Spell Casting Time

How long does it take to cast a spell? (fiction & tabletop)

In Dungeons & Dragons 5e (SRD 5.1, open licence), casting time sits right alongside damage and range as a core stat for any spell. Most things you throw in a fight cost 1 action = 6 s. Faster tricks run off a bonus action = 6 s or a reaction = 6 s. Utility magic is slower: 1 minute for something like find familiar, then 10 minutes or 1 hour for rituals. A handful of divinations drag on for 8–24 hours.

The Harry Potter world spreads things out further. A flick of the wand for Wingardium Leviosa or Lumos happens more or less instantly. The potion-like rituals are another story. Polyjuice Potion famously needs one full month of brewing, and Felix Felicis takes six months.

Use cases

Game masters lean on these averages when balancing encounters. Players use them to plan turn economy, and writers use them to keep a magic system from contradicting itself. The calculator is purely fictional / entertainment — no real-world magic is implied.

FAQ

Is a 6-second round canon? Yes. The D&D 5e PHB spells out that 1 combat round is 6 seconds, which makes 10 rounds = 1 minute.

Can I cast two spells per turn? Usually not in 5e. If you spend a bonus action on a spell, the spell you cast with your action has to be a cantrip.

Does this apply to Pathfinder/other systems? Treat the averages here as a rough guide. For exact timings, go to the rules of whatever system you’re playing.