You summon fey creatures that appear in unoccupied spaces that you can see within range. Choose one of the following options for what appears:
- One fey creature of challenge rating 2 or lower
- Two fey creatures of challenge rating 1 or lower
- Four fey creatures of challenge rating 1/2 or lower
- Eight fey creatures of challenge rating 1/4 or lower
A summoned creature disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.
The summoned creatures are friendly to you and your companions. Roll initiative for the summoned creatures as a group, which have their own turns. They obey any verbal commands that you issue to them (no action required by you). If you don't issue any commands to them, they defend themselves from hostile creatures, but otherwise take no actions.
The GM has the creatures' statistics. You can see some sample creatures below.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using certain higher-level spell slots, you choose one of the summoning options above, and more creatures appear: twice as many with a 6th-level slot and three times as many with an 8th-level slot.
Sample Creatures
CR | Creature |
1/4 | Blink Dog, Sprite |
1/2 | Satyr |
1 | Dryad |
2 | Sea Hag |
* - (one holly berry per creature summoned)
Here's an interesting possible non-combat way to use Conjure Woodland Beings.
The only CR 1 fey are Dryads and Quicklings, so if you choose CR 1 you've got a 1 in 2 chance to get Dryads, unless the DM really doesn't want you to have Dryads, or else just lets you choose Dryads. (Personally if I run I'd have the caster make a straight spellcasting ability check to try and get some degree of control over the creature type, since they are expending a valuable spell slot hoping for a certain outcome. The DC to get what they want could be say 15, variable at the DMs discretion. So there's a chance of failure, but a chance of success).
So provided you have the time, summon 2 Dryads. They each cast Goodberry 3 times, that's 60 points of healing divided among whoever you choose for a 4th level spell. That's much better than an out-of-combat 4th level Cure Wounds. And it doesn't put the pressure on the DM with a ton of creatures to keep track of in combat that most of the druid's conjuration spells are guilty of.
Downsides are, your DM might not choose Dryads / not let you choose Dryads / will choose Quicklings just to spite you trying to work the system. And it can't be cast as an action, so it can't be used in the middle of combat like Mass Cure Wounds. Definitely a preparatory or post-combat strategy. Ask your DM beforehand if they like to choose the creatures for conjuration spells or if you can, and that can help you decide if you go for it. Personally I think the DM should give any player who's not trying to throw 8 sprites into a combat encounter a little love when picking the creature.
But if all else fails you still get two new buddies for an hour!