Protection from Evil and Good
Level 1 · Abjuration
- Concentration
- Save
- Control
- Buff
- Debuff
Protection from Evil and Good (cleric, druid, paladin, warlock, and wizard) casts from a 1st-level slot in the abjuration school. Cast time: Action. Range Touch, components V/S/M, duration up to 10 minutes. Material: a flask of Holy Water worth 25+ GP, which the spell consumes. Marked concentration. Effect: Until the spell ends, one willing creature you touch is protected against creatures that are Aberrations, Celestials, Elementals, Fey, Fiends, or Undead.
Stat Block
- Level
- 1
- School
- Abjuration
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range / Area
- Touch
- Components
- V, S, M
- Duration
- up to 10 minutes
- Ritual
- No
- Concentration
- Yes
- Classes
- Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Warlock, Wizard
- Material
- a flask of Holy Water worth 25+ GP, which the spell consumes
Description
Until the spell ends, one willing creature you touch is protected against creatures that are Aberrations, Celestials, Elementals, Fey, Fiends, or Undead. The protection grants several benefits. Creatures of those types have Disadvantage on attack rolls against the target. The target also can't be possessed by or gain the Charmed or Frightened conditions from them. If the target is already possessed, Charmed, or Frightened by such a creature, the target has Advantage on any new saving throw against the relevant effect.
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
The school of Abjuration is built around three verbs: prevent, dispel, banish. Every Abjuration spell is one of those three at different scales. On the school axis, Protection from Evil and Good is Abjuration: the spell ends, prevents, or absorbs an effect that would otherwise land. The 1st-level slot is the most-cast slot of tier 1 — Protection from Evil and Good earns its place there or somewhere else.
Class Fit
- Cleric: Life Domain Clerics value Protection from Evil and Good differently from War or Trickery Clerics; the Domain's identity shapes which spells become signature. Protection from Evil and Good's concentration requirement makes it vulnerable to a single failed save when the caster takes damage.
- Druid: Circle of the Moon Druids spend most of their turns in Wild Shape — Protection from Evil and Good earns its slot only if the build expects to cast in humanoid form. Damage taken while concentrating on Protection from Evil and Good forces a Con save at DC 10 or half damage, whichever is higher.
- 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 Protection from Evil and Good manually. The concentration tag on Protection from Evil and Good means a single failed Constitution save can end the effect mid-encounter.
- Warlock: On a Warlock sheet, Protection from Evil and Good competes with Hex (the early concentration default) and with whatever upcast pact slot the build prioritises. Concentration on Protection from Evil and Good forces the caster to choose between this spell and the next big concentration play.
- Wizard: Wizards add Protection from Evil and Good to the spellbook once and prepare it on the days that warrant it — a different decision from the class's known-spell competitors. Note that Protection from Evil and Good requires concentration; switching to a second concentration spell ends it.
Tactical play (Doungim editorial)
Disadvantage on enemy attacks from aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, undead. Plus charm/fear/possession immunity from those types. Combine with Holy Aura at level 9.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about Protection from Evil and Good
- What level spell is Protection from Evil and Good?
- In D&D 5e, Protection from Evil and Good is classified as a level 1 spell of the Abjuration school. Available classes: Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Warlock, Wizard.
- What save does Protection from Evil and Good require?
- The save against Protection from Evil and Good is a New saving throw. Specific rules for a successful save are spelled out in the spell description.
- What is the range of Protection from Evil and Good?
- Touch range on Protection from Evil and Good means the caster has to make physical contact with the target.
- Is Protection from Evil and Good a concentration spell?
- Protection from Evil and Good runs on concentration for up to 10 minutes. The caster can drop it on their next turn or lose it to a failed save after taking damage.
- What components and casting time does Protection from Evil and Good need?
- For Protection from Evil and Good: the cast needs V, S, M; on top of that, Material component: a flask of Holy Water worth 25+ GP, which the spell consumes.