Dancing Lights 5e
Dancing Lights is a concentration cantrip that creates up to four hovering lights within 120 feet, each shedding dim light in a 10-foot radius for up to 1 minute. You can merge them into one Medium humanlike glow and move them up to 60 feet as a bonus action. It rolls no dice and deals no damage.
Dancing Lights at a glance
| Level | Cantrip illusion |
| Casting time | 1 action |
| Range | 120 feet |
| Components | V, S, M (a bit of phosphorus) |
| Duration | Concentration, up to 1 minute |
| Classes | Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard |
| Resolution | Automatic; no attack roll or saving throw |
How Dancing Lights works
How it works: You conjure up to four lights the size of a torch anywhere within 120 feet. They can look like torches, lanterns or floating orbs, or you can fuse all four into one vaguely human-shaped glow of Medium size. Each light gives off dim light in a 10-foot radius, not bright light, so creatures inside it are still in lightly obscured territory.
Moving them: On later turns a bonus action shifts the lights up to 60 feet. Every light has to stay within 20 feet of another one, and any light that drifts past 120 feet from you goes out. That 20-foot leash means you can string them into a line about 60 feet long, which is handy for lighting a corridor or a bridge ahead of the party.
When to cast it: In a fight, you usually want Light instead, since it is bright light, lasts an hour and doesn't eat your concentration. Dancing Lights earns its slot outside combat: scouting a dark cavern from 100 feet back, faking a patrol of torch-bearers in the distance, or making a "ghost" drift across a graveyard. Pair the humanoid shape with Minor Illusion footsteps and a lot of guards will go and check.
Common mistake: Players often forget it needs concentration. If you are holding Bless or a similar spell, casting Dancing Lights drops it. It also sheds only dim light, so creatures without darkvision still have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight inside it.
Dancing Lights: 2014 vs 2024 rules
| 2014 PHB | 2024 PHB | |
|---|---|---|
| School | Evocation | Illusion |
| Lights | Up to 4, or one Medium humanoid form | Up to 4, or one Medium humanlike form |
| Light shed | Dim light, 10-foot radius | Dim light, 10-foot radius |
| Moving the lights | Bonus action, up to 60 feet | Bonus Action, up to 60 feet |
| Material component | Phosphorus, wychwood or a glowworm | A bit of phosphorus |
Dancing Lights FAQ
Does Dancing Lights need concentration?
Yes. It lasts up to 1 minute and ends early if your concentration breaks or you cast another concentration spell.
Is Dancing Lights bright or dim light?
Dim light only. Each light covers a 10-foot radius. If you need bright light, the Light cantrip gives 20 feet of bright light plus 20 feet of dim light.
How far can you move Dancing Lights?
Up to 60 feet per bonus action, as long as each light stays within 20 feet of another light and within 120 feet of you.
Is Dancing Lights an illusion spell?
In the 2024 rules it is an Illusion cantrip. In the 2014 rules it was Evocation. The effect is the same in both.
Related
Other cantrips
- Acid Splash
- Chill Touch
- Elementalism
- Fire Bolt
- Light
- Mage Hand
- Mending
- Message
- Minor Illusion
- Poison Spray
- Prestidigitation
- Ray of Frost
Rules are summarised in our own words; monster stat blocks are reproduced from the SRD. This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2 ("SRD 5.2") by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Card icons by Lorc and Delapouite from game-icons.net, licensed under CC BY 3.0.
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