Shocking Grasp 5e

Shocking Grasp is an evocation cantrip that makes a melee spell attack against a creature you touch for 1d8 lightning damage. In the 2024 rules the target can't make opportunity attacks until the start of its next turn; in 2014 it couldn't take any reactions. Damage rises to 2d8, 3d8 and 4d8 at levels 5, 11 and 17.

Level

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Shocking Grasp at a glance

Level	Cantrip evocation
Casting time	1 action
Range	Touch
Components	V, S
Duration	Instantaneous
Classes	Sorcerer, Wizard
Resolution	Melee spell attack
Damage type	Lightning

Shocking Grasp damage by character level

Level	Dice	Min	Average	Max
Character level 1–4	1d8	1	4.5	8
Level 5–10	2d8	2	9	16
Level 11–16	3d8	3	13.5	24
Level 17–20	4d8	4	18	32

How Shocking Grasp works

How it works: Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit it takes 1d8 lightning damage, and the shock stops it from making opportunity attacks until the start of its next turn. You do not add your spellcasting modifier to the damage.

Escape tool: The rider is the real reason to take this cantrip. Hit the enemy next to you, then walk away on the same turn without provoking an opportunity attack from it, and without spending your action on Disengage.

2014 differences: The 2014 version stopped the target from taking any reactions, not just opportunity attacks, so it also shut off things like a monster's Shield or Parry until the start of its next turn. It also gave you advantage on the attack roll if the target wore armor made of metal. Both of those were removed in 2024.

Cantrip scaling: The damage gains a d8 at character levels 5, 11 and 17: 1d8, 2d8, 3d8 and 4d8, which average 4.5, 9, 13.5 and 18.

Shocking Grasp: 2014 vs 2024 rules

	2014 PHB	2024 PHB
Damage	1d8 lightning	1d8 lightning
Rider	Target can't take reactions until the start of its next turn	Target can't make opportunity attacks until the start of its next turn
Metal armor	Advantage on the attack if the target wears metal armor	Removed
Scaling	+1d8 at levels 5, 11 and 17	+1d8 at levels 5, 11 and 17

Shocking Grasp FAQ

How much damage does Shocking Grasp do in 5e?

Shocking Grasp deals 1d8 lightning damage (4.5 average) at levels 1-4, rising to 2d8 at level 5, 3d8 at level 11 and 4d8 at level 17.

Does Shocking Grasp still give advantage against metal armor?

Only in the 2014 rules. The 2024 Player's Handbook removed the advantage against targets wearing metal armor.

Can a creature hit by Shocking Grasp use reactions?

In the 2024 rules it can still take reactions, but it can't make opportunity attacks until the start of its next turn. In the 2014 rules it couldn't take any reactions.

Is Shocking Grasp good for escaping melee?

Yes. Hit the adjacent enemy, then move away; it can't make an opportunity attack against you, so you avoid needing the Disengage action.

Other cantrips

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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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.