D&D 5E (2024) Is the new spell Transfixed overpowered?

ECMO3 · Sep 24, 2026

There is a new 7th level spell called Transfix, concentration for one minute duration.

You cast the spell and target one creature and on a failed save it is charmed and incapacitated and uses its movement to move toward you. If it ends its turn within 5 feet it takes 4d8 Psychic damage.

On subsequent turns you can take a Magic action to target another creature.

Targets don't get another save, and the damage does not break the charm. So once someone fails the save they are going to be incapacitated move next to you and take 4d8 damage every turn until they are dead or the duration ends, and you can keep adding another creature every turn.

Thoughts?

cbwjm · Sep 24, 2026

Doesn't sound too bad for a 7th level spell. The damage is negligible for the enemies you're likely casting it on. I'm going off what you've said re: damage, but I'm assuming only the psychic damage doesn't break the spell, so other damage does? If the spell is broken while they're next to you, not exactly a great position to be in.

Chaltab · Sep 24, 2026

I mean you can potentially lock several enemies down with it, but as soon as someone breaks your concentration, the caster is surrounded by a bunch of angry bad guys. It's kind of a high-risk, high-reward spell and I like that.

UngeheuerLich · Sep 24, 2026

Wow. That spell is absolutely broken...

No save each round spells should not exist at all.

That is essentially a save or die spell.

Questianor · Sep 24, 2026

cbwjm said:
Doesn't sound too bad for a 7th level spell. The damage is negligible for the enemies you're likely casting it on. I'm going off what you've said re: damage, but I'm assuming only the psychic damage doesn't break the spell, so other damage does? If the spell is broken while they're next to you, not exactly a great position to be in.

Damage in general doesn't break the Charmed condition unless whatever effect applied the condition says it does, and this doesn't. So you can beat on the Charmed enemy all you want. Since it's also Incapacitated your allies can walk up and wail on it too; it can't really defend itself. As far as I can tell if an enemy fails the save here they're stuck under the effects of the spell until it ends (either by completing its duration of the caster losing concentration). There is one eception written into the spell not mentioned in the OP: the charmed/incapped creatures take "the most direct route" to the caster, and the spell says that they get to repeat their save before entering dangerous terrain such as lava or a pit and end the spell on itself if it succeeds.

Slight digression: this seems to suggest an implicit design understanding that spells which command a creature to take the shortest or most direct route to you can compel the creature to move through dangerous terrain, which I know has been a point of debate on this forum before, particularly regarding the "Approach" command of the Command spell.

UngeheuerLich · Sep 24, 2026

cbwjm said:
Doesn't sound too bad for a 7th level spell. The damage is negligible for the enemies you're likely casting it on. I'm going off what you've said re: damage, but I'm assuming only the psychic damage doesn't break the spell, so other damage does? If the spell is broken while they're next to you, not exactly a great position to be in.

Nothing in the spells says that damage breaks the spell. Everyone can just hit the targets and they do nothing about it.

Edit: Ninja'd

Questianor · Sep 24, 2026

Chaltab said:
I mean you can potentially lock several enemies down with it, but as soon as someone breaks your concentration, the caster is surrounded by a bunch of angry bad guys. It's kind of a high-risk, high-reward spell and I like that.

That's assuming the enemies even get to you. The spell notes enemies don't avoid opportunity attacks while approaching, and with no actions or reactions due to Incap they're plenty safe for the whole party to beat up on, and it has a decent 60 feet range. If you cast this from the backline with the rest of the party between you and the enemy it's a pretty safe way to dispatch enemies, especially since you can keep moving away from them too (you only need to be within 60 feet when you first charm them).

Hell, if your party members have Sentinel the enemies might not even manage to get close you.

Questianor · Sep 24, 2026

Also worth noting, while you need to be within 60 feet to actually charm the enemies, the actual range of the spell is Self and the spell is not ended on the caster by enemies succeeding their saves, so if you do get unlucky and the first enemy you try to charm succeeds on their roll you can still keep concentrating on the spell and spend a magic action each turn to try it on others.