Skip to main content

Simulacrum

Illusion
Level: 7th-level
Casting Time: 12 hours
Range: Touch
Duration: Until dispelled
Components: V, S, M
Materials: Snow or ice in quantities sufficient to made a life-size copy of the duplicated creature; some hair, fingernail clippings, or other piece of that creature's body placed inside the snow or ice; and powdered ruby worth 1,500 gp, sprinkled over the duplicate and consumed by the spell.

You shape an illusory duplicate of one beast or humanoid that is within range for the entire casting time of the spell. The duplicate is a creature, partially real and formed from ice or snow, and it can take actions and otherwise be affected as a normal creature. It appears to be the same as the original, but it has half the creature's hit point maximum and is formed without any equipment. Otherwise, the illusion uses all the statistics of the creature it duplicates. The simulacrum is friendly to you and creatures you designate. It obeys your spoken commands, moving and acting in accordance with your wishes and acting on your turn in combat. The simulacrum lacks the ability to learn or become more powerful, so it never increases its level or other abilities, nor can it regain expended spell slots. If the simulacrum is damaged, you can repair it in an alchemical laboratory, using rare herbs and minerals worth 100 gp per hit point it regains. The simulacrum lasts until it drops to 0 hit points, at which point it reverts to snow and melts instantly. If you cast this spell again, any currently active duplicates you created with this spell are instantly destroyed.

Spell Details

School: Illusion
Level: 7
Ritual: No
Concentration: No
Classes: Wizard
S-Tier Creates a permanent duplicate with full capabilities for infiltration, reconnaissance, and combat support with minimal resource investment after casting.

Player Guide

Use Simulacrum to create a duplicate of yourself or an ally to scout dangerous areas, infiltrate enemy positions, or double your combat effectiveness. The duplicate shares your statistics and abilities but lacks your spell slots, making it ideal for melee-focused characters or as a sacrificial tank. Position the simulacrum in secondary roles while you maintain your resources, and leverage the duplicate's independence to split the party's efforts tactically.

DM Tips

Clarify with players whether simulacrums can cast spells requiring their spell slots before the game begins, as this dramatically affects balance. Consider that permanent duplicates can trivialize social encounters and reconnaissance, so design encounters accounting for split-party tactics.

Related Spells