Scorching Ray — Complete D&D 5e Spell Guide

Table of Contents

• •Quick Answer
• •Overview
• •Stat Block
• •When NOT to Use This
• •Spell Slot Efficiency
• •Pro Tips
• •Common Mistakes to Avoid
• •Usage Tips
• •Rules Notes
• •Synergies
• •Anti-Patterns
• •Tactical Modules
• •Countermeasures
• •Scorching Ray in the 2024 Rules
• •Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Answer

Scorching Ray is a 2nd-level evocation spell for Sorcerers and Wizards. You create three rays of fire and hurl them at one or more targets within 120 feet. Each ray needs its own ranged spell attack and deals 2d6 fire damage on a hit, so three hits deal 6d6 (21 on average). Each slot level above 2nd adds one more ray.

Overview

Scorching Ray is the single-target damage spell of the 2nd-level list. If every ray hits one target, it deals 6d6 fire damage (21 on average). For comparison, Shatter deals 3d8 (13.5) on a failed save.

Every ray rolls to hit, and that cuts both ways. Against a low AC most rays land. Against an armored target, expect one or two misses. Each ray can also score its own critical hit, and anything that gives you advantage, like Faerie Fire, applies to all three rolls.

The rays don't have to share a target. You can finish a wounded enemy with one ray and send the other two elsewhere. That flexibility matters most when the battlefield has several nearly dead enemies.

Stat Block

When NOT to Use This

• •The target is immune to fire. Red dragons, hell hounds, fire elementals, salamanders, azers, and imps take nothing.
• •The target has very high AC and no advantage is available. At +5 to hit against AC 18, each ray hits 40% of the time.
• •Enemies are clustered and have low AC or weak Dexterity. At 3rd level, Fireball hits the whole group for 8d6.
• •An enemy is within 5 feet of you. A ranged attack has disadvantage when a hostile creature that can see you (and isn't incapacitated) is within 5 feet, and that applies to every ray.

Spell Slot Efficiency

When worth the slot: Burst damage on one target, finishing several wounded enemies, or a troll that needs fire damage.

When NOT worth the slot: Fire-immune targets, very high AC without advantage, or a crowd that an area spell handles better.

Upcasting

Each slot level above 2nd adds one ray. Every ray still deals 2d6 and still rolls its own attack.

Pro Tips

Tip #1: Get advantage before you cast.

Why it works: Advantage applies to every ray. At +5 against AC 15, each ray hits 55% of the time without advantage and about 80% with it. Expected damage for three rays rises from about 12.6 to about 18.8. Faerie Fire, a restrained target, or a blinded target all help.

This avoids the mistake of: Firing into a high AC and losing half the rays.

Tip #2: Use spare rays to finish wounded enemies.

Why it works: A ray deals 7 on average. One ray is often enough to drop an enemy at 5 hit points, and the other two can go to a fresh target.

This avoids the mistake of: Sending all three rays into a creature that one ray would have killed.

Tip #3: Count crits per ray.

Why it works: Each ray rolls its own attack, so each one has its own 5% chance to crit. A critical ray deals 4d6 instead of 2d6.

This avoids the mistake of: Doubling all three rays because one roll was a natural 20.

Tip #4: Use it on regenerating monsters.

Why it works: A troll doesn't regenerate on its next turn after it takes fire damage. With three rays at 55% each, at least one hits about 91% of the time.

This avoids the mistake of: Relying on a single fire attack roll against a troll.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Rolling one attack for all three rays

Why it's bad: The spell says to make a ranged spell attack for each ray. One roll for all three removes the spread of outcomes the spell is built on.

Do this instead: Roll three d20s and apply each result to its own ray.

Adding your spellcasting modifier to each ray's damage

Why it's bad: The damage is 2d6 fire per ray, nothing more. Your modifier goes on the attack roll only.

Do this instead: Roll 2d6 for each ray that hits. A feature that adds damage to a spell will tell you how it applies.

Twinning it (2014)

Why it's bad: The 2014 Twinned Spell only works on spells that can't target more than one creature. The SRD names Scorching Ray as ineligible.

Do this instead: Upcast for more rays.

Thinking a resistant target halves the total once

Why it's bad: Each ray deals its own damage. Resistance halves each ray, rounding down each time.

Do this instead: Halve each ray's damage separately.

Usage Tips

• •Hit odds: A 3rd-level wizard with 16 Intelligence has +5 to hit. Each ray needs 7 or higher against AC 12 (70%), 10 against AC 15 (55%), and 13 against AC 18 (40%).
• •Expected damage, three rays at +5, including crits: about 15.8 against AC 12, 12.6 against AC 15, and 9.5 against AC 18. At +7 those become about 17.9, 14.7, and 11.6.
• •Worked example, ogre: AC 11. At +5 each ray hits 75% of the time. All three hit about 42% of the time, and the expected total is about 16.8 against the ogre's 59 hit points (68 in 2024).
• •Worked example, knight: AC 18 and its Parry reaction only works against melee attacks. At +5 each ray hits 40%. With Faerie Fire on it, each ray hits 64% and the expected total rises from about 9.5 to about 15.5.
• •Resistant and vulnerable targets: a dretch resists fire, so each ray deals half. A dust mephit is vulnerable to fire in both editions, so each ray deals double.
• •Related guides: Magic Missile never misses but deals 3d4 + 3 (10.5). Fireball is the 3rd-level area option.
• •Roll a full volley with the dice roller.

Rules Notes

• •Three rays at 2nd level, one more per slot level above 2nd.
• •Each ray is a separate ranged spell attack. A hit deals 2d6 fire damage.
• •You can hurl the rays at one target or several, all within 120 feet.
• •The text doesn't say whether you pick every ray's target before rolling or one ray at a time. That is a DM ruling, not rules text.
• •Concentration: each ray that hits deals its own damage, and the concentration rule calls for a Constitution save whenever a concentrating creature takes damage. A target hit by three rays makes three saves, each DC 10 (half of one ray's 2d6 never exceeds 6).
• •A ray that rolls a critical hit doubles its own 2d6.
• •The Circlet of Blasting (an SRD wondrous item, uncommon) casts Scorching Ray once per dawn with a +5 attack bonus.

Synergies

• •Faerie Fire: Advantage on every ray, and it beats invisibility.
• •Hold Person or a paralyzed target: Attacks against a paralyzed creature have advantage, so all rays benefit.
• •Warlock (Fiend): In the 2014 SRD, the Fiend patron adds Scorching Ray to a warlock's options. In the 2024 SRD, Fiend warlocks always have it prepared from warlock level 3.

Anti-Patterns

• •Firing all three rays at a red dragon.
• •Casting it with an enemy standing next to you, taking disadvantage on every ray.
• •Sending all three rays at one target that a single ray would kill.

Tactical Modules

• •Burst a boss: Faerie Fire on round one, Scorching Ray on round two, all three rays at the boss.
• •Clean-up: Three wounded enemies at 7 hit points or less, one ray each.
• •Troll control: One ray of fire per round on the troll stops its regeneration while your party hits it.

Countermeasures

• •Threat: The target has high AC. Response: Get advantage first. Fallback: Use a save spell like Hold Person instead.
• •Threat: The target is immune to fire. Response: Switch to another damage type. Fallback: Magic Missile always hits for force damage.
• •Threat: An enemy is in melee with you. Response: Step away before casting. Fallback: Accept disadvantage only if the target is nearly dead.

Scorching Ray in the 2024 Rules

The 2024 Player's Handbook keeps Scorching Ray as a level 2 evocation spell for Sorcerers and Wizards. The range (120 feet), components (V, S), three rays, separate attack rolls, 2d6 fire damage per hit, and one extra ray per slot level above 2 are all unchanged.

The rules around it changed in a few places:

• •Fiend warlocks: a 2024 Fiend warlock always has Scorching Ray prepared from warlock level 3. In 2014 it was only an option on the Fiend's expanded list.
• •Twinned Spell: the 2024 version costs 1 sorcery point and raises a spell's effective level by 1, for spells that add a target when upcast. Scorching Ray adds a ray, not a target. Whether that counts is a DM ruling, not rules text.
• •Monsters: in the 2024 SRD, adult and ancient red dragons can replace one Rend attack with Scorching Ray and can also cast it as a legendary action. Adult and ancient brass dragons cast it as a legendary action (Blazing Light). The ancient dragons cast the level 3 version, with four rays. See the red dragon guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much damage does Scorching Ray do in 5e?

Each ray deals 2d6 fire damage on a hit. Three rays at 2nd level deal up to 6d6, which averages 21 if all three hit. Each slot level above 2nd adds a ray worth another 2d6.

Do you roll a separate attack for each Scorching Ray ray in 5e?

Yes. The spell says to make a ranged spell attack for each ray. Each ray can hit, miss, or crit on its own.

Can Scorching Ray target multiple creatures in 5e?

Yes. You can hurl the rays at one target or split them among several targets within 120 feet.

Does Scorching Ray add your spellcasting modifier to damage in 5e?

No. The damage is 2d6 fire per ray. Your spellcasting modifier only goes on the attack roll.

Can you twin Scorching Ray in 5e?

Not in the 2014 rules. The SRD's Twinned Spell text names Scorching Ray as ineligible because it can already target more than one creature. The 2024 Twinned Spell is written differently, and whether it applies is up to the DM.

Does Scorching Ray crit in 5e?

Each ray can crit separately. A critical ray deals 4d6 instead of 2d6. The other rays roll normally.

Is Scorching Ray better than Magic Missile in 5e?

It usually deals more damage. Against AC 15 at +5 to hit, three rays average about 12.6 including crits, while Magic Missile deals 10.5 with no roll. Magic Missile wins against very high AC and against fire-immune targets.

Did Scorching Ray change in the 2024 rules?

The spell itself is the same: three rays, 2d6 fire each, one more ray per slot level. The changes are around it, such as Fiend warlocks always having it prepared and a reworded Twinned Spell.

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.