Freedom of Movement 5e Spell

Unfettered by the dense jungle, the rogue scouts ahead, scanning the treetops and underbrush for movement. They return to the party often, mocking their slow progress through the thick roots and growth. 

“Sure, laugh it up! We don’t all have freedom of movement, man!”

What is Freedom of Movement Spell?

The spell’s text from the Basic Rules reads: “You touch a willing creature. For the duration, the target’s movement is unaffected by difficult terrain, and spells and other magical effects can neither reduce the target’s speed nor cause the target to be paralyzed or restrained. 

The target can also spend 5 feet of movement to automatically escape from nonmagical restraints, such as manacles or a creature that has it grappled. Finally, being underwater imposes no penalties on the target’s movement or attacks.”

Freedom of Movement 5e Stats

Level	4
Casting Time	1 Action
Range/Area	Touch
Classes	Bard, Cleric, Druid, Ranger, Artificer
Components	Verbal, Somatic, Material*
Duration	1 hour
School	Abjuration
Attack/Save	None
Damage/Effect	Buff

How Does Freedom of Movement Work?

Freedom of Movement does what the name says: it enables someone to move freely despite conditions or restraints.  

Is Freedom of Movement a Good Spell?

At 4^th level, Freedom of Movement is a costly spell. It only lasts for an hour, and it is extremely situational. Freedom of Movement is a poor choice for classes like Bards, who learn a limited number of spells. However, Druids and Clerics prepare spells each day. While it’s impossible for players to predict what will happen during an adventure, they often have a decent idea of what the day will entail.

This is a good spell if the party plans to travel underwater, on a ship, or around the coast. Similarly, if your party focuses on exploring a dense forest or jungle, having a scout be impervious to difficult terrain could be nice. 

The real benefits from this spell, immunity to the paralyzed and restrained conditions, are problematic because it’s very challenging to predict when that will be useful. Of course, you always want to avoid those status effects, but unless your group knows beforehand what kinds of monsters they’ll be facing, freedom of movement isn’t high on the list of good spells to prepare for the day. 

Which Classes Can Use Freedom of Movement?

Freedom of Movement is on the Bard, Cleric, Druid, Ranger, and Artificer spell lists. Oath of Devotion Paladins, Oath of the Open Sea Paladins, Oath of Glory Paladins, Circle of the Land (Arctic, Coast, Forest, Grassland, and Swamp) Druids, and War Domain Clerics always have it prepared.