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Your ultimate guide to the advantages, drawbacks, and strategic uses of the Lightning Bolt spell
Want your D&D character to command the battlefield with electrifying power? The Lightning Bolt spell makes it possible—unleashing a 100-foot-long, 5-foot-wide arc of energy that scorches anything in its way. Known for its potent reach and high damage, this spell is a favorite among spellcasters. In this article, we’ll break down exactly how Lightning Bolt functions and the smartest ways to wield it.
Lightning Bolt Spell Basics
Lightning Bolt is a 3rd-level evocation available to wizards and sorcerers. When cast, it fires a 100-foot-long, 5-foot-wide bolt in a line, forcing all creatures in its path to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they suffer 8d6 lightning damage; on success, they take half as much.
How to Cast
How does the Lightning Bolt spell work in D&D 5e?
Lightning Bolt is a potent 3rd-level evocation spell. Alongside Fireball, it's one of the most powerful options at this level for dealing widespread damage in a single move. This spell channels raw electricity into a searing bolt, striking all creatures it hits without requiring close-range combat.
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self (100-foot line)
- Target: Self (100-foot line)
- Components: V, S, M (A bit of fur and a rod of amber, crystal, or glass)
- Duration: Instantaneous
What happens when you cast Lightning Bolt?
Lightning Bolt unleashes a massive arc of electricity. This energy streaks out in a straight 100-foot-long, 5-foot-wide line from your character in a direction you choose. Each creature in that line must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 8d6 lightning damage—half as much on a success.
- The spell’s potential damage can reach 48 points per creature (if all dice roll sixes), with an average of about 24 damage.
This spell can ignite flammable objects. When Lightning Bolt strikes, it can set fire to unattended flammable materials. Items like stacks of paper or books might burst into flames, while gear actively held or worn—like a wooden shield—won’t.
- The Dungeon Master determines what qualifies as flammable. A common rule: if a torch would ignite it, the spell can too.
Lightning Bolt's damage increases with higher-level spell slots. When cast using a slot above 3rd level, the spell deals an extra 1d6 lightning damage per slot level above 3rd. For instance, casting it at 4th level deals 9d6, 5th level deals 10d6, up to a cap of 14d6 at 9th level.
Lightning Bolt requires specific components for every casting. Each time you use this spell, you’ll need a piece of fur and a rod made of amber, crystal, or glass—so double-check your PC’s inventory. That said, if tracking individual components gets tedious, you can use a component pouch or a spellcasting focus instead.
- These tools cover any material component that doesn’t have a gold cost. Spells with monetary costs still require those specific items.
- For instance, Lightning Bolt works with a component pouch, but for something like Revivify, you’ll still need diamonds worth 300 gold.
Optimal Situations for Casting Lightning Bolt
Cast Lightning Bolt when enemies line up in a straight path. The spell’s narrow 5-foot width limits its area, but it shines when enemies cluster in a line. Seek out moments where multiple foes are stacked up—this allows you to hit them all without risking allies who are safely outside the line of fire.
Target immobilized enemies to maximize damage. If enemies are paralyzed, petrified, or stunned, they automatically fail Dexterity saves—making Lightning Bolt devastatingly effective. These conditions ensure they suffer full damage from the spell.
- Spells like Hold Person, Flesh to Stone, Contagion, and Power Word Stun can inflict these statuses.
- Martial abilities like Stunning Strike (monks) or Rend Mind (Soulknife rogues) also apply them.
Dungeon Masters: trap PCs in a corridor and unleash Lightning Bolt. Set up encounters in tight spaces—hallways or narrow entrances—to force the party to bunch up. Then, let an enemy cast Lightning Bolt to hit multiple adventurers at once. It’s a clever way to raise tension and remind players not to clump together in fights.
Lightning Bolt: Strengths and Weaknesses
Pros Lightning Bolt boasts excellent range and powerful damage. Dealing 8d6 lightning damage at 3rd level makes it a strong offensive option, especially since few creatures are resistant or immune to lightning in 5e. Plus, its 100-foot line gives it outstanding reach compared to other spells of the same tier.
- Its main rival is Fireball, another 3rd-level evocation that hits a 20-foot-radius area with fire damage.
- Damage-wise, they’re on par—but Lightning Bolt wins on type effectiveness, as lightning resistance is less common than fire.
- It also beats Fireball in range, stretching far beyond Fireball’s limited 20-foot radius.
Cons The downside to Lightning Bolt is its shape—it travels in a straight, narrow line. In most encounters, enemies cluster rather than line up, making it harder to use effectively. It also damages everyone in its path, so positioning is crucial to avoid harming allies.
- By contrast, Fireball is easier to aim at clumps of foes since they just need to be within a 20-foot sphere—not arranged in a line.
Who Can Use Lightning Bolt?
Lightning Bolt is available to sorcerers and wizards by default. These two classes can learn it as part of their regular spell options. However, a handful of other subclasses gain access to it at higher levels:
- Circle of the Land (druid)—Mountain druids can choose Lightning Bolt at level 5.
- Fathomless (warlock)—Receives the spell automatically at level 5.
- Armorer (artificer)—Unlocks Lightning Bolt at level 9.
- Eldritch Knight (fighter)—Can learn the spell at level 13.
- Arcane Trickster (rogue)—Gains access starting at level 14.
- Bards—Through their Magical Secrets feature, bards can eventually pick up Lightning Bolt from any class’s spell list.
