D&D 5E (2024) How Many Offensive Spells Do You Ned to Know?

[Zardnaar]

Ok thought exercise here.

If one had to (ignoring boredom) how many offensive spells do you think would be the minimum you could get away with for a campaign that go to 10th lvl minimum? Ignoring cantrips you get them anyway.

My thoughts. Ideally you would want.

1 target
Few targets
Many targets

1 more targeting obscure saves.

You also need a low level spell or youre gonna be very bored/useless level 1-4. My bare minimum would probably be 2.

Chromatic Orb
Tashas Mindwhip.

Command and Tashas hideous laughter would also be in consideration. Spells that target intelligence saves are almost unfair vs the MM however.

Those 2 spells are a bit weak vs many targets but CO can pull double duty there except vs the largest encounters.

My bare minimum is 2. 3 for fun probably an AoE added to Tashas mindwhip and CO/ Tashas Laughter/Command (pick 1).

Your thoughts?

 

[aco175]

Some might depend on the DM and if a fireball will light things on fire or if it is handwaved. Also depends on how much fighting the PCs do compared to other pillars of the game. There also might be some factors such as using a grid and size/placement of the spell, such as a lightning bolt being able to hit 10ft wide over 5ft wide if you take only the middle of two squares and such.

Chromatic orb seems to be taken more nowadays as one. It can change damage types to avoid things like fireball not affecting something.

A big damage spell for an area if good to have be it cloudkill, ice storm, or fireball. Lightning bolt is always good.

Are summoning spells considered offensive? I'm guessing yes if you summon a bunch of skeletons or 'animal spirits' of some sort to attack.

 

[Rainbow Scissors]

What do you view as offense?
Just damage or would you also count battlefield control or status effects as offense?

 

[bedir than]

1 ranged spell
1 melee spell
1 aoe for damage
1 control

but only three total spells

 

[mellored]

Spiked growth
Eldritch Blast + Agonizing Blast + Repelling Blast.


Though the best low level combo I've seen is Druid 2 (Wild Companion), Warlock 1 (Pact of the Chain). Now you get Sphynx of Wonder for free multiple times a day.

 

[cbwjm]

I always liked to have, as a wizard, something like the following

• fire bolt or ray of frost as my main attack cantrip
• magic missile (for when you really need to finish of a bad guy)
• thunderwave or burning hands for those times when the enemy is up in my face
• an aoe spell like shatter early on or fireball once I hit level 5

Once I have those I start looking for defensive and utility spells, swapping some out as I move up in level. Control spells can also be great but given that at low levels it can be quite easy for the enemy to save against a typical spell DC 13 they can often feel like a wasted slot.

 

[Tonguez]

1 - Spirit Guardians is OP

1 - Conjure Animals gives me 8 wolves from one action and they have pack tactics so each attack gets advantage attack twice.
or 4 spiders for web-spam, or 2 giant eagles

2 - Web to tie the enemy down and Shatter to blast the mob (10ft radius)
if I want to add a third then magic missile for the auto-hit on single targets

2 Entangle and Spike growth - it restrains and punishers movement

 

[bedir than]

pack tactics so attack twice.

isn't pack tactics advantage?

 

[Tonguez]

isn't pack tactics advantage?

oops yes my misremembering