Sleep
Level 1 · Enchantment
- Concentration
- Save
- AOE
- Control
Sleep is an enchantment spell at level 1, sitting on the bard, sorcerer, and wizard lists. Cast time: Action. Range 60 feet, components V/S/M, duration up to 1 minute. Material: a pinch of sand or rose petals. Marked concentration. Effect: Each creature of your choice in a 5-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Incapacitated condition until the end of its next turn, at which point it must rep…
Stat Block
- Level
- 1
- School
- Enchantment
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range / Area
- 60 feet (5-foot radius sphere)
- Components
- V, S, M
- Duration
- up to 1 Minute
- Ritual
- No
- Concentration
- Yes
- Classes
- Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard
- Material
- a pinch of sand or rose petals
Description
Each creature of your choice in a 5-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Incapacitated condition until the end of its next turn, at which point it must repeat the save. If the target fails the second save, the target has the Unconscious condition for the duration. The spell ends on a target if it takes damage or someone within 5 feet of it takes an action to shake it out of the spell's effect. Creatures that don't sleep, such as elves, or that have Immunity to the Exhaustion condition automatically succeed on saves against this spell.
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
Sleep is Enchantment — the spell magically lulls creatures unconscious in a fixed HP order, starting with the lowest current HP and continuing up to 5d8 total. The school is mind-shaping; Sleep shapes the target mind into unconsciousness with no save. Limited use against creatures with high HP totals (and useless against creatures immune to charm or with the Sleep Immunity trait).
Class Fit
- Bard: Sleep is a level-1 Bard pick that loses value fast as the campaign moves past tier 1. Most Bards take Sleep at level 1 specifically for the first three or four levels of play, then retrain it out when characters and enemies routinely exceed the spell's HP cap.
- Sorcerer: Sorcerers know Sleep as a 1st-level pick that pays off heavily in the first three levels. The known-spell budget is tight enough that most Sorcerer builds plan to retrain Sleep out by level 5 in favor of more durable picks.
- Wizard: Wizards add Sleep to the spellbook at level 1. It's the most-used Wizard spell in the first three levels of most campaigns. After tier 1, the spell's HP cap becomes the limiting factor; prep slots shift to spells that scale better.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about Sleep
- What level spell is Sleep?
- Sleep sits at level 1 in the Enchantment school of magic, prepared by Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard.
- What save does Sleep require?
- The save against Sleep is a Wisdom saving throw. Specific rules for a successful save are spelled out in the spell description.
- What is the range of Sleep?
- The range on Sleep is 60 feet — far enough that most casters can stay clear of the front line.
- Is Sleep a concentration spell?
- Sleep runs on concentration for up to 1 minute. 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 Sleep need?
- Note: Sleep requires V, S, M. Beyond that — Material component: a pinch of sand or rose petals.