Top 15 Best Divination Spells in D&D 5e [Ranked]

The School of Divination makes a person think of ‘divine,’ and it just so happens that Divination has an abundance of spells relating to celestial beings or fiendish overlords.

In most cases, spellcasters use Divination to see the future, delve into the mind of a creature, contact others from different planes of existence, or just speak and understand another language.

If you’re having your fortune told in D&D, they’re most likely using Divination magic.

Best Divination Spells 5e

15. Guidance (Cantrip)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Starting off is a spell that is simple yet has the potential to save a character from death or turn the tides of a battle.

Touching a willing creature lets them roll a d4 and add the number to an ability check it chooses.

Note: Affected players can roll the die before or after making the ability check, allowing them to use the spell effects only when necessary.

14. Identify (1st-level) [Ritual]

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (one pearl worth at least 100 GP, with an owl feather)

Duration: Instantaneous

If you’re ever unsure how an item works or what its properties are, then consider using Identify.

An object you touch lets you learn its properties and how to use it if it’s identified as having magic, being magically imbued, requiring attunement to use, or how many charges it has left.

You’ll also learn of any spells affecting the item if a spell created it, and if it was, the precise spell that created it.

Note: Touching a creature with Identify tells you what spells currently affect it.

13. Locate Object (2nd-level)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (one forked twig)

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Losing familiar objects can be devastating, as they can be insanely expensive or rare.

Describe or name a familiar object to you. The spell senses its direction if the object is within 1,000 feet. If in motion, you’ll be told the direction of motion.

Note: You can also use the spell to locate known objects (if you’ve seen them within 30 feet) or objects of a particular kind. Just be careful of lead, as the spell doesn’t work if an object is behind lead.

Many times, items are necessary for quests, so finding them will be much easier if you use Locate Object.

12. See Invisibility (2nd-level)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (a small sprinkling of powdered silver and one pinch of talc)

Duration: 1 hour

Invisible enemies can be challenging to deal with, especially in the early levels.

When casting the spell, you can see invisible objects and creatures as if they had no invisibility. You’ll be able to see into the ethereal plane.

Note: Ethereal objects and creatures appear spectral and translucent.

11. Scrying (5th-level)

Casting Time: 10 minutes

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (a focus worth at least 1,000 GP, like a silver mirror, crystal ball, or font filled with holy water)

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

If you require some spying, Scyring is just the spell for you.

Scrying allows you to hear and see a specific creature in your plane of existence. The target will make a Wisdom saving throw (modified depending on your familiarity with the target and physical connection).

If the saving throw is failed, an invisible sensor watches the creature within 10 feet.

Note: Be very careful; as with Scrying, you never know when creatures voluntarily fail their saves so that you can start observing them. You can easily be led into a trap if you’re not cautious.

10. Hunter’s Mark (1st-level)

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: 90 feet

Components: V

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

Hunter’s Mark is unique to the Ranger and is described as their go-to spell.

Choosing a creature marks it, allowing you to deal extra 1d6 damage when you hit it with a weapon attack. You’ll also have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Wisdom (Survival) checks to find the creature.

Rangers are perfect trackers, and since Hunter’s Mark can stay activated for up to 1 hour means, you can track enemies for quite some time.

9. Detect Thoughts (2nd-level)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (a copper piece)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Interrogation is effective, but delving into a creature’s mind and discovering its thoughts is even better.

Casting Detect Thoughts lets you read the thoughts of a creature. You’ll learn its surface-level thoughts, but as you continue, you’ll probe deeper into its psyche, uncovering what makes the creature tick.

Note: You’ll have to succeed on a Wisdom saving throw to probe deeper into a creature’s psyche.

8. Augury (2nd-level) [Ritual]

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (specially marked bones, sticks, or similar tokens that are worth at least 25 GP)

Duration: Instantaneous

If you want a rough idea of how a situation will turn out, simply cast Augury.

You’ll receive an omen from an otherworldly entity regarding an action you are about to take within 30 minutes. The DM will choose between 4 omens: good, bad, good and bad, or no result.

Note: The omen isn’t 100% accurate, as it leaves many possibilities out when looking into it.

7. Mind Spike (2nd-level)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

Mind Spike is both a good tracking spell and a decent damage spell.

Reaching into the mind of a creature deals 3d8 Psychic damage and gives you the creature’s location until the spell ends.

Note: You’ll have to succeed on a Wisdom saving throw for the spell to take effect.

6. Contact Other Plane (5th-level) [Ritual]

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: Self

Components: V

Duration: 1 minute

If you’ve ever wanted to contact a demigod, Contact Other Plane is your chance.

You contact a demigod, which will either leave you insane or let you ask it up to 5 questions. You can only ask it questions if you succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw.

Note: Be careful; if you fail, you’ll go insane and take 6d6 Psychic damage.

5. Arcane Eye (4th-level)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (one bit of bat fur)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

Arcane Eye is your best bet if you need simple yet effective surveillance.

When you cast the spell, an invisible eye floats in the sky, mentally giving you visual information. The eye can be moved up to 30 feet; it even has 30 feet of darkvision if an area becomes too dark.

4. Tongues (3rd-level)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, M (one small clay model of a ziggurat)

Duration: 1 hour

Learning all the languages in D&D will take a lot of time, so why not use Tongues and be able to understand right away?

Touching a creature allows it to understand any spoken language it hears. The creature can also be understood if a creature hears it knows at least one language.

3. Clairvoyance (3rd-level)

Casting Time: 10 minutes

Range: 1 mile

Components: V, S, M (one focus worth at least 100 GP, either a glass eye for seeing or a jeweled horn for hearing)

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Much like Arcane Eye, Clairvoyance is a stationary spell that acts more like a quick scouting spell than an information-gathering spell.

An invisible sensor is created in a location you have visited or seen before. You can choose hearing or seeing or switch between the two to suit your needs.

Note: Just be aware that creatures that can see invisible objects/creatures will be able to spot the sensor.

2. Detect Magic (1st-level) [Ritual]

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

If you’re cautious, you might want to know if powerful magic exists in a quest location.

When cast, you detect the presence of magic within 30 feet of you. Using an action lets you see the object or creature bearing the magic.

Detect Magic can help you pick up on magic before rushing into things unprepared.

1. Foresight (9th-level)

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (one hummingbird feather)

Duration: 8 hours

If you want to see into the future, you’d want to use Foresight.

Touching a creature allows you to see into the immediate future. The target will have advantage on saving throws, ability checks, and attack rolls. Attacking creatures will have disadvantage on attack rolls.

Casting this on an offensive character will give you exceptional results in a battle.

Final Thoughts

Divination is the perfect go-to for any player whose goal is to predict, detect, and communicate with all manner of beings.

While Divination might not be necessary for most campaigns, it’ll give most parties the edge they need against a long-forgotten foe or the insight required to at least handle it quickly.

You might also be interested in the following:

• Best Abjuration Spells 5e
• Best Conjuration Spells 5e
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• Best Evocation Spells 5e
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