Hellish Rebuke is a 1st-level evocation spell for Warlocks, and tieflings can cast it through their heritage. You cast it as a reaction when a creature you can see within 60 feet damages you. That creature makes a Dexterity save and takes 2d10 fire damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. Each slot level above 1st adds 1d10.
Hellish Rebuke turns your reaction into damage. Most of a warlock's turn goes to Eldritch Blast, and the reaction often goes unused. Rebuke spends that reaction and a spell slot to hit back at whoever just hurt you.
Warlocks get the most out of it because Pact Magic slots are always cast at the highest level you have. A 5th-level warlock casting it from a 3rd-level pact slot deals 4d10 (22 on average). The catch is the slot count. Warlocks have only one or two slots until high level, and those slots also pay for Hold Person, Hypnotic Pattern, and everything else.
The spell has no concentration, no attack roll, and it doesn't use your action. A successful save still takes half damage, so it always does something unless the creature is immune to fire.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Level | 1 |
| School | Evocation |
| Casting Time | 1 reaction, which you take in response to being damaged by a creature within 60 feet of you that you can see |
| Range | 60 feet |
| Components | V, S |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Concentration | No |
| Ritual | No |
| Save/Attack | DEX (half damage on a success) |
| Classes | Warlock |
| Metric | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Slot Efficiency | Good for a 1st-level slot, better as a warlock's pact slot rises. |
| Action Economy | Costs only your reaction, which a warlock often has spare. |
| Opportunity Cost | Warlocks have very few slots, and each one spent here can't fund a stronger spell. |
When worth the slot: A strong attacker in range, especially an enemy caster you want to force into a concentration save.
When NOT worth the slot: Fire-immune enemies, nearly dead minions, or short-rest budgets you need for a key spell.
Each slot level above 1st adds 1d10. A warlock's Pact Magic slots are all the same level, so a warlock always casts it at that level.
| Slot | Damage | Average (failed save) | Average (successful save) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2d10 | 11 | 5.25 |
| 2nd | 3d10 | 16.5 | 8 |
| 3rd | 4d10 | 22 | 10.75 |
| 4th | 5d10 | 27.5 | 13.5 |
| 5th | 6d10 | 33 | 16.25 |
Half damage rounds down, so a successful save averages slightly less than half.
Warlock pact slots are 1st level at warlock levels 1 to 2, 2nd at 3 to 4, 3rd at 5 to 6, 4th at 7 to 8, and 5th from level 9.
Why it works: Damage forces a concentration save. A spellcaster that hits you with a spell and is holding concentration on something else has to make a Constitution save after your rebuke lands, even on a successful Dexterity save.
This avoids the mistake of: Saving the reaction for a brute when the caster's spell is the bigger threat.
Why it works: Ogres, zombies, and heavily armored warriors often have poor Dexterity saves. An ogre (Dexterity save −1) fails a DC 13 save on 13 or lower, 65% of the time.
This avoids the mistake of: Rebuking a nimble bandit captain with a +5 Dexterity save and expecting full damage.
Why it works: The trigger needs a creature you can see within 60 feet. Archers at long range, invisible attackers, and attackers in magical darkness you can't see through don't qualify.
This avoids the mistake of: Reaching for the spell and finding the trigger was never met.
Why it works: A 1st-level warlock has one slot per short rest. Spend it when the damage matters, not on the first goblin that scratches you.
This avoids the mistake of: Burning your only slot in round one.
Why it's bad: Hellish Rebuke uses a Dexterity save, not a spell attack. AC doesn't matter.
Do this instead: Have the target roll a Dexterity save against your spell save DC.
Why it's bad: The spell targets "the creature that damaged you." A miss doesn't trigger it, and neither does damage from a trap.
Do this instead: Wait for a creature to deal you damage, then rebuke that creature.
Why it's bad: Your reaction is gone until the start of your next turn. You can't make an opportunity attack that round.
Do this instead: Decide whether the opportunity attack or the rebuke matters more before the enemy moves.
Why it's bad: The spell needs V and S. If you are gagged, silenced, or have no free hand for the somatic component, you can't cast it.
Do this instead: Keep a hand free and stay out of zones of magical silence.
Hellish Rebuke barely changed. It is still a level 1 evocation spell for Warlocks with a 60-foot range, verbal and somatic components, a Dexterity save, 2d10 fire damage, half on a success, and 1d10 more per slot level. The flames are now described as green instead of "hellish," and the trigger reads "taking damage from a creature that you can see within 60 feet of yourself." Neither change alters how it plays.
The tiefling version did change. In the 2024 rules, a tiefling with the Infernal legacy learns Hellish Rebuke at character level 3 and always has it prepared. It can cast it once without a spell slot per long rest, and can also cast it with any spell slots it has. The spellcasting ability is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, chosen with the legacy. The 2014 trait cast it at 2nd level with Charisma. The 2024 trait names no higher level for the free casting.
The 2024 rule of one spell slot per turn also applies on other creatures' turns. A rebuke cast with a slot is the one slot you can spend on that turn.
When a creature you can see within 60 feet damages you, you use your reaction to surround it with flames. It makes a Dexterity save and takes 2d10 fire damage on a failure or half on a success.
2d10 fire damage (11 on average) at 1st level, plus 1d10 per slot level above 1st. A warlock with 3rd-level pact slots deals 4d10, which averages 22.
Yes, if the attacker is within 60 feet and you can see it. Any damage from a creature triggers it, including spells and breath weapons.
Not in the 2024 rules. A reaction happens immediately after its trigger, and once the damage drops you to 0 you are unconscious, which means incapacitated, which means no reactions. The 2014 SRD has no general reaction timing rule, so in a 2014 game it is a DM ruling, not rules text.
No. It is instantaneous, so you can cast it while concentrating on another spell.
Yes. In the 2014 rules, a tiefling casts it once per long rest as a 2nd-level spell from 3rd level. In the 2024 rules, a tiefling with the Infernal legacy gets it at character level 3 and can cast it once per long rest without a slot.
The spell's mechanics are the same. The flavor text changed to green flames and the trigger wording was tidied. The tiefling trait that grants it changed more than the spell did.
It is solid for warlocks, because it uses a reaction they rarely need and their pact slots upcast it for free. Its weakness is slot cost: warlocks have few slots, and other spells often matter more.
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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