When it comes to creating epic story moments, Dungeons & Dragons offers players plenty of options. But one common story driver seen in everything from Baldur’s Gate 3 to Homor Among Thieves hasn’t been available in 5e. I am, of course, talking about spellcasters joining together to create more powerful magical effects in the form of circle casting. This mechanic is linked to the lore of the Forgotten Realms, so it makes sense that 5e’s new sourcebooks set in that region are finally bringing it back.
Circle magic isn’t an entirely new concept for D&D, as it’s long been a part of the lore of the Forgotten Realms. However, though it has been referenced in prior source books, the mechanic has largely existed only via third-party and homebrew materials. But with Heroes of Faerun, Wizards of the Coast is making circle magic an official 5e mechanic. Here’s how it works.
How to Cast Circle Spells in Dungeons & Dragons 5e
Circle magic lets many casters come together to “collectively channel their magic into a single spell.” This allows for more powerful magical workings that one caster alone could manage, and it’s made for some interesting moments in D&D stories. After all, who can forget the Druids of the Emerald Enclave coming together to seal off the grove in Baldur’s Gate 3? But how does such magic actually work in official D&D rules? With plenty of limitations to keep it from being overpowered, of course.
Circle magic is restricted in a few key ways. First, spells must take an action or have a casting time of 1 minute or more to be eligible. In other words, circle cantrips and bonus action spells are off the table. From there, the spell must follow both its own rules (i.e. range of attack, etc) along with the additional rules of circle casting. And of course, multiple casters must take certain actions before the spell will be triggered.
Pick a Primary Spellcaster
Circle casting requires one primary caster, who will make the big decisions. This player character is the one who has to maintain Concentration for spells that require it. They will also be the one to burn a spell slot and spellcasting materials to make the magic happen. This character is also the point of origin for the spell, helping determine the range and other key factors.
This player will use a Magic action to initiate the start of the circle cast. However, the spell’s effects do not take place until every caster participating in the circle spell has used their own action to contribute. That means that the primary caster needs to maintain Concentration until the spell is actually cast, which can make things a bit tricky if initiative order isn’t on your side.
The Role of Secondary Casters
The other participants in a circle spell are called Secondary Casters. To contribute their magic to the spell, these player characters (or NPCs if your DM is feeling generous) must be within 30 feet of the primary caster. They will need to use a Magic actio on their turn to contribute to the circle spell. That means a circle spell can’t be cast until the primary caster and every contributing secondary caster has taken their turn.
Once everyone has contributed to the circle spell, it will take place immediately if the casting time is an action. If the casting time takes a minute or longer, the party will need to burn multiple turns to meet that full duration before the spell triggers. So, spells with a longer casting time than 1 action may be best saved for circle casts outside of combat.
How Circle Casting Strengthens Spells in D&D 5e
Bringing together multiple casters in this way does add some extra complications to casting a spell. So, what’s the benefit? Circle casting offers a few different options for players to enhance a spell. There are 6 different options for how to improve a spell that’s been circle cast. In short, they are: Augment, Distribute, Expand, Prolong, Safeguard, or Supplant.
Augmenting a spell increases its range by up to a mile, letting you hit targets from further away. Distributing a spell, meanwhile, lets you share the mental load of Concentration among the circle of casters. That way, even if one player character loses Concentration, the spell effect can continue as long as others are still able to Concentrate on the working.
Expanding a spell, meanwhile, increases its area of effect by up to 320 feet, depending on how many casters are involved. As the name suggests, Prolonging a spell will increase its duration, with the maximum length determined by how many characters are engaged in the casting. Safeguard, meanwhile, lets you carve out a safe zone within a spell’s area of effect, perfect for ensuring that your allies don’t get taken down by your AoE attack.
Finally, players can Supplant a spell. This option reduces the minimum cost of a spell, making spells like Revivify or Wish a bit easier to cast. This option does eat up extra spell slots from the secondary casters, but it could be worth it in a pinch if you lack the materials for a powerful working.
Overall, circle casting offers some exciting new options for player characters to work together to strengthen their spells. The mechanic seems fairly well balanced, ensuring that circle casts will be powerful compared to normal spells, but not overly so. Having players choose just one way to empower the spell and adding the demand for each caster to use an action before a spell can be cast helps keep this epic casting from going overboard. Even so, I can’t wait to convince my DM and fellow players to bring this mechanic to the table during our next session.
The full rules for Circle Casting in D&D 5e are available in the Player’s Guide source book, Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun. You can get a copy wherever D&D books are sold, or on D&D Beyond for $49.99.
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