Level 1 •
Conjuration (Ritual
)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 ft
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 hour
This spell creates an invisible, mindless, shapeless, Medium force that performs simple tasks at your command until the spell ends. The servant springs into existence in an unoccupied space on the ground within range. It has AC 10, 1 hit point, and a Strength of 2, and it can't attack. If it drops to 0 hit points, the spell ends.
Once on each of your turns as a bonus action, you can mentally command the servant to move up to 15 feet and interact with an object. The servant can perform simple tasks that a human servant could do, such as fetching things, cleaning, mending, folding clothes, lighting fires, serving food, and pouring wine. Once you give the command, the servant performs the task to the best of its ability until it completes the task, then waits for your next command.
If you command the servant to perform a task that would move it more than 60 feet away from you, the spell ends.
Material Component:
a piece of string and a bit of wood
Verbal Component:
Servus Invisibilis
Verbal Component (Alternative):
Even those who are observant, cannot see my conjured servant.
Classes: Bard, Warlock, Wizard, Rogue
Source: Player's Handbook [5th Edition] (page 284)
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Spell FAQs
Below are commonly asked questions about this spell. Some of the information is pulled official D&D sources (such as books and the twitter feeds of D&D officials), but other information is derived from forums and online discussions. As always, it is up to the DM to decide how they wish to spell questions. If you have a FAQ about this spell that you feel other DM's may wish to know, please send us the message!
Can I use unseen servant to make attacks in combat?
No, the unseen servant can not perform attack actions, and is limited to performing only simple tasks as described in it's description:
The servant can perform simple tasks that a human servant could do, such as fetching things, cleaning, mending, folding clothes, lighting fires, serving food, and pouring wine.
Can I use unseen servant to act as an ally when using a class feature like Sneak Attack?
Unseen servant creates "an invisible, mindless, shapeless force". In combat, it doesn't act as a creature, an enemy, or an ally. [source: Sage Advice Compendium]
Can unseen servant be used to trigger traps?
An unseen servant can interact with objects, but it is shapeless, made of force, and only has a strength of 2. In the end, it would all depend on the trap and what the DM allows. For example:
- An unseen servant doesn't weigh anything, so it would not trigger any pressure plates.
- An unseen servant doesn't have legs, so it cannot stomp. However, it could repeatedly drop an object or push down on the floor (although a 2 strength is about the same as a tiny creature like a rat, bird, or spider).
- An unseen servant can manipulate objects, so it could swing a stick looking for trip wires.
Downsides of using an unseen servant to detect traps: The unseen servant can interact with 1 object per turn, if you want it to have a stick for tripwires and a tiny rock for pressure plates, then it would have to drop the rock, pick up the stick, sweep, drop the stick, then pick up the rock again. That's a slow process for each 5ft square. Any nearby creature would definitely be aware of the rhythmic tapping and thumping.
Other Planes and Effects
Below is information about this spell as it relates to other planes and area of effects (i.e. underwater). Some of the information is pulled official D&D sources (such as books and the twitter feeds of D&D officials), but other information is derived from forums and online discussions. As always, it is up to the DM to decide how they wish to handle spell effects.
Underwater - Verbal Component
Official rules have been verified by Jeremy Crawford - "No rule prohibits verbal components from working underwater. Keep in mind that if you're talking, you're not holding your breath." Hence, while submerged underwater and holding its breath, a creature can cast a spell that requires a verbal component. After casting the spell, if the creature can't breathe underwater, it immediately runs out of breath. The creature can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 round).
