Sunbeam is a 6th-level evocation spell for Druids, Sorcerers, and Wizards (Clerics get it too in 2024). A 5-foot-wide, 60-foot-long line of light shoots from you. Each creature in it makes a Constitution save, taking 6d8 radiant damage (average 27) and becoming blinded on a failure, or half damage on a success. While you concentrate, up to 1 minute, you can use your action on each later turn to fire a new line without spending another slot. In the 2014 rules, undead and oozes have disadvantage on the save.
Sunbeam is one slot that becomes a damage attack you can repeat for a whole fight. The first line comes with the casting. Every turn after that, your action fires another 6d8 line. Three turns of beams is 18d8 per creature hit, from one 6th-level slot.
It also carries a light. For the duration, a mote of radiance sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for another 30 feet, and the spell says this light is sunlight. That matters against monsters with sunlight weaknesses: vampires, vampire spawn, shadows, wights, and Sunlight Sensitivity humanoids like drow and kobolds.
The costs are your action every turn, your concentration, and a 5-foot-wide area. A line only hits several creatures when they stand in a row, such as in a corridor, on a bridge, or charging at you.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Level | 6 |
| School | Evocation |
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Range | Self (60-foot line) |
| Components | V, S, M |
| Material | A magnifying glass. |
| Duration | Up to 1 minute |
| Concentration | Yes |
| Ritual | No |
| Save/Attack | CON |
| Classes | Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard |
| Metric | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Slot Efficiency | Excellent if the fight lasts three or more rounds. |
| Action Economy | One action per line. Blindness on a failed save sets up your allies' attacks. |
| Opportunity Cost | Concentration and your action every turn. |
When worth the slot: Long fights against undead or lined-up enemies, especially in the dark.
When NOT worth the slot: A one-round fight. A single upcast Fireball at 6th level deals 11d6 (38.5) in a 20-foot radius.
Sunbeam has no "At Higher Levels" entry, so a higher slot adds nothing. Its damage comes from repetition. Assuming every line hits the same creature and it fails each save:
| Turns firing | Damage dice | Average |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (casting turn) | 6d8 | 27 |
| 2 | 12d8 | 54 |
| 3 | 18d8 | 81 |
| 5 | 30d8 | 135 |
Why it works: A 5-foot by 60-foot line catches every creature lined up in front of you. Creatures rushing at you through a hallway or across a bridge form that line for you.
This avoids the mistake of: Firing at one creature when two more were a step to the side.
Why it works: The mote's light is sunlight, out to 60 feet. A vampire that starts its turn in sunlight takes 20 radiant damage, and while in sunlight it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. This is true in both editions.
This avoids the mistake of: Treating Sunbeam as damage only.
Why it works: A blinded creature's attack rolls have disadvantage, and attack rolls against it have advantage. In the 2014 rules this lasts "until your next turn"; in 2024, until the start of your next turn. Every ally who acts in between gets advantage.
This avoids the mistake of: Firing the beam and moving on without telling the party.
Why it works: Each new line starts from you. Moving before your action lets you line up a different row of enemies each turn.
This avoids the mistake of: Firing the same line at the one creature left standing in it.
Why it's bad: There are no higher-level effects. A 7th-level slot buys nothing.
Do this instead: Cast it at 6th level every time.
Why it's bad: The spell affects "each creature in the line." It doesn't let you choose.
Do this instead: Reposition first, or angle the line past your allies.
Why it's bad: In the 2014 SRD, the black pudding, ochre jelly, gray ooze, and gelatinous cube are all immune to blinded. In 2024, the gray ooze and gelatinous cube still are. The 2024 black pudding and ochre jelly aren't immune, but they have 60-foot blindsight, which lets them see within that range even while blinded.
Do this instead: Use it on oozes for the damage only.
Why it's bad: The 2024 text removed it. Only the 2014 version gives undead and oozes disadvantage on the save.
Do this instead: Check the edition. In 2024, a creature's own sunlight trait may still give it disadvantage (see Usage Tips).
All examples assume an 11th-level caster with +5 in their casting ability: spell save DC 17 (8 + 4 proficiency + 5).
The 2024 Player's Handbook keeps Sunbeam as a 6th-level evocation spell with a concentration duration of up to 1 minute, 6d8 radiant damage in a 5-foot by 60-foot line, and a Constitution save. Clerics join Druids, Sorcerers, and Wizards on the class list.
Four details changed. Undead and oozes no longer have disadvantage on the save. Blindness lasts until the start of your next turn instead of "until your next turn." New lines take a Magic action. The mote of light shines above you instead of in your hand, and its light is still sunlight. A successful save still means half damage only, with no blindness.
It fires a 5-foot-wide, 60-foot-long line of light from you. Each creature in the line makes a Constitution save, taking 6d8 radiant damage and becoming blinded on a failure, or half damage on a success. You can fire a new line with your action each turn for up to 1 minute while concentrating.
6d8 radiant per line, average 27, or half on a successful save. Repeating it for three turns totals 18d8, average 81, against a creature that fails every save.
No. You spend one 6th-level slot to cast it. Each new line after that costs your action but no slot, until your concentration ends or 1 minute passes.
You can cast it with a higher slot, but nothing improves. The spell has no higher-level effect in either edition.
Yes. The spell says the mote's light is sunlight. A vampire within that light takes 20 radiant damage at the start of its turn and has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Yes. It affects each creature in the line, with no option to exclude anyone.
In the 2014 rules, undead and oozes have disadvantage on the save. The 2024 version removed that line.
In the 2024 rules, yes. In the 2014 SRD, it's on the Druid, Sorcerer, and Wizard lists only.
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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