D&D 5e API
Free Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition API with no key: spells, monsters, classes, races, equipment and rules from the SRD. Tested curl example and live JSON.
Endpoint tested and returned HTTP 200 on 2026-08-19
What is the D&D 5e API?
The D&D 5e API is a free, key-free REST API serving Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition reference data from the System Reference Document — spells, monsters, classes, races, equipment, features and rules.
This API covers the System Reference Document, the portion of D&D 5th Edition that Wizards of the Coast released under an open licence. That is an important distinction: SRD content is legally reusable, while material from the full published books is not included and should not be assumed available.
One practical note that older API lists get wrong: the endpoints are now versioned by ruleset year. Spells live under `/api/2014/spells/...` rather than the older unversioned path, which is exactly the kind of silent breakage that makes verified examples worth having.
Quick facts
- Base URL
https://www.dnd5eapi.co/api- Authentication
- No key required. Content is limited to the openly licensed SRD.
- Rate limit
- No published limit.
- Pricing
- Free. SRD content under the Open Gaming Licence.
- CORS
- Enabled — callable directly from browser JavaScript
- Official docs
- Read the docs
How to use the D&D 5e API
Every request below was executed against the live API on 2026-08-19, and the response shown is the real body it returned — not an illustration.
1. Fetch a spell's full rules text
GET https://www.dnd5eapi.co/api/2014/spells/fireball
curl 'https://www.dnd5eapi.co/api/2014/spells/fireball'const res = await fetch("https://www.dnd5eapi.co/api/2014/spells/fireball");
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${res.status}`);
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data);import requests
res = requests.get("https://www.dnd5eapi.co/api/2014/spells/fireball", timeout=20)
res.raise_for_status()
print(res.json()){
"index": "fireball",
"name": "Fireball",
"desc": [
"A bright streak flashes from your pointing finger to a point you choose within range and then blossoms with a low roar into an explosion of flame. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a dexterity saving throw. A target takes 8d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.",
"The fire spreads around corners. It ignites flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried."
],
"higher_level": [
"When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 3rd."
],
"range": "150 feet",
"components": [
"V",
"S",
"M"
],
"material": "A tiny ball of bat guano and sulfur.",
"ritual": false,
"duration": "Instantaneous",
"concentration": false,
"casting_time": "1 action",
"level": 3,
"damage": {
"damage_type": {
"index": "fire",
"name": "Fire",
"url": "/api/2014/damage-types/fire"
},
"damage_at_slot_level": {
"3": "8d6",
"4": "9d6",
"5": "10d6",
"6": "11d6",
"7": "12d6",
"8": "13d6",
"9": "14d6"
}
},
"dc": {
"dc_type": {
"index": "dex",
"name": "DEX",
"url": "/api/2014/ability-scores/dex"
},
"dc_success": "half"
},
"area_of_effect": {
"type": "sphere",
"size": 20
},
"school": {
"index": "evocation",
"name": "Evocation",
"url": "/api/2014/magic-schools/evocation"
},
"classes": [
{
"index": "Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
<version> | path | Required | Ruleset version segment, currently `2014`. 2014 |
<resource> | path | Required | spells, monsters, classes, races, equipment and more. spells |
<index> | path | Optional | Resource index, lowercase and hyphenated. fireball |
Response fields
index / namestring- URL-safe identifier and display name.
descarray- Rules text as an array of paragraphs.
higher_levelarray- Additional effect when cast with a higher-level slot.
range / duration / casting_timestring- Core spell mechanics.
damageobject- Damage type and per-level scaling, where applicable.
classesarray- Classes that can use the resource, with links.
What you can build with the D&D 5e API
- Build a spell and monster lookup tool for players and DMs
- Create a character builder using SRD classes and races
- Generate random encounters from the monster list
- Add rules reference search to a virtual tabletop
Common errors and how to fix them
404 on /api/spells/fireball
The unversioned path is no longer served.
Fix: Use the versioned path /api/2014/spells/fireball — many older tutorials and API lists still show the old form.
Resource not found
Index names are lowercase and hyphenated.
Fix: Use `fireball`, `magic-missile` — not display capitalisation.
D&D 5e API — frequently asked questions
Is the D&D 5e API free?
Yes, completely free with no API key. It serves System Reference Document content, which Wizards of the Coast released under an open licence.
Why does my old D&D API URL return 404?
The API added ruleset versioning, so spells now live at /api/2014/spells/{index} rather than the older unversioned path. Many published examples still show the outdated URL.
Does it include content from all the D&D books?
No, only the SRD — the openly licensed subset. Material exclusive to published sourcebooks is not included and is not legally redistributable.
How are resource names formatted?
As lowercase hyphenated indexes, so Magic Missile is `magic-missile`. Use the list endpoints to discover valid index values.
Tools that pair with this API
Random Number Generator
Generate random numbers in any range with cryptographically secure randomness. Multiple numbers, no-repeat mode, sorting, plus dice and coin presets.
JSON Formatter
Format, beautify and minify JSON online with 2-space, 4-space or tab indentation. Sort keys alphabetically and catch syntax errors instantly — free and private.
D&D 5e API is an independent third-party service and is not affiliated with ByteTools or ByteVancer. Details on this page were verified on 2026-08-19; always check the official documentation before relying on this API in production, as terms and limits can change.