Cordon of Arrows 5e: Damage, Triggers, and Upcasting

I love ranger magic that feels like practical fieldcraft pushed into the supernatural, and Cordon of Arrows fits that theme beautifully. Four pieces of ammunition become an eight-hour perimeter defense without concentration. It is more limited than a true alarm or an invisible trap, but careful placement can make it a useful layer of protection.

Cordon of Arrows 5e — Quick Spell Reference

How Cordon of Arrows Works

The caster plants four pieces of nonmagical ammunition—arrows or crossbow bolts—in the ground within 5 feet and lays magic upon them. When a creature other than the caster enters a space within 30 feet of the ammunition for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there, one enchanted piece flies at that creature.

The creature makes a Dexterity saving throw against the caster’s spell save DC. On a failed save, it takes 1d6 piercing damage. On a successful save, it takes no damage. The fired ammunition is destroyed either way.

The spell lasts for 8 hours without concentration, but it ends early when no enchanted ammunition remains. When casting the spell, the caster can designate any creatures they choose; those creatures do not trigger it.

Triggers and Valid Targets

The spell reacts to creatures, not sounds, objects, or movement in general. A creature other than the caster can trigger it by entering the 30-foot area for the first time on a turn or by ending its turn there. The spell makes no attack roll; the target instead resolves the Dexterity saving throw.

Cordon of Arrows is not an Alarm spell. It does not send the caster a mental signal or identify what triggered it. A flying arrow, a creature’s reaction, or the disappearance of ammunition may alert nearby observers, but the spell does not guarantee that sleeping or distant characters notice.

The caster chooses ignored creatures when the spell is cast. The text does not provide a later way to add or remove creatures from that list, so changes in alliances do not automatically reconfigure the cordon.

Ammunition and Placement

The 2014 spell requires at least four nonmagical arrows or bolts as its material component. Four become enchanted when cast at 2nd level, and each one can fire only once. Ordinary ammunition is inexpensive, but every fired piece is destroyed even when its target succeeds on the save.

The arrows or bolts are physically planted in the ground within the spell’s 5-foot range. The 2014 text does not say they become invisible, disguised, or impossible to remove. Whether a creature notices or interferes with visibly planted ammunition depends on the scene and the DM’s ruling.

Casting at Higher Levels

For each slot level above 2nd, the spell enchants two additional pieces of ammunition. Its damage, save, trigger radius, and duration do not increase.

Spell slot	Ammunition enchanted
2nd	4
3rd	6
4th	8
5th	10

Fifth level is the highest slot a standard 2014 ranger normally receives. Another feature that permits casting with a still higher slot continues the same two-per-level progression.

Cordon of Arrows: 2014 vs. 2024 Rules

The 2024 version keeps the eight-hour, non-concentration perimeter and the same basic trigger, saving throw, ignored-creature choice, and upcasting progression. Several details do change how it plays.

Rule	2014 version	2024 version
Damage on a failed save	1d6 piercing	2d4 piercing
Range and placement	Plant ammunition in the ground within 5 feet	Touch up to four pieces and plant them in your space
Material component	Four or more arrows or bolts	An ornamental braid
Removing ammunition	No special restriction stated	Ammunition cannot be physically uprooted until the spell ends

The 2024 version therefore deals more average damage and explicitly protects the planted ammunition from physical removal. This page’s spelltable and main rules explanation use the 2014 version.

Tactical Uses and Limitations

The spell can guard a campsite, doorway, narrow trail, or another area that hostile creatures must approach. Its eight-hour duration conveniently covers a long rest, and the lack of concentration leaves the ranger free to maintain a different spell.

Four shots are a limited resource, and 1d6 damage per failed save is modest for a 2nd-level slot. The cordon is most useful as unattended attrition, a warning by circumstance, or one part of a broader defense. Open placement may also let observant creatures avoid the area or interact with the ammunition, subject to the DM’s rulings.

FAQ

Does Cordon of Arrows require an attack roll?

No. A triggering creature makes a Dexterity saving throw. It takes 1d6 piercing damage on a failure and no damage on a success.

Can allies move through the cordon safely?

Yes, if the caster designated them when casting the spell. The caster never triggers their own cordon.

Does Cordon of Arrows require concentration?

No. It lasts for 8 hours or until all enchanted ammunition has fired.

Does it wake the party like Alarm?

Not automatically. The spell provides no audible or mental notification, although the shot and its consequences may be noticed normally.