Slow — 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
• •Slow in the 2024 Rules
• •Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Answer

Slow is a 3rd-level transmutation spell for Sorcerers and Wizards (Bards get it too in 2024). Choose up to six creatures in a 40-foot cube within 120 feet. Each makes a Wisdom save or, for up to 1 minute while you concentrate, has its speed halved, takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saves, can't take reactions, can take an action or a bonus action but not both, and makes at most one attack per turn. Spellcasting gets unreliable too. Each affected creature repeats the save at the end of each of its turns.

Overview

Slow is the opposite of Haste, aimed at the enemy side and up to six targets at once. It doesn't take a creature out of the fight the way Hypnotic Pattern does. It makes every affected creature worse at everything: it moves half as far, gets hit more often, makes one attack instead of two or three, and can't make opportunity attacks or cast Shield or Counterspell.

The attack limit is where most of the value sits. A hill giant makes two greatclub attacks per turn. A troll makes three. Under Slow each makes one. Against a group of multiattacking brutes, Slow can cut their damage output by half or more for every creature that fails.

Unlike Hypnotic Pattern, damage doesn't end Slow on a creature, so your party can attack slowed enemies freely. The only ways out are a successful save at the end of the creature's turn, the end of your concentration, or the minute running out.

Stat Block

When NOT to Use This

• •The enemies make one attack per turn anyway. You lose the strongest part of the spell.
• •The targets have high Wisdom saves or Magic Resistance. The archmage has Magic Resistance in both editions, so it rolls with advantage.
• •One enemy matters and the rest don't. A single-target spell with a harder effect, like Hold Person, may do more.
• •You're already concentrating on something better.

Spell Slot Efficiency

When worth the slot: Three or more enemies with Multiattack and ordinary Wisdom saves.

When NOT worth the slot: A single strong-willed boss, or a swarm of weak creatures that make one attack each.

Upcasting

Slow has no "At Higher Levels" entry in either edition. A higher slot doesn't add targets or strengthen the effect.

Pro Tips

Tip #1: Target the creatures with the most attacks.

Why it works: The one-attack limit removes the most from a creature that makes three attacks. A troll goes from three to one.

This avoids the mistake of: Spending targets on creatures that only ever attack once.

Tip #2: Slow the enemy caster to protect yours.

Why it works: A slowed creature can't take reactions, so it can't cast Counterspell or Shield. Its spells may also fail or be delayed (see Rules Notes).

This avoids the mistake of: Casting your big spell into an enemy mage's Counterspell.

Tip #3: Pair it with Dexterity-save spells.

Why it works: Slowed creatures take −2 on Dexterity saves. A Fireball or Lightning Bolt from an ally lands more often.

This avoids the mistake of: Using Wisdom- or Constitution-save follow-ups that the penalty doesn't touch.

Tip #4: Use the halved speed to break contact.

Why it works: A slowed creature moves half as far and can't make opportunity attacks. Your party can walk away from it.

This avoids the mistake of: Taking the Disengage action when the slowed enemy can't react anyway.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Thinking Multiattack dodges the 2024 limit

Why it's bad: The 2024 text limits attacks when the creature takes the Attack action. Readers sometimes think Multiattack escapes that limit. It doesn't: the 2024 rules define Multiattack as the attacks a creature makes "as part of the Attack action."

Do this instead: Apply the one-attack limit to Multiattack in both editions.

Forgetting that it targets up to six of your choice

Why it's bad: You choose the targets inside the cube, so allies in the area aren't affected unless you pick them.

Do this instead: Drop the cube on a melee scrum and choose only enemies.

Ending it on damage

Why it's bad: Nothing in the spell ends it when a target takes damage. Only a successful save, the end of your concentration, or the end of the duration ends it.

Do this instead: Attack slowed enemies freely.

Using a higher slot

Why it's bad: The spell has no upcast effect.

Do this instead: Cast it at 3rd level.

Usage Tips

All examples use a 5th-level wizard with 18 Intelligence: spell save DC 15 (8 + 3 proficiency + 4).

• •Hill giant: Wisdom save −1 in both editions. It fails on 15 or lower, 75%. Once affected, it escapes with a 25% chance per turn, so it stays slowed for 4 of its turns on average. Two club attacks (Greatclub in 2014, Tree Club in 2024; 18 damage each) become one, and its AC drops from 13 to 11.
• •Troll: Wisdom save −1 in both editions, so the same 75% and 4-turn average. Its three attacks become one. The 2014 troll makes a bite and two claws; the 2024 troll makes three Rends.
• •Mage: Wisdom save +4 in both editions. It fails on 10 or lower, 50%, and stays slowed for 2 of its turns on average. It loses Counterspell and Shield, since those are reactions.
• •A 2014 mage's Fireball: Casting a 1-action spell under the 2014 Slow means rolling a d20. On 11 or higher (50%), the spell doesn't take effect until its next turn, and it must use its action then to finish it.
• •A 2024 mage's Fireball: Fireball has a Somatic component, so there is a 25% chance it fails.
• •Read the concentration rules for keeping it up.

Rules Notes

• •Up to six creatures of your choice in a 40-foot cube within 120 feet. Each makes a Wisdom save.
• •Affected: speed halved, −2 to AC and Dexterity saves, no reactions.
• •On its turn, an affected creature can take an action or a bonus action, not both.
• •2014: "Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn." If it casts a spell with a casting time of 1 action, it rolls a d20; on 11 or higher, the spell takes effect on its next turn and it must use its action then to complete it, or the spell is wasted.
• •2024: It can make only one attack if it takes the Attack action. If it casts a spell with a Somatic component, the spell has a 25% chance to fail.
• •An affected creature repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
• •Legendary actions happen outside the creature's turn. The 2014 attack limit applies "during its turn" and the 2024 action limits apply "on its turns," so neither text restricts legendary actions.

Synergies

• •Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Ice Storm: All Dexterity saves, and slowed creatures take −2.
• •Archers and casters: −2 AC means more hits for everyone.
• •Web or Spike Growth: Halved speed makes difficult terrain even harder to cross. Both need concentration, so a second caster has to hold one of them.

Anti-Patterns

• •Casting it on creatures that make one attack and have no spells.
• •Upcasting it.
• •Casting it while your concentration is already holding a better spell.

Tactical Modules

• •Giant fight: Slow a group of hill giants or trolls on round one. Each failure removes half or more of that creature's attacks.
• •Mage escort: Slow the enemy mage and its guards together, so the mage can't Counterspell and the guards hit once each.
• •Retreat: Slow the pursuers, then walk away without provoking opportunity attacks.

Countermeasures

• •Threat: High Wisdom saves. Response: Pick the targets with weak Wisdom. Fallback: Use a spell that targets Dexterity or Constitution.
• •Threat: An enemy caster dispels it. Response: Include the caster among the targets so it can't Counterspell your recast. Fallback: Recast.
• •Threat: Your concentration is attacked. Response: Stay back; the range is 120 feet. Fallback: Shield yourself with allies or cover.

Slow in the 2024 Rules

The 2024 Player's Handbook keeps Slow as a 3rd-level transmutation spell with the same range, area, six-target limit, Wisdom save, and concentration duration of up to 1 minute. Bards join Sorcerers and Wizards on the class list.

The spellcasting penalty changed. The 2014 version made 1-action spells roll a d20 and get delayed a turn on 11 or higher. The 2024 version gives any spell with a Somatic component a 25% chance to fail outright.

The attack limit was reworded. The 2014 version says the creature can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn, regardless of its abilities or magic items. The 2024 version says it can make only one attack if it takes the Attack action. The 2024 monster rules define Multiattack as part of the Attack action, so Multiattack is still limited.

In the 2024 SRD, the stone golem can cast Slow as a bonus action (Recharge 5–6, save DC 17). The 2014 stone golem has a similar Slow action that isn't the spell.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Slow do in 5e?

Up to six creatures you choose in a 40-foot cube make a Wisdom save. On a failure, each has halved speed, −2 to AC and Dexterity saves, no reactions, only an action or a bonus action each turn, and a limit of one attack per turn. Spellcasting is also impaired. Each repeats the save at the end of its turns.

Does Slow stop Multiattack?

Yes, in both editions. The 2014 text limits the creature to one attack per turn regardless of its abilities. The 2024 text limits the Attack action, and the 2024 rules make Multiattack part of the Attack action.

Does Slow affect legendary actions?

Neither text limits them. The restrictions apply on the creature's own turn, and legendary actions happen at the end of other creatures' turns.

Can a slowed creature cast spells?

Yes, with risk. In 2014, a spell with a 1-action casting time is delayed to its next turn on a d20 roll of 11 or higher. In 2024, a spell with a Somatic component has a 25% chance to fail. A slowed creature can't cast reaction spells like Counterspell or Shield in either edition.

Does damage end Slow?

No. A creature escapes only by succeeding on the save at the end of its turn, or when your concentration ends or the minute runs out.

Does Slow cancel Haste?

The spells don't mention each other. A creature under both applies each spell's text as written. That interaction is a DM ruling, not rules text.

Can you upcast Slow?

You can cast it with a higher slot, but it gains nothing. There's no higher-level effect in either edition.

Who can cast Slow?

Sorcerers and Wizards in the 2014 SRD. The 2024 version adds Bards. In the 2014 SRD, Circle of the Land druids with the arctic land get it as a circle spell at 5th level, and warlocks with the Mire the Mind invocation (5th level) can cast it once per long rest with a warlock slot.

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.