Armor of Agathys 5e - D&D 5th Edition Spell Book

Armor of Agathys 5e DnD Spell
Armor of Agathys 5e Image

Armor of Agathys 5e Spell Effects

1st-level abjuration


Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (a cup of water)

Duration: 1 hour


A protective magical force surrounds you, manifesting as a spectral frost that covers you and your gear. You gain 5 temporary hit points for the duration. If a creature hits you with a melee attack while you have these hit points, the creature takes 5 cold damage.


At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, both the temporary hit points and the cold damage increase by 5 for each slot level above 1st.


All information about Armor of Agathys 5e comes from the DnD Player's Handbook.

Armor of Agathys 5e

Classes That Can Cast Armor of Agathys 5e

Surprisingly, the only class in the Player's Handbook that may cast Armor of Agathys is the warlock. Through other game expansions, players may access a sorcerer and paladin subclass, along with the mark of warding dwarf, who may also cast the spell.



Armor of Agathys Spell Effectiveness

Healing and Damage 1st Level Spell 2nd Level Spell 3rd Level Spell 4th Level Spell 5th Level Spell 6th Level Spell 7th Level Spell 8th Level Spell 9th Level Spell
Temp. Healing 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Damage 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Average Fighter DPR 11 15 19 23 27 30.5 34 37.5 41

Calculations for Healing and Damage

Note that Armor of Agathys only provides temporary hit points, not actual healing. Furthermore, the cold damage dealt by Armor of Agathys only activates so long as the temporary hit points provided by the spell are still active. Finally, note that the DPR (damage per round) provided in the third row is a very rough, estimated calculation of damage, before factoring in the attack's hit chance - in an effort to best provide direct comparison of value.


Armor of Agathys Usefulness

Armor of Agathys 5e is both a temporary healing and damage spell. Players should use Armor of Agathys in the following circumstances:

  • Ideally, before any battles begin. Since Armor of Agathys 5e has a 1-hour duration, it's best used before danger shows up, to provide more actions during combat for casting other high-priority spells.
  • When fighting enemies with melee attacks. Since Armor of Agathys only deals cold damage to melee attackers, the spell loses half of its value against other spell casters or enemies who attack from a ranged distance.
  • Against enemies with cold vulnerability, to maximize damage dealt.
  • Against enemies who deal high amounts of damage. Healing after taking damage is a reactive approach to combat, whereas Armor of Agathys 5e proactively increases hit points in anticipation of difficult battles.
  • As a way to make a fragile (especially spell caster) character more durable.

Combine Armor of Agathys 5e with the Following Spells

Even though Armor of Agathys 5e admittedly has critical limitations to its effectiveness in certain circumstances, it can still be combined with other key spells to considerable effect:

  • Bless 5e: the bless spell has limitations of its own, though it does provide provide a +1d4 bonus to saving throws. Basically, since it reduces spell damage, it's useful to have in addition to the temporary hit points provided by armor of agathys.
  • Cause Fear 5e: since Armor of Agathys is intended to protect characters during battle, or dissuade enemies from attacking, cause fear can be a great supplement. If cause fear fails or its effect fades, then Armor of Agathys is still in place to help keep characters alive against enemy aggression.
  • Charm Person 5e: similarly, charm person may be used to prevent an enemy from attacking. Should the spell fail or its effect end, having a backup defensive spell is always valuable.
  • Cure Wounds 5e: if the temporary bonus hit points from armor of agathys get reduced and a character takes damage, having additional healing is always helpful.
  • Haste 5e: as with the bless 5e spell, haste provides additional protection in the form of +2AC, doubled movement speed, and advantage on Dexterity saving throws. The extra hit points from armor of agathys can help keep hasted characters alive even longer, particularly against difficult foes. 
  • Mage Armor 5e: consider mage armor a lesser version of the haste spell, effectively giving targets +3AC (depending on character builds, etc.). The more hit points a character has - such as from armor of agathys - the more time that bonus AC has to reduce damage taken.


Players should also be aware that temporary hit points cannot stack in DnD 5e. That means spells such as Aid 5e cannot give characters additional hit points, if they're already affected by spells or effects such as armor of agathys 5e.


Armor of Agathys 5e Counters

In all reality, armor of agathys 5e has lots of counters, making it probably a mid-tier spell at best. Though effects like Silence 5e can't be used to directly counter armor of agathys (in most cases) since the spell will probably most often be used prior to battle, there are still other options.


For example, the cold damage from armor of agathys only takes place if the attack that hits them is melee, and before the temporary hit points granted from the effect are depleted. So, if a character with armor of agathys is attacked from range - like with a bow and arrow, or spell - then no cold damage is dealt. Similarly, if melee characters just wait to attack a target who's benefiting from armor of agathys until those temporary hit points are somehow removed, then there's no danger of taking cold damage.


Finally, the biggest "counter" to armor of agathys is to actually deplete the temporary hit points. Consider spells like mage armor, for comparison. Mage armor's bonus to AC doesn't ever go away, at least until the spell's effect ends. So, if the character takes damage, then gets healing, mage armor is still fully in effect. Meanwhile, as soon as 5-damage per spell level is dealt to a character with armor of agathys, the effect fades. Healing doesn't "return" the effect, or provide more value. Basically, it's just about the easiest spell in the game to completely negate.

Armor of Agathys-Type Spells in Eternity TTRPG

I feel like most all great RPGs, whether they're a TTRPG or video game have some kind of frost shell. Which, you can imagine, is basically what comes to mind for me with armor of agathys.


In the Eternity TTRPG Game System - a tabletop game like DnD - there are several spell effects similar to armor of agathys. Below is one such example, which is probably the most similar type of spell.

Cryomancer Class Icon

Cryomancer - Core Class Spell

Glacial Shell (Magic): you are resistant to cold, and immune to ice damage (including ice damage from other cryomancers). Also, anyone who melee attacks you, roll +7Faith vs. Resilience, gives -2Speed for 1turn. “Glacial Shell” cannot Double-Hit or give a Block. Once this Spell is chosen it becomes a passive effect, always active, and cannot be dispelled.

  • (Frost Knight) You can now cast this Spell on other targets. You can instead choose to continually maintain this Critical for 1Inspiration (and 0Wisdom), per target other than yourself.
  • (Spells of Everwinter) You also gain +3Resilience, +3Dodge, and +3Will. You can instead choose to continually maintain this Critical for 3Inspiration (and 0Wisdom).
  • (Elemental Ice) Gives -4Speed for 1turn. You can instead choose to continually maintain this Critical for 1Intelligence (and 0Wisdom). 


Though Glacial Shell doesn't deal damage, but rather lowers enemy Speed, it also only affects melee attackers. Similar to armor of agathys 5e though, it's also cold-themed, and intended to provide protection to the spell caster or their target(s). If used as a Critical, this spell can provide substantial protection either against melee attackers, or even against any attacking enemy.


Curious to learn more? Check out the Eternity TTRPG Core Game!

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Jacob Tegtman Eternity TTRPG Creator

Author - Jacob Tegtman

Dear reader, I hope you enjoyed this article. Tabletop gaming has been a passion of mine since I was 6 years old. I've played just about every game from Dungeons and Dragons to video games like Final Fantasy. These games have inspired me, made me laugh, made me cry, and brought me endless hours of enjoyment.


I started Eternity TTRPG - and the indie tabletop game that goes along with it (Eternity Shop) - to share my love of gaming with others. I believe that in our technology-driven age, tabletop games help bring a sense of magic and community back into our world.


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Crooked Moon: The Crimson Monastery

By Jacob Tegtman • July 29, 2025
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QklD9CbOoV0&ab_channel=EternityTTRPG Transcription “In the flames, there is purity and salvation. From the flames, she speaks…”  Those aren’t the words of a prophet. They’re the twisted scripture of a zealot. Deep in the mountains of Druskenvald, a crimson light spills from stained glass windows. It’s not salvation. It’s a warning. Today, we’re venturing into one of the darkest D&D adventures I’ve ever read—The Crimson Monastery, from my new personal favorite, Crooked Moon. Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG, your faithful companion through the wildest realms of Dungeons & Dragons. If you love your fantasy served with horror, vampires, and morally gray decisions, buckle in—we’re about to descend into a bloodstained cathedral of corruption. Let me tell you a story. Once, there was a noble knight named Marius Renathyr. A beacon of honor, clad in gold armor, championing justice in a cursed land. He loved a priestess of the Nightmother, and though they burned with passion, he kept his vows. But as his crusade wore on, so did his soul. Wrath replaced compassion. And that’s when she found him. Viraxys, a devil who fed on twisted souls, disguised her voice as that of a goddess—the Crimson Rose. On the verge of death, Marius accepted her offer of life eternal. But what she gave him was a curse. Now immortal, now a vampire, now a puppet to her whims, Marius returned to the world not as a hero… but as Father Renathyr, the Crimson Abbot. Real quick to interrupt, we now have free downloadable D&D cards at the Eternity TTRPG website that you can use at your table. Everything from combat actions to status effects – no more flipping through your book to see exactly what being “Petrified” does to your character. You can just take our graphics, print them out at home, and slap them on your table for fun and easy reference. Grab yours today using the link, below! Now, back to the video. Father Renathyr took over a mountain monastery, corrupted its clergy, and built a religion around his devil’s false divinity. In the village below—Dawn’s Gate—the people tremble under his sermons. Refuse his faith, and you’ll be burned alive. Embrace it, and you may become something far worse. This isn’t just a dungeon crawl. It’s a full-blown crusade to take down a vampire cult… from the inside. The Crimon Monastery is awesome – there’s just so much to it. But let’s start out by saying that Father Renathyr’s not alone. His cult is sustained by three terrifying Priors, each with their own tragic backstory and twisted gifts: There’s Houndmaster Jaeger , Friar Olaf , and perhaps the most terrifying , Inquisitor Cromwell . Each of them appears human at first. But when defeated, their monstrous Night Creature forms are revealed for a brutal second phase. They’re more than lieutenants—they’re potential successors. If you don’t take out all three, the cult might survive… without Renathyr. And then there’s the monastery itself. It’s not just a setting. It’s a trap. The whole thing. The monastery’s walls are made of bloodstone—a cursed material that prevents blood from drying. If you’re wounded, you leave a visible trail, and stealth becomes nearly impossible. All around are red stained-glass windows arranged in rose-petal patterns. They bathe everything in an eerie light. Inside, the rituals are disturbing: bodies bled at the altar, corpses hanging in the Dead Larder, prayers whispered under a false god. Oh—and there’s no sunlight. A blessing from the Crimson Rose means that even magical sunlight won’t harm vampires within these walls. This is their stronghold. You’re not just breaking in to your usual dungeon crawl. With the Crimon Monastery, you’re invading a fortress of the damned. Finally, this story doesn’t end with one death. Kill Father Renathyr without wiping out his Priors? You start a civil war. The survivors fight for control, leading to bloodshed across the region. But what if you expose the truth—that the Crimson Rose is a devil—and show proof to the faithful? You could cause the entire cult to collapse in one dramatic showdown. The townsfolk revolt. The Bloodless turn on each other. The Crimson Monastery falls into ruin. You get to choose the ending. But be warned: leave even one thread intact, and the nightmare may rise again. So, adventurer... if you haven’t picked up the Crooked Moon yet, it might just be time. If you’ve liked what you’ve heard, the Crimson Monastery is only one of many adventures within this beautiful new book. So, let me know what path you’d take in the comments below. Like this video if you love dark, story-rich adventures. Subscribe for more deep dives into the shadowy corners of D&D, and let us know you want us to cover next. Until next time—stay safe, roll high, and never trust a rose without thorns.
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By Jacob Tegtman • July 24, 2025
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By Jacob Tegtman • July 22, 2025
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJt6sfuolo8&ab_channel=EternityTTRPG Transcription Civilization cut off. The solar system dimming. You’re not a hero—you’re just a soul, caught in the aftermath. Hey everyone! Today we’re unpacking Starset: The Great Dimming—the new 2nd‑edition tabletop RPG by Josiah Mork. It's a gritty, hope‑tinged sci‑fi RPG where ordinary lives shape the story. If you haven’t ever tried out TTRPGs besides D&D, this video is for you. I personally love finding the gems out there, especially from people who have fresh ideas in the RPG space. So, let’s dive into what makes this game truly unique. 1. Life‑Path Character Creation – “Your Story Shapes Your Stats” In most tabletop RPGs, you start by picking numbers—your strength, intelligence, gear, etc. Starset flips that completely. Here, you start with a life path : five origin stories to choose from— Combat , Common , Exploration , Mercenary , or Slave . 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