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Two years after Wizards of the Coast updated the rules system for D&D 5e, players are still learning new and improved ways to make the new rules work to their advantage. Fifth Edition has always been pretty strict about casting more than one spell per turn, even if one of those spells is cast as a bonus action.

There is one way to circumvent this rule for caster classes: Cantrips. Players can still cast a cantrip if they've used a bonus action spell or the cantrip itself is cast as a bonus action. Fortunately, there are a handful of powerful cantrips that level alongside the player, like Eldritch Blast, for example, which grants the caster additional bolts at levels 5, 11 and 17. Pairing an upper-level Eldritch Blast with a bonus action spell gives players more action enconmy than they'll know what to do with.

Healing Word + Thorn Whip Is A Powerful Combo

One of the best things about Healing Word over spells like Cure Wounds is that it can be used from afar. This means that if an ally is getting attacked by an enemy, then the caster can heal them without entering melee range of the foe, letting them shout healing words of encouragement.

If an ally is dropped by an enemy, then an effective tactic for Druids is to use Thorn Whip to attempt to pull the foe away, then follow up with a Healing Word. This means that if the ally gets to go before the enemy, they can safely move out of range without provoking any Attacks of Opportunity or needing to use Disengage.

Armor of Agathys + Blade Ward Makes Warlocks Heartier & Harder to Hit

Warlocks are known for their offensive capabilities, using the power of their blasting spells to obliterate foes where they stand. Despite this reputation, they have some great defensive options, which makes sense, as anyone who offers themself up in exchange for power probably isn’t eager to fulfill their end of the bargain.

A great defensive choice for the Warlock is to use Armor of Agathys to give them temporary hit points and a counter shield of cold damage, coupled with Blade Ward to make it harder for them to be hit. Armor of Agathys doesn’t require Concentration, so it can easily be thrown up to keep the Warlock safe, while they follow up with their offensive spells in later rounds.

Sanctuary + Spare the Dying Spares Downed Characters From the Mob

When an ally goes down in combat, the natural response is to use a healing spell to get them back up. But what if that ally is surrounded by enemies? If a Cleric uses Healing Word to get them back up, then any foes in melee range have an Advantage attack (as they’ll be prone) ready to put them back down again.

One solution for Clerics in this situation is to use Spare the Dying to automatically stabilize, then throw up a Sanctuary on them. If an enemy attempts to attack the ally, then they have to pass a Wisdom Saving Throw to complete their action. This tactic can keep the ally safe and maybe convince the enemies to focus on new targets, or at least burn their turn in the process.

Barkskin + Resistance Gives Druids A Sturdy Exoskeleton

Dungeons & Dragons has several character classes that operate best without wearing armor, such as the Barbarian and the Wizard. A Druid can help out their friends with a great combo that will help keep them alive for a few more turns.

Barkskin can give a character a natural Armor Class score of 17, thanks to turning their flesh into wood. This can be followed up with Resistance, which can take 1d4 damage off a specific type of attack, such as Slashing or Fire. If the party knows what kind of weapons the enemy is using, then this combo can be extremely helpful.

Mind Sliver + Dragon’s Breath Is D&D's Version of How to Train Your Dragon

This combo requires an ally of the party to use, but can be extremely helpful when executed properly. The intention is to use Dragon’s Breath on a companion, possibly an NPC or summoned character with poor attack capabilities, and get them to use it on their turn to blast an enemy. It lasts for a minute, so they’ll have a few rounds of attacks to go through with this spell.

To help out the fire-breathing goon, the caster also uses Mind Sliver on their turn. If successful, then they’ll not only take damage, but will suffer a 1d4 penalty to their next saving throw, giving the Dragon’s Breath a higher chance of succeeding when it’s used.

Misty Step + Thunderclap Makes a Solid Spell Even Better

Misty Step is one of the best escape spells in Dungeons & Dragons, allowing the caster to vanish up to 30 feet away at the cost of a Bonus Action. It’s also useful when used with a Cantrip to strike enemies, then get out of dodge before they counter.

If a group of enemies is bunched around, the caster can run up to them and strike with a Thunderclap Cantrip, which hits all enemies within 5 feet of the user. Then, the caster can teleport away using Misty Step to avoid any Attacks of Opportunity. This is especially useful if the caster lacks access to any big AoE spells, or for an Eldritch Knight as part of their War Magic feature.

Healing Word + Sacred Flame Is Exceptional Use Of A Holy Commitment

One of the best changes made to the Cleric class in 5e is that they’re not restricted to just healing in their turn. While some of the stronger healing spells require a full Action, it’s possible to launch some offense while mending an ally.

For the Cleric, the best dual magic turn involves using Healing Word to fix up an ally, followed by a Sacred Flame to try and scorch an enemy with holy damage. This combo is even more effective in the 2024 rules update, as Healing Word’s base effectiveness has been increased to 2d4, ensuring that the ally will gain a significant health boost, even on a low role.

Combining Spiritual Weapon + Toll the Dead Perfectly Enhances Damage

Toll the Dead is a Cantrip that gets stronger when the enemy has already taken damage. This grants both holy and unholy Clerics a chance to deal tons of damage on their turn.

Unfortunately, D&D Clerics don’t have many damaging options from their Bonus Action spells list. Their best choice is Spiritual Weapon, which conjures a magical weapon that attacks as soon as it’s summoned. If the Spiritual Weapon hits, then the Cleric can follow it up with a Toll the Dead to make the most of the enhanced damage.

Healing Word +Vicious Mockery One of the Most Useful Combos for D&D Bards

Like the Cleric, the Bards received a huge boost to their effectiveness in Dungeons & Dragons 5e, and with Healing Word getting a buff in the 2024 rules update, the singers are even stronger than before. Their Jack of all trades reputation has never been more pronounced, as they can cover so many roles at once, especially when using their spells.

Any Bard that doesn’t want to burn their turn buffing their allies can throw out a Healing Word on an ally, followed by a Vicious Mockery at the enemy. Sure, it’s probably a mouthful, but it allows the Bard to be at their maximum efficiency during their turn, keeping their friends safe, while blasting their foes.

Hex + Eldritch Blast Is the Warlock’s Turn in a Nutshell

By far the most iconic spell combo in Dungeons & Dragons, the Warlock’s first turn in combat may as well be written on a cue card, as it’s so useful that it’s almost always thrown out straight away. The Hex spell adds an additional 1d6 Necrotic damage to any attack made by the Warlock while they maintain Concentration (for up to an hour at level 1).

This combo is nearly always coupled with Eldritch Blast, the Warlock-exclusive Cantrip that deals a ton of damage and can be drastically improved as they level up. The fact that Hex can be moved to a new target when an enemy is defeated means that it can stick around for the whole battle, allowing the Warlock to keep blasting with impunity.