Chill Touch
Cantrip · Necromancy
- Damage
- Attack Roll
Chill Touch (sorcerer, warlock, and wizard) casts as a cantrip in the necromancy school. Cast time: Action. Range Touch, components V/S, duration instantaneous. Effect: Channeling the chill of the grave, make a melee spell attack against a target within reach.
Stat Block
- Level
- Cantrip
- School
- Necromancy
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range / Area
- Touch
- Components
- V, S
- Duration
- Instantaneous
- Ritual
- No
- Concentration
- No
- Classes
- Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
- Material
- —
Description
Channeling the chill of the grave, make a melee spell attack against a target within reach. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 Necrotic damage, and it can't regain Hit Points until the end of your next turn.
5e (2014) vs 2024 changes
This spell has both a 5e (2014) and 2024 Player's Handbook version. Doungim shows the current 2024 stat block above. Differences between editions typically affect components, range, or scaling — check both source books for the table.
Doungim Lore
School Fit
The school of Necromancy is the one that frightens its targets before the spell connects. A Necromancer at the casting position is already winning the morale fight. Chill Touch is Necromancy because the spell works on the boundary between life and death — draining, raising, or extending vitality. As a cantrip, Chill Touch stays on-tier at every level of play.
Class Fit
- Sorcerer: Charisma is the Sorcerer's casting stat. Spell-save DC is competitive, especially with the class's emphasis on a single primary ability.
- Warlock: Warlocks recover slots on short rests, so Chill Touch is castable more times per day than a Wizard's equivalent — but only one or two between rests.
- Wizard: The Wizard's daily prep list is the class's flexibility lever — every long rest is a chance to reconsider what Chill Touch is doing on the sheet.
Tactical play (Doungim editorial)
Cantrip; 1d8 necrotic plus the target can't regain HP until your next turn. Kryptonite to trolls and vampires.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about Chill Touch
- What level spell is Chill Touch?
- The spell Chill Touch is a cantrip in the Necromancy school. Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard all have access to it.
- How much damage does Chill Touch deal?
- On a base cast, Chill Touch deals 1d10 necrotic damage.
- Does Chill Touch require a spell attack roll?
- To resolve Chill Touch, the caster makes a spell attack roll against the target's AC.
- What is the range of Chill Touch?
- Touch range on Chill Touch means the caster has to make physical contact with the target.
- What components and casting time does Chill Touch need?
- To cast Chill Touch: the spell uses V, S components with a standard Action.