Bard Spell List 5e
Bards get 130 spells in the 2024 SRD 5.2: 10 cantrips and 120 leveled spells running from 1st to 9th level. The list leans on charm, illusion, healing and battlefield control, and at 10th level Magical Secrets lets a bard prepare spells from the cleric, druid and wizard lists too.
Bards cast with Charisma. In the 2014 rules they are a "spells known" class: you learn a fixed number of spells and can swap one each time you gain a bard level. The 2024 rules call them prepared spells, but bards still change their list the same slow way, one spell per level gained, so choose carefully. Magical Secrets arrives at 10th level in both editions; in 2024 it opens the cleric, druid and wizard lists for your prepared spells.
Low-level bard spells are about controlling who gets to act. Healing Word picks up a downed ally with a bonus action. Dissonant Whispers deals 3d6 psychic (10.5 on average) and makes the target run, which can draw opportunity attacks from your fighter. Faerie Fire gives the whole party advantage, and Vicious Mockery is the cantrip that keeps a big hitter's next attack at disadvantage. At 2nd level, Heat Metal wrecks anyone in armor, and at 3rd Hypnotic Pattern can take half a fight out at once.
Because you can't swap spells after a rest, avoid filling your list with situational utility. Pick spells that work in most fights, then let a scroll, the cleric or the wizard cover the niche stuff like Comprehend Languages.
Bard spells by level (130 in the SRD)
| Level | Spells | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Cantrip | Dancing Lights (C), Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Starry Wisp, True Strike, Vicious Mockery | 10 |
| 1 | Animal Friendship, Bane (C), Charm Person, Color Spray, Command, Comprehend Languages, Cure Wounds, Detect Magic (C), Disguise Self, Dissonant Whispers, Faerie Fire (C), Feather Fall, Healing Word, Heroism (C), Hideous Laughter (C), Identify, Illusory Script, Longstrider, Silent Image (C), Sleep (C), Speak with Animals, Thunderwave, Unseen Servant | 23 |
| 2 | Aid, Animal Messenger, Blindness/Deafness, Calm Emotions (C), Detect Thoughts (C), Enhance Ability (C), Enlarge/Reduce (C), Enthrall (C), Heat Metal (C), Hold Person (C), Invisibility (C), Knock, Lesser Restoration, Locate Animals or Plants, Locate Object (C), Magic Mouth, Mirror Image, Phantasmal Force (C), See Invisibility, Shatter, Silence (C), Suggestion (C), Zone of Truth | 23 |
| 3 | Bestow Curse (C), Clairvoyance (C), Dispel Magic, Fear (C), Glyph of Warding, Hypnotic Pattern (C), Major Image (C), Mass Healing Word, Nondetection, Plant Growth, Sending, Slow (C), Speak with Dead, Speak with Plants, Stinking Cloud (C), Tiny Hut, Tongues | 17 |
| 4 | Charm Monster, Compulsion (C), Confusion (C), Dimension Door, Freedom of Movement, Greater Invisibility (C), Hallucinatory Terrain, Locate Creature (C), Phantasmal Killer (C), Polymorph (C) | 10 |
| 5 | Animate Objects (C), Awaken, Dominate Person (C), Dream, Geas, Greater Restoration, Hold Monster (C), Legend Lore, Mass Cure Wounds, Mislead (C), Modify Memory (C), Planar Binding, Raise Dead, Scrying (C), Seeming, Telepathic Bond, Teleportation Circle | 17 |
| 6 | Eyebite (C), Find the Path (C), Guards and Wards, Heroes' Feast, Irresistible Dance (C), Mass Suggestion, Programmed Illusion, True Seeing | 8 |
| 7 | Arcane Sword (C), Etherealness, Forcecage (C), Magnificent Mansion, Mirage Arcane, Prismatic Spray, Project Image (C), Regenerate, Resurrection, Symbol, Teleport | 11 |
| 8 | Antipathy/Sympathy, Befuddlement, Dominate Monster (C), Glibness, Mind Blank, Power Word Stun | 6 |
| 9 | Foresight, Power Word Heal, Power Word Kill, Prismatic Wall, True Polymorph (C) | 5 |
(C) = concentration. Every spell links to its own page with the rules, a 2014 vs 2024 comparison and a dice roller where the spell rolls dice.
Cantrips
- Dancing Lights
- Light
- Mage Hand
- Mending
- Message
- Minor Illusion
- Prestidigitation
- Starry Wisp
- True Strike
- Vicious Mockery
1st-level spells
- Animal Friendship
- Bane
- Charm Person
- Color Spray
- Command
- Comprehend Languages
- Cure Wounds
- Detect Magic
- Disguise Self
- Dissonant Whispers
- Faerie Fire
- Feather Fall
- Healing Word
- Heroism
- Hideous Laughter
- Identify
- Illusory Script
- Longstrider
- Silent Image
- Sleep
- Speak with Animals
- Thunderwave
- Unseen Servant
2nd-level spells
- Aid
- Animal Messenger
- Blindness/Deafness
- Calm Emotions
- Detect Thoughts
- Enhance Ability
- Enlarge/Reduce
- Enthrall
- Heat Metal
- Hold Person
- Invisibility
- Knock
- Lesser Restoration
- Locate Animals or Plants
- Locate Object
- Magic Mouth
- Mirror Image
- Phantasmal Force
- See Invisibility
- Shatter
- Silence
- Suggestion
- Zone of Truth
3rd-level spells
- Bestow Curse
- Clairvoyance
- Dispel Magic
- Fear
- Glyph of Warding
- Hypnotic Pattern
- Major Image
- Mass Healing Word
- Nondetection
- Plant Growth
- Sending
- Slow
- Speak with Dead
- Speak with Plants
- Stinking Cloud
- Tiny Hut
- Tongues
4th-level spells
- Charm Monster
- Compulsion
- Confusion
- Dimension Door
- Freedom of Movement
- Greater Invisibility
- Hallucinatory Terrain
- Locate Creature
- Phantasmal Killer
- Polymorph
5th-level spells
- Animate Objects
- Awaken
- Dominate Person
- Dream
- Geas
- Greater Restoration
- Hold Monster
- Legend Lore
- Mass Cure Wounds
- Mislead
- Modify Memory
- Planar Binding
- Raise Dead
- Scrying
- Seeming
- Telepathic Bond
- Teleportation Circle
6th-level spells
- Eyebite
- Find the Path
- Guards and Wards
- Heroes' Feast
- Irresistible Dance
- Mass Suggestion
- Programmed Illusion
- True Seeing
7th-level spells
- Arcane Sword
- Etherealness
- Forcecage
- Magnificent Mansion
- Mirage Arcane
- Prismatic Spray
- Project Image
- Regenerate
- Resurrection
- Symbol
- Teleport
8th-level spells
- Antipathy/Sympathy
- Befuddlement
- Dominate Monster
- Glibness
- Mind Blank
- Power Word Stun
9th-level spells
- Foresight
- Power Word Heal
- Power Word Kill
- Prismatic Wall
- True Polymorph
Bard spell list FAQ
How many spells are on the bard spell list?
The 2024 SRD 5.2 has 130 bard spells: 10 cantrips and 120 spells of 1st to 9th level. The full Player's Handbook adds a few more.
Can bards heal in 5e?
Yes. Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Mass Healing Word and Lesser Restoration are all on the bard list, so a bard can be the party's main healer.
When do bards get Magical Secrets?
At 10th level in both the 2014 and 2024 rules. In 2014 you learn two spells from any class list; in 2024 you can prepare spells from the bard, cleric, druid and wizard lists.
Is Vicious Mockery a good cantrip?
It deals only 1d6 psychic at first, but the disadvantage on the target's next attack is the real value. Use it on the enemy most likely to hit your frontline hard.
Related
- Bard 5e: Class Guide for the 2024 Rules
- Vicious Mockery 5e
- Cantrips in 5e: How They Scale
- All SRD spells
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