Detect Poison and Disease
Level 1 · Divination
- Concentration
- Ritual
Detect Poison and Disease (cleric, druid, paladin, and ranger) casts from a 1st-level slot in the divination school. Cast time: Action. Range Self, components V/S/M, duration up to 10 minutes. Material: a yew leaf. Marked concentration and ritual. Effect: For the duration, you sense the location of poisons, poisonous or venomous creatures, and magical contagions within 30 feet of yourself.
Stat Block
- Level
- 1
- School
- Divination
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range / Area
- Self
- Components
- V, S, M
- Duration
- up to 10 minutes
- Ritual
- Yes
- Concentration
- Yes
- Classes
- Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger
- Material
- a yew leaf
Description
For the duration, you sense the location of poisons, poisonous or venomous creatures, and magical contagions within 30 feet of yourself. You sense the kind of poison, creature, or contagion in each case. The spell is blocked by 1 foot of stone, dirt, or wood; 1 inch of metal; or a thin sheet of lead.
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 Divination tradition is the spellcaster's scouting kit. It opens a window into the past, the present in another place, or the near future. Detect Poison and Disease is Divination because the spell surfaces information the caster would otherwise lack. The 1st-level slot is the most-cast slot of tier 1 — Detect Poison and Disease earns its place there or somewhere else.
Class Fit
- Cleric: Clerics prepare Detect Poison and Disease from the full Cleric list each day; the question is not whether the class knows it but whether today is the day to prep it. Concentration is the binding cost — Detect Poison and Disease can't share a slot with another concentration spell.
- Druid: Circle of the Moon Druids spend most of their turns in Wild Shape — Detect Poison and Disease earns its slot only if the build expects to cast in humanoid form. Detect Poison and Disease's concentration requirement makes it vulnerable to a single failed save when the caster takes damage.
- Paladin: Charisma is the Paladin's casting stat; the spell-save DC is competitive at most builds that took the standard stat priority. Keep in mind that Detect Poison and Disease ends the moment the caster takes concentration off it for any reason.
- Ranger: Rangers expect Pass Without Trace to be prepared most of tier 1 and tier 2; Detect Poison and Disease earns its place around that constant. The concentration tag on Detect Poison and Disease means a single failed Constitution save can end the effect mid-encounter.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about Detect Poison and Disease
- What level spell is Detect Poison and Disease?
- In D&D 5e, Detect Poison and Disease is classified as a level 1 spell of the Divination school. Available classes: Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger.
- What is the range of Detect Poison and Disease?
- Detect Poison and Disease is self-target only — the caster is the target of the spell, not another creature.
- Is Detect Poison and Disease a concentration spell?
- Concentration is required for Detect Poison and Disease, with a maximum duration up to 10 minutes. The concentration rules apply: one at a time, and Con saves on damage.
- What components and casting time does Detect Poison and Disease need?
- Detect Poison and Disease is cast with V, S, M. Material component: a yew leaf; Detect Poison and Disease can be cast as a ritual: an extra 10 minutes of casting time, no spell slot consumed.