Disintegrate: I’ve Got to Powder My Foes
Spell Level: 6
School: Transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Duration: Instantaneous
Components: V S M (A lodestone and a pinch of dust)
A thin green ray springs from your pointing finger to a target that you can see within range. The target can be a creature, an object, or a creation of magical force, such as the wall created by Wall of Force.
A creature targeted by this spell must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 10d6 + 40 force damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, it is disintegrated.
A disintegrated creature and everything it is wearing and carrying, except magic items, are reduced to a pile of fine gray dust. The creature can be restored to life only by means of a true resurrection or a wish spell.
This spell automatically disintegrates a Large or smaller nonmagical object or a creation of magical force. If the target is a Huge or larger object or creation of force, this spell disintegrates a 10-foot-cube portion of it. A magic item is unaffected by this spell.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the damage increases by 3d6 for each slot level above 6th.
Review by Sam West, Twitter:@CrierKobold
Covered head to toe in ornate, twisted bones, the corrupted archdruid tilts their head to the side at the gnomish wizard, taunting her. Her face twists into an annoyed posture as she glances around at her friends, some bound in twisted, thorny vines, others thrown to the side unconscious, having fought valiantly to bring down the villain, but ultimately failing to deliver kill him through his regeneration and contingent revival spells. “From up here, it would seem you and your friends are defeated. The world will be purged of life to make way for the new life of death. You stand no- wait, what are you pointing for? Stop th-”
“DISINTEGRATE!” she screams, and in a flash the twisted druid erupts flames, only letting out a brief scream before burning to ash in the blink of an eye.
Disintegrate does what it says on the tin: it disintegrates. And it does so well. Most of the time when I reference a “save or die”, death isn’t actually what happens when the creature fails the save. In the case of Distengrate, which deals a glorious 10d6+40 (roughly 75) damage, it absolutely is a save or die.
D&D needs a highest single target damaging spell with no strings attached. That’s Disintegrate. If you want a 6th level spell that kills something so hard it can’t come back to life via most magic, Disintegrate does that. Another fun use is demolishing up to large objects with no check or save; see that cart? Not any more, DISINTEGRATE! That barricade keeping us out? DISINTEGRATE! I just want to walk around pointing at big things and turning them to ash, is that too much to ask for?
DIsintegrate has some niche out of combat exploration upside on an incredibly potent save or take a truck load. If they do save, you’re devastated, as this spell does nothing if they pass. If you’re cool with shooting your shot and risking it all, 75 average damage can absolutely be worth it.
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