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Expeditious Retreat

Level 1 · Transmutation

  • Concentration

Expeditious Retreat (sorcerer, warlock, and wizard) casts from a 1st-level slot in the transmutation school. Cast time: Bonus Action. Range Self, components V/S, duration up to 10 minutes. Marked concentration. Effect: You take the Dash action, and until the spell ends, you can take that action again as a Bonus Action.

Stat Block

Level
1
School
Transmutation
Casting Time
Bonus Action
Range / Area
Self
Components
V, S
Duration
up to 10 minutes
Ritual
No
Concentration
Yes
Classes
Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
Material

Description

You take the Dash action, and until the spell ends, you can take that action again as a Bonus Action.

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

Transmutation is the school that breaks parts of D&D's combat math on purpose. The system trusts that a Transmuter understands what they have done to a creature when they Polymorph it. The school tag on Expeditious Retreat is earned by the spell rewrites a property of a body, an object, or terrain. The 1st-level slot is the most-cast slot of tier 1 — Expeditious Retreat earns its place there or somewhere else.

Class Fit

  • Sorcerer: Draconic, Wild Magic, Aberrant Mind, Clockwork Soul, and Lunar Sorcerers each get subclass-bonus spells. If Expeditious Retreat is already on the bonus list, save the known-spell budget. The Bonus-Action timing on Expeditious Retreat blocks any other Bonus-Action spell that turn — only one per round.
  • Warlock: Eldritch Blast is the Warlock's default action. Expeditious Retreat only competes with Eldritch Blast if it does more than scale-damage to one target. Note that Expeditious Retreat requires concentration; switching to a second concentration spell ends it.
  • Wizard: Arcane Recovery returns one or two slots on a short rest. Expeditious Retreat's slot cost is therefore not exactly what the slot column says. Concentration is the binding cost — Expeditious Retreat can't share a slot with another concentration spell.
Sorcerer spellsWarlock spellsWizard spellsTransmutation schoolLevel 1

Related Spells

Frequently Asked Questions about Expeditious Retreat

What level spell is Expeditious Retreat?
Expeditious Retreat is a level 1 spell from the Transmutation school. The classes that can prepare it: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard.
What is the range of Expeditious Retreat?
Expeditious Retreat is self-target only — the caster is the target of the spell, not another creature.
Is Expeditious Retreat a concentration spell?
Concentration is required for Expeditious Retreat, 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 Expeditious Retreat need?
Expeditious retreat is cast with v, s. The other notable details — the casting time is bonus action (not a standard Action).
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