Level
Cantrip
Casting Time
1 Action
Range/Area
60 ft
(5 ft )
Components
V, S
Duration
Concentration
1 Minute
School
Conjuration
Attack/Save
DEX Save
Damage/Effect
Fire
You create a bonfire on ground that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, the magic bonfire fills a 5-foot cube. Any creature in the bonfire’s space when you cast the spell must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 fire damage. A creature must also make the saving throw when it moves into the bonfire’s space for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.
The bonfire ignites flammable objects in its area that aren’t being worn or carried.
The spell’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).
You cast it on the ground :) So you can still cast it on the enemy's location with no need to fool with the wood chip trick.
Does anyone know how much light this would give off?
Same question. No light here? A 5x5x5 flame would put out a lot of light. Bonfires can be used as signals. Ever see LoTR? I would expect if you cast this in a dark space it would light up something. It’s got to be at least as bright as a torch doesn’t it?
Ouch!
I don't think there's an official answer to this and there are several different ways to determine how spellcasting works on a grid. However, under the "Using a Template" rules for spell casting on a grid in Xanathar's Guide a bonfire can overlap, and therefore target, up to 4 adjacent squares.
Xanathar's Guide: Spellcasting: Areas of Effect on a Grid: Using a Template. To use an area-of-effect template, apply it to the grid. If the terrain is flat, you can lay it on the surface; otherwise, hold the template above the surface and take note of which squares it covers or partially covers. If any part of a square is under the template, that square is included in the area of effect. If a creature’s miniature is in an affected square, that creature is in the area. Being adjacent to the edge of the template isn’t enough for a square to be included in the area of effect; the square must be entirely or partly covered by the template.
JC has confirmed that cloud of daggers, which also effects a 5ft cube, can target more than one square depending on how it is placed. The rule that an AOE has to fill half a square for creatures within to be effected only applies to circular AOEs.
Given the concentration requirement and the fact that the continuing damage doesn't tick until the end of the target's round I don't think it's OP to let this target 4 squares (although there's probably some build that could abuse it). That being said it still feels weird to me for a square to be effected when only very slightly covered and I've been ruling that create bonfire can only target two adjacent squares. I don't think it's made a significant difference as it's rare to have enemies grouped up in such a way that they'd be able to target more than 2 regardless.
I made an account specifically to say, there is absolutely no reason you can't affect a maximum of 4 medium, or even large sized creatures with this spell. So long as all four are directly adjacent to each other, effectively forming a square, you can center the effect of the bonfire between them, causing each of them to make a saving throw.
Emphasis is mine. It doesn't mention a requirement of centering its effect on a creature, and it directly states you get to choose where the effect goes. It works the exact same as firing a lightning bolt between two creatures, or any spell like that. So, as it stands, this spell is criminally under-rated. A maximum of 4d8(or even more if there are small or tiny creatures packed into a small space) at level 1.
Why doesn’t this description include info about light though? There’s no way this doesn’t give off light. It’s not even like the light would only last a little bit. You can sustain this for up to a minute.
Works well with a level 6+ Evocation Wizard’s Potent Cantrip. Even if they make the saving throw they’ll still take half damage, and the fact that successful saves prevent secondary effects doesn’t hurt this since it has no secondary effect.
Note that Potent Cantrip applies to all Cantrips that deal damage with saving throws.
no, you would need control flames for shapes, though it would be up to the gm if they would allow it anyway
Exelent to annoy the heck out of a white dragon I might add!
If at sea, is it possible to cast this from one boat to another? ( if in range.)
I don't see why anyone couldn't start a bonfire in another ship's sails (or blackpowder storage)
Also, RAW no heat or light from the bonfire but your DM would have to be pretty stubborn to enforce this.
I'd let my players use it out of combat in a similar way, they'd just have to provide some kindling and I'd improvise the timing depending on how much kindling and what kind is used.
everyone who keeps coming here without reading the rules
a torch gives off 20 foot radius light and one of the lanterns goes up to 60 feet
in the basic rules about vision and light: Bright light lets most creatures see normally. Even gloomy days provide bright light, as do torches, lanterns, fires, and other sources of illumination within a specific radius.
so yeah this illuminates min 20 feet radius if your DM is being a weenie but you could and should argue that it would go further
RAW you can only cast it on the ground (and only on a spot that you can see).
Most DMs will interpret this to mean that you can cast it on the floor as well, even when the floor isn't the ground. If you want to cast it on top of objects, that's when you'll have a harder time convincing the DM to allow it.
Can I just ask anyone got a flask of oil or two handy????
Can you temporary modify this so it doesn't require concentration? The bonfire would only last for 1 round before dissapating. Maybe even instantaneously.
Duhhh! It's a bonfire!
Is this literally "Hey, let's spawn a bonfire underneath an npc/player." for a spell?
I don't see why it needs to be used out of combat. This is a combat damage and control cantrip. It's no more meant for camping than the fire bolt spell is. That said, there are most definitely creative out of combat uses for it. :)