Best Healing Spells In Dungeons & Dragons 5e

Players and Dungeon Masters (DMs) of Dungeons & Dragons know there's more to Wizards of the Coast's hit IP than just casting fireballs and hacking through monsters. Skilled players know the healer serves just as important a role as their tank and damage-dealing counterparts.

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Flexibility reigns in Dungeons and Dragons 5e (D&D 5e) and it's often the healer that gets the party out of certain doom & saves the day. For players looking for more dynamic characters, a healer might serve this purpose well. After all, most healing-oriented classes in D&D 5e are built to be extremely flexible. Should players take on the responsibility of a healer, just what are the best spells that should be in their repertoire?

Updated by Rhenn Taguiam on November 25, 2024: With the new Player’s Handbook for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition offering exciting new ways of playing the hit TTRPG with new gameplay and Class options, fans of the acclaimed tabletop experience might be wondering how their healers can maximize their newfound opportunities of supporting the rest of the party. While the expanded Cleric options in the game certainly provided players with new ways of engaging with their Divine Powers, players may be curious as to what other Spells they can use to help their allies. As it turns out, sometimes some of the best “healing” Spells are those that ensure the party doesn’t necessarily get healed at all. Following the adage “Prevention is better than cure,” some of the best flexible support Spells in 5e include two versions of defensive auras with varying effects.

33 Holy Aura

8th-Level Abjuration

A Cleric who wants to protect their party in Dungeons & Dragons at all costs could skip having to heal them and bolster their defenses against most threats. This is courtesy of Holy Aura, an 8th-Level Abjuration Spell with benefits worth the 1,000 GP worth of a reliquary required to cast the Spell. Creatures of choice within a 30-foot radius will emit a 5-foot dim light, get an Advantage on all Saves, and other creatures get a Disadvantage on Attacks against the chosen creatures. Undead or fiends who hit an affected creature need to succeed in a CON Save or be Blinded for the duration of the Spell.

At first glance, spending an 8th-Level Spell Slot on a guaranteed Advantage on Saves and emitting dim light for party members seems unnecessary. However, imposing a Disadvantage on all attacks from enemies targeting the Cleric’s allies, and even potentially guaranteeing a Blind for the duration of the Spell, are worthwhile benefits if the players use their cards correctly. After all, Spells that impose Disadvantage on Saves can have the party taunt a boss or an elite foe into attacking the Holy Aura’s affected members — potentially punishing them for being aggressive. Also, the imposed Disadvantage on all attacks can be a saving grace for the party, as many opponents have a multi-attack trait.

When To Use Holy Aura

A nifty way of using Holy Aura would be in situations where the party is overwhelmed by opponents they know are clearly Undead or Fiends — both of which are common-enough creatures for Dungeon Masters to use in most situations. Considering the potential kinds of threats players would face by the time they access Holy Aura, the Spell is best reserved for extreme encounters and cases of emergency — especially when in an unexpected boss fight.

32 Warding Bond

2nd-Level Abjuration

Sometimes, the best kinds of healing are the ones that help ensure allies don’t get to need one at all — something Warding Bond can do for a Cleric and a willing target of their choice. Upon the Spell’s activation, the caster and the target form a mystic connection that bestows upon the target a +1 Bonus to AC, Saves, and Resistances to all Damage. In exchange, the Cleric takes the same damage as the target.

The Spell itself can be dismissed as an Action — although it automatically ends if the Cleric’s Hit Points are reduced to 0, the target is separated from them for more than 60 feet, or if the Spell is recast to either the caster or the target. While the caveat of the Cleric receiving the same kind of damage as their target might seem counterproductive, this buff can be handy if they’re supporting a heavy-hitting damage unit.

When To Use Warding Bond

The condition of the Cleric receiving the same amount of damage as their target seems more of a hint than a form of discouragement. Given how the Cleric is expected to receive the same damage as their target, they should select a target that could benefit from the +1 AC and Saves bonus but is also worth spending a 2nd-Level Spell Slot on. Considering the additional benefit of the recipient receiving Resistance to all Damage, it seems Warding Bond is best used to bolster further the defenses of a frontline tank or a damage specialist in the front lines who could use a defensive boost.

31 Ceremony

1st-Level Evocation

While it’s common for a TTRPG like Dungeons & Dragons to allow players to marry off their characters whenever situations call for them, it’s only thanks to Ceremony via Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything that put a number to such an occasion. When performed by a Cleric or a Paladin, targets no more than 10 feet away from them can be affected by the following rituals:

• Atonement: Restoring one’s Alignment after the caster succeeds a DC 20 Insight (WIS) Check.
• Bless Water: Turn a vial of water into holy water.
• Coming of Age: Hold a young adult. For the next 24 hours, the target has a +1d4 buff to any Ability Check. This can only be cast on a target once.
• Dedication: Cast upon a humanoid dedicated to the caster’s god, the target gets a +1d4 buff to any Saving Throw. This can only be cast on a target once.
• Funeral Rite: Touch a corpse. For the next seven days, the corpse cannot become undead unless through a Wish Spell.
• Investiture: Touch a willing humanoid. The caster chooses a 1st-Level Spell they have prepared and expend a Spell Slot and Components as though they have cast it. The Spell won’t work, but the target can cast the said Spell without using the Spell Slot and components. The Spell has to be cast within an hour or it is lost.
• Wedding: Touch adults to be bonded together. For the next seven days, the target gets +2 AC whenever they are within 30 feet of each other. The targets can only benefit from this rite again if they are widowed.

When To Use Ceremony

Despite the variety in the options casters have in terms of benefits, its rather lackluster effects for a ritualized Spell can trivialize Ceremony unless used for flavor and on NPCs. However, certain uses of Ceremony could be useful depending on the circumstances. For instance, Bless Water could help players in locations where there are a lot of evil spirits or unholy presence. Likewise, Funeral Rite is useful should players want to protect an important NPC or another character from being raised as undead while they find a way to resurrect them. Investiture can become a nifty investment for the party who is about to embark on a quick adventure, as even giving Bless to a Rogue could help them score a high-damaging first-turn attack.

30 Fast Friends

3rd-Level Enchantment

There are some instances where a high-stakes conflict can be pacified if someone can make a case that the fight is detrimental to both sides. This is something that Fast Friends can potentially facilitate, which fits its origins from Acquisitions Inc. Which emphasizes the viability of negotiation - no matter the situation.

When cast, Fast Friends can only be used against one humanoid who can see, hear, and understand the Spellcaster. If they fail a WIS Save, they become Charmed for the duration. Unlike other Charm effects, using Fast Friends allows the caster to direct the target to do activities in a friendly manner. These tasks can be provided one after the other. However, tasks that might harm or conflict with the creature’s desires will allow it to make a WIS Save, which is taken with Advantage if Fast Friends is used in combat. Should the command kill the target, the Spell also ends. When the Spell ends, the target will know they have been Charmed by the Spellcaster.

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When To Use Fast Friends

The idea of using Fast Friends is the implication that users have already skedaddled by the time the Spell ends, similar to a comedy skit. Conversely, players can use this opportunity to manipulate a potentially hostile target to actually “consider” whatever terms the characters are telling them, which can help them get out of sticky situations. When used intelligently, that hour-long duration could get players confidential information, or get characters inside heavily guarded areas that could otherwise result in a confrontation.

29 Sanctuary

1st-Level Abjuration

When high-intensity situations in fights in Dungeons & Dragons lead to a fatal attack missing a player character, the table might declare it as an act of divine intervention. Humor aside, this is precisely what Sanctuary enables a Spellcaster to do for their allies. When cast, Sanctuary practically “wards” the target against attacks.

Throughout its duration, creatures that try to attack the target in Sanctuary - whether through a Spell or a standard attack - must first succeed a WIS Save. Failing the Save will force the target to lose their Attack or choose another applicable target. Players should note that the Spell doesn’t necessarily protect the target from AOEs, such as Fireball. The Spell ends when the warded target attacks, deals damage to another creature or casts a Spell that affects the enemy.

When To Use Sanctuary

Somewhat an alternative to Shield, Sanctuary can become a saving grace for those who possess it and manage to cast it in emergencies. Since this is a Bonus Action, the Spellcaster can essentially still attack before whipping out Sanctuary for added defensive measures until the start of their next turn. Since this is a 1st-Level Spell that doesn’t need Concentration, a frontline specialist like the Paladin can get this Spell as part of the Magic Initiate: Cleric Feat and protect party members in critical condition.

28 True Resurrection

9th-Level Necromancy

While similar in wording to the original 7th-Level Resurrection Spell, players who become a powerful enough Spellcaster to use True Resurrection (9th-Level Necromancy) will meet the pinnacle of bringing someone to life. As long as their target hasn’t been dead for more than 200 years and their soul is willing, the target may be restored to life with their body intact - complete with restored missing organs and limbs and closed mortal wounds.

From this point of view, True Resurrection already trumps its 7th-Level Dungeons & Dragons Spell counterpart, had it not been for its incredibly high Spell Level. As a 9th-Level Spell, and with most D&D Spells only reaching 5th-Level, it’s likely that only an NPC or an incredible boon would grant players access to True Resurrection, which means it’s advised they use this Spell very carefully.

When To Use True Resurrection

The extreme technical and demanding nature of True Resurrection means it’s only to be used in the most extreme of emergencies. In situations where traditional Resurrection won’t be effective in bringing back a comrade or a relevant member of the story, players may opt to spend their hard-earned Spell Slot on True Resurrection instead. The tricky nature of the Spell may come with caveats from the Dungeon Master, so players may need to anticipate a hefty consequence or even haggle with the DM before using such a Spell.

27 Temple Of The Gods

7th-Level Conjuration

A Cleric in Dungeons & Dragons might say that their existence alone implies the presence of the deity they’re worshipping, that anywhere can be a temple to a deity for as long as its denizens are willing to make it a place of worship. With Temple of the Gods (7th-Level Conjuration), this becomes a reality. A powerful enough Cleric only needs an unoccupied cube to create a Temple (both in the real and astral plane) for their deity, with all details based on the Cleric’s specifications.

Perhaps more impressive are the things Clerics can do with those inside their Temple. Clerics can decide that certain types of creatures can’t enter the Temple, lest they make a CHA Save that can hinder them from entering the Temple, or do so with a d4 Penalty to all their checks. Friendlies in the Temple also gain bonuses equal to the Cleric’s WIS Mod whenever they regain Hit Points from at least a 1st-Level Spell.

When To Use Temple Of The Gods

The expensive nature of the Spell does emphasize a case of whether this is more worthwhile compared to upcasting a more instantaneous Spell. This Spell practically transforms an abode into a divine sanctuary, making this a must-cast for characters expecting to enjoy longer downtimes or taking up residence in an area for an extended period of time. As such, Temple of the Gods can become a practical daily investment for parties who are staying in hub worlds, traveling settlements, or in areas where they expect to spend a few sessions solving a crisis or two.

26 Mass Heal

7th-Level Conjuration

At higher-level play, healing abilities can become invaluable due to the damage output of enemies against the players and their allies. For Clerics, who start to get access to more powerful Dungeons & Dragons abilities at these levels, the capability of using Heal across multiple targets can be quite convenient when fighting sub-boss or boss-level characters. This is the need that Mass Heal (7th-Level Conjuration) fulfills, as the Cleric using the Spell is imbued with healing energy to heal 700 Hit Points across all creatures they can see.

In the case of emergencies, the Cleric can dump Mass Heal on their entire party to reset their Hit Points to possibly overcome an impossible situation. Should players have allies, Mass Heal could also get everyone to near-optimal condition, extending the abilities of everyone else to contribute to a difficult fight.

When To Use Mass Heal

Heal in itself is already an expensively higher-level Spell that may compete with other lower-level healing abilities in the case of an emergency. However, in dire moments when most of the party members are almost down and Heal takes too long to apply to one party member at a time, Mass Heal could fill the gap - especially in extremely high-level play situations where such a recovery tool can turn the tide of battle. Given its exorbitant cost, it’s likely that players are only given a few chances to use this ability. As such, it may be more practical for players to save up their higher-level Spell Slots in situations where they know they may contend against a powerful boss, or even during the final few sessions against the BBEG.

25 Resurrection

7th-Level Necromancy

When it comes to the actions a player can take in Dungeons & Dragons, only Resurrection (7th-Level Necromancy) and True Resurrection are the Spells capable of bringing someone back to life. In the case of the lower-level Resurrection, players not only need a coveted 7th-Level Spell Slot but also an expensive 1,000 GP-cost Diamond to trade for the life of the ally they are hoping to bring (back) to life. This may be worthwhile for the right target, as not only does this Spell restore missing body parts, but it also cures poisons and normal diseases.

The imperfect nature of the Spell comes with its caveats, such as the inability to cure magical diseases, and even provides -4 to all rolls until the target finishes four (4) Long Rests. The caster also gets Disadvantage on rolls and can’t cast Spells until they take a Long Rest, making Resurrection tricky to accomplish in dangerous situations.

When To Use Resurrection

As one of the few Spells in the game that can offer a viable means of bringing allies back to life, Resurrection is a must-have for Spellcasters who can learn it. Due to the time-intensive nature of revivals in D&D, it may be helpful for healers to not delay in using the Spell should an ally fall in extreme emergencies. After all, recovering a Spell Slot and expended resources is preferable compared to permanently losing an ally who has already become an integral part of the party, the story, and even the player character’s life.

24 Power Word Heal

9th-Level Evocation

Sometimes, all it takes for someone to recover completely is to bend the laws of physics itself to “force” healing onto a subject, and this is exactly what Power Word Heal (9th Level Evocation) does. The Spell transpires over the course of a single Action, with an instantaneous effect.

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The spellcaster needs only to touch the target (Verbal, Somatic Components) for a wave of energy to be released unto them. This energy will have the target regain all their Hitpoints and end any condition if it’s Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed, or Stunned. Likewise, using this on a prone creature can have them use their Reaction to stand up. However, this Spell doesn’t work on constructs or the undead.

When To Use Power Word Heal

On top of its full healing is the capacity to heal Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed, and Stunned; status conditions that not even Mass Heal can assuage. While Mass Heal can target more individuals and Foresight can target more status conditions, Power Word Heal is a perfect middle ground, especially when players are willing to use a 9th-Level Slot.