Fire Bolt 5e
Fire Bolt is a sorcerer and wizard cantrip that makes a ranged spell attack against a creature or object within 120 feet. A hit deals 1d10 fire damage, 5.5 on average. The damage grows to 2d10 at character level 5, 3d10 at 11 and 4d10 at 17, and it sets loose flammable objects alight.
Pick a level and press Roll.
Fire Bolt at a glance
| Level | Cantrip evocation |
| Casting time | 1 action |
| Range | 120 feet |
| Components | V, S |
| Duration | Instantaneous |
| Classes | Sorcerer, Wizard |
| Resolution | Ranged spell attack |
| Damage type | Fire |
Fire Bolt damage by character level
| Level | Dice | Min | Average | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Character level 1–4 | 1d10 | 1 | 5.5 | 10 |
| Level 5–10 | 2d10 | 2 | 11 | 20 |
| Level 11–16 | 3d10 | 3 | 16.5 | 30 |
| Level 17–20 | 4d10 | 4 | 22 | 40 |
How Fire Bolt works
How it works: You throw a mote of flame at one creature or object you can target within 120 feet and make a ranged spell attack, adding your spellcasting ability modifier and proficiency bonus to the d20. On a hit the target takes 1d10 fire damage. A flammable object that is not being worn or carried catches fire.
Scaling: Like every damage cantrip, Fire Bolt grows with your total character level, not your class level. It deals 2d10 (average 11) at level 5, 3d10 (average 16.5) at level 11 and 4d10 (average 22) at level 17. It is still a single attack roll, so one miss means no damage.
No modifier to damage: The base spell does not add your Intelligence or Charisma modifier to the damage. Some subclass features do, such as the evoker wizard's Empowered Evocation at wizard level 10, so check your own class features.
Tactics: Fire Bolt shares the largest damage die among attack cantrips (a d10, like Eldritch Blast) and a long 120-foot range, which makes it a reliable fallback when you want to save spell slots. Its weakness is fire resistance and immunity, which many fiends, fire elementals and red dragons have. Like other ranged attacks, it has disadvantage if you cast it while a hostile creature is within 5 feet of you. On a critical hit you roll the damage dice twice.
Fire Bolt: 2014 vs 2024 rules
| 2014 PHB | 2024 PHB | |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | 1d10 fire | 1d10 fire |
| Scaling | 2d10 at level 5, 3d10 at 11, 4d10 at 17 | 2d10 at level 5, 3d10 at 11, 4d10 at 17 |
| Range and attack | 120 feet, ranged spell attack | 120 feet, ranged spell attack |
| Casting time | 1 action | Action (now called the Magic action) |
| Class list | Sorcerer, Wizard | Sorcerer, Wizard |
Fire Bolt FAQ
How much damage does Fire Bolt do in 5e?
Fire Bolt deals 1d10 fire damage on a hit, an average of 5.5. It rises to 2d10 at character level 5, 3d10 at level 11 and 4d10 at level 17.
Do you add your Intelligence modifier to Fire Bolt damage?
No. You add your spellcasting modifier to the attack roll, not the damage, unless a class feature such as the evoker wizard's Empowered Evocation says otherwise.
Does Fire Bolt scale with wizard level or character level?
Character level. All cantrips scale with your total level, so a multiclassed character gets the full damage.
Did Fire Bolt change in the 2024 rules?
No meaningful change. It still deals 1d10 fire damage on a ranged spell attack at 120 feet and scales at levels 5, 11 and 17.
Related
Other cantrips
- Acid Splash
- Chill Touch
- Dancing Lights
- Elementalism
- 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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