Thunderwave 5e: The Boom, Push, and Tactical Magic You Need to Master
Estimated reading time: 15 minutes
Key Takeaways
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- Thunderwave is a versatile 1st-level evocation spell with both damage and forced movement effects.
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- Understanding its area of effect and proper positioning is crucial for effective use.
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- Thunderwave scales with higher-level spell slots, maintaining its relevance throughout campaigns.
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- The spell offers numerous tactical applications, including crowd control and environmental manipulation.
- Proper use of Thunderwave can significantly enhance your gameplay and strategic options in combat.
Table of contents
Thunderwave 5e stands as one of the most iconic and versatile 1st-level spells in Dungeons & Dragons. With its thunderous boom and enemy-pushing capabilities, this evocation spell packs a powerful punch that can turn the tide of battle in an instant. Whether you’re a novice spellcaster or a seasoned arcane veteran, understanding the full potential of Thunderwave can elevate your gameplay and provide exciting tactical options when you need them most.
What Is Thunderwave in D&D 5e?
Thunderwave is a 1st-level evocation spell that creates a wave of thunderous force radiating from the caster. This spell has earned its reputation through a combination of respectable damage, forced movement, and an area-of-effect that makes it useful from the earliest levels of play all the way through high-level adventures.
According to D&D Beyond, Thunderwave is classified as follows:
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- Level: 1st
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- School: Evocation
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- Casting Time: 1 action
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- Range/Area: Self (15-foot cube)
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- Components: Verbal (V), Somatic (S)
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- Duration: Instantaneous
- Damage Type: Thunder
What makes Thunderwave particularly interesting is its dual effect of both damage and forced movement, something rarely found in low-level spells.
How Does Thunderwave Work?
The mechanics of Thunderwave are straightforward in concept but require careful understanding to use effectively. Let’s break down exactly how this spell functions in play.
Area of Effect and Positioning
One of the most misunderstood aspects of Thunderwave is its area of effect. According to both YouTube tutorials and rules clarifications, Thunderwave creates a 15-foot cube that originates from you—but importantly, you are not at the center of this cube.
Instead, the cube must have one side of its face adjacent to you, with you positioned at one of the cube’s faces. This means you’re essentially creating a 15×15×15 foot cube of thunderous energy that projects outward from your position. This positioning detail is crucial for tactical implementation and avoiding friendly fire.
Damage and Saving Throws
When you cast Thunderwave, each creature caught within the 15-foot cube must make a Constitution saving throw. The effects are:
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- Failed Save: The creature takes 2d8 thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you.
- Successful Save: The creature takes only half damage (1d8) and isn’t pushed at all.
This saving throw mechanic creates an interesting balance of risk and reward. The Constitution save targets one of the more common strong saves among monsters, making the full effect somewhat less reliable against certain enemy types—but when it works, the combination of damage and forced movement can be game-changing.
The Thunderous Boom
A distinctive feature of Thunderwave is the loud noise it creates. As detailed in multiple sources including this analysis, the spell produces a thunderous boom audible up to 300 feet away. This feature adds both flavor and tactical considerations:
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- It creates a vivid, cinematic moment in the game
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- It might alert nearby enemies to your presence
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- It can completely ruin stealth missions
- It could potentially trigger environmental effects like avalanches or cave-ins
This loud noise is not just flavor text—it’s a mechanical aspect of the spell that smart Dungeon Masters incorporate into their response to your casting.
Effects on Objects
Beyond affecting creatures, Thunderwave also interacts with the environment. According to the spell description on D&D Beyond, all unsecured objects in the area are also pushed 10 feet away from you.
This creates interesting possibilities:
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- Clearing debris from a pathway
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- Pushing away small barricades
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- Scattering a pile of treasure
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- Knocking over furniture to create difficult terrain
- Clearing a table of dishes and food (perfect for bar brawls!)
Casting at Higher Levels
Like many spells in D&D 5e, Thunderwave scales with spell slot level. When you cast Thunderwave using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each level above 1st.
This scaling looks like:
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- 1st level: 2d8 thunder damage
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- 2nd level: 3d8 thunder damage
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- 3rd level: 4d8 thunder damage
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- 4th level: 5d8 thunder damage
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- 5th level: 6d8 thunder damage
- And so on…
This scaling keeps Thunderwave relevant even at higher levels, especially when you need its pushing effect but want respectable damage as well.
Tactical Applications of Thunderwave
The true value of Thunderwave lies in its tactical versatility. Let’s explore some of the most effective ways to use this spell:
Creating Space
When surrounded by enemies, Thunderwave provides an immediate escape option. The 10-foot push effect can clear a path for retreat or reposition enemies into more favorable arrangements for your party.
Environmental Hazards
One of the most devastating applications of Thunderwave is pushing enemies into environmental hazards. As noted by tactical guides, positioning yourself near:
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- Cliff edges
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- Lava pits
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- Acid pools
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- Spike traps
- Deep water
…can turn a modest 2d8 damage spell into a potential instant-kill by using the environment to your advantage.
Breaking Grapples
When you or an ally is grappled, Thunderwave offers a powerful solution. The forced movement can break grapples since the grappler would be pushed away from you (provided they fail their saving throw).
Crowd Control
In narrow passages or doorways, Thunderwave can function as excellent crowd control, pushing back a line of advancing enemies and buying your party precious time to reposition or escape.
Knocking Flying Creatures Down
When fighting flying creatures at low altitude, a well-placed Thunderwave might not only damage them but potentially knock them to the ground if they’re pushed into a solid surface.
Who Can Cast Thunderwave?
Thunderwave appears on several class spell lists, making it a popular option for many spellcasters:
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- Bards: The versatile performers can use it to create spectacular effects during performances or to escape tight situations.
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- Druids: Nature’s caretakers can channel the sound of thunder itself, often thematically tying it to storm magic.
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- Sorcerers: With their innate magical abilities, sorcerers can cast Thunderwave with particular flair.
- Wizards: The studious masters of magic learn Thunderwave as one of many tools in their vast arsenal.
Frequently Asked Questions
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- Does Thunderwave Affect the Caster?No, the caster is not affected by their own Thunderwave spell. The cube originates from you but doesn’t include your space, so you won’t damage yourself or push yourself back.
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- Can Thunderwave Be Cast Silently?No, Thunderwave requires verbal components and explicitly produces a thunderous boom audible 300 feet away. The Subtle Spell metamagic from Sorcerers can remove the need for the verbal component, but the spell effect itself will still create the loud boom.
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- Does Thunderwave Work Underwater?Yes, Thunderwave works underwater. The spell creates a wave of thunderous force, not actual sound waves as we understand them in physics. However, your DM might rule that the sound travels even further underwater, as sound does in real life.
- Can You Target Only Specific Creatures in the Area?No, Thunderwave affects all creatures in the area. You can’t choose to spare certain targets—this is part of the tactical consideration when positioning the spell.
Potential Pitfalls and Cautions
While Thunderwave is versatile and powerful, there are some common mistakes and considerations to keep in mind:
The Stealth Problem
As mentioned earlier, Thunderwave is LOUD. According to multiple sources, the thunderous boom can be heard 300 feet away. If you’re trying to remain undetected, casting Thunderwave is like sending up a magical flare announcing your location.
Friendly Fire
Misunderstanding the area of effect can lead to accidentally catching allies in your Thunderwave. Remember that the 15-foot cube extends from you, not around you, and plan your positioning accordingly.
Enemies with Strong Constitution Saves
Many monsters, particularly larger creatures like giants, dragons, and constructs, have strong Constitution saving throws. Against these enemies, Thunderwave’s pushing effect becomes less reliable, reducing its tactical value.
Thunderwave vs. Other 1st-Level Spells
How does Thunderwave compare to other popular 1st-level damage spells?
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- Burning Hands: Similar area of effect (15-foot cone), slightly higher damage (3d6), but no pushing effect. Fire damage is more commonly resisted than thunder damage.
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- Magic Missile: Guaranteed damage with no save, but targets only three creatures at 1st level and has no area effect or pushing capability.
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- Chromatic Orb: Higher single-target damage (3d8) with damage type flexibility, but no area effect or pushing capability.
- Ice Knife: Combines single-target damage with a small area effect, but the area damage requires a Dexterity save and the overall damage output is typically lower than Thunderwave when hitting multiple targets.
What sets Thunderwave apart is its combination of respectable damage, a useful damage type (thunder damage is rarely resisted), and the pushing effect that has so many tactical applications.
Building a Character Around Thunderwave
If you want to maximize the effectiveness of Thunderwave, consider these character-building options:
Classes and Subclasses
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- Tempest Domain Cleric: Can maximize the damage of Thunderwave using their Channel Divinity feature.
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- Evocation Wizard: Can sculpt the spell to protect allies in the area of effect.
- Artillerist Artificer: Can add their Arcane Firearm bonus to Thunderwave’s damage.
Feats
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- Metamagic Adept: Access to the Careful Spell metamagic can help avoid friendly fire.
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- War Caster: Advantage on concentration checks if you’re maintaining another spell while casting Thunderwave.
- Elemental Adept (Thunder): Ignore resistance to thunder damage and improve damage rolls.
Items
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- Rod of the War Mage: Improves your spell attack rolls, which helps with your overall spellcasting even though Thunderwave doesn’t use attack rolls.
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- Ring of Spell Storing: Store Thunderwave for use by non-spellcasters in your party.
- Staff of Thunder and Lightning: Thematically fits with Thunderwave and provides additional thunder-based abilities.
Roleplaying with Thunderwave
Beyond the mechanical aspects, Thunderwave offers rich roleplaying opportunities:
Character Personality
A character who frequently uses Thunderwave might be:
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- Loud and boisterous
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- Direct and confrontational
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- Dramatic and showy
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- A lover of chaos and disruption
- Someone who enjoys physical impacts and explosive effects
Spell Description Flourishes
When you cast Thunderwave, consider adding descriptive elements:
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- “The air compresses around me before exploding outward in a deafening wave, sending my enemies tumbling backward!”
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- “I slam my palms together, and a ripple of concussive force blasts through the air, rattling teeth and bones alike!”
- “Drawing power from the storm within, I release a thunderclap that shakes the very ground beneath our feet!”
These flourishes add personality to your spellcasting and help the table visualize the effect.
Conclusion
Thunderwave 5e represents one of the most balanced and tactically interesting spells available to low-level spellcasters. Its combination of damage, forced movement, and environmental interaction makes it far more versatile than a simple damage spell.
Whether you’re a bard creating space in a tavern brawl, a druid channeling the fury of a storm, or a wizard looking for battlefield control, Thunderwave provides options that few other 1st-level spells can match.
The next time you find yourself surrounded by enemies or facing foes near a dangerous cliff edge, remember the thunderous power literally at your fingertips. Sometimes in D&D, the best solution isn’t the most complex spell—it’s the well-timed boom that sends your enemies flying.
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