Verdict
Yes, still good. It deals big damage to a whole group in one action, needs no Concentration and reaches 150 feet. It is best against clustered enemies and weak against a single tough one. The 2024 rewrite leaves the numbers alone.
What the 2024 version does
| Level and school | 3rd-level Evocation |
|---|---|
| Casting time | Action |
| Range | 150 feet |
| Components | V, S, M (a ball of bat guano and sulfur) |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Save and damage | Dexterity save, 8d6 Fire damage, half on a success, in a 20-foot-radius Sphere |
| Higher levels | +1d6 for each slot level above 3 |
"The damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 3." System Reference Document 5.2, Fireball (CC-BY-4.0)
Every creature in the sphere rolls a save, friends included, so placement matters. Flammable objects not worn or carried also catch fire.
2014 vs 2024: what changed
| Detail | 2014 (SRD 5.1) | 2024 (SRD 5.2) |
|---|---|---|
| Level, school, class list | 3rd-level Evocation, Sorcerer and Wizard | Same |
| Range and area | 150 feet, 20-foot-radius sphere | Same |
| Damage | 8d6 fire, half on a successful Dexterity save | Same |
| Scaling | +1d6 per slot level above 3rd | Same |
| Material component | A tiny ball of bat guano and sulfur | A ball of bat guano and sulfur |
| Spreading | "The fire spreads around corners" | Not in the SRD 5.2 text |
| Burning objects | Ignites flammable objects not worn or carried | Flammable objects not worn or carried start burning |
The corners line is the only change that touches play. In 2014 the explosion could reach creatures around a corner. In the 2024 text a creature in the sphere is affected, and your DM decides what blocks the area. Ask before you rely on bending a blast around a wall.
Damage by slot level and save DC
Fireball gets (5 + slot level) d6. The first table shows the average for each slot. The last column is expected damage per target against a save DC of 15 (8 + 3 + 4) and a Dexterity save of +3, where a creature fails 55 percent of the time.
| Slot | Dice | Failed save | Successful save | Expected per target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8d6 | 28.0 | 14.0 | 21.7 |
| 4 | 9d6 | 31.5 | 15.8 | 24.4 |
| 5 | 10d6 | 35.0 | 17.5 | 27.1 |
| 6 | 11d6 | 38.5 | 19.3 | 29.8 |
| 7 | 12d6 | 42.0 | 21.0 | 32.6 |
| 8 | 13d6 | 45.5 | 22.8 | 35.3 |
| 9 | 14d6 | 49.0 | 24.5 | 38.0 |
Expected damage per target for a 3rd-level cast
| Your spell save DC | Target Dex save +0 | Target Dex save +3 | Target Dex save +6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 22.4 (60% fail) | 20.3 (45% fail) | 18.2 (30% fail) |
| 15 | 23.8 (70% fail) | 21.7 (55% fail) | 19.6 (40% fail) |
| 17 | 25.2 (80% fail) | 23.1 (65% fail) | 21.0 (50% fail) |
A 3rd-level Fireball against five enemies with a +3 save and a DC of 15 deals about 108 expected damage in one action (5 x 21.7). Against a single enemy the same cast is worth only about 22 expected damage, which is why it is a crowd spell. The DC matters less than people expect: moving from DC 13 to DC 17 adds about 3 damage per target.
Who gets it
On the SRD 5.2 spell list, Fireball belongs to the Sorcerer and the Wizard. The wizard and sorcerer guides cover them. A Fiend warlock also has Fireball prepared from level 5, as the warlock guide notes.
Common rulings and mistakes
- It hits allies. Every creature in the sphere makes the save, not just enemies.
- A cast at a higher level adds dice, not size. The sphere stays 20 feet in radius.
- It sets objects on fire. Flammable objects not worn or carried start burning, so scrolls and rope on the floor are at risk.
- No Concentration. You can keep another Concentration spell running when you cast it.
- Origin point. The sphere is centered on a point you choose, not on you.
Questions
Did Fireball get nerfed in 2024?
Not in the numbers. The damage, range and area match 2014. The only visible change in the free text is that the fire no longer spreads around corners.
Is Fireball better than Spirit Guardians?
For a one-round burst, yes. For long fights where enemies stay close, Spirit Guardians adds up faster.
Should I upcast Fireball?
One extra slot level adds 3.5 average damage on a failed save, about 2.7 expected per target at the numbers above. Multiply by the number of targets to see whether the slot is worth spending.
Can Counterspell stop Fireball?
Yes. See Counterspell in the 2024 rules for the odds.
Corin Ashdown is the pen name of the editor who writes and checks every guide on Vorbelutrioperbir. How we write and check guides.