[Top 5] D&D Best Fire Spells

Updated:

08 May 2020

Wreathe thyself in flame and conjure fire from thy hands. No Wizard or Sorceror should be without these spells.

It is strange that in my decade or so of rolling dice to make imagination games happen I have never given enough consideration to magic.

Personally, when it comes to Dungeons and Dragons looking at a list of spells has never been what intrigued me about the game at all.

If you're gonna build a mage of any kind though, you will need a list of handy fire spells, because what is the point of being a sorcerer if you can't conjure flame with a flick of your wrist.

These are the top 5 fire spells to give your magic that classic taste:

5. Fire Shield

Not Pictured: Flame Shield as it works. Pictured: A Shield protecting against Flame. A dragon lancer hides from the fires of his great reptilian mark.

Wreathe your body in a ghostly flame, and march into battle unafraid of any sword that may swing upon you. The Fire Shield spell is one of defense to be used by the thoughtful wizard when going up against magic wielding or melee focused opponents, and comes with a hidden offensive trap for those nasty sword and axe wielders the party may face. Fire Shield can be used in warm and cold variants which gives protection from cold or fire damage respectively. Any melee strike on the user from within 5 feet results in an explosion upon the attacker.

Why Fire Shield is Awesome

A Shield Made of Flames
Start that Classic Fire Mage Look
Hot & Cold Flame
Who Doesn't Love a Good Controlled Explosion?

Fire Shield Details

4th Level Evocation
Range : Self
Wizard Spell
Verbal, Somatic, & Material Components (phosphorous or a firefly)
10 minute duration
10 foot light
2d8 Fire Damage/2d8 Cold Damage when hit with a melee attack (Range: 5 Feet)

4. Fire Bolt

Hurl a bolt of fire like the best of them, and have a snazzy haircut. Face attoos not included.

Shooting a bolt of fire out of your hands goes with the classic fire mage spell book like chips on a sandwich. By which I mean that not everyone will gain satisfaction from the salty crisp texture, but it's a move that everyone makes at least once. Any self respecting spell tosser would be dead without a quick, easy ranged attack, and they don't come much easier than the Fire Bolt spell. Throw a flame at your enemies like you're some horrific Mario, and watch in absent glee as the town burns around you finally enacting the revenge you silently pined for all along. Break the will of your DM as you wander the countryside testing the flammability of different objects you encounter. Fire Bolt honestly needs no introduction, because it is the spell any one thinks of when they imagine a combat wizard.

Why Fire bolt is Awesome

After Fire Shield, the Second Spell in the Fire Mage Starter Pack
Throw Fire, Who Among Us Doesn't Want to THROW FIRE
It's a Bolt. Not a ball, or a flame, but a bolt of fire.
It's Fun to Play With (not to eat)

Fire bolt Details

1 Action to cast
Range: 120 feet
Verbal & Somatic Components
Instantaneous Duration
Sorcerer & Wizard Spell
1d10 Fire Damage, sets flame to flammable objects not being worn or carried

3. Green Flame Blade

A battle mage wraps her Greatsword in green flames, and slices her way through the dungeon.

Your new favorite fire mage has a shield made of flames and can hurl a mote of fire at their enemies, but it still feels as if they are missing something. Well, have I got a spell for you. Make a successful melee attack against an enemy within 5 feet, and watch in wonder as a green flame leaps from the targets body onto a different creature within 5 feet of it. The green flame deals fire damage to the second enemy equal to your spellcasting ability modifier. Using it in conjunction with the above two spells will turn a paper pistol of a wizard into the beginnings for a real glass canon of a mage, or at least a pretty cool spell-sword /battle-mage archetype.

Why Green Flame Blade is Awesome

Allows you to use magic with your melee weapon
perfect for a spell-sword/battle-mage/witch-hunter styled character build
Attack multiple enemies with one stroke of your weapon

Green Flame Blade Details

Cantrip
1 Action to cast
Range: 5 Feet
Verbal, Material Components (a sword)
Instantaneous Duration
As spell action make melee attack, on successful hit fire leaps to creature 5 feet from target
Deals fire damage equal to your spell casting modifier to second creature on hit
5th Level deals 1d8 fire damage to target hit with sword, 1d8 + spell casting modifier fire damage to creature 5 feet from target

2. Meteor Swarm

Take out multiple city blocks at once by ordering Meteor Swarm from our toll-free number.

With a flaming sword, a bolt of fire, and a wispy burning shield that dances about their body the wizard, wrapped in purple and black robes, strode confidently into the war ravaged city square and raised their hands to the blue sky.The wizard uttered a handful of words while whipping open palms toward the dirt and rained a swarm of meteors upon the armies of the dead. This is what you signed up for when you wanted to play an adept in the magical arts, a storm of flaming orbs that rocks everything in your path like a hurricane. Four balls of fire crash into the ground dealing heavy damage to all within 40 feet of its landing. This is it, this is the spell you came looking for, if you only want one wild, cinematic spell from this list this is the one.

Why Meteor Swarm is Awesome

With the other spells on this list it makes for a great character aesthetic
Massive Destruction
attack around corners!
literally rain death upon the heads of your enemies
FLAMING. ORBS. FROM. THE SKY.

Meteor Swarm Details

9th Level Evocation Spell
1 action to cast
Range: 1 Mile
Verbal, Somatic Components
Sorcerer, Wizard Spell
Instantaneous Duration
Orbs of fire rain down on four points caster can see within range, each creature within 40 foot radius sphere must make Dexterity saving throw, successful saving throws result in halved damage
20d6 Fire Damage, 20d6 Bludgeoning Damage on a failed Dexterity saving throw, half damage on successful Dexterity saving throw
Creature in area of more than one blast is affected only once

1. Hellish Rebuke

The token goth girl of the party finally unleashes Hell on those who have wronged her.

With a simple point of your finger the creature that last harmed you will be surrounded by hellish flames, Hellish Rebuke is The end all of cool fire spells for that pyromancer you've been dreaming about. While it might not be as powerful as Meteor Swarm, the power of hell fire from the tip of your finger as a 1st level spell should not be missed. The spell can grow in power if it is taken as a 2nd level spell or higher.

Why Hellish Rebuke is Awesome

Attack those who have harmed you
surround your enemies with hellfire
can be taken as early as 1st level
a flaming revenge spell caps off the classic fire mage

Hellish Rebuke Details

1st Level Evocation Spell
1 Reaction Casting Time
cast in response to successful damaging hit from creature in eyesight within 60 feet
Range: 60 Feet
Verbal & Somatic Components
Instantaneous Duration
Warlock Spell
2d10 Fire Damage on failed dexterity saving throw
+1d10 for every level above 1st level casting

That should get you started on your pyrotechnical spell-slinger in your next game of Dungeons & Dragons.

Jot these five down in your spell book, and get to showing the forces of darkness and evil what a wizard does best.

With this list of flaming spells at your fingertips you will become a force to be reckoned before they even reach ninth level.

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