Eldritch Blast 5e
Eldritch Blast is the warlock's signature cantrip: a ranged spell attack that deals 1d10 force damage (average 5.5) to a target within 120 feet. It fires extra beams at character levels 5, 11 and 17, up to four beams. Each beam uses its own attack roll, and the Agonizing Blast invocation adds Charisma to each hit.
Pick a level and press Roll.
Eldritch Blast at a glance
| Level | Cantrip evocation |
| Casting time | 1 action |
| Range | 120 feet |
| Components | V, S |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Classes | Warlock |
| Resolution | Ranged spell attack for each beam |
| Damage type | Force |
Eldritch Blast damage by character level
| Level | Dice | Min | Average | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Character level 1–4 (1 beam) | 1d10 | 1 | 5.5 | 10 |
| Level 5–10 (2 beams) | 2 × 1d10 | 2 | 11 | 20 |
| Level 11–16 (3 beams) | 3 × 1d10 | 3 | 16.5 | 30 |
| Level 17–20 (4 beams) | 4 × 1d10 | 4 | 22 | 40 |
How Eldritch Blast works
How it works: You fire a beam of crackling energy at a creature within 120 feet and make a ranged spell attack. On a hit it takes 1d10 force damage. The base spell does not add your Charisma modifier to damage; that comes from the Agonizing Blast invocation.
Scaling: Instead of rolling bigger dice, Eldritch Blast adds beams: two at character level 5, three at 11 and four at 17. It scales with your total character level, not your warlock level, so a multiclassed character still gets the extra beams. You can aim the beams at one creature or split them, and each needs its own attack roll.
Invocations: Agonizing Blast adds your Charisma modifier to the damage of each beam that hits, and Repelling Blast pushes a creature you hit up to 10 feet away. In the 2014 rules these invocations name Eldritch Blast directly. In the 2024 rules they apply to a warlock cantrip of your choice that deals damage, and Agonizing Blast can be taken more than once to cover more cantrips.
Tactics: With Agonizing Blast, a level 5 warlock with 18 Charisma averages 5.5 + 4 = 9.5 damage per beam that hits. Splitting beams lets you finish a wounded enemy with one beam and send the rest elsewhere. Each beam can score its own critical hit.
Eldritch Blast: 2014 vs 2024 rules
| 2014 PHB | 2024 PHB | |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | 1d10 force per beam | 1d10 force per beam |
| Beams | 2 at level 5, 3 at 11, 4 at 17 | 2 at level 5, 3 at 11, 4 at 17 |
| Agonizing Blast | Adds Charisma to Eldritch Blast only | Adds Charisma to one chosen warlock damage cantrip; can be taken again |
| Repelling Blast | Pushes up to 10 feet, Eldritch Blast only | Pushes a Large or smaller creature up to 10 feet, works with a chosen warlock cantrip that uses an attack roll |
| Class list | Warlock | Warlock |
Eldritch Blast FAQ
How much damage does Eldritch Blast do?
Each beam deals 1d10 force damage on a hit, an average of 5.5. You get one beam at levels 1 to 4, two at 5, three at 11 and four at 17.
Does Eldritch Blast add your Charisma modifier?
Not by itself. You need the Agonizing Blast invocation, which adds your Charisma modifier to the damage of each beam that hits.
Can you split Eldritch Blast beams between targets?
Yes. You can direct the beams at the same creature or different ones, and you make a separate attack roll for each beam.
Does Eldritch Blast scale with warlock level or character level?
Character level. Like other cantrips, it gains beams based on your total level, so multiclass characters keep the full scaling.
Related
- Roll a d10
- Cantrips in 5e: How They Scale
- Hellish Rebuke 5e
- Critical Hits in 5e: How Crit Damage Works
- All spell damage rollers
Other cantrips
- Chill Touch
- Mage Hand
- Minor Illusion
- Poison Spray
- Prestidigitation
- True Strike
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.
Wizards of the Coast LLC is the trademark holder for Dungeons & Dragons, Wizards of the Coast, and their respective logos worldwide.
Wizards of the Coast LLC does not support, endorse, approve, or have any affiliation with DnD Dice Roller. According to the Wizards of the Coast LLC's Fan Site Policy, DnD Dice Roller may use its trademarks and other intellectual property. Please visit Wizards of the Coast's website at www.wizards.com if you want additional information about the company, its trademarks, or other intellectual property.
Contains content from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.