The Best Teleportation Spells In DnD 5e

Movement is one of the three ‘actions’ players can take on their turn in Dungeons & Dragons. It’s also the most commonly forgotten action as it is admittedly often less impactful than a character’s bonus action and action. However, movement is an incredibly important resource that, when managed properly, can make the difference between life and death.

Nowhere is this more evident than through the use of teleportation. Teleportation can instantly place your character wherever you like on the battlefield and even get you out of detrimental conditions like restrained. Here are the best spells to do it.

10 Misty Step

The most commonly used method of teleportation by a long shot, this 2nd level conjuration spell transports your character up to 30 feet away to a space that they can see. Very importantly, this spell only costs a bonus action, allowing you to cast it and still make an attack, cast a cantrip, or otherwise use your action.

This is the best spell for getting a basic idea of just how useful teleportation can be. Movement-inhibiting effects like grappled and restrained are easily avoided with this spell, and terrain that would typically take multiple turns to pass through can be hurdled with the use of a single bonus action. If you don’t already think this is one of the best spells in the game, you haven’t used it enough.

9 Vortex Warp

This is Misty Step, but with the twist that you teleport another creature instead of yourself. Vortex Warp is a 2nd level conjuration spell that targets a creature within 90 feet of you and moves it to another space that’s also within 90 feet of you. A creature can resist this teleportation if they succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC.

While this spell can be used offensively to great effect, it still costs you an action, which makes it slightly less useful than Misty Step. Best uses for Vortex Warp include saving an ally from a dangerous spot, preventing an enemy from escaping, and teleporting enemies into dangerous areas of the battlefield.

8 Thunder Step

Teleport with an extra bit of panache. This 3rd level conjuration spell costs an action and teleports you and up to one ally no bigger than you 90 feet away. It also causes a thunderclap in the space you left behind, dealing 3d10 thunder damage to all creatures within ten feet of you or half as much damage on a successful Constitution save.

Unfortunately, the explosive sound this spell makes will alert everything that’s within 300 feet of you. Sometimes this won’t matter, but it can also be quite deadly to sound off a gong during a dungeon crawl, for example. The style points on this spell are undeniable; it’s just a question of whether they’re worth the potential cost.

7 Dimension Door

Teleporting double-digit distances is fine and good, but in certain circumstances, you really need to get out of dodge. Dimension Door is a great answer to these scenarios as it can teleport you 500 feet away to any space within range. You can also bring another creature no bigger than you along for the ride.

This 4th-level conjuration spell is a great use of your action when you need to make a quick escape. Granted, the remainder of your party will need to come up with an alternative method of running away. But that’s their problem to solve. Worst case, they keep the monsters occupied while you and your best friend run off with all of the treasure.

6 Steel Wind Strike

This underutilized 5th-level conjuration spell will bring your character as close to being an anime protagonist as is possible in Dungeons & Dragons. As an action, you make up to five melee spell attacks against five different creatures within 30 feet of you. Creatures hit by an attack take 6d10 force damage.

After casting the spell, you can teleport to a space within five feet of one of your targets. This spell has the opportunity to deal an absurd amount of damage, and it’s a particular favorite of Bladesinger Wizards. Unfortunately, not many other spellcasters are especially good at melee spell attacks with weapons. Perhaps that’s for the best, all things considered.

5 Transport Via Plants

Speaking of underused spells, Transport Via Plants is a Druid-only spell that did actually feature some playtime on the first season of Critical Role. As an action, this sixth-level spell creates a portal between two inanimate plants on the same plane of existence. The portal only lasts six seconds, but any creature can pass through it using their movement during this time.

Naturally, the biggest downfall of this spell is that you need to have seen the plants used to link the portal at least once before. However, you can get around this hurdle by using a Divination spell, like scrying on a creature that you know is currently located where you’re trying to go.

4 Word Of Recall

The cleric version of Transport Via Plants: Word of Recall allows you to teleport yourself and up to five other willing creatures to the hallowed ground of your deity. For this spell to work, you must first cast it in the location of your deity’s hallowed ground to set the recall sanctuary.

Thereafter, the spell will teleport you and other nearby creatures who wish to go with you back to the sanctuary you set. This is a useful, albeit predictable, method of teleportation. Don’t be surprised if a BBEG (Big Bad Evil Guy) catches wind of your party using this spell and sets up an ambush at the sanctuary of your choice.

3 Teleport

Now we’re talking. As this 7th-level spell’s name suggests, teleport can place you and up to eight other willing creatures anywhere you wish on the plane you’re currently located on. The catch is that this spell does have a chance of missing its intended target if you aren’t especially familiar with where you want to go.

Thankfully, you can avoid the unpredictability of this method of teleportation by either choosing a permanent circle as your destination or having an object with you taken from your desired destination in the last six months. It can be a lot more fun—and dangerous—to roll the dice and see where your party ends up. That’s one way to start a new adventure.

2 Plane Shift

Teleport is for moving on your own plane of existence. Plane Shift is the answer for moving to other planes. This 7th-level spell can also transport up to eight willing creatures. At higher levels of play, it’s not uncommon for adventuring parties to receive quests that require them to venture out of the material plane.

For example, the only way to dispose of a hideously evil magic item might be to toss it in the most violent of whirlpools found in the Elemental Plane of Water. Keep in mind when using this spell that other planes often offer unique challenges that you should certainly prepare for. You wouldn’t want to be caught in just a bathing suit during your journey to the Nine Hells.

You can also use this spell offensively to banish an enemy creature to a plane of your choice. Doing so requires a successful melee spell attack and a failed Charisma save from the target, though, so beware of monsters with legendary resistance.

1 Gate

The ultimate means of teleportation. Gate is a 9th-level spell that creates a portal between two exact spaces regardless of the distance or dimensions between them. The portal lasts for one minute. When you cast it, you can speak another creature’s name. If that creature is on another plane, the other side of the portal opens in front of them and draws them through.

There’s no save for this effect, so it’s guaranteed to work unless you’re specifically stopped by a deity or planar ruler. The multiverse at your fingertips: that’s gate in a nutshell. All things considered, this is definitely an easy way to draw the ire of extremely powerful beings. But what else is a 20th-level adventuring party supposed to do?