Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 ft (20 ft
)
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration
, up to 10 minutes
Damage Type: Poison
Save: Constitution
You create a 20-foot-radius sphere of poisonous, yellowgreen fog centered on a point you choose within range. The fog spreads around corners. It lasts for the duration or until strong wind disperses the fog, ending the spell. Its area is heavily obscured.
When a creature enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, that creature must make a Constitution saving throw. The creature takes 5d8 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures are affected even if they hold their breath or don't need to breathe.
The fog moves 10 feet away from you at the start of each of your turns, rolling along the surface of the ground. The vapors, being heavier than air, sink to the lowest level of the land, even pouring down openings.
When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 5th.
Verbal Component:
Nimbus Kedavra Maxima
Verbal Component (Alternative):
Billowing forth with woe and ill, suffocating pestilent, this cloud to kill.
Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard
Tags: Damage
Source: Player's Handbook [5th Edition] (page 222)
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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!
Does cloudkill deal damage when you cast it? What about when its effect moves onto a creature?
No, to both questions. The spell clearly states:
When a creature enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there
In addition, the Sage Advice Compendium verifies:
Some spells and other game features create an area of effect that does something when a creature enters that area for the first time on a turn or when a creature starts its turn in that area. On the turn when you cast such a spell, you're primarily setting up hurt for your foes on later turns.
Can you throw a creature into cloudkill's area of effect to cause damage?
Yes, if you are capable of doing do. However that a creature is subjected to such an area of effect only the
first time it enters the area on a turn.
The official Sage Advice Compendium verifies:
Entering such an area of effect needn't be voluntary, unless a spell says otherwise. You can, therefore, hurl a creature into the area ... We consider that clever play, not an imbalance, so hurl away! Keep in mind, however, that a creature is subjected to such an area of effect only the first time it enters the area on a turn. You can't move a creature in and out of it to damage it over and over again on the same turn.
Can Create or Destroy Water destroy a Fog Cloud or fog from a Cloudkill spell?
As per
Create or Destroy Water's description:
you destroy fog in a 30-foot cube within range
Therefore, since
Cloudkill and
Fog Cloud are both considered fog,
Create or Destroy Water can destroy a 30-foot cube of the fog.
Note: both
Fog Cloud and
Cloudkill produces a 20-foot radius sphere of fog, so casting
Create or Destroy Water at level 1 would not remove the other cloud spells entirely - although it is up to the DM whether the clouds disperse or remains in certain areas.
To verify, on twitter, Jeremy Crawford stated:
Create or destroy water—the spell can destroy a 30-foot cube of fog. Fog cloud creates fog. CorDW can destroy a 30-foot cube of it.
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).
