Burning Hands — Complete D&D 5e Spell Guide

Quick Answer: Situational - Pick it for level 1-3 Wizards/Sorcs blasting clumped foes in 5ft-wide hallways (avg 10.5 fire dmg, half on DEX save), but dump it by level 5 for better AoE options like Fireball.

Table of Contents

• •Quick Answer
• •Overview
• •Stat Block
• •When NOT to Use
• •Comparisons
• •Spell Slot Efficiency
• •Pro Tips
• •Common Mistakes
• •Usage Tips
• •Synergies
• •FAQ

Overview

Stat Block

Head-to-Head Comparisons

Burning Hands vs Thunderwave

Verdict: Thunderwave wins 80% of the time for versatility; Burning Hands only if fire-ignitable terrain.

Burning Hands vs Fire Bolt (cantrip)

Verdict: Fire Bolt upcasting Burning Hands? Never - cantrip outscales it long-term.

Burning Hands vs Fireball

Verdict: Fireball obsoletes it completely; use BH as temp bridge.

Spell Slot Efficiency

When worth the slot: Levels 1-3 vs low-DEX mobs (goblins avg +0 DEX) in dungeons; 2+ slots if upcast once.

When NOT worth the slot: Open battles, fire resist, solo bosses - cantrips free up slots.

Pro Tips (Veteran Secrets)

Tip #1: Position at chokepoints: Cast from doorway so cone catches enemies filing in, maximizing 3d6 hits without friendly fire.

Why veterans know this: 15ft cone averages 2-4 goblinoids in 5ft hall (21-42 dmg potential), turning TPK into rout; vets map geometry pre-combat.

This avoids the mistake of: Don't center on party - allies auto-fail if in cone.

Tip #2: Prep oil/flamables: Pre-soak floor/arrows with Create/Destroy Water or alchemist items for ongoing 1d4/turn burn post-cast.

Why veterans know this: Ignites 'flammable objects not worn/carried' = free Web/Fog Cloud synergy, DoT rivals higher spells.

This avoids the mistake of: Forgetting non-magical fire spreads to barrels, dealing 1d6/round extra.

Tip #3: Upcast surgically: 2nd slot for 4d6 (14 avg) on 4 imps beats Shatter, but cap at 3rd level.

Why veterans know this: Diminishing returns vs Fireball; saves Hypnotic Pattern slots for control.

This avoids the mistake of: No 9th-level upcast - wastes diamond dust.

Tip #4: Twin with Sorcerer Metamagic? No, but Quickened + Fire Bolt for double-tap.

Why veterans know this: Action economy burst: 10.5 AoE + 10 single = 20.5 for 1 slot.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Casting in open areas vs spread foes.

Why it's bad: 15ft cone hits 1-2 max (5-10 dmg) vs Fireball's guaranteed 3+; wastes slot when Fire Bolt chains.

Do this instead: Scout for clumps or force via Wall spells; average 3 targets minimum.

Ignoring fire resistance/immunity (devils, dragons).

Why it's bad: Common in MM (30% fire resist foes by tier 2); halves to 5.25 avg, worse than cantrip.

Do this instead: Xanathar alt: Blinding Radiance for 3d6 rad/no-resist; check statblocks pre-fight.

Upcasting past 3rd level routinely.

Why it's bad: 5th slot 7d6 (24.5) in cone < Fireball 8d6 (28) in sphere; opportunity cost kills casters.

Do this instead: Slot ladder: 1st for trash, 3rd max, then Fireball/Meteor Swarm.

Forgetting DEX save scaling.

Why it's bad: Bosses +prof make half-dmg norm (5.25 vs 10.5); unreliable vs Thunderwave's push.

Do this instead:

No V/S only? Components V S - voice it loud in combat.

Why it's bad:

Do this instead: Verbal auto - gag counters it.

Tactical Modules

• •Hallway Blender — When to use: Dungeon crawls vs humanoid mobs filing single-file.. Synergy: Grease/Fog Cloud forces clump; follow with Shatter for prone thunder.
• •Ignite & Kite — When to use: Flammable terrain (dry grass, oil slicks).. Synergy: Web soaked in oil = burning restraint; Erupting Earth upcast for prone setup.
• •Sorcerer Burst — When to use: Quickened Metamagic pools.. Synergy: Twin? No, but Quickened BH + Fireball later; Twinned Chaos Bolt chains.
• •Trap Primer — When to use: Pre-alarm wires/barrels.. Synergy: Ignites without Mage Hand risk; Mage's Fireball for finale.

Countermeasures

• •Threat: Fire resistant devils/efreeti — Response: Upcast? No - swap to Blight or Shatter; Absorb Elements reaction for half->0.. Fallback: Cantrip spam + summons tank.
• •Threat: High-mobility flyers/scouts — Response: Cast prone prone via Thunderwave first, then cone.. Fallback: Web/Slow to ground them.
• •Threat: Ranged enemy blobs — Response: Dimension Door behind, cone from flank.. Fallback: Hypnotic Pattern CC instead.
• •Threat: Antimagic Field — Response: V/S only - unaffected, but no ignite.. Fallback: Crossbow + Sharpshooter.

Frequently Asked Questions

is burning hands good 5e

Situational early-game AoE. Solid 10.5 avg fire in 15ft cone for lvl1 slots vs clumps, but fire resist & small area make it meh later. Prefer Thunderwave unless ignite matters.

burning hands vs thunderwave 5e

Thunderwave better 80%: push + blind in cube beats pure dmg cone. Burning Hands edges if no-push needed & flammables present. Both DEX saves, but TW scales with utility.

does burning hands work underwater 5e

No - fire spells fizzle in water RAW (PHB p.203, DMG extinguishing). Use Shatter or Lightning Bolt. Dry environments only.

can you twin burning hands 5e

No - AoE cone can't Twin (TCoE p.53, requires single creature). Quickened into Fire Bolt instead. Metamagic waste.

burning hands worth preparing wizard 5e

Yes levels 1-3 for dungeons; no post-5 (Fireball). Prep over Magic Missile if AoE craved, but Sleep controls better.

burning hands upcast 5e damage

+1d6 per level: 2nd=4d6(14), 3rd=5d6(17.5). Still cone-limited vs Fireball 8d6(28). Rarely past 2nd.

best class for burning hands 5e

Wild Magic Sorcerer (Tides chaos) or Evoker Wizard (safe splash). Draconic fire boost niche. Skip Bards.

burning hands ignite objects 5e

Yes, flammables not worn/carried (oil, webs, paper). Deals 1d6/round ongoing RAW (DMG p.111). Pre-soak for DoT.

Related Content

• •Thunderwave (Alternative) — thunderwave
• •Fireball (Upgrade) — fireball
• •Fire Bolt (Similar) — fire-bolt
• •Web (Synergy) — web
• •Chromatic Orb (Alternative) — chromatic-orb

Citations: api:spells/burning-hands

Includes SRD content per CC BY 4.0. Source: dnd5eapi.co.