Warding Wind 5e: Ranged Attacks, Fog, and Terrain

Warding Wind is one of my favorite defensive spells when the battlefield itself is the problem. It does not form an impenetrable wall, but its moving pocket of strong wind can disrupt arrows, slow nearby enemies, clear dispersible vapors, and extinguish small flames all at once.

Warding Wind 5e — Quick Spell Reference

How Warding Wind Works

A strong wind blows in a 10-foot radius around the caster and moves with them. It lasts for up to 10 minutes with concentration.

The wind has five stated effects:

• It deafens the caster and other creatures in its area.
• It extinguishes unprotected flames that are torch-sized or smaller.
• It hedges out vapor, gas, and fog that can be dispersed by strong wind.
• Its area is difficult terrain for creatures other than the caster.
• Ranged weapon attack rolls have disadvantage when the attacks pass into or out of the wind.

These effects follow the caster as they move. The spell does not create a stationary zone at the space where it was cast.

Ranged Attacks Through Warding Wind

Warding Wind imposes disadvantage specifically on ranged weapon attack rolls that pass into or out of the area. An archer outside firing at the caster inside is affected, as is an archer inside firing at a target outside. A shot that enters and exits while crossing the area also passes through its boundary.

The spell does not apply that disadvantage to ranged spell attacks. It also does not stop projectiles, grant cover, raise Armor Class, or provide resistance to their damage. If another source already gives advantage or disadvantage, use the normal rules for combining them.

Two creatures both inside the wind do not make an attack that passes into or out of it, so the spell’s ranged-weapon clause does not apply merely because wind surrounds them.

Difficult Terrain and Positioning

The 10-foot-radius area is difficult terrain for every creature except the caster. Allies are not exempt. Each foot of movement through difficult terrain costs 1 extra foot, so entering or crossing the wind can consume movement quickly.

The caster moves normally and carries the area with them. This can make Warding Wind useful for retreating from melee enemies or escorting allies against ranged weapons, but those allies still pay the difficult-terrain cost while inside it.

The spell does not push creatures, prevent them from entering, or make the caster immune to opportunity attacks.

Deafness, Flames, Fog, and Gas

Creatures in the area are deafened. A deafened creature cannot hear and automatically fails any ability check that requires hearing. Deafness does not prevent speech or verbal spell components, but it can block features or spells that require a target to hear the user.

Unprotected flames no larger than a torch go out. A protected lantern flame, a larger fire, or a magical flame is not automatically extinguished unless its own rules say otherwise.

The wind hedges out vapor, gas, and fog only when that substance can be dispersed by strong wind. Many spell effects state whether strong wind disperses them. Warding Wind does not universally dispel every cloud, and it does not end the magic that created one unless the relevant effect says dispersal ends it.

Concentration and Components

Warding Wind requires concentration from the moment it is cast. Damage may force a concentration save, and casting another concentration spell ends the wind.

It has only a verbal component. The caster does not need a free hand or material item, but cannot cast it while unable to provide that spoken component. Once cast, becoming deafened by the wind does not interfere with maintaining concentration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Warding Wind affect ranged spell attacks?

No. Its disadvantage applies specifically to ranged weapon attacks that pass into or out of the wind.

Is the caster slowed by the difficult terrain?

No. The area is difficult terrain for creatures other than the caster, including the caster’s allies.

Does Warding Wind silence creatures?

No. It deafens creatures in the area but does not prevent them from speaking.

Does Warding Wind disperse every fog spell?

No. It hedges out fog, gas, or vapor that can be dispersed by strong wind. Check the effect creating the cloud.