Verdict
Yes, it is still good. It is best for a cleric who stands in the middle of a fight, wears armor and can keep Concentration. Damage is the same as 2014, and on paper the new trigger wording catches enemies that keep moving. It is weaker when enemies stay at range or when you need Concentration for something else.
What the 2024 version does
| Level and school | 3rd-level Conjuration |
|---|---|
| Casting time | Action |
| Range | Self (15-foot Emanation) |
| Components | V, S, M (a prayer scroll) |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 10 minutes |
| Save and damage | Wisdom save, 3d8 Radiant (or Necrotic if you are evil), half on a success |
| Higher levels | +1d8 for each slot level above 3 |
"A creature makes this save only once per turn." System Reference Document 5.2, Spirit Guardians (CC-BY-4.0)
You surround yourself with spirits. Enemies inside move at half speed and take damage when the area reaches them, when they walk into it, or when they end a turn inside. You choose who is unaffected when you cast it, so allies can fight beside you without risk.
2014 vs 2024: what changed
| Detail | 2014 (SRD 5.1) | 2024 (SRD 5.2) |
|---|---|---|
| Area | A 15-foot radius around you | A 15-foot Emanation (it moves with you) |
| Material component | A holy symbol | A prayer scroll |
| Who is spared | Creatures you can see, chosen when you cast | Creatures you designate when you cast it |
| When the Wisdom save happens | When a creature enters the area for the first time on a turn, or starts its turn there | When the Emanation enters a creature's space, when a creature enters it, or when a creature ends its turn there |
| Save limit | Set by the "first time on a turn" wording | A creature makes the save only once per turn |
| Damage and scaling | 3d8 radiant or necrotic, half on a success, +1d8 per slot level above 3rd | Same |
| Speed | Halved in the area | Halved in the Emanation |
| Concentration and duration | Up to 10 minutes | Up to 10 minutes |
The practical shift is the end-of-turn trigger. In 2014 an enemy that started its turn inside the area took the hit and could then walk out. In 2024 the save also happens when the creature ends its turn there, and again if you move the Emanation onto it. The once-per-turn limit stops a creature from being hit several times in one turn.
Expected damage by slot level and enemy count
Numbers below assume a save DC of 15 (8 + 3 proficiency + 4 Wisdom, a level 5 cleric with 18 Wisdom) and one save per enemy per round. A failed save deals full damage, a success deals half. Fail chance is the share of d20 rolls where the roll plus the enemy's save bonus is below 15.
Per enemy, per save
| Slot | Dice | On a failed save | Enemy Wis save +0 (70% fail) | Enemy Wis save +3 (55% fail) | Enemy Wis save +6 (40% fail) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3d8 | 13.5 | 11.5 | 10.5 | 9.4 |
| 4 | 4d8 | 18.0 | 15.3 | 14.0 | 12.6 |
| 5 | 5d8 | 22.5 | 19.1 | 17.4 | 15.7 |
| 6 | 6d8 | 27.0 | 22.9 | 20.9 | 18.9 |
| 7 | 7d8 | 31.5 | 26.8 | 24.4 | 22.0 |
| 8 | 8d8 | 36.0 | 30.6 | 27.9 | 25.2 |
| 9 | 9d8 | 40.5 | 34.4 | 31.4 | 28.3 |
Per round against a group (enemy save +3)
| Slot | 1 enemy | 3 enemies | 5 enemies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10.5 | 31.4 | 52.3 |
| 4 | 14.0 | 41.9 | 69.8 |
| 5 | 17.4 | 52.3 | 87.2 |
| 6 | 20.9 | 62.8 | 104.6 |
| 7 | 24.4 | 73.2 | 122.1 |
| 8 | 27.9 | 83.7 | 139.5 |
| 9 | 31.4 | 94.2 | 156.9 |
Read it this way: a 3rd-level cast is average against one enemy and strong against a crowd. Three enemies standing in the area for three rounds adds up to roughly 94 damage, with no further actions spent. That is why the spell is judged by how many enemies stay close, not by the single-target number.
Damage that breaks Concentration is the real cost. A damaged caster rolls a Constitution save against a DC of 10 or half the damage taken, whichever is higher (maximum 30).
Who gets it
On the SRD 5.2 spell list, Spirit Guardians belongs to the Cleric. A cleric in heavy armor with a shield is the natural user, because the spell works best when you hold the front line. The cleric guide covers the build. Any cleric subclass can cast it.
Common rulings and mistakes
- It is Wisdom, not Dexterity. Enemies with strong Wisdom saves shrug off most of it, so check a monster's save bonus before you commit.
- Pick who is spared when you cast it. You cannot add or remove creatures later.
- One save per creature per turn. Walking into a creature and having it end its turn inside does not stack in the same turn.
- The Emanation moves with you. Moving toward an enemy can trigger the save on your own turn.
- Evil casters swap the damage type. Radiant becomes Necrotic, and the spirits look fiendish.
- Speed halving has no save. It applies to any affected creature in the area.
Questions
Does Spirit Guardians hurt my allies?
Not if you name them when you cast it. The text lets you designate creatures to be unaffected, and every other creature is affected.
Is Spirit Guardians better than Fireball?
They do different jobs. Fireball is one big burst. Spirit Guardians is smaller damage that repeats every round. See the Fireball breakdown for the single-cast numbers.
Can I move the area?
It is an Emanation centered on you, so it moves when you do.
Did the damage change in 2024?
No. It is still 3d8 at 3rd level, plus 1d8 per slot level above 3rd.
Corin Ashdown is the pen name of the editor who writes and checks every guide on Vorbelutrioperbir. How we write and check guides.