Double Spirit Shroud with Death Domain

class-featureclericconcentrationdnd-5espells

The ability from the Death Domain Cleric is Improved Reaper:

Starting at 17th level, when you cast a necromancy spell of 1st through 5th level that targets only one creature, the spell can instead target two creatures within range and within 5 feet of each other. If the spell consumes its material components, you must provide them for each target.

Nowhere in the ability does it state that spells with a range of 'Self' are excluded. This differs from the Sorcerer's metamagic Twinned Spell:

Twinned Spell. When you cast a spell that targets only one creature and doesn't have a range of self, you can spend a number of sorcery points equal to the spell's level to target a second creature in range with the same spell (1 sorcery point if the spell is a cantrip). To be eligible for Twinned Spell, a spell must be incapable of targeting more than one creature at the spell's current level.

Assuming that the caster is within 5 feet of an ally, could Improved Reaper be used to cast two Spirit Shroud spells with only one person concentrating?

Best Answer

Another creature cannot be within range “self”.

Spirit shroud states:

the spell can instead target two creatures within range

Improved Reaper doesn’t specify what “within range” is within the text of the feature, so it has to be referring to the range of the spell you cast. Since spirit shroud has a range of self, and Improved Reaper requires that the second creature be “within range”, you cannot target a second creature, since you are the only creature within range “self”.