Misty Step 5e [DnD Spell Guide: Uses, Rules, Tips]

Briefly surrounded by silvery mist, you teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see.

Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
School: 2nd-level conjuration

Who can cast Misty Step? Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards have Misty Step on their class spell lists. Additionally, Coast Land Druids, Ancients Paladins, and Vengeance Paladins get Misty Step for free, and always have it prepared.

Player’s Handbook, pg. 260

Misty Step 5e

Who doesn’t love a simple, short-range teleport with the dramatic flair of transforming into mist like a Death Eater? Misty Step might not be as immediately enticing as some 2nd-level damage spells, but savvy players will understand that a 30-foot, bonus action teleport opens up a world of possibilities.

In this article, I’ll go over the basic rules of Misty Step, along with some of its best in-game applications.

How Does Misty Step Work in 5e?

Misty Step allows a player to teleport up to 30 feet to any place they can see. Note that this 30-foot teleport includes the Z-axis as well as the X and Y (you can go up and down with it).

Misty Step has a range of self and a casting time of one bonus action, so you can move and perform another action (including casting a cantrip or attacking) on the same turn. You can Misty Step before or after taking other actions.

How to Use Misty Step in 5e

Misty Step might not seem all that great at first glance, but here are some creative applications of the spell that can add some flavor to your game, in and out of combat:

Escaping. The ability to move 30 feet away without provoking any opportunity attacks is a big deal in DnD. Plus, since Misty Step is a bonus action, you can also use Dash and move a total of 90 feet in one turn. Or you can attack, and then Misty Step away. Even if you Misty Step and move a normal distance, the enemy you ran from will have to Dash on their turn to get back into melee range of you.
Repositioning. Maybe you need to get closer to friends to help. Or perhaps you’d like to be in the thick of things so you can lay out some serious area of effect damage. Or you’re trying to get to the perfect tactical point to set up an ambush, but it’s too hard to get to by physical means.

Misty Step is how you get your character where they need to go, fast.
Get out of grapple and restrain effects. The grappled condition only lasts if you remain in range of the grappler, so Misty Step is effectively an instant and unstoppable (barring Counterspell) way to get out of any grapple. Likewise, most effects that cause the restrained condition are localized, and while your speed is 0 in these situations, you can still use Misty Step to move out of the area of the restrain effect, instantly freeing yourself.
Get away from captors. Depending on your interpretation of the rules (or, more accurately, your DM’s), Misty Step can get you out of bonds. At the very least, it can teleport you regardless if you’re hands are bound. From there, it’s up to you to release the rest of your party.
Cheating puzzles. Sometimes, you can see the artifact you’ve come to get, but there’s some crazy obstacle in the way. You’re supposed to find the three keys, engage the levers, destroy the crystal, and…or you could just Misty Step over there, snatch the thing, and Misty Step back.
Familiar teleport. If you’re having a tough time seeing the place you want to teleport to, you can use Find Familiar and see through your creature’s eyes. Then, you can cast Misty Step to that hard-to-reach spot.

What Are the Rules for Misty Step in 5e?

The basic rules for Misty Step in DnD 5e are pretty simple. Instead of covering those rules, let’s go over some commonly asked questions about the spell:

Can I Misty Step while carrying someone? No, you cannot carry someone with Misty Step. The spell’s range is “self,” and the game’s rules differentiate between carried objects and living creatures. While you can cast Misty Step while carrying someone, they will immediately fall as you alone teleport.
Can I Misty Step out of grapple? Yes, you can Misty Step out of grapple without making any ability checks. The spell only has verbal components, so unless your mouth is gagged as well, you can Misty Step while restrained. A Sorcerer could even Misty Step while gagged by using Subtle Spell.
Is Misty Step teleporting? Yes, Misty Step is considered teleporting.
Can I Misty Step while in bonds? Yes, just like when you are being grappled, you can Misty Step while in shackles or bonds, as long as they’re not magically blocking such spells. Once again, Misty Step only requires a spoken word, so you do not need free use of your hands to cast it.

As to whether the bonds teleport with you, we’ll leave it to Lead Rules Designer, Jeremey Crawford. From Sageadvice: “it’s up the to the DM. I’d say you could teleport out of bonds that are fixed to a wall or the like.” That implies manacles would be considered worn (and so teleport with you), while wall shackles would not.
Can I cast a spell before or after using Misty Step? Yes, you can cast a cantrip (and only a cantrip) after casting Misty Step (PHB 202).
Can I use Misty Step as a reaction? No, you cannot use Misty Step as a reaction; only as a bonus action. What a lot of players actually mean when they ask this question is: Can I use the Ready action to prepare Misty Step? The answer is still no, since you can’t Ready bonus actions.

You can go up or down with Misty Step, and you bring along anything you’re carrying or wearing, excluding players. Since Misty Step is only a bonus action, you can also move, attack, cast a cantrip, or take other actions on your turn before or after using it.

Who Can I Target With Misty Step 5e?

You can target any unoccupied space you can see within 30 feet with Misty Step. This means you can’t Misty Step directly on top of another creature’s square(s), nor can you Misty Step to a location you can’t see.

You may be wondering if you can target a space with Misty Step while you’re falling as a way to avoid damage. If you’re in combat, you’ll have to wait until your turn to use your bonus action, and you can’t use it as a reaction. So if you’re not falling far, you probably won’t have time to cast Misty Step.

If you’re out of combat, you might be able to teleport to safety if you react quickly enough.

Is Misty Step 5e a Good Spell?

Yes, Misty Step is a very good spell with plenty of applications. Having a casting time of one bonus action opens up some very economical turns in combat, with attacks, cantrips, dashes, and other maneuvers all possible.

Players who rely on spellcasting as their main source of damage may not like expending a spell slot on a utility spell, but it’s worth having Misty Step when you’re in a tight spot.

Misty Step 5e DM Tips

As a DM, make sure players understand Misty Step’s rules as laid out above. A lot of players try to pick up a buddy and teleport away with them, so be ready to disappoint them when they try that. If really creative players use “Enlarge/Reduce” on a Gnome and then slip them into their pocket, you might let them get away with it.

In that same spirit, be prepared to reward players who make creative tactical use of Misty Step. Whether it’s used to set up an ambush, escape a villain’s clutches, or avoid terrain difficulties, Misty Step allows players to feel like problem-solvers as well as mighty heroes.

DnD 5e Misty Step FAQ

Misty step DnD 5e FAQ:

Is misty step good for a warlock? Yes, misty step is good for a warlock. While warlocks have very limited spell slots, most are also quite squishy and immobile. Misty step is just the thing for squishy, immobile characters in 5e. However, it is slightly annoying to pay premium prices for a 2nd-level spell at higher levels, since you’re forced to upcast as a warlock.
Is misty step better than thunder step? Yes, misty step is widely considered to be a better spell than thunder step. While thunder step can teleport you 90 feet compared to misty step’s 30 feet, it costs a full action to do so. And while the bonus 3d10 (16.5 average) thunder damage to those within 10 feet of your teleport destination on a failed Constitution save (half on a success) might seem nice, it’s not that great for a 3rd-level spell.

Plus, that damage can actually be a liability if you’re trying to teleport near your allies, and the spell creates a sound audible up to 300 feet away.

On the plus side, thunder step allows you to bring an ally with you, while misty step does not. Overall, both are quite good spells, but misty step is superior, mostly due to it being a lower-leveled spell slot and requiring only a bonus action, leaving your action free for a cantrip or something else.
Does misty step break stealth? Yes, in most cases, misty step breaks stealth, although this is heavily DM-dependent. However, the relevant rules are that misty step has a verbal component, and remaining hidden requires you remain unseen and unheard. And if you misty step in visual range of an enemy, they will see you.

That being said, if you use misty step before combat breaks out and the creature is aware of you, you should be able to remain hidden, depending on other circumstances, like the available cover, light, and what the creature(s) are doing while you’re skulking about.
Can I cast fireball and misty step on the same turn? No, you cannot cast misty step and fireball on the same turn. Both are leveled spells, and, even with bonus action casting time spells (like misty step), ‘you can’t cast another spell during the same turn [as a bonus action spell], except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action’ (Player’s Handbook, pg. 202)