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Guidance

Divination
Level: Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Duration: Up to 1 minute
Components: V, S

You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to one ability check of its choice. It can roll the die before or after making the ability check. The spell then ends.

Concentration

Spell Details

School: Divination
Level: Cantrip
Ritual: No
Concentration: Yes
Classes: Cleric, Druid
S-Tier Guidance is one of the most powerful cantrips in D&D 5e due to its out-of-combat utility, lack of action economy penalty, and ability to turn failed checks into successes.

Player Guide

Cast Guidance before any non-combat ability check to give your party a +1 to +4 boost, dramatically increasing success rates on skill checks, saves, and initiative rolls. Since it requires only a bonus action to cast and lasts until used, you can maintain it on allies before entering negotiations, sneaking, or other critical moments. The flexibility of choosing when to apply the d4 roll—before or after the check is made—allows you to use it reactively, adding it only when a roll comes up short.

DM Tips

Guidance is a cantrip, so it's available at-will and outside the action economy—respect this and don't try to limit it unless the casting time genuinely conflicts with the narrative moment. Clarify with your table whether Guidance can be cast before a check is announced or only when the player declares they're attempting something, as this affects its tactical value significantly.