Magic Weapon
Level 2 · Transmutation
- Utility
Magic Weapon occupies the transmutation school at level 2, available to paladin, ranger, sorcerer, and wizard. Cast time: Bonus Action. Range Touch, components V/S, duration 1 hour. Effect: You touch a nonmagical weapon. At higher levels: The bonus increases to +2 with a level 3–5 spell slot. The bonus increases to +3 with a level 6+ spell slot.
Stat Block
- Level
- 2
- School
- Transmutation
- Casting Time
- Bonus Action
- Range / Area
- Touch
- Components
- V, S
- Duration
- 1 Hour
- Ritual
- No
- Concentration
- No
- Classes
- Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard
- Material
- —
Description
You touch a nonmagical weapon. Until the spell ends, that weapon becomes a magic weapon with a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls. The spell ends early if you cast it again.
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 spells edit the parameters of a fight. Haste doubles speed; Slow halves it. Enlarge changes a body's category; Reduce shrinks it. The school tag on Magic Weapon is earned by the spell rewrites a property of a body, an object, or terrain. Tier-2 play opens up 2nd-level slots regularly; Magic Weapon fits the daily rotation.
Class Fit
- Paladin: Oath bonus spells fill some of the prep automatically — Vengeance gets Bane and Hunter's Mark, Devotion gets Protection from Evil — check before adding Magic Weapon manually. Magic Weapon scales when upcast — see the higher-level note on the spell page.
- Ranger: A Ranger picking Magic Weapon compares it against the class's bread-and-butter Hunter's Mark — the slot economy favors picks that work in more than one terrain. Because Magic Weapon uses a Bonus Action, the caster can still cast an Action spell that same turn.
- Sorcerer: Metamagic is the angle for Magic Weapon on a Sorcerer. Twin, Quicken, Subtle, Heightened, and Extended each change what the spell does at the table. At higher spell-slot levels Magic Weapon grows — refer to the upcast clause for the exact terms.
- Wizard: Once Magic Weapon is in the spellbook the cost is gold-and-ritual-time at acquisition; from then on the daily prep decision is free. Casting Magic Weapon leaves the Action free — most builds spend it on a cantrip or weapon attack.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about Magic Weapon
- What level spell is Magic Weapon?
- Magic Weapon sits at level 2 in the Transmutation school of magic, prepared by Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard.
- What is the range of Magic Weapon?
- Touch range on Magic Weapon means the caster has to make physical contact with the target.
- How long does Magic Weapon last?
- The duration on Magic Weapon is 1 hour, with no concentration required.
- What components and casting time does Magic Weapon need?
- For Magic Weapon: the cast needs V, S; on top of that, the casting time is bonus action (not a standard Action).
- Can Magic Weapon be upcast?
- Yes — The bonus increases to +2 with a level 3–5 spell slot. The bonus increases to +3 with a level 6+ spell slot.