Spell Spotlight is a series where we do a deep dive into some of Dungeons & Dragons' most interesting, useful, and complex spells. With the 2024 Player's Handbook, spells are seeing some key changes and additions. Today, we're serving up a hot pot of potions for the adventuring party on the go with Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron, a brand-new spell from one of D&D's most famous mages. There's no need to double, double, toil, or trouble when you can just conjure up the potions you need in just a few seconds.

So, grab your gilded ladles and prepare your pockets for some potions because Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron is a-brewing.

• What Does Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron Do?
• Who Can Cast Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron?
• Why We Love Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron

What Does Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron Do?

Artist: LINDA LITHEN

When you cast this level 6 Conjuration spell, a claw-footed cauldron appears in an unoccupied space on the ground within 5 feet of you. The cauldron is filled with a bubbling liquid that duplicates the properties of a Common or Uncommon potion of your choice, such as a Potion of Healing. The cauldron cannot be moved, and it lasts for the spell's duration, which is 10 minutes.

The cauldron produces a number of the chosen potion equal to the caster's spellcasting ability modifier (minimum 1). While the cauldron has potions remaining, you or an ally can use a Bonus Action to reach into the cauldron and withdraw one potion of that kind.

Don't worry. You don't need to carry around a collection of rinsed-out potion bottles; the potion you pull out is contained in a vial and disappears when the potion is consumed. So these potions are no muss, no fuss! Potions created by Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron last until they are consumed or until you cast this spell again.

The spell ends and the cauldron disappears when the last of these potions have been pulled from it or after the spell's 10-minute duration ends. It's also important to note that Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron has a costly Material component, a gilded ladle worth 500+ GP, but this component is not consumed by the spell.

Who Can Cast Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron?

This level 6 spell is on the Wizard and Warlock spell list. Warlocks can gain access to Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron via their Mystic Arcanum feature at level 11. If you select Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron as your arcanum spell, you can cast it once per Long Rest without expending a spell slot. Warlocks can also replace one of their arcanum spells with another Warlock spell of the same level when they level up. So, if you choose to take something else at level 11, you can always switch it out later if you change your mind.

Bards can also choose to take Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron as part of their Magical Secrets feature since it is part of the Wizard's spell list. With the 2024 Player's Handbook, when a Bard reaches level 10, the revised Magical Secrets feature allows them to choose any of their new prepared spells from the Bard, Cleric, Druid, and Wizard spell lists, and the chosen spells count as Bard spells.

They get to do this whenever they reach a Bard level and the Prepared Spells number in the Bard Features table increases. So, since Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron is a level 6 spell, your Bard could select it as a prepared spell at Bard level 11 when level 6 spell slots become available.

Something to note for Bards and Wizards is that upcasting the spell using a level 7+ slot doesn't change the spell's effects. So, if you think you'll need some extra healing or utility in the form of some potions, I would keep a level 6 spell handy so you're not wasting additional resources.

Why We Love Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron

Artist: Conceptopolis

Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron is a fitting spell to attribute to one of D&D's most infamous witches, Tasha. This iconic character, raised in the world of Greyhawk by Baba Yaga, is as renowned for her potion-making as she is for her hideous laughter. So there's a lot to appreciate about her newest namesake spell.

Utility Spell

There are many fun spells in D&D designed to deal damage, but we love seeing functional and fun-to-use spells that are more prominently pacifistic. It's pretty rare to find an adventuring party who has no use for potions, and it sometimes can feel even rarer to find a potions shop that's readily available when you need one. With Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron, you'll be able to access a fresh supply of potions even if you're camped out on the side of a mountain, days into your journey towards a villain's lair.

Cost Effective

A Common Potion of Healing costs 50 GP. With Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron, your initial buy-in cost is at least 500 GP for the gilded ladle needed for the spell's Material components. If your spellcasting ability modifier is +5, you would only need to cast Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron twice to break even on the investment. And that's just for a Common rarity Potion of Healing.

With Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron, you can create Uncommon potions as well, so a batch of Potions of Healing (greater) would quickly make the gilded ladle more than pay for itself. Think of your gilded ladle as a magical 3D printer for potions.

Supplemental to Healers

A great thing about Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron is it allows Warlocks and Wizards to lend your party's healer a bit of aid. You could take a moment before entering into a dangerous area or pause after a Short Rest to cast Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron before resuming your dungeon crawl. This would ensure that several party members have Potions of Healing at the ready so your healers can save multiple spell slots until they're necessary to use.

An Ocean of Potions Options

We've focused a lot on the Potion of Healing since it is a commonly used and sought-after potion in D&D, as well as being the potion that is referred to by the spell. But there are a lot of other Common and Uncommon potions to choose from for your Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron.

You could conjure up a batch of Potions of Water Breathing for your party before a big undersea quest. A cauldron full of Potion of Comprehension could ensure your entire party can speak, read, and hear a needed language during an important diplomacy scene. Or if you know a big battle is coming up, a Potion of Giant Strength (Hill) is Uncommon and will bump everyone who drinks its Strength score up to 21.

A Great Spell for Preppers

One of the best benefits of Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron is the longevity of the spell's creations. Since the potions last until they are consumed or you cast the spell again, this is a spell that rewards you for thinking ahead and preparing accordingly. If you have an available spell slot or Mystic Arcanum use prior to taking a Long Rest, you can cast Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron before your party rests for the evening. Then, you'll have a batch of potions available when you wake up with your full assortment of spell slots.

Now We're Cooking!

Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron is one of several brand-new spells found in the 2024 Player's Handbook that bring a wide variety of potential effects to your game. This interesting spell pays homage to D&D's history, serving as a call out to the legendary witch Tasha, while also adding something entirely new to the mix. So when you're ready, be sure to reach into Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron and pull out a vial for yourself!

Riley Silverman (@rileyjsilverman) is a contributing writer to D&D Beyond, Nerdist, and SYFY Wire. She DMs the Theros-set Dice Ex Machina for the Saving Throw Show, and has been a player on the Wizards of the Coast-sponsored The Broken Pact. Riley also played as Braga in the official tabletop adaptation of the Rat Queens comic for HyperRPG, and currently plays as The Doctor on the Doctor Who RPG podcast The Game of Rassilon. She currently lives in Los Angeles.