I'm looking through all the spells available to a low-level wizard and I'm curious what other people see as the most useful outside combat and what their reasoning is behind their picks. Keep it friendly and informative :D
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It doesn't matter how smart you think are you. No one will want to work with you if you're an *******.
In a distant second place would be Comprehend Languages, assuming your game world is somewhat cosmopolitan when it comes to races AND/OR has the ruins of ancient civilizations.
Espionage, first contacts, reading old tablets in temples... without it quest leads turn into dead ends, or diplomacy mutates into bad pantomimes if you don't have it.
In addition to those already listed, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, and Unseen Servant. Oh, and Tensor's Floating Disk- always nice to have an instant pack mule.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Suggestion is amazing for getting out of trouble or just getting stuff done. It can even be used in combat if you want to, but I find it's applications much more robust outside of that.
My no brainer low level non-combat spells for a Wizard are:
Cantrips: Mage Hand, Minor Illusion (have you seen this guy....)
Level 1, Rituals: Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic + Identify (yeah, you want to know the belt is magical, right?), Tensor's Disk (carry those 5k silver pieces...),
Level 2, Ritual: Skywrite
Level 3: Ritual, Waterbreathing
Yeah, all the non-cantrips are rituals. That is because they are non-combat and it is unfair to make a wizard memorize them given limited spell selection. But they are all really great spells to have around, they solve a ton of non-combat problems. Note Skywrite is the only one not in the PHB. Best way to unite a party seperated if it's not in the dungeon.
Between Control Flames and Pyrotechnics I have had a lot of out of combat fun creating light shows, scaring people, sending messages, and other role playing fire fun!
Prestidigitation and minor illusion. A player can use these for alot if he/she is smart.
Unseen servant - a 10 minute ritual to get an invisible servant that work for 1 hour. Not that you can keep casting the ritual and then have 6 unseen servants up at the same time.
Disguise self and friends cantrip in combination for creating funny situations.
Heat metal- my firbolg casts it on his coffee cup on a cold night and puts it under his bedroll. Keeps his feet warm without having to start a fire. Also makes an easy way to cook rabbit stew and coffee in the morning.
Way better than a stinky smokey ‘I’m over here’ bonfire....we’ll, other than it’s a level 2 spell vs cantrip
If you're willing to go up to 3rd level, then I'd also like to mention Major Image. Near infinite uses, and it has great higher level utility when cast at 6th level.
I like to use it to make my own personal guard when wandering cities, but you can use it in so many other ways too.
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I'm looking through all the spells available to a low-level wizard and I'm curious what other people see as the most useful outside combat and what their reasoning is behind their picks. Keep it friendly and informative :D
It doesn't matter how smart you think are you. No one will want to work with you if you're an *******.
^He's right.
In a distant second place would be Comprehend Languages, assuming your game world is somewhat cosmopolitan when it comes to races AND/OR has the ruins of ancient civilizations.
Espionage, first contacts, reading old tablets in temples... without it quest leads turn into dead ends, or diplomacy mutates into bad pantomimes if you don't have it.
In addition to those already listed, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, and Unseen Servant. Oh, and Tensor's Floating Disk- always nice to have an instant pack mule.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Suggestion is amazing for getting out of trouble or just getting stuff done. It can even be used in combat if you want to, but I find it's applications much more robust outside of that.
And that's not when you're just using it as the Jedi Mind Trick.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
My no brainer low level non-combat spells for a Wizard are:
Cantrips: Mage Hand, Minor Illusion (have you seen this guy....)
Level 1, Rituals: Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic + Identify (yeah, you want to know the belt is magical, right?), Tensor's Disk (carry those 5k silver pieces...),
Level 2, Ritual: Skywrite
Level 3: Ritual, Waterbreathing
Yeah, all the non-cantrips are rituals. That is because they are non-combat and it is unfair to make a wizard memorize them given limited spell selection. But they are all really great spells to have around, they solve a ton of non-combat problems. Note Skywrite is the only one not in the PHB. Best way to unite a party seperated if it's not in the dungeon.
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InsiderBetween Control Flames and Pyrotechnics I have had a lot of out of combat fun creating light shows, scaring people, sending messages, and other role playing fire fun!
Find me on Twitter: @OboeLauren
Create Bonfire is also useful if you are in a cold area.
There is no dawn after eternal night.
Homebrew: Magic items, Subclasses
You can cast the spell three times, targeting a different torch each time.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Prestidigitation and minor illusion. A player can use these for alot if he/she is smart.
Unseen servant - a 10 minute ritual to get an invisible servant that work for 1 hour. Not that you can keep casting the ritual and then have 6 unseen servants up at the same time.
Disguise self and friends cantrip in combination for creating funny situations.
Heat metal- my firbolg casts it on his coffee cup on a cold night and puts it under his bedroll. Keeps his feet warm without having to start a fire. Also makes an easy way to cook rabbit stew and coffee in the morning.
Way better than a stinky smokey ‘I’m over here’ bonfire....we’ll, other than it’s a level 2 spell vs cantrip
...and it’s not a wizard spell 😜
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
If you're willing to go up to 3rd level, then I'd also like to mention Major Image. Near infinite uses, and it has great higher level utility when cast at 6th level.
I like to use it to make my own personal guard when wandering cities, but you can use it in so many other ways too.