I made my first Wizard and I'm a smidge overwhelmed by all the spells I have access too ^^' So I was wondering if any of you guys had some favorite spells or spells that you think every wizard should pick up?
This is partly for fun, but I'd also love hear some second opinions!
My Wizard is in a party with an Oathbreaker Paladin, and Drunk Monk. She is an Illusionist as well. Some of the spells I've already picked up are:
EDIT: I'm level 4 right now! I forgot to mention that my bad!
-Shield: Just encase. It's saved my but at least once already -Magic Missile: Its fun! Plus some guaranteed damage is nice -Find Familiar: a helpful scout! Plus I've used them once to help disarm a bad dude -Detect Magic: cause duh -Sleep: great AoE at the low levels. Its also kinda fun to use on people -Mage Armor: I wanna live! -Tasha’s Hideous Laughter: its fun! It's also great at taking a target out of the fight -Feather fall: Just encase -Grease: Surprisingly been useful! It's also fun to watch a bunch of bandits slip and slide down a hill
-Shatter: AoE! -Web: I REALLY like its CC. It's been pretty great at stopping entire groups from attacking us -Hold Person: Its a really good lockdown spell! -Misty Step: very nice for a quick escape. -Phantasmal Force: I LOVE this one! It's so much fun! I used it to throw a "bag" over a pretty scary ogre and blinded him for the entire encounter :D -Mirror Image: its fun and no concentration!
Please feel free to share suggestions or just spells you really like!
What level are you? A 1st level wizard starts with 6 spells and then get's 2 more at each other level unless you find spell books or scrolls that you can copy.
Having said that, I tend to look for the following things when I pick spells:
I love multi-purpose spells like Levitate. It can be used for exploration and it can also be used offensively and defensively in combat. Imagine picking up an Ogre and holding it 2 feet off of the ground and sitting 20 feet back and using it for target practice.
I dislike spells where one saving throw makes the spell so that it doesn't have any impact, and of those spells I dislike the ones where the target get's a save every round after they fail the first save even more. Hideous Laughter is an example of a spell that is a single target spell where the target get's to make a saving throw to shake the spell off every round. Yes, Levitate used offensively is a single target spell where the target get's to make a spell to avoid the effect, but the target only get's one save and doesn't get to make another spell every round.
I like having a selection of defensive spells prepared. Misty Step is a nice spell because it can be used to both get you out of danger and to bypass closed doors, pits or other obstacles when you're exploring.
I love spells that you can use creatively! The more creatively the better! Any illusion spell can be used creatively with a DM who encourages illusions.
I also like to have a combination of spells that last for several rounds and spells that only last for one round prepared. Spell casters have a very limited number of spell slots so being able to cast a spell that lasts for several rounds like Grease and then cast a couple of spells that are fire and done spells like Magic Missile is nice to have. But be careful that you don't have only concentration spells prepared because you can only concentrate on one spell at a time.
I hope this helps give you some things to think about when picking which spells to learn and then which spells to prepare from that list.
Some spells that I really like that you haven’t already mentioned are:
Protection from Evil and Good: This does depend on campaign but my abjurer wizard and my buds paladin have found in our campaign this is amazing as we face a lot of fiends and undead.
Remove Curse: Yet another situational spell but I found my cleric utilised it a lot and my wizard has seen some mileage with it.
Alarm: A ritual that will help long rests but could be used in other ways.
Arcane Lock: Good for security but also for slowing down pursuers.
Dispel Magic: Poof and the magic is gone.
Counterspell: Caster, no casting!!
Finally some other spells that I feel have good potential:
What level are you? A 1st level wizard starts with 6 spells and then get's 2 more at each other level unless you find spell books or scrolls that you can copy.
Having said that, I tend to look for the following things when I pick spells:
I love multi-purpose spells like Levitate. It can be used for exploration and it can also be used offensively and defensively in combat. Imagine picking up an Ogre and holding it 2 feet off of the ground and sitting 20 feet back and using it for target practice.
I dislike spells where one saving throw makes the spell so that it doesn't have any impact, and of those spells I dislike the ones where the target get's a save every round after they fail the first save even more. Hideous Laughter is an example of a spell that is a single target spell where the target get's to make a saving throw to shake the spell off every round. Yes, Levitate used offensively is a single target spell where the target get's to make a spell to avoid the effect, but the target only get's one save and doesn't get to make another spell every round.
I like having a selection of defensive spells prepared. Misty Step is a nice spell because it can be used to both get you out of danger and to bypass closed doors, pits or other obstacles when you're exploring.
I love spells that you can use creatively! The more creatively the better! Any illusion spell can be used creatively with a DM who encourages illusions.
I also like to have a combination of spells that last for several rounds and spells that only last for one round prepared. Spell casters have a very limited number of spell slots so being able to cast a spell that lasts for several rounds like Grease and then cast a couple of spells that are fire and done spells like Magic Missile is nice to have. But be careful that you don't have only concentration spells prepared because you can only concentrate on one spell at a time.
I hope this helps give you some things to think about when picking which spells to learn and then which spells to prepare from that list.
Level 4! So I'll be getting some juicy spells soon!
I actually hadn't considered Levitate much, but you make a great point about enemies not getting a chance to get out of it every round. I do agree that Save or Suck spells suck a little more when the enemy can get out of them in one round :/ Thematically, I still love Hideous Laughter. I will for sure keep it mind with other spells though! I want useful stuff and stuff that scales!
My DM is very generous so that's one of the reasons I'm doing an Illusionist. The Illusions are a lot of fun and I'm kind of making it a goal to try and grab every Illusion spell!
I like the combo stuff too! I haven't really thought of it much but I have been looking for flexible spells like Grease and what not. I know my spell slots are precious and I'm not a Warlock so I can't afford to blow them every fight ^^' I'm always looking for better ways to optimize my casting.
Thank you! You made a lot of good points. If you go anything else I'm all ears!
Honestly shatter has been one of my favorite abilities in one shots. But using a tempest cleric npc has been fun to mess around with in my main campaign in terms of casting.
Immovable Object Is fun, I once misty stepped onto a horse and cast this on a warrior's helmet. It wasnt a major bad guy or anything, so the DM just ruled that his head stayed in the helmet while the rest of his body kept riding.
Counterspell is pretty important if youre the only one that cast it.
Invisibility is strong for scouting, especially if you use it with someone else's fly.
I use telekenetic as one of my feats, so i use mage hand as well. The ability to use your bonus action to shove is huge. You can push yourself out of being threatened, as well as your team mates. Plus pushing bad guys off of tall things never gets old.
Get as many ritual spells as you can, like Alarm and Identify
cantrip:firebolt,mage hand, acid splash, ray of frost
level 1: magic missile,thunderwave,mage armor,chromatic orb, shield...detect magic,witchbolt and burning hands are okay but not the best... i don't feather fall, i'm a aarakocra wizard
level 2: Cloud of daggers, misty step, hold person...flaming sphere and dragonbreath are mid
Thunderwave is OP early game for groups of 3+ enemies all clustered in 1 space. the knockback aspect is only useful if they are running straight at you though, and you have to be REALLY careful and warn your friends because it's pretty deadly.some of my friends all had to go to death saves when 1 guy decided to use Thunderwave without warning them and then died before he could heal any of them, before anybody else could even roll death saves... they all died.
Personally, chromatic orb is amazing. Ice golem? Chromatic orb. Fire elemental? Chromatic orb. Any other enemy? Chromatic orb. For single target damage, it's unrivaled at level one. Also, once you hit level 13, pick up simulacrum. It creates a clone of you or an ally, which you control. The simulacrum can cast all the spells you can, including simulacrum. Infinite fireballs, baby!
I'm just your everyday dungeon master. Ignore that jar full of souls. And those bones in the corner are just props, don't worry. I'm definitely NOT a lich. Definitely.
i don't think that the simulacrum can cast simulacrum.and it will run out of spell slots eventually, but it is a pretty good spell.And i do agree, chromatic orb is a versatile spell.
Another busted spells that can completely turn the tides in a fight include Wall of Force. "Oh, you wanted the enemy to do something? Well..."
And one of my personal favorites: Fog Cloud. Enemy: "Haha! I have Truesight! No invisibility, no illusion, no amount of magical darkness can save you from my all-powerful sight!" Player: "I cast Fog Cloud!" Enemy: "... Shit!"
I’m a fan of Thunderwave - but you do have to take some care and work with the DM on how you place it. I try to position it so foes that are knocked back hit a wall for an extra d6 “falling” damage( it’s not the fall that damages you - it’s the landing at the end - fall 600’ and at the end of rnd 1 after falling 500’ you take no damage, but when you hit in rnd 2 after an additional 100’ you take the full 60d6). You want to gather any ritual spell you can- you will find reasons to cast them. Yes get any illusion spells - it sounds like you have an illusion friendly DM so push the limits. However, talk with them about each spell and how they see it function. Some are clearly “ in the target’s mind” while others are clearly out there for all to see, but most are not clearly in one group or the other but sort of DM discretion. For cantrips you want 2 offensive and 2 utility to start. Check with the DM on chromatic orb, some tables have a house rule about expensive materials being 1 and done, others like to make finding expensive components difficult. One of my fav L2 spells is scorching ray - 3 attacks for 2d6. Generally I tend to prefer more dice even each is smaller. ( rolling a d12 25% of your rolls are a 1/2/3 - not fun, roll 3 d4 and you never roll a 1/2 and a 3 appears only 1.5% of the time ( of course the same is true for a 12 but average damage is pretty much guaranteed and I’ll take that). The OP was playing a 2014 game (originally - 2019) and one of my fav moves, if I haven’t dumped charisma, is to take the magic initiate: warlock feat as early as possible and take Eldritch blast as a cantrip and hex as a L1 spell. Unlike most cantrips EB gives you extra attacks ( at the same damage) not extra damage which can be quite useful. (Obviously even better for bards and sorcerers).
Hullo!
I made my first Wizard and I'm a smidge overwhelmed by all the spells I have access too ^^' So I was wondering if any of you guys had some favorite spells or spells that you think every wizard should pick up?
This is partly for fun, but I'd also love hear some second opinions!
My Wizard is in a party with an Oathbreaker Paladin, and Drunk Monk. She is an Illusionist as well.
Some of the spells I've already picked up are:
EDIT: I'm level 4 right now! I forgot to mention that my bad!
-Shield: Just encase. It's saved my but at least once already
-Magic Missile: Its fun! Plus some guaranteed damage is nice
-Find Familiar: a helpful scout! Plus I've used them once to help disarm a bad dude
-Detect Magic: cause duh
-Sleep: great AoE at the low levels. Its also kinda fun to use on people
-Mage Armor: I wanna live!
-Tasha’s Hideous Laughter: its fun! It's also great at taking a target out of the fight
-Feather fall: Just encase
-Grease: Surprisingly been useful! It's also fun to watch a bunch of bandits slip and slide down a hill
-Shatter: AoE!
-Web: I REALLY like its CC. It's been pretty great at stopping entire groups from attacking us
-Hold Person: Its a really good lockdown spell!
-Misty Step: very nice for a quick escape.
-Phantasmal Force: I LOVE this one! It's so much fun! I used it to throw a "bag" over a pretty scary ogre and blinded him for the entire encounter :D
-Mirror Image: its fun and no concentration!
Please feel free to share suggestions or just spells you really like!
What level are you? A 1st level wizard starts with 6 spells and then get's 2 more at each other level unless you find spell books or scrolls that you can copy.
Having said that, I tend to look for the following things when I pick spells:
I hope this helps give you some things to think about when picking which spells to learn and then which spells to prepare from that list.
Professional computer geek
Some spells that I really like that you haven’t already mentioned are:
Protection from Evil and Good: This does depend on campaign but my abjurer wizard and my buds paladin have found in our campaign this is amazing as we face a lot of fiends and undead.
Remove Curse: Yet another situational spell but I found my cleric utilised it a lot and my wizard has seen some mileage with it.
Alarm: A ritual that will help long rests but could be used in other ways.
Arcane Lock: Good for security but also for slowing down pursuers.
Dispel Magic: Poof and the magic is gone.
Counterspell: Caster, no casting!!
Finally some other spells that I feel have good potential:
Knock, Ice Knife, Dragon’s Breath.
Some of my favorite (low level) Wizard spells are: Find familiar (simply the best), dragon's breath (my pet spell), flaming sphere (it's no spiritual weapon, but it will do), invisibility, misty step, fireball (classic), haste, lightning bolt (also classic), phantom steed (eat your heart out paladin), and tiny hut (the ultimate tent).
A few that I almost included out of necessity rather than favor were shield and counterspell
Level 4! So I'll be getting some juicy spells soon!
I actually hadn't considered Levitate much, but you make a great point about enemies not getting a chance to get out of it every round. I do agree that Save or Suck spells suck a little more when the enemy can get out of them in one round :/ Thematically, I still love Hideous Laughter. I will for sure keep it mind with other spells though! I want useful stuff and stuff that scales!
My DM is very generous so that's one of the reasons I'm doing an Illusionist. The Illusions are a lot of fun and I'm kind of making it a goal to try and grab every Illusion spell!
I like the combo stuff too! I haven't really thought of it much but I have been looking for flexible spells like Grease and what not. I know my spell slots are precious and I'm not a Warlock so I can't afford to blow them every fight ^^' I'm always looking for better ways to optimize my casting.
Thank you! You made a lot of good points. If you go anything else I'm all ears!
identify to see what those object are after you cast detect magic-cast as a ritual of course
Honestly shatter has been one of my favorite abilities in one shots. But using a tempest cleric npc has been fun to mess around with in my main campaign in terms of casting.
-Sol
A new player I just started DMing for asked me this same question the other day.
My top 5 picks would be:
-Teleport
-Fireball
-Mage Armor
-Misty Step
- Polymorph
There are few decent lists here too:
https://rpgbot.net/dnd5/characters/classes/wizard/spells/
https://dungeonsanddragonsfan.com/best-wizard-spells-dnd-5e/
https://www.flutesloot.com/best-wizard-spells-dnd-5e/
Immovable Object Is fun, I once misty stepped onto a horse and cast this on a warrior's helmet. It wasnt a major bad guy or anything, so the DM just ruled that his head stayed in the helmet while the rest of his body kept riding.
Counterspell is pretty important if youre the only one that cast it.
Invisibility is strong for scouting, especially if you use it with someone else's fly.
I use telekenetic as one of my feats, so i use mage hand as well. The ability to use your bonus action to shove is huge. You can push yourself out of being threatened, as well as your team mates. Plus pushing bad guys off of tall things never gets old.
Get as many ritual spells as you can, like Alarm and Identify
In my opinion, Slow is the GOAT of wizard spells. It can really turn the tide and control a combat, I usually pick it over Haste it's that good.
For straight damage I like Lightning Bolt over Fireball because LB is more aim-able for similar damage.
cantrip:firebolt,mage hand, acid splash, ray of frost
level 1: magic missile,thunderwave,mage armor,chromatic orb, shield...detect magic,witchbolt and burning hands are okay but not the best... i don't feather fall, i'm a aarakocra wizard
level 2: Cloud of daggers, misty step, hold person...flaming sphere and dragonbreath are mid
Thunderwave is OP early game for groups of 3+ enemies all clustered in 1 space. the knockback aspect is only useful if they are running straight at you though, and you have to be REALLY careful and warn your friends because it's pretty deadly.some of my friends all had to go to death saves when 1 guy decided to use Thunderwave without warning them and then died before he could heal any of them, before anybody else could even roll death saves... they all died.
cantrip:firebolt
1st level: Thunderwave
2nd level:Cloud of daggers
3rd level:Fireball
4th level:Vitriolic sphere
5th level:Steel wind strike
6th level:Disintegrate
7th level:Finger of death
8th level:Befuddlement
9th level: Meteor swarm
Yes, i like playing as a Evoker wizard
Personally, chromatic orb is amazing. Ice golem? Chromatic orb. Fire elemental? Chromatic orb. Any other enemy? Chromatic orb. For single target damage, it's unrivaled at level one. Also, once you hit level 13, pick up simulacrum. It creates a clone of you or an ally, which you control. The simulacrum can cast all the spells you can, including simulacrum. Infinite fireballs, baby!
Certified lover boy, certified dungeon master. WOP WOP WOP WOP!
I'm just your everyday dungeon master. Ignore that jar full of souls. And those bones in the corner are just props, don't worry. I'm definitely NOT a lich. Definitely.
i don't think that the simulacrum can cast simulacrum.and it will run out of spell slots eventually, but it is a pretty good spell.And i do agree, chromatic orb is a versatile spell.
I might replace thunderwave with chromatic orb,magic missile or shield
If you have access to Strixhaven, one of the best spell in the game is Silvery Barbs.
An enemy crits you? Silvery Barbs
An enemy saves against your spell? Silvery Barbs
An enemy attacks one of your friends? Silvery Barbs
An enemy cast Dispel Magic at your party? Silvery Barbs
Silvery Barbs, Silvery Barbs, Silvery Barbs... you'll spam that shit until you run out of spell slots, because it's just so good.
Another busted spells that can completely turn the tides in a fight include Wall of Force.
"Oh, you wanted the enemy to do something? Well..."
And one of my personal favorites: Fog Cloud.
Enemy: "Haha! I have Truesight! No invisibility, no illusion, no amount of magical darkness can save you from my all-powerful sight!"
Player: "I cast Fog Cloud!"
Enemy: "... Shit!"
"I didn't ask how big the room is . . . "
Anzio Faro. Protector Aasimar light cleric. Lvl 18.
Viktor Gavriil. White dragonborn grave cleric. Lvl 20.
Ikram Sahir ibn-Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad. Brass dragonborn draconic sorcerer Lvl 9. Fire elemental devil.
Tayn of Darkwood. Human Life Cleric. Lvl 10.
I’m a fan of Thunderwave - but you do have to take some care and work with the DM on how you place it. I try to position it so foes that are knocked back hit a wall for an extra d6 “falling” damage( it’s not the fall that damages you - it’s the landing at the end - fall 600’ and at the end of rnd 1 after falling 500’ you take no damage, but when you hit in rnd 2 after an additional 100’ you take the full 60d6). You want to gather any ritual spell you can- you will find reasons to cast them. Yes get any illusion spells - it sounds like you have an illusion friendly DM so push the limits. However, talk with them about each spell and how they see it function. Some are clearly “ in the target’s mind” while others are clearly out there for all to see, but most are not clearly in one group or the other but sort of DM discretion. For cantrips you want 2 offensive and 2 utility to start. Check with the DM on chromatic orb, some tables have a house rule about expensive materials being 1 and done, others like to make finding expensive components difficult. One of my fav L2 spells is scorching ray - 3 attacks for 2d6. Generally I tend to prefer more dice even each is smaller. ( rolling a d12 25% of your rolls are a 1/2/3 - not fun, roll 3 d4 and you never roll a 1/2 and a 3 appears only 1.5% of the time ( of course the same is true for a 12 but average damage is pretty much guaranteed and I’ll take that). The OP was playing a 2014 game (originally - 2019) and one of my fav moves, if I haven’t dumped charisma, is to take the magic initiate: warlock feat as early as possible and take Eldritch blast as a cantrip and hex as a L1 spell. Unlike most cantrips EB gives you extra attacks ( at the same damage) not extra damage which can be quite useful. (Obviously even better for bards and sorcerers).
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Cantrip: control flames lowkey OP, this spell has several uses, but even just the illumination it can put out puts light to shame.
I'm probably laughing.