Fire Spells
Here is an assortment of fire spell options options for fledgling pyromancers across all tiers of play. Hopefully these spark some ideas in your games.
Burning: Many spells in this document reference Burning. Burning was not present in the 2014 version of 5e, so it still is new to many players. It’s a Hazard in the new PHB that causes a creature or object to take 1d4 Fire damage at the start of each it’s turns. You cannot stack this damage. Burning creatures can use an Action to go Prone and end the effect, otherwise it lasts until the creature or object reaches 0 Hit Points, unless specified.
–Specifics on page 236 of the PHB.
Evaporate
Level 1 Evocation (Sorcerer)
Casting Time: Action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
You release a searing heat from your body that evaporate liquids in your immediate vicinity. Each creature within a 10 foot Emanation originating from you makes a Constitution saving throw, taking 3d6 Fire damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one.
Nonmagical water within range is evaporated. Creatures submerged in water or creatures entirely comprised of water (such as Water Elementals) make their saving throw against this spell with Disadvantage.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 1.
Flaming Talon
Level 1 Evocation (Sorcerer)
Casting Time: Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a charred talon)
Duration: 1 Round
You swipe your hand, three fingers extended as a smouldering talon sweeps from your arm. Make a Melee spell attack against a creature within range. On a hit, the target takes Slashing damage equal to 1d10 plus your spellcasting ability modifier.
If you hit the target, at the start of it’s next turn, an eruption of flames appears around them. The target and each creature within 5 feet of them must succeed a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d4 Fire damage and start *Burning.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The Slashing damage increases by 1d10 for every spell slot level above 1.
Powder Line
Level 1 Conjuration (Sorcerer, Wizard)
Casting Time: Action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (a pinch of gunpowder)
Duration: 1 round
You create a 15 foot long, 5 foot wide Line of coarse black powder originating from a point within range.
At the beginning of your next turn, or if the powder takes Fire damage, the Line sparks and explodes. Each creature within 5 foot of the Line must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d6 Fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The damage increases by 1d8 for each spell slot level above 1.
Rolling Coal
Level 1 Transmutation (Cleric, Wizard)
Casting Time: Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (A piece of coal)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You enchant a lump of coal, which brims with heat beneath its blackened surface. When you cast this spell, and as a Bonus Action on a subsequent turn, you can cause the lump of coal to roll up to 20 feet across the ground in a direction of your choosing.
If the coal collides with a creature or object, it stops moving and explodes in sparks. Each creature within 5 feet of the coal must succeed a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d4 Fire damage and start Burning. Flammable objects within 5 feet of the coal when it sparks in this way catch alight.
A creature within reach of the coal can use their Action to stomp on it, crushing it and ending the spell immediately. When this spell ends any instances of Burning it caused also end.
Magma Globe
Level 2 Conjuration (Sorcerer, Wizard)
Casting Time: Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You create a small globe of bubbling magma that orbits around a creature of your choice that you can see within range. When this spell ends, or as a Magic action on a subsequent turn, the orb detonates and the target creature must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d8 Fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The creature has Advantage on this saving throw if you did not use your Action to detonate the globe.
For the duration, at the start of each of your turns, the globe boils hotter, increasing it’s damage by 1d8, to a maximum of 6d8.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The base and maximum damage increases by 1d8 for each spell slot level above 2.
Flaming Fingers
Level 2 Evocation (Sorcerer)
Casting Time: Bonus Action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (A chilli pepper)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
The tips of your fingers on one of your hands ignite into flames. For the duration, they emit Bright light in a radius of 20 feet, and Dim light in a further 20 feet. In addition, as a Magic action, you can fire a beam of fire at a target you can see within 60 feet. On a hit, the target takes Fire damage equal to 2d8 plus your spellcasting ability modifier, and starts Burning.
When this spell ends, so do any instances of Burning it caused.
Oisin’s Snaking Fire
Level 2 Evocation (Druid, Sorcerer)
Castimg Time: Action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (A snake scale)
Duration: Concentration up to 1 minute
Target a creature within range. A 5 foot wide, 30 foot long Line appears pointed directly towards the creature, originating from your space.
When a creature begins their turn in the Line’s space, or when they enter it for the first time on their turn, they must make a Dexterity saving throw or else take 3d8 Fire damage and begin Burning.
At the beginning of each of your turns, if the target has moved, a new Line appears that once again points directly towards them. The new line originates from the end of the old one.
As a Bonus Action on your turn, you can change the target of this spell. When you do so, a new line immediately appears originating from the old line and pointing towards the new target.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The Fire damage increases by 1d8 for every spell slot level above 2.
Soot Markings
Level 2 Conjuration (Wizard)
Casting Time: Reaction, which you take when a creature within range takes Fire damage.
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 minute
The target becomes covered in soot, which hangs in the air around them and coats anything which they touch. For the duration, the target has Disadvantage on any Dexterity (Stealth) checks and can’t benefit from the Invisible condition.
Additionally, the first time you deal Fire damage to the target, it must succeed a Constitution saving throw or become Blinded for 1 minute. The creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of it’s turns, ending this effect on a success.
Ashen Memories
Level 3 Divination (Cleric, Druid)
Casting Time: Action or Ritual
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (A hummingbird feather)
Duration: Instantaneous
By touching a pile of ash or a burned object, you experience the fire’s memory. You learn the cause of the fire and can witness any event that happened within 60 feet if the fire over the course of it’s life. You also learn how long it has been since the fire died. This information appears in the form of hazy visions that appear to you within swirling clouds of ash over the duration. This information is undiscernible to others. If part of the fire is still burning, you learn where it is, but your vision ends when the triggering creature or object is burnt.
Feeding Flare
Level 3 Enchantment (Sorcerer)
Casting Time: Action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (A ball of wax)
Duration: Instantaneous
By seeking out all nearby flames and feeding them with magic, each open source of fire within range explodes in intensity. Any creature within 5 foot of a source of fire must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d10 Fire damage on a failure or half as much on a success. Any creature that is Burning must also make this saving throw, and do so with Disadvantage.
After casting this spell, all nonmagical sources of fire and any instances of Burning are extinguished.
Kiln Hand
Level 3 Transmutation (Cleric, Druid, Wizard)
Casting Time: Action
Range: Touch
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
By channelling immense heat through your hand, you can destroy one Medium or smaller, non-magical object that you are touching. If it is flammable, it is instantly reduced to ash. Non-flammable objects such as metal deform, becoming unusable and melted.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The size and rarity of the object increase based on the spell slot level. If you use a level 5 spell slot, you can destroy a common or uncommon magical item up to Large in size. If you use a level 7 spell slot, you can destroy a rare magical item up to Huge size. If you use a level 9 spell slot, you can destroy a very rare magical item up to Gargantuan size.
Iron Mountain’s Roar
Level 3 Evocation (Druid, Sorcerer)
Casting Time: Action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (A chunk of amber)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Each creature and object within a 10 feet Emanation originating from you must succeed a Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 Fire damage and 2d6 Thunder damage, and begin Burning.
Until the spell ends you can take a Magic Action to repeat this effect.
Phoenix Flight
Level 3 Transmutation (Sorcerer, Wizard)
Casting Time: Action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a phoenix feather worth 800+ GP, which the spell consumes)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You create a brilliant pair of flaming wings at your back. For the duration, you have a Fly Speed of 80 foot and can hover. When the spell ends, you fall if you are still aloft unless you can stop the fall.
Additionally you may take a Magic action to flap the wings before you in an explosion of embers. Each creature within 15 Cone originating from you must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 3d8 Fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. Additionally creatures that fail this saving throw are Blinded until the end of their next turn.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 3.
Heat Air
Level 4 Evocation (Druid)
Casting Time: Action or Ritual
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
You magically heat the space within a 60 foot Cube centred on a point you can see within range you, causing the following effects.
- Cold Resistance: Creatures within the Cube have Resistance to Cold damage.
- Heat Vulnerability: Any creature within the Cube that has Vulnerability to Fire damage has Disadvantage on their Attack Rolls and Ability Checks.
- Evaporation: Open water within the Cube evaporates.
- Warm Glow: The Cube’s area is filled with Bright Light.
- Heat Therapy: Creatures that finish a Short Rest inside of the Cube remove one Exhaustion level.
Scatterflame
Level 4 Evocation (Sorcerer, Wizard)
Casting Time: Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a small piece of sulphur)
Duration: Instantaneous
You unleash a swirling torrent of clustered embers and throw it at one creature within range.
Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 4d6 Fire damage.
Hit or miss, the embers scatter into three separate 5-foot-radius Spheres centred within 10 foot of the target. You may place them as you wish. Those Spheres then explode, forcing each creature within to succeed a Dexterity saving throw or take 6d6 Fire damage. A creature may be forced to make multiple saving throws due to overlapping Spheres, but can only take this damage once.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The secondary damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 4.
Overheat
Level 5 Transmutation (Sorcerer, Wizard)
Casting Time: Action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up 1 minute
You flood your body with terrible heat. For the duration you are Burning and you gain the following benefits:
- You gain Resistance to Fire damage and taking Fire damage does not force you to roll to maintain Concentration on this spell.
- Whenever a creature ends its turn within 10 feet of you, you may take 3d6 Fire damage. If you do, that creature takes 3d6 Fire damage.
- As a Magic action on your turn, you may make a melee spell attack against one creature within reach. On a hit, it takes 8d6 Fire damage.
Purifying Flame
Level 5 Evocation (Cleric, Druid)
Casting Time: Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Instantaneous
You purify a creature with white fire. One target creature within reach takes 5d10 Fire damage or regains 5d10 hit points (your choice). Regardless of choice, you may end any one Curse, magical effect or ongoing spell effecting the target.
If an active spell is of level 7 or higher, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability (DC 10 plus that spell’s level). On a successful check, the spell ends.
Hands of the Iron Mountain
Level 7 Conjuration (Sorcerer, Wizard)
Casting Time: Action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (a chunk of obsidian)
Duration: Instantaneous
Channelling primordial forces you evoke gigantic hands of lava at two points within range that you can see, within 60 feet of each other. Each hand is a Huge object that can share it’s spaces with other creatures. Creatures within a hands space must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 8d6 fire damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. Creatures starting their turn within the hands or else passing through their spaces for the first time each turn must repeat this saving throw.
The area of each hand acts as Difficult Terrain. Each hand has an AC of 17, 50 Hit Points and has Immunity to Fire damage. Should either hand be destroyed, the spell ends.
At the beginning of your next turn the hands slam into each other, meeting halfway between them. Creatures they pass through must make the saving throw as before, and creatures caught between them as they collide must make a take an additional 4d6 Fire damage and are knocked Prone on failure.
Eruption
Level 8 Evocation (Druid, Sorcerer)
Casting Time: Action
Range: 1 mile
Components: V, S, M (A red dragon scale worth 2000+ GP, which the spell consumes)
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
A 20 foot radius Circle of magma appears on the ground at a point you can see within range. Creatures in the Circle when it appears must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 8d6 Fire damage on a failed save and get pushed 15 feet away from the centre of the circle. On a success, they take half the damage only. Creatures must also make this save when the Circle enters their space and when they enter the Circle or ends its turn there, though they do not get pushed on a failure. A creature makes this saving throw only once per turn. Creatures that start their turn within 10 feet of the Circle take 1d6 Fire damage.
For the duration, at the start of each of your turns the Circle spits lava outwards violently, growing in radius by 10 foot, to a maximum of 120 feet.
The area acts as Difficult Terrain and any flammable objects within the Circle start Burning. Any water within the circle evaporates into steam. Buildings within the affected areas may collapse if enough of their structural foundation is engulfed in lava.
When the spell ends, the lava cools into non-magical, hardened stone.