You don’t have to use this magic on just enemies. You can Disintegrate just about any item, as long as it is not magical. So if you want to make your tracks disappear or get rid of a defeated enemy, you can use this spell. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is some debate about whether you can use it to make just the item you are pointing disappear or if everything around it will be affected. In my campaigns, I give my players the option to just point at what they want to Disintegrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a twist. However, you will need to roll, and your intelligence or Dexterity is your modifier. You blast away more than just your tiny target if you roll below an 8 (with your modifier added). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, doing this extra mechanic is just something I do as a Dungeon Master in my campaigns. So you can always make up your way to deal with this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Making a point<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes your players are being just a bit too bold about the campaign. There’s nothing like defeating one of your players and using Disintegrate 5e on them to make a point. They will be a lot more cautious if you do so in the next campaign or with the new character they are playing with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don’t have to wipe the entire party. Using it on one of the players to have him turn to ashes and dust is more than enough. Next time, your adventurers will probably shake in their boots when they know one of your creatures has access to this magic attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Making shortcuts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Using this spell on a large target will only Disintegrate a 10 feet cube of matter. That means you can build yourself a tunnel through a mountain. Is there a wall in your way? Well, chances are you can just blast through it without too much effort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are a Dungeon Master and don’t want your extensive labyrinth to get shot to pieces or have your city walls be reduced to rubble, I would just tell the players that a magical essence has been imbued into the walls or rocks. The magic can not turn magical items into ash after all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Don’t over-use disintegrate as a DM<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you are a DM, the seduction to use flashy cool spells early in your campaign is always there. Well, at least for me, it is. However, it is important not to give in and start using spells that are simply too strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would not use Disintegrate anywhere near the beginning of the campaign. You should make sure your adventurers and players have at least a counterspell or tactic in their arsenal before your villains are using magical powers of this magnitude.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summary <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ways to Use Disintegrate<\/th>	Description<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Combine with Hold Person<\/td>	Use Hold Person to lower the target’s Dexterity, increasing the chances of hitting with Disintegrate.<\/td><\/tr>
Make evidence disappear<\/td>	Disintegrate non-magical items like tracks or defeated enemies to remove evidence or traces. The affected area can be determined by the DM.<\/td><\/tr>
Making a point<\/td>	Use Disintegrate on a player character to make a cautionary statement.<\/td><\/tr>
Making shortcuts<\/td>	Blast through obstacles or create tunnels by Disintegrating a 10-foot cube of matter.<\/td><\/tr>
Don’t over-use as a DM<\/td>	Avoid using Disintegrate too early in the campaign to maintain balance.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>