Wild Magic Table 5e D&D Guide

A D&D game is alive when the magic happens. It’s amazing and unpredictable. It makes the whole world feel alive and vital. 

It is one reason D&D classes can cast spells that are so much fun to play. The Wild Magic sorcerer is a particular subclass that exemplifies magic as unpredictable and wild.

A sorcerer is a person who has a sorcerous source, which is their origin. Wild Magic might be the origin of sorcerers with wild magic as their sorcerous source.

This could have been due to their exposure to raw magic. You could also be blessed by a powerful creature.

These sorcerers’ magic is often from unknown, wild, and unusual sources. They can sometimes leak into the world without the caster’s consent. 

They possess a class feature called Magic Surge. When a Wild Magic sorcerer casts a spell (not counting cantrips), additional wild effects can be unleashed that can help or hinder the party’s situation.

After a Wild Magic sorcerer casts a spell of 1st or higher at level 1, the DM may have the player roll a d20. 

If the roll of the player results in a 1, then they must roll a d100. The Wild Magic Surge Table’s next steps are determined by the roll’s outcome.

What is the Surge Wild Magic Table?

The Wild Magic Surge table contains a variety of effects. To determine whether a Wild Magic Surge occurs, roll a 1 on the d20. 

The result will be compared to the Wild Magic Surge Table. Below is the table. It is taken directly from the Player’s Handbook (page 103).

d100		d100
01-02	Roll on this table for each of your turns, and ignore this result on any subsequent rolls.	51-52	For the next minute, a spectral shield hovers close to you. It grants you a +2 bonus on AC and immunity against Magic Missile.
03-04	If you have a line to it, you can see any invisible creature within a matter of seconds.	53-54	For the next 5d6 days, you are not likely to become intoxicated by alcohol.
05-06	A modron that has been selected and controlled by the DM is placed in an unoccupied space within 5ft of you. It then disappears 1 minute later.	55-56	Hair falls out, but it grows back in 24 hours.
07-08	Fireball is a 3rd-level spell that you can cast centered on yourself.	57-58	In the next minute, every flammable object that you touch and isn’t being carried or worn by another creature will burst into flame.
09-10	Magic Missile is a 5th-level spell.	59-60	You can regain the lowest-level expended slot for spells.
11-12	Roll a 10 Roll a d10. Your height will change by several inches. You shrink if the roll is uneven. You grow if the roll is even.	61-62	You must shout the next minute.
13-14	Cast Confusion on Yourself.	63-64	Fog Cloud is cast-centered around you.
15-16	You will regain 5 hit points each time you start a turn in the next minute.	65-66	You can inflict 4d10 lightning damage to up to three creatures within 30 feet of your location.
17-18	A long, feathered beard grows until you sneeze. At that point, the feathers explode from your face.	67-68	You are scared by the closest creature until your next turn.
19-20	Cast Grease on yourself.	69-70	For the next minute, any creature within 30 feet becomes invisible to you. When a creature attacks or casts spells, invisibility ceases.
21-22	Creatures are unable to save against the next spell that requires a saving throw.	71-72	For the next minute, you gain resistance to any damage
23-24	Your skin will turn a vivid shade of blue. This effect can be ended by a Remove Curse spell.	73-74	For 1d4 hours, poison is administered to any random creature located within 60 feet of your location.
25-26	For the next minute, an eye appears on your forehead. Wisdom (Perception), checks that depend on sight, can be performed during that time.	75-76	For the next minute, you will glow brightly within a radius of 30 feet. You blind any creature within 5 feet of your turn until it ends.
27-28	All spells that have a casting action of 1 will now have a bonus casting time of 1.	77-78	You cast Polymorph on yourself. You can turn into a sheep for the duration of the spell if you fail to make the saving throw.
29-30	Teleport up to 60 feet and you will be able to see an unoccupied space.	79-80	For the next minute, illusory butterflies or flower petals will flutter in your vicinity within 10 feet.
31-32	You are transported to Astral Plane until your next turn. After that, you return to the area you occupied previously or to the nearest unoccupied space if it is occupied.	81-82	You can also take additional action right away.
33-34	Maximize the damage from the next damaging spell that you cast in the next minute.	83-84	Every creature within 30 feet takes 1d10 necrotic injury. Hitpoints equal to the amount of necrotic damage taken are refunded.
35-36	Roll a 10. Roll a d10. Your age changes by several decades. You get older if the roll is not even (minimum one year). You get older if the roll is even.	85-86	Mirror Image can be cast
37-38	1d6 flumphs controlled from the DM appear within 60 feet of your location and are scared of you. They disappear after one minute.	87-88	Fly is cast on any random creature located within 60 feet of your location.
39-40	You regain 2d10 hit points.	89-90	For the next minute, you become invisible. Other creatures cannot hear you during that time. If you cast a spell or attack, the invisibility ceases.
41-42	You become a potted flower until your next turn. You are a potted plant and you are incapable. Your pot will burst if you reach 0 hit points.	91-92	You instantly come back to life if you die in the next minute.
43-44	Teleporting up to 20 feet is a bonus action that you can perform on every turn.	93-94	For every minute, your size will increase by one category.
45-46	You can cast Levitate upon yourself.	95-96	All creatures and people within 30 feet of your body are vulnerable to piercing damage.
47-48	The DM controls a unicorn that appears within 5 feet of your body and then disappears one minute later.	97-98	For the next minute, you are surrounded by faint, ethereal sounds.
49-50	For the next minute, you can’t talk. Pink bubbles will float out your mouth whenever you try.	99-00	All sorcery points you have spent are returned to you.

Many of these effects only last for one minute. A whole minute is 10 rounds if you’re in combat. 

This means that the effect will remain active for 10 rounds. Metamagic, a third-level sorcerer feature, will not affect the effect if it is a spell. 

The spell won’t require concentration if it is not required. It will continue for its full duration. 

A spell slot will not be expended if an effect casts a spell.

Which effects in the Wild Magic Table cast spells?

The table contains nine effects that allow you to cast spells.

d100	Spell cast	Spell level	Target	Does it focus on you?
7-8	Fireball	3	All animals, including you	Yes
9-10	Magic Missile	5	You have the option	No
13-14	Confusion	N/A	All animals, including you	Yes
19-20	Grease	N/A	All animals, including you	Yes
45-46	Levitate	N/A	You	No
63-64	Fog Cloud	N/A	N/A	Yes
77-78	Polymorph	N/A	You (If your saving throw fails, you will turn into a sheep).	No
85-86	Mirror Image	N/A	N/A	No
87-88	Fly	N/A	You can find a random creature within 60 feet of you	No

Which effects in the Wild Magic Table summon creatures?

Only three effects can be used to summon creatures into an unoccupied area near you. 

These creatures all disappear within a minute and can be controlled by the DM.

d100	Creature summoned	Distance to the summoned creature
5-6	Modron	You are within 5 feet
37-38	1d6 Flumphs	You are within 60 feet
47-48	Unicorn	You are within 5 feet

Which effects in the Wild Magic Table are useful?

Although the term “useful”, is subjective, let’s use it to describe useful effects:

• Enemies are damaged by these effects
• You or your friends can feel the effects
• You don’t need to be hurt by these effects

Below is a list of the effects that have met these criteria, along with an explanation as to why they are so.

d100		Why it’s useful
3-4	For one minute, observe invisible creatures in your line of vision	This is especially useful when fighting invisible enemies. It is no longer necessary to know their exact location and it does not affect your attack roll.
9-10	Cast the 5-level Magic Missile spell.	Seven projectiles can be fired that is non-stop and deal 1d4 + 1 force injury each. It would average 24 to 25 force damages if it was targeted at a single foe. You can also choose the targets for each dart.
15-16	You will regain 5 hit points each time you start a turn in the next minute.	This is especially useful when you’re low on health. This would give you 50 HP which can be recovered. You cannot increase your maximum HP.
21-22	If a spell you cast is dependent on a saving throw within the next minute, the target suffers from a disadvantage in the saving throw.	Your enemies are less likely to save against your spells than you, which makes them more likely to get hit.
25-26	After a minute, you can grow another eye on the forehead. This eye gives you an advantage in Wisdom (Perception), checks that require sight.	Wisdom (Perception) checks that require sight are an advantage. This makes it extremely useful for searching for someone or something in an area.
27-28	In the next minute, spells with a casting time of 1 during combat will be replaced by 1 bonus action.	This allows you to cast spells while simultaneously performing other actions, such as an attack or cantrip.
29-30	Teleport to an unoccupied area within 60 feet of you.	Teleporting can help you get out of danger, such as a large group of enemies coming at you or a boulder heading straight for you.
33-34	You can do the most damage to any damaging spell that you cast in the next minute.	Maximum damage can be extremely helpful in bringing down difficult foes. A Fireball spell would do 48 fire damage. This is because it uses the maximum 8d6.
39-40	Heal by 2d10 HP	On average, healing 2d10 HP would heal you by 11HP
43-44	As a bonus action, you can teleport to 20 feet within the next minute.	Another benefit is teleportation. This bonus action allows you to attack or cast spells and then teleport.
51-52	The spectral shield appears and gives you a +2 bonus to your AC as well as immunity against Magic Missile.	Your AC bonus means you are less likely to be hit by enemies. You are also immune to Magic Missile, which is a spell that shoots projectiles that usually never miss.
59-60	You can regain an expended slot for spells with the lowest level.	Casters find it extremely helpful to regain an expended slot in their spellcasting toolbox.
65-66	You can choose up to 3 creatures within 30 feet of you. Each takes 4d10 lightning damage.	This spell allows you to control who you can cause damage to. You can do more damage in combat without accidentally killing your fellow fighters.
71-72	In the next minute, you will be immune to all damage.	All damage is negligible, so any damage that you take will be halved. If you get hit with a Fireball spell that deals 28 fire damage, and you fail to make the saving throw, then you will only take 14 fire damage. You would only have taken 7 fire damage if you had made the saving throw. That’s impressive!
81-82	Take immediate action.	You can gain one more action during your turn. This can be a huge help in many ways. You can attack again, cast a spell, or do other things that would normally cost you 1 action.
85-86	Cast the Mirror Image spell.	Mirror Image is useful because a creature that attempts to attack you will attack an illusionary duplicate of yours. This spell makes you less of an aggressor.
91-92	If you die in the next minute, immediately revive according to the Reincarnate spell rules.	You can cheat death! If you die in the next minute, there is no need to roll a Death Save. The DM can create a random body or select a form. However, you can convince the DM if you wish to keep your current body.
99-00	All your sorcery points are back.	You can use all your sorcery points to create spell slots using the Flexible Casting feature or to use a Metamagic option via the Metamagic feature.

Which effects in the Wild Magic Table are harmful?

Harmful effects are those effects that have the opposite definition to the useful effects, as described in the section preceding. 

Are they harmful to you or your friends? Boost your opponents? This is a list with explanations of the effects that have been deemed to be effective.

d100		Why it is dangerous
7-8	Cast a 3 rd-level Fireball magic centered on you.	Every person within 20 feet of you is hit, whether they are friends or foes. You are also hit. This spell is extremely deadly, especially at lower levels.
13-14	Cast the Confusion spell on yourself.	This is a serious effect unless you have a high Wisdom saving throw to prevent it. This is similar to the Fireball and affects you as well as anyone within 10 feet of you. Confusion can have a variety of effects. It can make it difficult to move in certain directions or not be able to act.
41-42	Transform into a potted plant. You are incapable and vulnerable to all kinds of damage. Your form will revert to normal when it is your next turn, or your HP drops below 0.	Combat is dangerous because you can become incapacitated or vulnerable to all kinds of damage. Additionally, you cannot make any actions or react to anything and take double damage! This will last only until your next turn.
67-68	You become scared of the closest creature until the end of your next turn.	Frightened is a condition that you are unable to make attack rolls or ability checks while the creature is in your sight. This can make it less likely that you will be able to perform your actions correctly or land a successful blow. You cannot also refuse to move closer to this creature.
77-78	If you fail the saving throw, cast the Polymorph spell and transform yourself into a sheep.	You can transform into a sheep by using the polymorph spell. This will give you the sheep’s stats, including its HP. Sheep have low stats with an Intelligence modifier (-4) and a Wisdom modifier (-3). Low HP is also a characteristic of sheep, with a 1d8 average or 4.

Other effects that are not considered useful or harmful, but which have a variable utility depending on the circumstances, cannot be classified as such. 

Rolling an 83 or 84 does damage to any creature within 30 feet of you. 

This is great for enemies but it can be devastating for allies.

FAQ