Armor of Agathys 5e - D&D 5th Edition Spell Book
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.
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 - 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.
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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.
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Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eg7cXmFUVU Transcription Hey everyone! Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG. Today we’re firing up our Mark of Finding to uncover something huge for Eberron fans — the beloved sourcebook Exploring Eberron has officially relaunched on D&D Beyond as a fully supported digital release. Originally released back in 2020 on the DMsGuild as a third-party best-selling supplement by Eberron’s creator Keith Baker, Exploring Eberron was one of the most successful community books ever — and now it’s come full-circle. That means it’s now officially available on D&D Beyond, fully updated to use with the current D&D rules and integrated into D&D Beyond’s digital tools like the Character Builder and Maps VTT . So, you’re probably wondering – what’s inside the book? I’d say it’s deep content, not just lore, that the book dives into: First, we have: Setting Races & Cultures Exploring Eberron digs deep into the cultures and mindsets of iconic Eberron peoples like Changelings, Warforged, Kalashtar, Shifters, and Aereni elves. Rather than focusing on mechanics, these sections emphasize identity, societal roles, and story hooks that help these species feel rooted in the setting. Then there’s Planes of Existence & Manifest Zones The book offers a detailed look at Eberron’s unique planar system, where planes wax and wane in influence rather than remaining static. Manifest zones tie those planes directly to the world, creating locations where reality bends in ways that can dramatically shape adventures, cities, and campaigns. Next up is: Character Options Exploring Eberron includes a wide array of character options, from lore-driven subclasses to new species, feats, and spells, all updated for compatibility with the 2024 ruleset on D&D Beyond. These options are tightly woven into the setting, making them feel less like generic power boosts and more like natural extensions of Eberron’s world. One of my favorites is: Magic Items & Monsters The magic items and monsters in the book are designed to reinforce Eberron’s themes of magical industry, ancient empires, and strange planar forces. Many entries come with built-in story hooks, making them also quite useful for DMs looking to spark plot threads. And finally, we have Expanded Eberron Lore At its core, Exploring Eberron expands on the setting’s foundational lore, diving into the aftermath of the Last War, the influence of the dragonmarked houses, and the uneasy relationship between magic and technology. It provides context and nuance that help DMs portray Eberron as a world shaped by innovation, conflict, and moral ambiguity. In total, the digital book includes 6 subclasses, 10 species, 12 feats, 4 spells, over 40 magic items, and 8 monster stat blocks — not bad value. On D&D Beyond the digital book retails at $30 — basically what you’d expect for a mid-sized sourcebook. If you already own the original 2020 PDF or print version on DMsGuild, the rules aren’t exactly the same, as the original used older rulesets obviously, but the lore is still gold. So, is it worth it? If you’re deep into Eberron, love D&D Beyond functionality, or want all your content integrated cleanly into the builder and VTT, then this is a no-brainer. But if you’re happy with the DMsGuild version and don’t use Beyond much? You might stick with what you have — it’s still solid and compatible. Nothing crazy groundbreaking here, to be honest. Exploring Eberron on D&D Beyond is a fantastic evolution of one of the setting’s best third-party books, and it’s great to see it finally fully supported and updated. There is a lot here to love. Well, that is it for today, my friends. Let me know in the comments — are you grabbing this on D&D Beyond? Or sticking with your original edition? Otherwise, hit like, subscribe, and may your dice always roll well!
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPQfDB2cKSI Transcription Every Final Fantasy hero starts with a choice. Sword or spell. Raw power, or skill. But in Final Fantasy TRPG: Legend Edition, that choice doesn’t stop at your Class — it’s defined by the Jobs you choose from your class, the Circles you unlock, and the Limit Breaks that change the tide of battle. Today, we’re breaking down how Classes and Jobs actually work in Final Fantasy TRPG: Legend Edition — and how they shape your character from level one… to the final boss. Hey everyone, welcome back to Eternity TTRPG channel! If you caught one of my recent videos from before the holidays, we went deep into the Final Fantasy TRPG: Legend Edition core rulebook — and today we’re diving into one of the most iconic elements of any Final Fantasy system: Classes and Jobs ! Whether you’re planning your first character or optimizing a seasoned hero for this recently-released game, this guide has you covered. One of the longest-standing traditions in Final Fantasy is its Job system , and Legend Edition embraces this fully. Classes in this game are the framework or chassis of your character — they determine your character’s HP, MP, trained Skills, associated Jobs, and your Class Limit Break . Jobs are where the cool stuff really happens. Each Job is a set of abilities on a progression track, granting new Features at specific levels — these are called Circles . And you don’t just pick one — your character ends up with three Jobs (or four with optional full buy-in), each advancing at a different speed to give you abilities every level. There are four broad Classes you’ll choose from. Each class has what you could consider as subclasses – in Legend Edition, these are the “Jobs.” So, for example, some of the Warrior Jobs are berserker, dervish, dragoon, fighter, monk, samurai, and so on. So, let’s dive into the four classes: Number 1 - Warrior Masters of physical combat, Warriors excel in strength, endurance, and frontline fighting. Their Limit Break — Action Surge — lets them make extra attacks during an encounter, perfect for dealing burst damage. 2. Expert Battlefield manipulators and support roles go here. Experts rely on their wits and skill versatility, and their Limit Break — Savant — adds bonus dice to Skill rolls based on their level. 3. Mage If magic is your playstyle, Mages are your go-to. They lean into Spellcasting and area of effect mechanics. Their Turbo MP Limit Break doubles the effectiveness of MP spent on magical abilities during an encounter. And number four is Adept The hybrid class — versatile, adaptable, and capable of mixing physical and magical roles. Adepts don’t have a unique Limit Break; instead, they choose one from the other three classes, based on their job build. Now here’s where Legend Edition gets fun. Across the system are 50+ Jobs drawing inspiration from classic Final Fantasy favorites — think Black Mage , Dragoon , Thief , and more — giving you a huge palette of archetypes to mix and match. Each Job grants seven Features – called Circles – over its progression, spaced across levels based on whether the Job is on a Fast, Medium, or Slow advancement track — meaning strategic choices shape how your character evolves through the campaign. So, for example, you may choose the Warrior class because you like its HP, MP, and Skill point advancement numbers, you like its limit break, and you enjoy playing that overall archetype for your character. Then, you pick three Jobs to fill out your character. Say that you want a full warrior build, so you choose your three jobs to be: Dragoon, Knight, and Monk. From here, you’d decide which of those three jobs would be on your Fast advancement track, which should go on your Medium track, and which will be on your slow advancement. Important note here though: only one of your Jobs needs to be associated with your Class. That means the rest can actually be totally outside that box — so yes, you can be a Mage-warrior hybrid if it fits your concept! You could be a warrior class, with the Dragoon, Black Mage, and Chemist jobs. So, here’s the quick breakdown of Job progression: Fast Progression: Abilities at levels 1, 3, and every 3 levels thereafter Medium Progression: Abilities at levels 1, 4, and every 3 levels thereafter Slow Progression: Abilities at 2, 5, and every 3 levels thereafter This staggering system means every level feels like a growth moment. You get new Abilities (“Circles”) from all three of your jobs at the same cadence. But at the same time, you get Circles from the Jobs that are most important to you, at earlier levels. The rule book mentions this too, but if you do want to try out this awesome system, I’d recommend that you don’t stress too much about your first Job choices. There’s a ton of options here, which is great for replayability, and experimenting with side campaigns. But, there’s also too many Jobs to really nail down what you want to ideally play, the first time you try out this game. Probably instead, just pick classes that sound fun, and give it a whirl. To wrap up this video, I’m going to cover my personal favorite Job from each of the first three Classes. Since there’s over 50-jobs, there’s too many for me to dive into – at least today. But hopefully these quick snapshots give you a picture of how Jobs work, what kind of Abilities each provides, and some inspiration for your upcoming game: If I was to play a Warrior Job, I’d start with Dragoon: As you probably know, Dragoons are also often known as Dragon Knights . Dragoons are aerial combat specialists who use momentum for power. Originally trained to pierce the hides of massive foes like dragons, their style revolves around leaping high above the battlefield and crashing down with overwhelming force. Depending on the setting, Dragoons may hunt dragons, fight alongside them, or carry on their legacy after their extinction — but they’re almost always portrayed as guardians who stand against towering threats . In play, Dragoons are defined by the Jump and Blood of the Dragon Circles . Jump removes them from the battlefield for a round before returning with an automatic, high-impact strike. Meanwhile, critical hits generate Blood of the Dragon to fuel powerful Dragon Arts , which are the Dragoon’s situational combat techniques that modify your attacks, defenses, or Jump actions, for additional benefits. Next up, for the expert class, I’d probably start with Squire – I just have so many good memories from playing Final Fantasy Tactics: Instead of perfecting a single discipline, Squires develop adaptability through experience and improvisation. That flexibility makes Squires exceptional team players , able to step into gaps and support allies in many situation. Mechanically, the Squire revolves around Fundaments — where they grant short-term bonuses to allies based on that ally’s Class. Warriors hit harder, Experts perform better at skills, Mages cast more effectively, and Adepts can receive whichever boost fits the moment. As the Squire advances through their Circles, they can grant Fundaments to multiple allies at once, add secondary effects like increased damage or longer debuffs. I’m not always a team buffer kind of guy, but I do like the way Squires here make everyone else better , turning party coordination into a great strength. For my third Job, I’ll choose from the Mage class. This one’s really hard for me as I could see myself actually going like 3/3 mage, or maybe 2/3, at least. But, if I had to pick just one for my remaining Job slot, I’d go with Necromancer: Necromancers are reclusive magic-users whose art is inseparably tied to death and the Shadow. Often misunderstood or feared, they’re immediately recognizable by their Bone Commander — an undead construct that serves as both assistant and bodyguard. While some Necromancers lean into darker reputations, others act as shamans or intermediaries, communing with spirits to resolve unfinished business or bring peace to the dead. Their morality isn’t defined by their magic, but by how they choose to wield it. In play, Necromancers are spellcasters with access to the Necromancy spell list and a powerful Companion system . Their Bone Commander acts on their shared action economy, providing combat presence without needing its own stats or hit points. Their Limit Break, Friends on the Other Side , allows damage from the party to count as Shadow damage, supercharging Necromancer features and reinforcing their role as battlefield controllers who blur the line between ally and undead asset. So! There you have it. From adaptable Squires and sky-shattering Dragoons to shadow-touched Necromancers and beyond, Legend Edition’s Classes and Jobs are all about expression through choice . Your Class sets the foundation, but your Jobs — and how you progress them — define how your character actually plays at the table. Legend Edition feels... unmistakably Final Fantasy. What I really want to know is... from the 50+ jobs available in Legend Edition, what three Jobs would best define your Character? List your Jobs in the comments. Otherwise, thanks for watching! If you enjoyed this breakdown of Classes and Jobs in Final Fantasy TRPG: Legend Edition, hit that like button, subscribe for more content, and ring the bell so you don’t miss our next video.
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQLN8bvlo-Q Transcription If you’re like me, you just watched Stranger Things Season 5, and it was amazing. Personally, I felt like it really hit similarly to the first season – they did a great job. But you're watching Stranger Things, getting hyped about seeing D&D represented in mainstream media, when suddenly Mike declares he's casting a spell, as a paladin... at first level. And you're sitting there thinking, "Wait, that's not how that works." Well, you're not alone. Today we're diving deep into three quick, but glaring D&D mistakes – or, perhaps intentional and fun D&D alternations – that Stranger Things has made throughout its run. I love Stranger Things, so this is by no means a criticism of the show. If anything, some of these mistakes just makes me like it more. Because, let’s get real – most D&D games fudge something in the rules anyways. It’s part of the fun. And no one really wants to be a rules lawyer all the time. What's up, dice rollers! Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG where we explore everything that makes tabletop RPGs amazing. I'm your host, and today we're taking a critical but loving look at how Stranger Things – arguably the biggest mainstream representation of D&D we've ever had – got some pretty fundamental (and sometimes funny) things wrong about our favorite hobby. Now, before we dive in, let me be clear: I absolutely love that Stranger Things brought D&D into the spotlight. The show has introduced countless people to our hobby, and that's incredible. As D&D enthusiasts, we can appreciate the show while also having some fun pointing out where the Duffer Brothers maybe should have consulted their Player's Handbook a bit more carefully. So grab your dice, settle in, and let's explore three quick strange things that Stranger Things got wrong about D&D. Mistake #1: The Demogorgon Campaign Confusion I’m gonna call this “Mistake #1,” by the way, and you’ll find out why in just a minute. But let's start with this big one from Season 1. In the very first episode, we see the boys playing D&D, and Will's character encounters the Demogorgon. Now, the show treats this like it's some kind of final boss encounter, but here's the problem: a Demogorgon in D&D is a CR 26 creature. Basically, a Lv.26 monster. That's endgame content for level 20 characters. These kids are clearly playing low-level characters – probably somewhere between levels 1-5 based on their abilities and the campaign Mike’s describing. A real Demogorgon would obliterate their entire party in a single round without breaking a sweat. It would be like sending a group of mall security guards to fight Godzilla. What the show probably meant to use was a lesser demon or maybe just called it a "demogorgon" as a generic monster name. But for D&D players, it's like watching someone try to drive a car with a boat steering wheel – technically it's transportation equipment, but it's completely wrong for the situation. Is this really a mistake though? I’d say yes, technically. But also, we all know how kids get when playing games. Mike was probably like, “hey, you know what would be cool for my party of Lv.5 adventurers? Give them something that inspires them. Like this CR26 literal god.” It’s the type of move that every DM has done at some point – just go way, wayyy overboard. And again, that’s part of the fun with games like D&D. Mistake #2: The Paladin Spell Situation This one is really funny to me because it happens multiple times throughout the series. Mike's primarily the dungeon master for his group. But when he plays, his character is consistently referred to as a paladin, and we see him attempting to cast spells at what appears to be first level. Here's the issue: in every edition of D&D that would have been available when Stranger Things is set – we're talking late 70s to early 80s – paladins don't get spells until much higher levels. In AD&D (Advanced dungeons and dragons), paladins don't get their first spell until 9th level. Even in modern 5th Edition, paladins don't get spells until 2nd level. But the show has Mike casting spells right from the start. It's a small detail, but it shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how the class works. It would be like showing a wizard swinging a two-handed sword as their primary weapon – technically possible in some circumstances, but it misses the point of the class – for that level, at least – entirely. It’s another “mistake” though that many groups would make, probably especially kids. You want to play a character who can do cool things, at any level. So maybe this was another intentional move on the Duffer brothers’ part, showing not just the rules for D&D, but how people actually play. Mistake #3: The Dice Rolling Drama This one’s more about dramatic license. Throughout the series, we see characters making single dice rolls for incredibly complex situations, and the entire outcome hinges on that one roll. Real D&D involves a lot more dice rolling and a lot more back-and-forth between players and the DM. Combat isn't usually resolved with a single dramatic roll – it's a series of attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and tactical decisions. The show makes it look like D&D is just "roll a d20 and see what happens," when the reality, as we all know, is much more nuanced. The most egregious example is in Season 1 when Will's fate seems to hinge entirely on a single d20 roll. While dramatic moments like this can happen in D&D, they're usually the culmination of a longer sequence of events, not the entire encounter. Of course, filming four kids rolling dozens of dice over and over doesn’t make for great visual episodes, I assume. This one is really more to point out that anyone who isn’t familiar with D&D may be a bit surprised walking into a real gaming session at how many dice really do get rolled. On platforms like Reddit, the D&D community's reaction to these inaccuracies has been... interesting. Players have been discussing these since the show premiered. One user pointed out in a popular thread: "I love that Stranger Things brought D&D to the mainstream, but I wish they'd gotten a consultant who actually understood the game mechanics. It's like they researched D&D by reading about it rather than playing it." Another user noted: "The show gets the emotional core of D&D right – the friendship, the collaborative storytelling, the escapism. But the mechanical details are so wrong that it's distracting for anyone who actually plays." Now, do these mistakes matter? I would argue they don't – Stranger Things is a TV show, not a D&D tutorial. People may come into the hobby with incorrect assumptions on how things work. But, if more people are getting into the hobby, then that's positive. And D&D – or let’s at least say tabletop roleplay games – have experienced unprecedented growth partly thanks to Stranger Things, and that's amazing for our community. So here's what I want to know from you: is there anything else fun or silly that I missed from Stranger Thing’s D&D inaccuracies? I’m sure there has to be more than just these three, so please hit me up in the comments and let me know what you’ve found! And that wraps up our dive into Stranger Things, for today. Remember, this comes from a place of love – both for the show and for D&D. If you enjoyed this quick video, make sure to hit that like button and subscribe for more D&D content. Whether you're fighting demogorgons in the Upside Down or just trying to survive your first dungeon crawl, keep those dice rolling!