With the incantation of ancient words and the drawing of mystical runes, you can conjure wondrous ceremonies that bless you or your allies with mighty miracles.
This spell is a rite of passage for all aspiring wizards, allowing them to harness the full potential of their magical gifts and witness the open oceans of magic they may one day wield.
The Supplement Xanathar’s Guide to Everything states:
Ceremony 5e
1st-level Evocation (Ritual)
Casting Time: 1 Hour
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (powdered silver worth 25 GP, which the spell will consume)
Duration: Instantaneous (see below)
You engage in one of the various religious ceremonies.
Select one of the following ceremonies found below, the target of which cannot be more than 10 feet from you the entire time the spell is being cast.
Atonement
A DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check is made after you touch one willing creature whose alignment has changed.
You return the target to its original alignment after a successful check.
Bless Water
One vial of water becomes holy water when you touch it.
Coming of Age
You make contact with a young adult humanoid.
Every time the target makes an ability check for the next 24 hours, it can roll a d4 and add the result to the check.
A creature may only benefit from this rite once.
Dedication
You make contact with a single humanoid who desires to serve your god.
The target may roll a d4 and add the result to any saving throws it makes for the following 24 hours.
A creature may only use this rite once.
Funeral Rite
You touch a corpse, preventing the subject from turning undead for the following seven days without the aid of a Wish spell.
Investiture (UA)
You touch one willing humanoid.
Spend a spell slot and any material components as if you were casting one of the prepared 1st-level spells by selecting it.
The spell is ineffective. Instead, the target can use this spell once without a spell slot or material component.
The invested spell is forfeited if the target doesn’t cast it within an hour.
Wedding
You come into contact with adult humanoids who are willing to be married.
Each target obtains a +2 boost to AC when within 30 feet of one another for the following seven days.
Only if a creature is widowed can they receive this rite again.
Which Classes Can Pick Ceremony 5e?
Traditional classes, such as the Cleric and Paladin, can freely unlock Ceremony.
Clerics can unlock and use Ceremony at level 1, while Paladins can only unlock the spell at level 2.
No subclasses can freely unlock and use Ceremony.
Is Ceremony Good in 5e?
Ceremony isn’t seen as a go-to spell for most players, but it can be efficiently used in roleplay or specific scenarios. It isn’t recommended but should certainly not be gazed over.
Advantages – Ceremony
Ritual Casting
Ritual casting is excellent to have, as it takes more time to cast but, in turn, doesn’t require a spell slot to cast. You won’t have to worry about your spell slots running out.
No Concentration
Having Concentration means a spell can quickly be canceled (by taking damage), and the caster won’t be able to use other Concentration spells.
Not having to focus on keeping a spell active makes it much easier to focus on what is most important at the moment.
Disadvantages – Ceremony
Casting Time
Unfortunately, Ceremony has a casting time of 1 hour. An hour is quite some time in D&D, so be prepared to wait before the spell is officially active.
Note: If you cast it as a ritual, the spell will have an even longer duration, so keep that in mind.
Class Availability
Ceremony is a religious spell, meaning it’s only available to the Cleric and Paladin classes.
Even if you have one of those classes in your party, players will most likely overlook Ceremony in favor of other, more efficient spells. The chances of having access to it are pretty slim.
Spells Similar to Ceremony 5e
Similar spells to Ceremony are Protection from Evil and Good and Bless.
When or How Should I Use Ceremony?
Alignment Shift
Changing alignment in D&D might not be a big deal, but when you’re role-playing, it can sometimes clash with the viewpoints of others.
Players can unlock an evil item or start doing wicked things, turning them evil and changing their alignment.
So if it affects your party, then simply use the Atonement ceremony to change their alignment back to normal!
Against Undead
Choosing the Funeral Rite ceremony will protect your deceased party members from becoming undead. If you ever face a Lich or other powerful undead sorcerer, having Ceremony ready is a must.
Note: Losing your party member is horrible, but having them become undead and fight against you is a sin punishable by death.
Some resurrection spells can’t be used on the undead, so this is a valuable way to keep their bodies eligible for resurrection.
Limited Spell Slots
If you know a character has limited spell slots, imbue them with Investiture sometime before a battle (just make sure you don’t wait more than 1 hour before a battle, as the spell won’t be active anymore).
Note: This can be very effective later in the game, when spell slots are more valuable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ceremony a Ritual?
When looking at the description of Ceremony, it is apparent that it has a ritual tag. If players choose to, they can cast it as a ritual.
Can I Use Ceremony on Myself?
Ceremony has a range of touch. Even with its range, the target must be within 10 feet of the spell throughout its casting.
That means you can cast it on yourself.
Final Thoughts
Ceremony is a versatile spell that has a wide range of applications. Even though it’s only available to some classes, the spell is still a valuable tool if you have it.
Whether you’re around dangerous enemies, in need of clean water, or seeking to provide utility, Ceremony can handle it all.
Don’t let the low level and variety of choices scare you, jump right in and try it!
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