Short answer
Yes, as a free out-of-combat buff, and a cut above the 2014 cantrip. The SRD 5.2 version adds 1d4 to any ability check with the skill you choose, for up to a minute, instead of one roll. That is worth an average of 2.5 on every check, or about 12.5 percentage points of success. It is not a combat spell, and it stops working if you cast another Concentration spell.
What the 2024 spell does
The System Reference Document 5.2 lists Guidance as a Divination cantrip with a casting time of one Action, Touch range, verbal and somatic components, and a duration of Concentration for up to one minute.
"You touch a willing creature and choose a skill. Until the spell ends, the creature adds 1d4 to any ability check using the chosen skill."
Source: System Reference Document 5.2, Wizards of the Coast LLC, CC-BY-4.0.
You pick one skill when you cast it, such as Stealth or Perception, and the target gets the die on every check using that skill for as long as you concentrate. There is no "once" in the text.
2014 vs 2024
| Detail | 2014 (SRD 5.1) | 2024 (SRD 5.2) |
|---|---|---|
| What gets the bonus | One ability check of the target's choice | Any ability check using the skill you chose when casting |
| How many times | Once, then the spell ends | Every matching check until the spell ends |
| When the die is rolled | Before or after the check | Added to the check; the text does not give a roll timing |
| Casting time | 1 action | Action |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 1 minute | Concentration, up to 1 minute |
| Range | Touch | Touch |
The trade is scope for duration. You lose the freedom to apply the die to whatever check comes up, and the 2014 option to roll it after seeing the check is not in the 2024 text. In exchange it keeps working for a whole minute, and a skill chosen well can add the die to many rolls in that minute.
The maths: what +1d4 is worth
A d4 averages 2.5, which sounds small. On a d20 it matters: every point is 5 percentage points of success. The table shows the chance of passing a check, given the number you need on the d20 before Guidance (DC minus your modifier). Ability checks have no automatic success on a natural 20.
| You need on the d20 | Chance without | Chance with Guidance | Gain, percentage points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 95% | 100% | +5.0 |
| 3 | 90% | 98.8% | +8.8 |
| 4 | 85% | 96.2% | +11.3 |
| 5 to 20 | 80% down to 5% | 92.5% down to 17.5% | +12.5 |
| 21 | 0% | 12.5% | +12.5 |
| 22 | 0% | 7.5% | +7.5 |
Anywhere from needing a 5 to needing a 21, the gain is a flat 12.5 points: the cantrip turns a 50% check into a 62.5% check, a 30% check into 42.5%, a 10% check into 22.5%. It only fades at the edges, where the check was nearly certain or nearly impossible. For comparison, Advantage on a 50% check lifts it to 75%, so Guidance gives roughly half of that, without needing a special condition.
Over a minute the numbers add up. A character making four Stealth checks to cross a guarded room, each at 50%, gains an average of half a check passed (4 x 12.5% = 0.5). It is a modest bonus, not a reliable fix for a check you cannot make.
When to cast it
| Situation | Cast it? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Party sneaks past a guard post | Yes, on the best Stealth check | Several rolls in a minute; no spell slot needed. |
| One high-stakes check, like a bridge jump | Yes | It is free and gives 12.5 points on any check that is in play. |
| Combat round | Rarely | It costs your action, and most combat rolls are attacks and saves, which it does not cover. |
| You are already concentrating on a spell | No | Casting a new Concentration spell ends the old one. |
| Social scene with a long conversation | Yes, with a skill like Persuasion | Many checks in a minute and no slot cost. Ask the DM that the spell fits the scene. |
The practical limit is the minute. Cast it just before a scene of checks starts, not before you walk into the dungeon.
Who gets it
The SRD 5.2 spell list gives Guidance to two classes.
- Cleric: a cantrip you know permanently. Clerics often have Wisdom as a main stat, so Perception and Insight checks are already good, and Guidance supports the party's weaker rolls.
- Druid: a cantrip as well, and a good support pick for a Druid who is not concentrating on something bigger.
Rulings and mistakes
- It only covers ability checks. Attack rolls and saving throws do not get the die. Initiative may or may not, depending on which skill your DM lets it use, so ask.
- The skill is chosen when you cast it. Choose the one the scene will call for.
- The target must be willing. You touch them, so you need to be next to them.
- One Concentration spell at a time. That applies to you, the caster, not the target.
- The bonus is a d4 per check. Roll a new d4 each time it applies.
Questions
Is Guidance a Reaction in 2024?
No. The SRD 5.2 casting time is Action. See the note near the top of this page.
Can I cast it on myself?
The text says you touch a willing creature. Whether that covers yourself is a table call. Ask your DM before you plan around it.
Does it help with attack rolls or saving throws?
No. The text covers ability checks using the chosen skill only.
Is it worth keeping as a Cleric cantrip?
Cleric cantrip slots are few. If your table plays lots of exploration and social scenes, yes. If it is nearly all combat, a damage cantrip is a better use of the slot.
Corin Ashdown is the pen name of the editor who writes and checks every guide on Vorbelutrioperbir. How we write and check guides.