we’re also looking at spells that a wizard can regain through five minutes of rest and meditation. Some of the spells that came up as the most iconic in D&D, such as feather fall, are fairly low on the power spectrum. By making such spells reusable, we can make them more appealing and, if we do things right, make them an even bigger part of the game.
For instance, feather fall’s original incarnation affected only one creature or object. That changed to cover multiple targets in 3E. If we make feather fall reusable, we would likely specify that it affects only the caster. In practice, it becomes a safeguard for a wizard against a specific kind of threat.
Other spells ripe for this treatment include similar safeguards for a wizard and blast spells traditionally overshadowed by standbys such as fireball. For instance, ice storm has traditionally done less damage than fireball. It can mire creatures in snow and ice, but only for a moment. If we can make ice storm reusable, we can increase its power and give it a clear use for a caster even if an up-leveled fireball is a more devastating attack.