Imagine conjuring a perfect (well, almost perfect) duplicate of yourself or your favorite ally, ready to follow your commands and help you tackle the world’s greatest challenges.
Want a twin Wizard to double your arcane firepower? Another stealthy Rogue to scout ahead? Or maybe just someone to handle your paperwork while you nap? Simulacrum can (almost) do it all!
But with great magic comes great responsibility and a fair share of tricky rules and limitations…
Whether you’re a player eager to unlock the spell’s full potential or a Dungeon Master looking to keep things balanced, understanding Simulacrum is key to making the most of this powerful illusion.
In this guide, we’ll break down what the spell does, explore clever ways to use it, weigh its pros and cons, and answer your burning questions.
Ready to meet your magical double? Let’s dive in!
What is Simulacrum 5e?
Simulacrum is a 7th-level illusion spell that lets you create a magical duplicate of any beast or humanoid.
Using snow and a hefty chunk of gold, you conjure a near-identical copy that obeys your commands, shares the original’s abilities, and is ready for action.
The catch? Your new “twin” has only half the original’s hit points and can’t regain spells or heal naturally.
Think of it as the ultimate magical clone: powerful, versatile, and just a little bit fragile!
LEVEL: 7th
CASTING TIME: 12 Hours
RANGE/AREA: Touch
COMPONENTS: V, S, M*
DURATION: Until Dispelled
SCHOOL: Illusion
ATTACK/SAVE: None
DAMAGE/EFFECT: Utility
SPELL LISTS: Wizard
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, except that it is a construct.
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 duplicate you created with this spell is instantly destroyed.
* (snow or ice in quantities sufficient to make 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)
How to Use Simulacrum 5e Effectively
So you’ve got your snow-and-gold doppelgänger. Now what?
Simulacrum isn’t just another fancy magic trick. Used cleverly, it’s a strategic powerhouse!
Here’s how to get the most out of your magical mini-me:
Pick the Perfect Target
First things first: choose wisely!
Wizards often duplicate themselves for double spell-slinging, but you might also copy a party member with unique skills or even a powerful NPC ally.
Just remember that Simulacrum is limited to beasts and humanoids only. No dragons or gelatinous cubes allowed!
Consider what your party needs most; duplicating a healer or utility caster can be just as game-changing as adding another damage dealer.
Maximize Utility, Not Just Muscle
Sure, a second fireball is fun, but your simulacrum can do more than fight.
For example, use it for scouting dangerous areas, negotiating with tricky NPCs, or handling tasks you’d rather avoid (hello, trap disarming!).
Having a magical twin opens up new options for splitting the party safely or covering more ground during those more time-sensitive missions.
Conserve Those Resources
Don’t forget that your simulacrum can’t heal or regain spell slots, so you’ll want to treat its resources like gold.
Save powerful spells for when you really need them, and keep your clone out of harm’s way whenever possible.
Treat it as a precious asset. After all, you’ve spent a great deal of time and resources to make it! Sometimes the best move is to have your simulacrum hang back and support from a safe distance, rather than charging into every fray.
Get Creative with Problem-Solving
Think outside the box!
Send your simulacrum to distract enemies, pull levers, or even impersonate you for some magical misdirection. Like most illusion magic, the spell’s true power shines when you use it for clever plans, not just extra firepower.
Need to be in two places at once? With Simulacrum, you actually can be! Just don’t forget which one is the original or things might get a bit awkward…
Communicate and Coordinate
Make sure you and your simulacrum are on the same page.
With two of you running around, coordination is key to avoid chaos (and DM headaches). Plan your actions in advance, and use your clone as a tactical partner to pull off complex maneuvers, set up ambushes, or execute synchronized spellcasting.
Respect the Limits
Remember: you only get one simulacrum at a time, and it can’t level up or learn new tricks.
Plan ahead before you cast, and don’t get too attached. Your frosty friend is powerful, but not invincible. Always keep its vulnerabilities in mind, as losing your simulacrum at the wrong moment can throw a huge wrench in your plans.
While a healthy dose of care and foresight is important for many spells, this is particularly true of Simulacrum. Not only is it a costly spell, but you also want to make sure that you keep the game moving and not descending into some kind of clone-chaos slog.
Pros and Cons of Simulacrum 5e
Like any powerful magic, Simulacrum comes with its own set of dazzling perks and devilish drawbacks.
Here’s what you need to know before you start doubling up on party members:
Pros
- Double the Trouble: Want another Wizard slinging spells or a second Rogue picking locks? Maybe the Bard is dying to perform the duet they just wrote. Whatever the case, Simulacrum gives you a full-featured clone with all the abilities of the original (except for only half the hit points).
- Ultimate Utility: Your simulacrum can cast spells, scout ahead, or even just carry your stuff. It’s like having the ultimate magical assistant, i.e., one who never complains about overtime.
- Action Economy Boost: Two sets of actions mean more things get done each round, whether it’s blasting enemies or solving puzzles.
- Flexible Friend: The simulacrum follows your commands and can be used for creative problem-solving, infiltration, or even as a magical decoy.
Cons
- Pricey Magic: The spell requires a whopping 1,500 gold pieces’ worth of materials every time you cast it. That’s a lot of coin for a snow buddy! Not to mention, with a 12-hour casting time, you’re going to want to go ahead and clear your calendar for the day because you won’t be doing much of anything else.
- No Healing Allowed: Your simulacrum can’t naturally heal or regain spell slots, making every hit point precious and every spell cast a tough decision.
- One at a Time: There’s a firm limit of only one simulacrum per caster. If you want a new one, the old one literally melts away.
- Potential for Chaos: Two Wizards might be better than one, but they can also double your DM’s headaches. Expect some table talk about balance and fairness!
- Not Quite the Real Thing: The simulacrum can’t learn, level up, or improve. In other words, what you see is what you get, forever
Simulacrum is a spell with mind-blowing potential, but it demands careful planning, clever use, and a healthy respect for its limits. Use wisely or risk getting left out in the cold!
DND 2024 Changes to Simulacrum
With the release of the 2024 Player’s Handbook, there were some important changes made to the Simulacrum spell that are absolutely worth going over.
Addressing a lot of confusion around this spell in the original 5e rules, the 2024 spell description specifically states that the Simulacrum you create cannot cast this spell. While the argument still exists that one can cast the Wish spell to create more clones (as Wish can mimic the effect of the spell but is not technically casting the spell), that’s up to your DM.
A small but noteworthy change is also that the simulacrum no longer requires “an alchemical laboratory” to repair, which means you can patch it up during your long rest wherever that happens to be. It will still cost you 100gp worth of materials per hit point you restore, though.
But perhaps the biggest change is that the new spell description states that the simulacrum can’t take short or long rests.
So if you’ve cloned a Monk, for example, they wouldn’t be able to recover their ki points. Similarly, a clone of a Sorcerer wouldn’t be able to recover their sorcery points. This makes resource management even more important to be mindful of.
Simulacrum may have been nerfed in the 2024 rules update, but I think that’s a good thing. This is one of those spells that needs to have clear boundaries set, lest it quickly become exploitative and game-breaking in a “Peasant Railgun” kind of way.
Let me know in the comments what you think of these changes!
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FAQs – Simulacrum 5e
Before we wrap up, these FAQs should help clarify some common questions about Simulacrum and ensure you’re making the most of this spell in your adventures.
Happy casting!
Absolutely! If the original creature could cast spells, so can the simulacrum, using the same spell slots that it had at the time of creation. However, once those slots are used up, they’re gone. Your simulacrum can’t recover them by resting or any other means.
If you cast Simulacrum a second time, your previous simulacrum immediately melts away into slush. You can only have one simulacrum at a time, so choose your magical clone wisely!
Nope! While your simulacrum has your abilities and knowledge, the spell specifically states that it can’t cast Simulacrum itself. No infinite clone armies here! Sorry, evil masterminds. (Yes, we’re specifically looking at you, Manshoon…)
The simulacrum keeps on going! It’s magically independent from the original. If your character meets an untimely end, your simulacrum could, in theory, keep the adventure alive (though talk to your DM about the story implications).
Yes. You can only duplicate beasts or humanoids, so things like undead, constructs, or extraplanar entities are off the menu. And the creature must be present for the entire 12-hour casting time, so no copying a legendary hero from a painting or memory.
Conclusion – Simulacrum 5e
Simulacrum is a ticket to some of the wildest, most creative moments you’ll ever have at the table.
Whether you’re conjuring a magical twin to double your arcane might or plotting a daring infiltration with your snow-crafted sidekick, this spell is all about thinking big and playing smart. Sure, it has its quirks and costs, but the stories and strategies it unlocks are worth every gold piece (and every raised DM eyebrow).
Have you pulled off a legendary heist with your simulacrum? Or maybe you’ve run into some hilarious mishaps with your frosty friend? I’d love to read your stories, questions, and favorite Simulacrum shenanigans! Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
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