Teleportation Circle 5e D&D Guide

Teleportation Circle is a 5th-level spell belonging to the Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard spell lists.

Teleporting to a given destination is an exceptionally effective way for a party of adventurers to travel.

It saves time and keeps a party from facing potential dangers they might have encountered while traveling on the road.

The Player’s Handbook specifics are as follows:

Teleportation Circle 5e

5th-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: 10 feet

Components: V, M (some rare chalks and inks infused with various precious gems worth 50GP, which Teleportation Circle consumes)

Duration: 1 round

When you cast the spell, draw a 10-foot-diameter circle on the ground inscribed with sigils linking your location to any permanent teleportation circle of your choosing.

Note: You must know the sigil sequence and ensure it is in the same plane of existence you are in.

A shimmering portal opens within the drawn circle, remaining open until the end of the next turn.

Any creature which enters the portal will instantly appear within 5 feet of the destination or in the nearest unoccupied area if most of the spaces are occupied.

Many major temples, guilds, and other points of interest have permanent teleportation circles inscribed somewhere within their confines.

Each circle includes a unique sigil sequence – which is a string of magical runes arranged in a specific pattern.

When first gaining the ability to cast Teleportation Circle, you learn the two sigil sequences for destinations on the Material Plane, which the DM determines.

Players can study unknown sigil sequences for 1 minute. Afterward, players will remember the sequence of this circle.

During adventures, look out for sigils you have yet to memorize.

You can create your own permanent teleportation circle by casting Teleportation Circle in the exact location every day for one year.

You need not even use the circle to teleport; simply plot down the sigil sequence and make sure the portal opens.

What Does Teleportation Circle Do 5e?

Teleportation Circle is a 5th-level conjuration spell used throughout D&D as an easy means of travel.

When cast, Teleportation Circle opens a portal 10 feet in diameter for 1 round.

When inscribing the circle, the markings link it to a particular permanent teleportation circle.

Note: Players must remember the teleportation circle’s sigil sequence to cast it (this is done when players investigate a new sigil sequence for 1 minute).

After a successful inscription, players can teleport using the newly made teleportation circle.

Classes Able To Use Teleportation Circle

Vanilla classes such as Bards, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards have Teleportation Circle in their spell lists.

Teleportation Circle is most useful for players not required to be very active in combat, as they can spare a spell slot.

Is Using Teleportation Circle Worth It?

Teleportation Circle is a unique spell that can easily be plotted down on any horizontal surface.

Parties should unlock and use Teleportation Circle whenever they can!

Advantages of Teleportation Circle

Cheap Material Components

Many spells using Material components are held back by their price, scarcity, or randomness. However, in the case of Teleportation Circle, the materials are relatively common to come across.

The materials used only cost around 50GP, and many bartering spellcasters and wander mages wouldn’t hesitate to sell their infused chalks to make a quick buck.

Ease of Use

The spell uses only Verbal and Materials components, while the caster is not needed to concentrate.

It takes only 1 minute to cast and can send an entire party miles away if needed.

Nobody would have thought that being able to summon a portal would be this straightforward!

Low Level

Traveling using portals freely is extremely beneficial, even more so considering the spell is only level 5.

Note: All the classes mentioned above unlock a level 5 spell slot when reaching character level 9.

Drawbacks of Teleportation Circle

Prolonged Permanent Inscription

It takes one year for players within a D&D campaign to permanently set up a teleportation circle.

Accomplishing this is unachievable for many players; however, in the cases where campaigns have lasted for over 40+ years in real life, the possibilities become endless.

Restricted Travel

When using Teleportation Circle early on, players will only have access to two permanent portal locations in the material plane (given to them by the DM).

Players will need to search for more permanent portals by asking around or personally finding them within the world. Not being able to teleport directly to a destination can be frustrating; however, it’s better than walking!

Optimizing Teleportation Circle

Establishing a Base of Operations

As mentioned earlier in the guide, D&D games can last an extremely long time.

At some point, even adventurers would like to have a place they call their own, serving as the base of their operations.

Establishing a permanent portal in this place is necessary. However, the only difficulty would arise from the constant daily inscriptions that have to be done.

Cast Teleportation Circle on a Portable Object

A great way to always have a portal open is by simply carrying it with you.

Portals are cast on the surface of objects; therefore, inscribing them on a rug or blanket can make teleporting easy.

Simply load it onto the party’s pack animal or carry it in a rucksack. When the time comes, merely unfurl it and get ready to teleport.

Commonly Asked Questions

Can You Make a Portal To Other Planes?

Unfortunately, Teleportation Circle only works if the locations are in the caster’s current plane of existence.

Can a Permanent Portal Be Destroyed?

Yes, the portal is a magical effect, meaning it can be destroyed using Dispel Magic.

Can You Teleport To a Ship?

No rules prohibit players from teleporting to a ship with a permanent teleportation circle on it.

Players can even inscribe a permanent teleportation circle in the back of their carriage!

Final Thoughts

Teleporting is one of the easiest and scariest methods of travel in any game it’s present in.

It saves parties from walking and traveling endlessly when the late game comes around and makes life more comfortable.

All of us love adventuring, but traveling the corporeal world can become tedious if you unlock the power of a god later on in your campaign!