How does wild magic surge work in 5e?

Playing a Wild Magic sorcerer, immediately after you cast a spell of 1st level or higher your DM may ask you to roll a d20. On a 1, you roll on the d100 Wild Magic Surge table and its random effect happens at once — anything from a fireball centered on you to regaining sorcery points.

How often does a wild magic surge happen?

In the 2014 rules it’s entirely at the DM’s discretion — some call for the d20 after every leveled spell, others rarely — so a surge is about a 1-in-20 chance whenever they ask. The 2024 rules make surges trigger more reliably, such as right after you use Tides of Chaos.

What triggers a wild magic surge?

Casting a sorcerer spell of 1st level or higher can trigger the check; cantrips don’t. The DM decides when to call for the d20, and on a 1 the surge fires. The Tides of Chaos feature can also guarantee a surge on your next qualifying spell.

Do wild magic surges stack?

You can only have one surge triggered per turn, but if two surges from different turns leave lingering effects, both can apply at once. Most results are instantaneous, though, so stacking rarely comes up in actual play.

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Wild Magic Surge

Roll on the D&D 5e Wild Magic Surge table. Track your wild magic effects and history.

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Surge #1

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Effect Distribution

Beneficial

Harmful

Chaotic

Neutral

Surge History

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Wild Magic Surge Table (d100)

Complete table from the Player's Handbook

01-02

Roll on this table at the start of each of your turns for the next minute, ignoring this result on subsequent rolls.

03-04

For the next minute, you can see any invisible creature if you have line of sight to it.

05-06

A modron chosen and controlled by the DM appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, then disappears 1 minute later.

07-08

You cast fireball as a 3rd-level spell centered on yourself.

09-10

You cast magic missile as a 5th-level spell.

11-12

Roll a d10. Your height changes by a number of inches equal to the roll. If the roll is odd, you shrink. If the roll is even, you grow.

13-14

You cast confusion centered on yourself.

15-16

For the next minute, you regain 5 hit points at the start of each of your turns.

17-18

You grow a long beard made of feathers that remains until you sneeze, at which point the feathers explode out from your face.

19-20

You cast grease centered on yourself.

21-22

Creatures have disadvantage on saving throws against the next spell you cast in the next minute that involves a saving throw.

23-24

Your skin turns a vibrant shade of blue. A remove curse spell can end this effect.

25-26

An eye appears on your forehead for the next minute. During that time, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

27-28

For the next minute, all your spells with a casting time of 1 action have a casting time of 1 bonus action.

29-30

You teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see.

31-32

You are transported to the Astral Plane until the end of your next turn, after which time you return to the space you previously occupied or the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.

33-34

Maximize the damage of the next damaging spell you cast within the next minute.

35-36

Roll a d10. Your age changes by a number of years equal to the roll. If the roll is odd, you get younger (minimum 1 year old). If the roll is even, you get older.

37-38

1d6 flumphs controlled by the DM appear in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet of you and are frightened of you. They vanish after 1 minute.

39-40

You regain 2d10 hit points.

41-42

You turn into a potted plant until the start of your next turn. While a plant, you are incapacitated and have vulnerability to all damage. If you drop to 0 hit points, your pot breaks, and your form reverts.

43-44

For the next minute, you can teleport up to 20 feet as a bonus action on each of your turns.

45-46

You cast levitate on yourself.

47-48

A unicorn controlled by the DM appears in a space within 5 feet of you, then disappears 1 minute later.

49-50

You can't speak for the next minute. Whenever you try, pink bubbles float out of your mouth.

51-52

A spectral shield hovers near you for the next minute, granting you a +2 bonus to AC and immunity to magic missile.

53-54

You are immune to being intoxicated by alcohol for the next 5d6 days.

55-56

Your hair falls out but grows back within 24 hours.

57-58

For the next minute, any flammable object you touch that isn't being worn or carried by another creature bursts into flame.

59-60

You regain your lowest-level expended spell slot.

61-62

For the next minute, you must shout when you speak.

63-64

You cast fog cloud centered on yourself.

65-66

Up to three creatures you choose within 30 feet of you take 4d10 lightning damage.

67-68

You are frightened by the nearest creature until the end of your next turn.

69-70

Each creature within 30 feet of you becomes invisible for the next minute. The invisibility ends on a creature when it attacks or casts a spell.

71-72

You gain resistance to all damage for the next minute.

73-74

A random creature within 60 feet of you becomes poisoned for 1d4 hours.

75-76

You glow with bright light in a 30-foot radius for the next minute. Any creature that ends its turn within 5 feet of you is blinded until the end of its next turn.

77-78

You cast polymorph on yourself. If you fail the saving throw, you turn into a sheep for the spell's duration.

79-80

Illusory butterflies and flower petals flutter in the air within 10 feet of you for the next minute.

81-82

You can take one additional action immediately.

83-84

Each creature within 30 feet of you takes 1d10 necrotic damage. You regain hit points equal to the sum of the necrotic damage dealt.

85-86

You cast mirror image.

87-88

You cast fly on a random creature within 60 feet of you.

89-90

You become invisible for the next minute. During that time, other creatures can't hear you. The invisibility ends if you attack or cast a spell.

91-92

If you die within the next minute, you immediately come back to life as if by the reincarnate spell.

93-94

Your size increases by one size category for the next minute.

95-96

You and all creatures within 30 feet of you gain vulnerability to piercing damage for the next minute.

97-98

You are surrounded by faint, ethereal music for the next minute.

99-00

You regain all expended sorcery points.

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Wild Magic Tips

•Wild Magic Surge triggers on rolling 1 on d20 after casting a spell
•DM can have you roll anytime after casting 1st level or higher
•Tides of Chaos can guarantee advantage but may trigger surge
•Some effects last 1 minute (10 rounds)
•Effects can be both helpful and harmful
•Embrace the chaos - that's the fun of wild magic!

How to Use

1.Cast a spell of 1st level or higher
2.Roll d20 to check for surge (optional)
3.If surge triggers, click Roll Wild Magic
4.Apply the effect to the game
5.Track your surge history
6.Enjoy the chaos!

How wild magic surge works in 5e

Wild Magic is a Sorcerer origin whose magic is unpredictable. In the 2014 rules, immediately after you cast a sorcerer spell of 1st level or higher, the DM can have you roll a d20; on a 1, you roll on the Wild Magic Surge table — a d100 list of 50 random effects — and the result happens right away.

Effects range from harmless to chaotic: a fireball erupting centered on you, regaining expended sorcery points, casting a random spell, your skin turning blue, or a duplicate of you appearing. Surges are limited to one at a time, and the feature also powers Tides of Chaos, which grants advantage and can force a surge.

The 2024 rules rework this: surges trigger more reliably — for example, right after you use Tides of Chaos — and the table itself was updated. Check which edition your table uses, since it changes how often the chaos actually shows up.

Wild magic at a glance

Element	How it works
Class	Sorcerer — Wild Magic origin
Trigger	After casting a 1st-level-or-higher spell, the DM may call for a check
The roll	Roll a d20; on a 1, roll d100 on the Surge table (2014)
Effects	50 random results, from a self-centered fireball to regaining sorcery points
Frequency	DM’s discretion (2014); more built-in in 2024