Chromatic Orb
Level 1 · Evocation
- Damage
- Attack Roll
Chromatic Orb (sorcerer and wizard) casts from a 1st-level slot in the evocation school. Cast time: Action. Range 90 feet, components V/S/M, duration instantaneous. Material: a diamond worth 50+ GP. Effect: You hurl an orb of energy at a target within range. At higher levels: The damage increases by 1d8 for each spell slot level above 1. The orb can leap a maximum number of times equal to the level of the slot expended, and a creature can be targeted on…
Stat Block
- Level
- 1
- School
- Evocation
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range / Area
- 90 feet
- Components
- V, S, M
- Duration
- Instantaneous
- Ritual
- No
- Concentration
- No
- Classes
- Sorcerer, Wizard
- Material
- a diamond worth 50+ GP
Description
You hurl an orb of energy at a target within range. Choose Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison, or Thunder for the type of orb you create, and then make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 3d8 damage of the chosen type. If you roll the same number on two or more of the d8s, the orb leaps to a different target of your choice within 30 feet of the target. Make an attack roll against the new target, and make a new damage roll. The orb can't leap again unless you cast the spell with a level 2+ spell slot.
Doungim Lore
School Fit
The school of Evocation is the school of options visible at the cast. The cone, the line, the sphere — Evocation spells show their geometry, and the caster decides who is inside it. What lands Chromatic Orb in Evocation is the spell focuses magical energy into a visible, immediate effect. Level-1 slots come back on every long rest; Chromatic Orb is one of the spells the slot column fills first.
Class Fit
- Sorcerer: At tier 1 a Sorcerer's known-spell budget is brutal. Chromatic Orb earns its slot only if the build cannot win the next ten sessions without it. Upcasting Chromatic Orb changes the effect; the spell page lists the per-slot scaling.
- Wizard: At tier 1 Wizards have small prepared lists. Chromatic Orb earns its place by either being always-relevant (Shield, Mage Armor) or by being the right answer to a known problem. At higher spell-slot levels Chromatic Orb grows — refer to the upcast clause for the exact terms.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about Chromatic Orb
- What level spell is Chromatic Orb?
- Chromatic Orb is a level 1 spell from the Evocation school. The classes that can prepare it: Sorcerer, Wizard.
- Does Chromatic Orb require a spell attack roll?
- Chromatic Orb resolves with a spell attack roll, not a save. The caster's attack bonus is their spellcasting modifier plus proficiency.
- What is the range of Chromatic Orb?
- Chromatic Orb can target a point or creature within 90 feet of the caster.
- What components and casting time does Chromatic Orb need?
- To cast: Chromatic Orb is cast with V, S, M. Additionally, Material component: a diamond worth 50+ GP.
- Can Chromatic Orb be upcast?
- Chromatic Orb scales when upcast: The damage increases by 1d8 for each spell slot level above 1. The orb can leap a maximum number of times equal to the level of the slot expended, and a creature can be targeted only once by each casting of this spell.