Greater Restoration is a 5th-level abjuration spell for Bards, Clerics, and Druids (the 2024 rules add Paladins and Rangers). You touch a creature and either remove one level of exhaustion or end one of these: charm or petrification, one curse, any reduction to one ability score, or a reduction to its hit point maximum. It takes an action and consumes 100 gp of diamond dust.
Greater Restoration fixes what rest and healing can't: a medusa's victim stays stone until magic frees them, a 2014 clay golem's drain stays until this spell or other magic removes it, and a vampire's charm lasts 24 hours.
Each casting does one thing: one exhaustion level or one item from the list. A character who is both cursed and petrified needs two castings and two lots of diamond dust. Lesser Restoration and Remove Curse are cheaper for what they cover; Greater Restoration handles the rest.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Level | 5 |
| School | Abjuration |
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Range | Touch |
| Components | V, S, M |
| Material | Diamond dust worth at least 100 gp, which the spell consumes. |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Concentration | No |
| Ritual | No |
| Save/Attack | None |
| Classes | Bard, Cleric, Druid |
Bards, Clerics, and Druids can cast 5th-level spells from 9th level. In the 2024 rules Paladins and Rangers also have it, from level 17, and Life Domain clerics always have it prepared from level 9.
| Effect | 2014 wording | 2024 wording |
|---|---|---|
| Exhaustion | Reduce exhaustion level by one | 1 Exhaustion level |
| Charm and petrification | One effect that charmed or petrified the target | The Charmed or Petrified condition |
| Curse | One curse, including attunement to a cursed magic item | A curse, including attunement to a cursed magic item |
| Ability scores | Any reduction to one of the target's ability scores | Any reduction to one of the target's ability scores |
| Hit point maximum | One effect reducing the target's hit point maximum | Any reduction to the target's Hit Point maximum |
The hit point maximum line is the biggest wording change. In 2014 the spell ends one effect, so a character drained by both a clay golem and a night hag needs two castings. In 2024 one casting removes all of it.
It does not end blinded, deafened, paralyzed, poisoned, frightened, stunned, or a disease.
| Metric | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Slot Efficiency | High for petrification, a long charm, or a 2014 clay golem drain. Low when a long rest or a cheaper spell would do. |
| Action Economy | One action at touch range. Usually cast after the fight. |
| Opportunity Cost | A 5th-level slot plus 100 gp of diamond dust, consumed. |
Greater Restoration has no higher-level effect. A 6th-level slot still ends one effect.
Why it works: A component pouch or focus can't replace a component with a cost, and the spell consumes it. One medusa fight can need several castings.
This avoids the mistake of: Reaching a petrified ally with the slot ready and nothing to cast it with.
Why it works: At 2014 exhaustion level 4, the hit point maximum is halved. Dropping to level 3 restores the full maximum before the next fight.
This avoids the mistake of: Fighting a boss at half maximum when one casting would have fixed it.
Why it works: A petrified creature has resistance to all damage, and the petrification doesn't end on its own. Nothing is lost by waiting until the medusa is dead.
This avoids the mistake of: Casting mid-fight on an ally the medusa can petrify again next turn.
Why it's bad: In 2014 the spell ends "one effect reducing the target's hit point maximum." A character drained by a clay golem and a night hag carries two separate effects. Whether two slams from the same golem count as one effect is a DM ruling, not rules text.
Do this instead: Ask your DM how they count them, and budget diamond dust to match.
| Lesser Restoration | Remove Curse | Greater Restoration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level | 2nd | 3rd | 5th |
| Material | None | None | Diamond dust worth 100 gp, consumed |
| Conditions | Blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned | None | Charmed or petrified |
| Disease | One (2014 only) | No | No |
| Curses | No | All on the target | One per casting |
| Other | None | None | One exhaustion level, ability score reduction, or hit point maximum reduction |
The 2024 spell keeps the level, school, action casting time, touch range, and 100 GP of diamond dust. Paladins and Rangers join the class list, and Life Domain clerics always have it prepared from level 9.
The wording changed: it removes "the Charmed or Petrified condition" instead of "one effect that charmed or petrified the target," and "any reduction to the target's Hit Point maximum" instead of "one effect reducing" it, so several drains clear in one casting.
The rules around it changed too. The 2024 Long Rest returns a reduced hit point maximum and reduced ability scores to normal, so drains with no stated end point, like the 2024 wight's, clay golem's, and shadow's, end overnight. The mummy's curse is the stated exception. The 2024 exhaustion rule is simpler: −2 to D20 Tests and −5 feet of speed per level. The rules glossary also says curses can be removed by Remove Curse and Greater Restoration.
It removes one exhaustion level, or ends one charm or petrification, one curse, any reduction to one ability score, or a hit point maximum reduction. It costs a 5th-level slot and 100 gp of diamond dust.
Yes, in both editions. The 2014 basilisk, medusa, and gorgon stat blocks name it, and the 2024 spell lists the Petrified condition.
No. It removes one level per casting. A character at exhaustion level 3 needs three castings, or a mix of castings and long rests.
Yes, one curse per casting, including attunement to a cursed magic item. Remove Curse is cheaper and ends all curses on the target.
Yes. In 2014 it ends one effect reducing the maximum, such as a clay golem's slam. In 2024 it ends any reduction to the maximum at once.
Lesser Restoration (2nd level, no cost) ends blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned, plus one disease in 2014. Greater Restoration covers everything else on its list. They don't overlap.
No. The diamond dust has a cost of 100 gp, and the spell consumes it. A component pouch or focus only replaces components with no cost.
Bards, Clerics, and Druids from 9th level in both editions, plus Paladins and Rangers from level 17 in 2024.
Citations: SRD 5.1 (2014 rules), SRD 5.2.1 (2024 rules)
Includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
This page includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Loreify is not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast.
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