Minor Illusion
Cantrip · Illusion
- AOE
Minor Illusion occupies the illusion school as a cantrip, available to bard, sorcerer, warlock, and wizard. Cast time: Action. Range 30 feet, components S/M, duration 1 minute. Material: a bit of fleece. Effect: You create a sound or an image of an object within range that lasts for the duration.
Stat Block
- Level
- Cantrip
- School
- Illusion
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range / Area
- 30 feet
- Components
- S, M
- Duration
- 1 Minute
- Ritual
- No
- Concentration
- No
- Classes
- Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
- Material
- a bit of fleece
Description
You create a sound or an image of an object within range that lasts for the duration. See the descriptions below for the effects of each. The illusion ends if you cast this spell again. If a creature takes a Study action to examine the sound or image, the creature can determine that it is an illusion with a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. If a creature discerns the illusion for what it is, the illusion becomes faint to the creature.
If you create a sound, its volume can range from a whisper to a scream. It can be your voice, someone else's voice, a lion's roar, a beating of drums, or any other sound you choose. The sound continues unabated throughout the duration, or you can make discrete sounds at different times before the spell ends.
If you create an image of an object—such as a chair, muddy footprints, or a small chest—it must be no larger than a 5- foot Cube. The image can't create sound, light, smell, or any other sensory effect. Physical interaction with the image reveals it to be an illusion, since things can pass through it.
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
Illusion magic is the school of the unfair fight — unfair in the caster's favour, by way of misdirection rather than damage. Minor Illusion is Illusion because the spell creates a perceptual fiction the target's senses report as real. Cantrips like Minor Illusion scale with character level, not slot cost.
Class Fit
- Bard: On a Bard sheet, Minor Illusion competes with Counterspell, Greater Invisibility, and Polymorph for known-spell budget. Pick it when those don't fit the day's planned arc. 30 feet is enough range that Minor Illusion doesn't pull the caster forward.
- Sorcerer: Quicken Spell turns an Action into a Bonus Action; if Minor Illusion costs an Action, Quicken opens a two-spell turn. Minor Illusion reaches 30 feet, which lets the caster stay clear of the front line.
- Warlock: On a Warlock sheet, Minor Illusion competes with Hex (the early concentration default) and with whatever upcast pact slot the build prioritises. The 30-foot range on Minor Illusion leaves room for the caster to stay in the back line.
- Wizard: Tier 3 and tier 4 Wizards add 5th-9th level spells to the book — Minor Illusion interacts with those upper-tier picks as part of a full prep loadout. The 30-foot range on Minor Illusion leaves room for the caster to stay in the back line.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about Minor Illusion
- What level spell is Minor Illusion?
- The spell Minor Illusion is a cantrip in the Illusion school. Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard all have access to it.
- What is the range of Minor Illusion?
- From the caster's position, Minor Illusion reaches 30 feet.
- How long does Minor Illusion last?
- Minor Illusion lasts 1 minute. It does not require concentration, so the caster can run other concentration spells alongside it.
- What components and casting time does Minor Illusion need?
- The spell uses s, m components. The other notable details — Material component: a bit of fleece.