Conjure Animals 5e D&D Guide

Conjure Animals is a 3rd-level all-rounder spell, able to be used in many different ways. It belongs to the Druid and Ranger spell lists.

Conjure Animals provide a party with the extra manpower it needs to fill much-needed gaps in a battle.

The Player’s Handbook Description is found below:

Conjure Animals 5e

3rd-level Conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You can summon fey spirits that adopt the form of beasts. These spirits will appear in unoccupied spaces you can see that are within range.

Choose one of the options to determine what appears:

• One Beast – With a challenge rating of 2 or lower
• Two Beasts – With challenge rating of 1 or lower
• Four Beasts – With challenge rating of 1/2 or lower
• Eight Beasts – With challenge rating of 1/4 or lower

Each beast is considered fey. It, therefore, disappears when its hit points drop to 0 or when the spell ends.

Beast’s Specifics

Each summoned creature will be friendly to you and your party members.

After the beasts are summoned, roll initiative (if they are a group), which will determine their turns.

They will obey any verbal commands you give issue them (requiring no action by you).

If you cannot issue commands to the beasts, they will automatically defend themselves from hostile creatures (no other action taken).

Note: The DM has the statistics of the creatures.

At Higher Levels: When casting Conjure Animals with certain level spell slots, you choose one of the four summoning options above, having more creatures appear (as shown below):

Twice the number of beasts with a 5th-level slot, three times the number of beasts with a 7th-level slot, and four times the number of beasts with a 9th-level slot.

Classes That Can Pick Conjure Animals

Traditional classes like the Druid and Ranger have Conjure Animals in their spell list.

Druids can unlock and use this spell when becoming level 5. While Rangers can unlock and use this spell when they become level 9.

Is Conjure Animals Good in 5e?

Conjure Animals is one of the many spells players will encounter that allow them to summon minions.

Players can describe it as decent without upscaling when compared to other spells of its kind.

Advantages – Conjure Animals

No Material Component

Material components of higher-level spells become quite expensive or rare.

Some summoning spells also have the player collect pieces of fur to summon an animal, even though it’s quite rudimentary.

Luckily Conjure Animals only consist of Verbal and Somatic components, increasing the spell’s ease of use.

Note: Verbal and Somatic components can temporarily be affected. Conditions like Restrained, Paralyzed, Grappled, etc., affect movement or the ability to voice out spells.

Good Scaling

Even though Conjure Animals might seem strong in its early stages, it becomes ridiculous when used with higher-level spell slots.

You can summon 24 creatures with challenge ratings of 1/4 or lower at their strongest. It might only be helpful in some situations, but with a good plan, anything is possible.

Note: Burning a 7th or 9th-level spell slot is not the wisest decision. Carefully assess your situation before deciding what your actions will be.

Individual Turns for Creatures

During the spell, each summoned creature will have its own turn. It effectively makes them part of the party and gives them their roles.

Note: Each creature will make an initiative roll to determine its turns.

The caster can even give each creature a command as a free action. Having a helping hand is always a good thing, especially when it’s life or death.

Disadvantages – Conjure Animals

Concentration Spell

Concentration spells are risky to cast in close combat, especially for a spellcaster.

The wisest decision would be to summon these creatures before entering combat, so the enemies have no idea who they belong to.

If you were to summon them in combat, you would surely become their priority. This leads to the certainty that they will cancel your spell and try their best to kill you. So stay out of range!

Weaker Early Game

When you receive this spell, it’ll be at its weakest. You might ask, “Well, doesn’t that count for all spells?” Well, no, it doesn’t.

Summoning spells are handy, even in the late game. Therefore you can justify upscaling this spell to the extent of needing a 9th-level spell slot.

You’ll just have to live through its weakest stages before seeing its true power!

When Should I Use Conjure Animals?

Aiding Combat

Most players will use these summons to help them in combat. After all, they can fill any open gap players have.

The frontline can be held firm by their reinforcements. They can also be sent out with the melee units to attack oncoming enemies.

Spellcasters are always at risk and can protect the supportive players and squishy spellcasters from rogue enemies sneaking up behind them.

Creative players might even think of better strategies for using these summons!

Summonable Transportation or Storage

Summons aren’t just useful in combat; their utility stretches far beyond brainless soldiers. In fact, they can even be brainless porters or transportation.

Spawning a few mules or larger humanoids will take the burden off of your members with the highest carrying capacity.

It’ll also make it possible to carry more loot from dungeons, which means more GP and better equipment.

Players can even ride Giant Elk as horses if they wish to travel great distances. This is a great way to beat the exhaustion caused by travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Chooses the Animals for Conjure Animals?

The rules regarding who chooses the animal aren’t clear. However, the first choice will go to the DM since it is unclear.

They may make the caster the one who chooses their own summons if they choose to.

Can You Summon Pixies With Conjure Animals?

Since pixies have a CR of 1/4, you can summon 8 of them.

Final Thoughts

Summoning spells are beneficial, even for physical damage-focused long-range Rangers. Its utility is too good to be overlooked, even by half-casters.

There’s always the chance of a mishap for a ranged player. Having more backup can never hurt, especially when coming close to death!