Jump 5e D&D Guide

A sudden surge of magical energy courses through your body. Your muscles bulge, ligaments stretch, and you take to the air with a mighty leap, soaring higher and farther than any ordinary mortal could ever hope to.

With the Jump spell, the impossible becomes possible, and even the most daunting of obstacles can be overcome with ease.

The Players Handbook states the following:

Jump 5e

1st-level Transmutation

Casting Time: 1 Action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (one grasshopper’s hind leg)

Duration: 1 minute

You make contact with a living thing. Until the spell ends, the creature’s jump distance is tripled.

Spell Type – Movement

Which Classes Can Pick Jump 5e?

Traditional classes like the Artificer, Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer, and Wizard can freely unlock Jump.

All the classes above, except the Ranger, can freely unlock Jump at level 1, while they only unlock it at level 2.

No subclasses can freely unlock Jump.

Is Jump Good in 5e?

Jump is one of those spells that aren’t bad but not good either. Sure, it’ll have its uses, but sometimes players don’t see extra jumping distance or height as a benefit.

Players will either need the spell and find it fascinating or feel like it’s a waste of a spell slot, never even giving it a chance. There isn’t a wrong or right answer; it’s entirely up to the player.

Advantages – Jump

Class Availability

Jump is available to five of the traditional classes in 5e, including some of the most popular classes, the Wizard and Ranger.

Many players could choose Jump if they wanted to, putting little restraint on the spell’s availability.

Note: One major problem is that many classes have meta spells that players are expected to take to make the most out of their chosen class.

No Concentration

Jump requires no Concentration to be cast. It merely has a duration of 1 minute, and in that time, the player can use its full range of abilities until the duration ends.

Ensure you understand the jump mechanics in 5e, as there are runups. It is also heavily rooted in your strength skill, so caster characters might struggle to throw higher jump rolls.

Disadvantages – Jump

Material Component

To triple your jump distance, you’ll need one hind leg of a grasshopper. If acquired, you’ll also need to be able to use a Somatic and Verbal command.

Simply make sure you have on hand free (Somatic) and can voice clear, concise words (Verbal).

The only problem lies in the Material component. Finding it in a shop located in the city is your best bet.

You’ll struggle for hours to find grasshoppers, specifically in biomes where they’re scarce.

Uses an Action

Actions are incredibly important in 5e. With them, you do almost everything. So before using a spell like Jump, look at your environment and gauge what works best.

In battles, casting a control or damage spell would be much more helpful than simply jumping.

When you’re on a quest to find an item located nearby, maybe Jump will help you gain better sight, helping to locate the location.

All you need to do is think and creatively use whatever spell you need. Don’t just use an action without thought, be aware of everything you do. It might save you later on!

Spells Similar to Jump 5e

Similar spells to Jump are Longstrider (1st-level), Expeditious Retreat (1st-level), Spider Climb (2nd-level), and Feather Fall (1st-level).

When or How Should You Use Jump?

Reaching Inaccessible Areas

There are times when you’ll be faced with options during an adventure. Expansive caverns, high grounds, or spike pits could make it difficult for adventurers to cross without the Jump spell.

Note: In most cases, the DM creates these areas to reward bravery or show adventurers’ eagerness. Sometimes they might just be a joke, but in most cases, there is some reward.

You can activate Jump and access these areas. Just remember, there’s a disadvantage when jumping from a stationary position; taking a runup will increase the chances of jumping and the height you jump.

Get To Higher Ground

Jump isn’t a spell you should actively seek to use in combat. However, in some scenarios, it might come in helpful.

Since Jump allows you to reach much higher areas than previously able, you can use it to gain a height advantage. From there, you can visibly see everything on the battlefield, meaning you know precisely which enemies to target.

You can use ranged attacks, utility spells, attack spells, or anything you like to assist your team from above.

Scouting Areas

There will be times when scouting becomes difficult due to the areas being difficult to reach or too high to see over.

Combining Jump with your sneaky skills, you can gather more information, slightly peaking your head inside. You can even jump into their compound or area and look for information!

Frequently Asked Questions

How High Will You Be Able to Jump?

How high a character can jump relies entirely on their Strength stat and if they had an appropriate running start before initiating the jump.

If your character has a Strength score of 20, then the highest they horizontally jump is 20 feet, or 10 feet if no running start is initiated.

Note: A character can jump 3 feet vertically + their Strength modifier (with a running start) or half that without a running start.

Using Jump will then triple the value you receive.

Do You Have To Roll to Jump?

Most DMs will only allow players to stop rolling for jumps if their Strength stat is 16 or higher.

Any number before 16 usually has to roll, but this is very DM specific!

Final Thoughts

The Jump spell proved itself useful to players who want increased mobility and the ability to overcome obstacles.

Its versatility and straightforward casting can make it much easier for newer players to get the hang of it quickly.

While there are better 1st-level spells available, if you feel like Jump resonates with your character, go ahead and pick it.

Maybe you can even jump on the heads of your enemies just like some plumbers used to!