5 New D&D Spells From Arcana Unleashed That Are Perfect For Your Next Character

Arcana Unleashed marks the latest gameplay expansion for Dungeons and Dragons, creating new adventures and character options for players to explore. This book focuses almost entirely on magic, so it makes sense that it would include a number of brand-new spells for players to learn when making certain heroes. Whether you’re creating a Wizard, Warlock, Druid, Sorcerer, Cleric, or other class of character that uses magic in some way, these spells can be an excellent way to build a diverse and powerful figure.

Spells are oftentimes the ultimate way of creating utility or variety within a character, even if it isn’t the core part of what they can do in combat. Arcana Unleashed has expanded upon 2024’s re-wordings of spells from when the game shifted from base 5th Edition rules to its 5.5e version, turning classic magical abilities into more something more focused. The new spells in the newest expansion has fresh innovations on what players might expect, playing around the overhauled mechanics of the TTRPG in fun ways.

5. Aura of Evasion

Although maybe not as practical as some other magic as a Level 7 spell, Aura of Evasion is perfect for a party that lacks in Dexterity going up against the more explosive threats in the game. This magic requires a spellcaster’s full Concentration, but as they maintain this magic, all allies within 30 feet of the wielder gain Advantage on their Dexterity saving throws. This can protect your party from Fireball blasts, different types of dragon breath, and so many more AoE abilities found in D&D.

However, the true benefit of this spell comes from when those Dexterity saving throws are made. When a creature in this spell’s aura succeeds a Dexterity saving throw from the magic’s benefit, it doesn’t take any damage from whatever ability or magic it had to save against. This can turn many AoE effects, which typically deal half damage even if you do succeed against them, into something harmless. D&D has many different enemies who force Dexterity saving throws, so giving everyone Evasion can pacify some of the most dangerous abilities in the game.

No matter what level, having Aura of Evasion from a Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard can make up for a big weakness in your party. Evasion itself is usually an ability only Rogue characters get as they Level up, so being able to share this unique trait is good if there isn’t a Rogue in your party. There are many different high-level spells in Arcana Unleashed that have a similar niche to Aura of Evasion, turning many into personal preference depending on your party synergy and individual character build.

4. Distorted Distance

Distorted Distance is a Level 4 Illusion spell, expanding upon a school of magic often underrepresented in D&D. Instead of the standard Minor Illusion or Invisibility, this spell is meant to deal greater damage to foes through Illusion magic, while providing a buff to allies at the same time. This spell also requires the Concentration of whatever Artificer, Bard, Warlock, or Wizard casts it, meaning it can go away if that character takes too much damage. With a staggering range of 120 feet, this spell starts by creating an illusory spacial dilation, changing what enemies and friends see.

The Distorted Distance spell is enforced in a 60ft sphere centered on a point in range that you choose, immediately affecting anyone caught within it. Players who cast the spell get to choose one of two effects from the spell to apply to each creature, including:

• Dizzying Elongation – The creature makes an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d10 Psychic damage, and the Sphere is difficult terrain for it until the end of its next turn.
• Shortened Space – The creature’s Speed increases by 20ft until the end of the creature’s next turn.

Even if a passed Intelligence save prevents a creature from being inflicted with Distorted Distance’s negative effect, the positive buff from this magic is incredibly strong. Adding +20ft to movement speed can help allies close the distance on a boss, or chase down a fleeing enemy the party needs to capture. Simply put, this spell has a great amount of utility, especially since it activates whenever a creature enters the Sphere’s space or ends its turn there. Creatures can only be affected by whatever effect you choose once per turn, but that consistency saves spell slots in the long run.

3. Grave Ground

The school of Necromancy gained a ton of new spells in Arcana Unleashed, from Festering Blast or Wail of the Banshee, to Negative Energy Flood that both adds more ways to deal Necrotic damage to foes. However, while many players are talking about the powerful Spirit Lantern spell that gives characters an artifact that heals undead and sucks vitality from enemies, Grave Ground is perhaps the most impressive Necromancy spell in the book. A Level 5 spell, this magic can be used by Clerics, Warlocks, or Wizards.

This spell takes Concentration to use, but also has a 120ft range much like Distorted Distance. When you cast this magic, you create four 10ft square areas on the battlefield where skeletal hands burst from the ground to grab at enemies, turning the ground into Difficult Terrain in the process. The squares from Grave Ground must be touching, and force any enemy in their area to make a Strength saving throw. Strength saves are usually reserved for combatants who grapple targets or monsters who can overpower a D&D party, making this a rare effect for players to use.

On a failed save, enemies take a whopping 6d6 Necrotic damage, dealing slightly less damage than other Level 5 spells, such as Cone of Cold or Destructive Wave. However, the biggest benefit from this spell comes from its secondary effect, which forces enemies who failed the saving throw to subtract 1d6 from its damage rolls until the end of its next turn. All enemies also make this save if they enter or end their turns within any of the Grave Ground areas. With damage of the spell increasing if cast at higher Levels, this magic is great for hindering enemies.

2. Battle Familiar

Familiars are a big, yet almost hidden, part of Arcana Unleashed‘s expansion to what D&D players consider “traditional” magic. This is made apparent with the Level 2 Conjuration spell Battle Familiar found in the book, which gives Druid, Warlock, or Wizard players the ability to summon a companion if they have the right materials. This summon lasts for one hour, but unlike the spectral Find Familiar spell, this magical creature is built to aid you in battle. For smaller party sizes, a Battle Familiar can certainly even the odds.

Your Battle Familiar rolls its own Initiative and acts on its own turn, but disappears when it drops to 0 Hit Points. This creature’s stats are determined by what type of Familiar it is, as you can choose between a Celestial, Fey, or Fiend. Should you already have Find Familiar active, this spell simply transforms your existing companion into something stronger. Stacking Battle Familiar on top of Find Familiar gives your creature extra Temporary Hit Points too, almost giving you a way to customize your ally in several ways.

Casting this spell at higher Levels also improves a Battle Familiar’s stats, including their overall health, damage, and other traits. Investigating what types of Battle Familiar work best for certain combat situations is almost like a mini-game within D&D, especially if you’re a fan of Pokemon that this imitates. You can’t have more than one Familiar active at a time, but the creative choices surrounding this summoning magic are practically limitless.

1. Waves of Exhaustion

Probably one of the most unique spells in Arcana Unleashed is Waves of Exhaustion, another Level 5 Necromancy magic, yet acting as something far different than anything the game has had before. This spell is available to Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards, and requires Concentration after being cast rapidly as a Bonus Action. When used, this spell creates a nimbus of grey light around your character, enabling them to activate a new Magic action on any of their turns.

As a Magic action, players with Waves of Exhaustion activated can unleash a wave of energy in a 60ft cone in front of them, forcing any creatures in that area to succeed on a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, that creature takes one level of Exhaustion, a mechanic rarely used in D&D to determine the weariness of a character. Exhaustion in any form provides significant debuffs to characters afflicted by it, with six levels of Exhaustion resulting in instant death. No amount of death saving throws can save you if you reach the ultimate Exhaustion, making it deadly.

The spell itself can’t increase a creature’s Exhaustion level beyond 4, but even that will give a creature -8 to each of their d20 rolls, as well as a total -20ft movement speed to their character. Ending the spell restores these levels, but doing this to enemies might as well take them out of the fight in some cases. Since the spell only requires your Concentration to keep active, you can keep trying to apply it each turn, creating one of Dungeons and Dragons‘ most dangerous spells in the Arcana Unleashed expansion.

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