful wall that’s 1 inch thick, 30 feet high, and up to 90 feet long. Bright light radiates for 100 feet and dim light for another 100 feet.

Prismatic Wall has 7 layers: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. 

Each layer has different effects, and a creature passing through the wall performs a Dexterity saving throw or takes on the effects of the layer it passed through.

2. True Polymorph

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (a dollop of gum arabic, a wisp of smoke, and a drop of mercury)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

True Polymorph is the ultimate shapechange spell, allowing players to change the forms of creatures and objects.

You transform a nonmagical object or creature. The creature can be transformed into another creature, a nonmagical object, while the object can only be transformed into a creature.

A transformation ends if the target is brought to 0 HP, and shapechangers cannot be affected by this spell.

Note: Concentrating on the spell for the full duration will make the transformation permanent.

1. Wish

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V

Duration: Instantaneous

Wish is D&D’s ultimate spell, as it essentially turns you into a reality warper!

The basic use for Wish is to duplicate any 8th-level spell or lower and not have to meet any of its requirements.

You can, however, create precious items, regain the HP of up to 20 creatures or grant up to 10 creatures resistance to 1 damage type, and much more.

You can even wish for something beyond the scope of the choices given. The only problem is that you’ll have a 33% chance that you can never cast Wish again.

Note: One word, Simulacrum.

Full List of 9th Level Spells in D&D 5e

Final Thoughts

While you can still use spells in combination with 9th-level ones, the power of these spells alone can be enough to win countless battles.

This means spellcasters with immense knowledge can use not only 9th-level spells but combine them with other powerful spells to create the ultimate mage.

Realizing you can contend with some of the most formidable beings in D&D makes you question how far divinity is from your current power!

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 6th-Level Spells 5e
• Best 7th-Level Spells 5e
• Best 8th-Level Spells 5e