Etherealness
Level 7 · Conjuration
- Utility
Listed under conjuration, Etherealness costs a 7th-level slot for bard, cleric, sorcerer, warlock, and wizard casters. Cast time: Action. Range Self, components V/S, duration up to 8 hours. Effect: You step into the border regions of the Ethereal Plane, where it overlaps with your current plane. At higher levels: You can target up to three willing creatures (including yourself) for each spell slot level above 7. The creatures must be within 10 feet of you when you cast the spell.
Stat Block
- Level
- 7
- School
- Conjuration
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range / Area
- Self
- Components
- V, S
- Duration
- Up to 8 hours
- Ritual
- No
- Concentration
- No
- Classes
- Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
- Material
- —
Description
You step into the border regions of the Ethereal Plane, where it overlaps with your current plane. You remain in the Border Ethereal for the duration. During this time, you can move in any direction. If you move up or down, every foot of movement costs an extra foot. You can perceive the plane you left, which looks gray, and you can't see anything there more than 60 feet away. While on the Ethereal Plane, you can affect and be affected only by creatures, objects, and effects on that plane. Creatures that aren't on the Ethereal Plane can't perceive or interact with you unless a feature gives them the ability to do so. When the spell ends, you return to the plane you left in the spot that corresponds to your space in the Border Ethereal. If you appear in an occupied space, you are shunted to the nearest unoccupied space and take Force damage equal to twice the number of feet you are moved. This spell ends instantly if you cast it while you are on the Ethereal Plane or a plane that doesn't border it, such as one of the Outer Planes.
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
Conjurations move matter and creatures through space. Half the school summons; the other half teleports. Etherealness sits among the Conjurations on the strength of the spell places matter or creatures into the world that were not there before the cast. At level 7, Etherealness is a tier-3 commitment — slots at this level are scarce.
Class Fit
- Bard: On a Bard sheet, Etherealness competes with Counterspell, Greater Invisibility, and Polymorph for known-spell budget. Pick it when those don't fit the day's planned arc. At higher spell-slot levels Etherealness grows — refer to the upcast clause for the exact terms.
- Cleric: At tier 1 a Cleric has maybe four prep slots; Etherealness is competing with healing options for that limited count. Etherealness scales when upcast — see the higher-level note on the spell page.
- Sorcerer: Draconic, Wild Magic, Aberrant Mind, Clockwork Soul, and Lunar Sorcerers each get subclass-bonus spells. If Etherealness is already on the bonus list, save the known-spell budget. Upcasting Etherealness changes the effect; the spell page lists the per-slot scaling.
- Warlock: Invocations cover a lot of utility a Warlock would otherwise spell-cast. Etherealness earns its slot when invocations don't cover the same need. The higher-level scaling on Etherealness is described in the spell text; check it before upcasting.
- Wizard: The Wizard's daily prep list is the class's flexibility lever — every long rest is a chance to reconsider what Etherealness is doing on the sheet. Etherealness has an at-higher-levels rule; the spell's per-slot scaling makes upcasting worthwhile in the right context.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about Etherealness
- What level spell is Etherealness?
- Etherealness is a level 7 spell from the Conjuration school. The classes that can prepare it: Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard.
- What is the range of Etherealness?
- The range on Etherealness is Self; no other creature can be the target.
- How long does Etherealness last?
- The duration on Etherealness is up to 8 hours, with no concentration required.
- What components and casting time does Etherealness need?
- For Etherealness: the cast needs V, S, casting is a normal Action.
- Can Etherealness be upcast?
- Etherealness scales when upcast: You can target up to three willing creatures (including yourself) for each spell slot level above 7. The creatures must be within 10 feet of you when you cast the spell.