Fireball
Level 3 · Evocation
- Damage
- Save
- AOE
Listed under evocation, Fireball costs a 3rd-level slot for sorcerer and wizard casters. Cast time: Action. Range 150 feet, components V/S/M, duration instantaneous. Material: a ball of bat guano and sulfur. Effect: A bright streak flashes from you to a point you choose within range and then blossoms with a low roar into a fiery explosion. At higher levels: The damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 3.
Stat Block
- Level
- 3
- School
- Evocation
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range / Area
- 150 feet (20-foot radius sphere)
- Components
- V, S, M
- Duration
- Instantaneous
- Ritual
- No
- Concentration
- No
- Classes
- Sorcerer, Wizard
- Material
- a ball of bat guano and sulfur
Description
A bright streak flashes from you to a point you choose within range and then blossoms with a low roar into a fiery explosion. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius Sphere centered on that point makes a Dexterity saving throw, taking 8d6 Fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. Flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried start burning.
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
Fireball is the spell Evocation is built around. A pointed finger, a low roar, and a 20-foot sphere of 8d6 Fire damage centered on a square the caster picked from up to 150 feet away. The school is about channeled energy released as a visible effect, and Fireball is the canonical case — the spell every player remembers from their first tier-2 fight, for better or for friendly-fire-worse.
Class Fit
- Sorcerer: Fireball is one of the few level-3 spells almost every Sorcerer takes. Twinning isn't available (area effects don't qualify), but Empowered Spell and Heightened Spell both pair well — reroll the low dice on Empowered, or force disadvantage on the Dex save with Heightened against a single key target.
- Wizard: Fireball goes in the spellbook the level the Wizard hits 5. Evocation Wizards specifically get Sculpt Spells, which makes Fireball safe to cast on top of the party — pick allies, they automatically save and take no damage. Without Sculpt, the friendly-fire math is real: place the sphere where the front line isn't, and accept that 'where the front line isn't' usually means at the edge of the back ranks.
Tactical play (Doungim editorial)
Open with Fireball when at least three enemies are clustered within 20 feet of a single point and your front line is clear of the blast radius. Evocation Wizards safely include allies via Sculpt Spells; other casters position so the sphere centre lands beyond the back rank. Save the 4th-slot upcast for tier-3 hordes — past 9d6 the marginal damage outpaces a second 3rd-level spell. Common mistake: casting Fireball with the cleric standing 15 feet away. Read the grid before the action declaration.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about Fireball
- What level spell is Fireball?
- Fireball is a level 3 spell from the Evocation school. The classes that can prepare it: Sorcerer, Wizard.
- How much damage does Fireball deal?
- Fireball deals 8d6 fire damage as its base effect. Upcasting raises the dice count.
- What save does Fireball require?
- Targets of Fireball make a Dexterity saving throw against the caster's spell save DC. On a success, the spell's effect is reduced or negated; see the description for exact terms.
- What is the range of Fireball?
- Fireball has a range of 150 feet from the caster.
- What components and casting time does Fireball need?
- To cast: the components are V, S, M. Additionally, Material component: a ball of bat guano and sulfur.
- Can Fireball be upcast?
- Yes — The damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 3.