Toll the Dead is a popular necromancy cantrip in the fifth edition of ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ (5e), first published in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything in November 2017. It is a strong damage cantrip that only some classes can learn, and it is especially effective against enemies that are already wounded. Before you add it to your character, it is worth learning which classes can use it and how to get the most out of it.
Updated October 2026. We corrected the description of Toll the Dead as the “latest” cantrip (it dates from 2017) and fixed errors about how its damage and scaling work.
Which classes can use toll the dead?
In Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, Toll the Dead is on the spell lists of three classes: Clerics, Warlocks, and Wizards. It fits the dark, necromantic flavor of many warlocks and wizards, while clerics can use it as a reliable ranged damage option.
Although Toll the Dead cantrip is available for all three wizards, warlocks, and clerics, this cantrip is most fit for clerics of the Death Domain—especially those who are wholly or solely dipped in necromancy. As a result, toll the dead cantrip brings freshness and new opportunities to this class.
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How to use toll the dead?
As per Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, Toll the Dead is a necromancy cantrip with a range of 60 feet. To use it on your turn, choose a creature you can see within range as your target. When you cast it, the sound of a dolorous bell fills the air around the target.
The target must then make a Wisdom saving throw. If it fails, it takes 1d8 necrotic damage, or 1d12 necrotic damage instead if it is already missing any of its hit points. If it succeeds, it takes no damage. Because the cantrip uses a saving throw rather than an attack roll, it works well against enemies with a high Armor Class but a low Wisdom score.
How to do the extra damage with toll the dead in 5e
The toll of the Dead 5e is a cantrip (more of a weapon) specially designed to strike harder against the target that is already getting weaker in the game. Hence, the toll of the dead cantrip bell brings your weak enemy closer to death. This way, the toll to death also sets a great mood for the fight. When you cast a toll the dead cantrip it strikes 1d8 necrotic damage. However, it becomes more deadly by striking 1d12 if the target has any hit points missing.
Like other damage cantrips, Toll the Dead gets stronger as your character gains levels. At 5th level it deals 2d8 (or 2d12 against a wounded target), at 11th level 3d8 (or 3d12), and at 17th level 4d8 (or 4d12). The larger die applies to any target that has taken damage, whatever caused it.
So, studying about your enemies in the Monster Manual is a must, especially if you want to use this cantrip most efficiently in the game.
The best time to cast Toll the Dead is after an ally has already damaged the enemy, so that your target is missing hit points and you roll d12s instead of d8s.
Toll the Dead remains one of the most popular cantrips in Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. Because it is a cantrip, a spell of level 0, it doesn’t use a spell slot, so you can cast it as often as you like.
