This question was asked for version 2E and the answer was yes. It's an interesting scenario as the caster is being attacked by multiple low hit point creatures. Can the caster cast sleep on themselves?
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3\$\begingroup\$ The concern, at least with your scenario and not the linked Q, is to make the creatures around the caster fall asleep, no? It might be useful to clarify if the intent is to center it on themselves, rather than affect themselves. \$\endgroup\$– Someone_Evil ♦Commented Feb 15, 2021 at 21:52
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3 Answers
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No, but they can be affected by their own Sleep spell
They can't cast it on themselves because the target of the Sleep is "a point you choose within range" and it affects creatures within 20 feet of that point. If the caster is within that area they can be affected by their own spell.
This applies to all area of effect spells, not just Sleep.
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20\$\begingroup\$ This answer is unhelpfully pedantic. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Feb 15, 2021 at 1:52
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54\$\begingroup\$ @ThomasMarkov Pedantic, maybe, but this is RPG.SE. This is where pedantry lives. It also seems precisely correct: a caster cannot cast Sleep on themselves, because Sleep cannot target a creature (or self). But the caster can be put to sleep as a result of casting Sleep. What element of the question do you feel is not addressed by this answer? \$\endgroup\$ Commented Feb 15, 2021 at 1:57
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27\$\begingroup\$ +1 for both answering the question as written and what is probably the intended question. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Feb 15, 2021 at 1:59
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46\$\begingroup\$ The best pedantry is pedantry that answers the question as intended as well as adding useful correction to the question itself. I think this fits the bill. \$\endgroup\$– NovakCommented Feb 15, 2021 at 2:03
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23\$\begingroup\$ I will note that, in the first 5E session I ever played in, someone did exactly this. They cast sleep on a group of enemies that turned out to be zombies and thus immune. My character was also in the AoE, but he was a half-elf and thus was also immune. The only character in range and not immune was the caster. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Feb 15, 2021 at 8:21
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It's risky, but it just might work.
The sleep spell affects all creatures within an area of your choice. Nothing precludes you from including yourself in that area.
If your aim is to neutralize the creatures around you, and they each have fewer hit points than you, then this isn't a bad tactic; you'll only be affected after all of them are affected, and since the spell doesn't require concentration, you'll all stay asleep no matter what happens to you.
answered Feb 15, 2021 at 2:14
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2\$\begingroup\$ On the other hand, it can be a great cure for insomnia. \$\endgroup\$– PJRZCommented Feb 15, 2021 at 10:12
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4\$\begingroup\$ @PJRZ unless you have a lot of HP, in which case your neighbours, roommates and pet spider will probably doze off, but you won't. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Feb 15, 2021 at 14:09
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If you mean targeting a point within yourself, no
As mentioned in the comments on Dale M's answer, spells in D&D5e require Line of Sight unless they specifically state they don't. So, unless the caster's belly is transparent or an artificial wiregrid (think e.g. Tezzeret from MtG) or something like that, they can't cast Sleep within their stomach, for example.
An exception to this
are, as mentioned, body parts that are transparent in one form or another. A particularly intersting example, mentioned by Joshua in the comments, are the insides of your eyeballs, since they're transparent (and therefore viable) for any given self.
That said...
While you can't cast Sleep within your navel, nothing prevents you from casting it in front of your navel, at the very surface of your clothes and armor. As others mentioned however, you do run the risk of affecting yourself.
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\$\begingroup\$ As I can see the blood cells crossing my own retina, I sure can pick a point within myself. \$\endgroup\$– JoshuaCommented Feb 16, 2021 at 20:46
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\$\begingroup\$ @Joshua True that; I guess the inside of the eyeballs falls under "transparent body parts" though. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Feb 17, 2021 at 9:59
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1\$\begingroup\$ Can I maybe get reasons for the downvotes? It's annoying not to know what I should improve. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Feb 19, 2021 at 9:54
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\$\begingroup\$ Wasn't me, but "within their stomach" seems to be referencing question text that doesn't exist. \$\endgroup\$– JoshuaCommented Feb 19, 2021 at 16:22
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\$\begingroup\$ OK thanks, clarified that a little. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Feb 22, 2021 at 8:26