Few 1st-level spells hit as hard as Guiding Bolt. It’s a cleric staple that deals big radiant damage from across the battlefield and sets up an ally for an easier hit.
But it also has a catch: it uses an attack roll, so it can miss, and the advantage only helps if someone acts on it quickly.
This guide covers Guiding Bolt’s full rules in both the 2014 and 2024 Player’s Handbook, how it scales, which classes and subclasses can get it, and practical tactics to get the most out of it.
Quick answer: Guiding Bolt is a 1st-level evocation spell on the cleric spell list. As an action, you make a ranged spell attack against a creature within 120 feet. On a hit, it takes 4d6 radiant damage, and the next attack roll made against it before the end of your next turn has advantage. Each spell slot level above 1st adds 1d6 damage. The core rules are the same in the 2014 and 2024 Player’s Handbook.
Guiding Bolt 5e at a Glance
| Property | Details |
|---|---|
| Level | 1st |
| School | Evocation |
| Casting time | 1 action |
| Range | 120 feet |
| Components | Verbal, somatic |
| Duration | 1 round |
| Attack | Ranged spell attack |
| Damage | 4d6 radiant (average 14) |
| Bonus effect | Next attack roll against the target before the end of your next turn has advantage |
| At higher levels | +1d6 per slot level above 1st |
| Spell list | Cleric |
You can check the full spell text on D&D Beyond, which covers both rules versions, or in the Roll20 compendium.
What Does Guiding Bolt Do?
Guiding Bolt fires a flash of light at a creature you can see. You make a ranged spell attack, using your spellcasting modifier plus your proficiency bonus.
On a hit:
- The target takes 4d6 radiant damage.
- The target glows with mystical light until the end of your next turn.
- The next attack roll made against that target before then has advantage.
On a miss: nothing happens. There’s no half damage, and the advantage effect doesn’t apply.
How the advantage works
This is the part older versions of this article got muddled, so it’s worth spelling out:
- The advantage applies only if Guiding Bolt hits.
- It applies to the next single attack roll against the target, from anyone, not every attack.
- It ends at the end of your next turn, whether or not anyone uses it.
- It works for any attack, including melee attacks, ranged weapon attacks, and spell attacks. That includes a second Guiding Bolt.
Because the advantage is used up by the first attack, it’s most valuable when that first attack is a big one, like a rogue’s Sneak Attack or a paladin’s smite.
Why radiant damage matters
Radiant is one of the least-resisted damage types in the game. Very few monsters resist it, which makes Guiding Bolt reliable against almost anything you’ll face.
Guiding Bolt Damage and Upcasting
Guiding Bolt scales cleanly with higher spell slots:
| Slot level | Damage | Average damage |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4d6 | 14 |
| 2nd | 5d6 | 17.5 |
| 3rd | 6d6 | 21 |
| 4th | 7d6 | 24.5 |
| 5th | 8d6 | 28 |
| 9th | 12d6 | 42 |
At 1st level, 14 average damage is excellent; it can drop many low-level enemies in one hit. At higher levels, a single-target 1d6 per slot falls behind spells like Spirit Guardians, so most casters keep Guiding Bolt in low slots and use higher slots for stronger spells. For a quick visual walkthrough of upcasting, see this video on higher-level spell slots.
If you’re curious how players feel about that tradeoff, there’s a long-running Reddit discussion on what players think the spell’s weaknesses are, and an EN World thread asking whether the spell is too strong for a level 1 cleric, which goes over the minimum level to cast Guiding Bolt and what that means for balance.
Who Can Cast Guiding Bolt?
Older versions of this article said druids and paladins can cast Guiding Bolt as a normal spell. That’s not quite right. Here’s the accurate list:
| Source | How you get it | Rules version |
|---|---|---|
| Cleric | On the cleric spell list from 1st level | 2014 and 2024 |
| Celestial Warlock | Added to your spell options by the Celestial patron | 2014 (Xanathar’s Guide) and 2024 PHB |
| Circle of Stars Druid | The Star Map feature gives you Guiding Bolt prepared, and lets you cast it without a slot a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything |
| Divine Soul Sorcerer | Can learn cleric spells, including Guiding Bolt | Xanathar’s Guide |
| Magic Initiate (Cleric) feat | Choose it as your 1st-level spell and cast it once per long rest without a slot; in the 2024 rules you can also cast it with your own spell slots | 2014 and 2024 |
| Multiclassing or a spell scroll | Take a cleric level, or use a spell scroll if your DM allows it | Any |
Paladins don’t get Guiding Bolt on their own spell list, so a paladin needs a feat, multiclass, or magic item to use it.
How clerics prepare it
Clerics prepare spells from their full list after a long rest. You need the proficiency to prepare it as a cleric, which you have from 1st level, and a 1st-level spell slot to cast it.
Tactics: How to Use Guiding Bolt Well
1. Set up your heaviest hitter
Cast Guiding Bolt just before a rogue, paladin, or fighter acts in initiative. Advantage on a Sneak Attack, smite, or Great Weapon Master attack is worth far more than advantage on a weaker attack.
2. Open with it from range
With 120 feet of range, Guiding Bolt lets you hit hard from a safe position at the start of a fight, before enemies reach the front line.
3. Focus fire
Use it on the enemy your party is already trying to bring down. The damage plus the advantage makes it a strong way to finish off a key target, like a spellcaster or a boss. The D&D Beyond cleric forums have plenty of examples of players using it this way to support a concentrated assault.
4. Know when not to cast it
- High-AC enemies: If you’re likely to miss, a saving throw spell like Sacred Flame or a support spell like Bless may be better.
- Low-HP enemies: Don’t spend a slot on something a cantrip can finish.
- Higher levels: Save your bigger slots for stronger spells, and use Guiding Bolt in 1st-level slots.
5. Combine it with other effects
- Bless adds 1d4 to your attack roll, improving your odds of landing the bolt.
- Faerie Fire or Help can give you advantage on the Guiding Bolt attack itself.
- Celestial Warlocks can pair it with their healing features to switch between offense and support.
The DnD Lounge guide also has more ideas for using its advantage-granting feature in combat.
Is Guiding Bolt Overpowered?
It’s strong, but not broken. Players have debated this for years, including on Quora. The main balance points are:
- Pros: High damage for a 1st-level slot, long range, rarely resisted damage type, and a useful advantage effect.
- Cons: It needs an attack roll, does nothing on a miss, targets only one creature, and scales slowly.
At low levels, it’s one of the best damage spells a cleric has. By the middle levels, it becomes a solid but situational option.
Guiding Bolt vs. Other Low-Level Cleric Spells
| Spell | Level | Damage | How it hits | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guiding Bolt | 1st | 4d6 radiant | Spell attack | Burst damage plus advantage |
| Inflict Wounds | 1st | 3d10 necrotic (2014); 2d10 necrotic, Constitution save for half (2024) | Melee spell attack (2014); save (2024) | Close-range damage |
| Sacred Flame | Cantrip | 1d8 radiant, scaling | Dexterity save | Reliable damage without slots |
| Spiritual Weapon | 2nd | 1d8 + modifier force | Spell attack, bonus action | Sustained damage over several turns |
FAQs About Guiding Bolt 5e
How much damage does Guiding Bolt do?
4d6 radiant damage, or 14 on average, plus 1d6 for each spell slot level above 1st.
What is the range of Guiding Bolt?
120 feet.
Does Guiding Bolt need concentration?
No. Its duration is 1 round, and it doesn’t require concentration.
Does the advantage apply if Guiding Bolt misses?
No. The target only glows, and grants advantage, if the spell hits.
Can anyone use the advantage from Guiding Bolt?
Yes. The next attack roll against the target from anyone, including you, has advantage, as long as it happens before the end of your next turn.
Can druids cast Guiding Bolt?
Only Circle of Stars druids get it, through their Star Map feature. It isn’t on the regular druid spell list.
Can paladins cast Guiding Bolt?
Not from the paladin spell list. A paladin needs a feat like Magic Initiate (Cleric), a cleric multiclass, or a magic item.
Did Guiding Bolt change in the 2024 rules?
Its core effects are the same: 4d6 radiant damage, 120-foot range, advantage on the next attack, and +1d6 per higher slot.
What’s the minimum level to cast Guiding Bolt?
A cleric can cast it from character level 1, as soon as they have a 1st-level spell slot.
Conclusion
Guiding Bolt is one of the best low-level damage spells in 5e. It hits hard, rarely meets resistance, works from long range, and sets up your strongest ally for a big attack. Just remember that it can miss, the advantage only lasts until the end of your next turn, and it’s usually best cast in low-level slots.
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Dungeons & Dragons is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast. This guide is unofficial fan content. Check your DM’s house rules and your edition of the Player’s Handbook.
