What Are The 12 Best Wizard/Sorcerer Spells At Each Level?

[Flynn]

I am in the process of trimming down the spell lists for wizard/sorcerer as part of an effort to create a streamlined version of D&D for my next campaign (and to use to teach my son the game). I'm in the process of creating that master list, but I thought I'd also ask for any input from the folks here on ENWorld. So, what spells do you consider quintessential to the D&D gaming experience? What are the spells that are most often selected by you as a player, or by the gamers at your table? What spells at each level define the game for you, above all others?

Any input would be appreciated,
Flynn

 

[sirwmholder]

I’ll give you 6 of my personal favorites per Wizard Spell level...

Level 0
Daze: Humanoid creature of 4 HD or less loses next action.
Arcane Mark: Inscribes a personal rune (visible or invisible).
Prestidigitation: Performs minor tricks.
Light: Object shines like a torch.
Ray of Frost: Ray deals 1d3 cold damage.
Detect Magic: Detects spells and magic items within 60 ft.

Level 1
Shield: Invisible disc gives +4 to AC, blocks magic missiles.
Mage Armor: Gives subject +4 armor bonus.
Obscuring Mist: Fog surrounds you.
Floating Disk: Creates 3-ft.-diameter horizontal disk that holds 100 lb./level.
Magic Missile: 1d4+1 damage; +1 missile per two levels above 1st (max 5).
Feather Fall: Objects or creatures fall slowly.

Level 2
Hideous Laughter: Subject loses actions for 1 round/level.
Acid Arrow: Ranged touch attack; 2d4 damage for 1 round +1 round/three levels.
Web: Fills 20-ft.-radius spread with sticky spiderwebs.
Darkness: 20-ft. radius of supernatural shadow.
Scorching Ray: Ranged touch attack deals 4d6 fire damage, +1 ray/four levels (max 3).
Invisibility: Subject is invisible for 1 min./level or until it attacks.

Level 3
Deep Slumber: Puts 10 HD of creatures to sleep.
Fireball: 1d6 damage per level, 20-ft. radius.
Lightning Bolt: Electricity deals 1d6/level damage.
Displacement: Attacks miss subject 50%.
Blink: You randomly vanish and reappear for 1 round/level.
Haste: One creature/level moves faster, +1 on attack rolls, AC, and Reflex saves.

Level 4
Dimensional Anchor: Bars extradimensional movement.
Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser: Stops 1st- through 3rd-level spell effects.
Black Tentacles: Tentacles grapple all within 20 ft. spread.
Dimension Door: Teleports you short distance.
Invisibility, Greater: As invisibility, but subject can attack and stay invisible.
Enervation: Subject gains 1d4 negative levels.

Level 5
Break Enchantment: Frees subjects from enchantments, alterations, curses, and petrification.
Dominate Person: Controls humanoid telepathically.
Feeblemind: Subject’s Int and Cha drop to 1.
Wall of Force: Wall is immune to damage.
Baleful Polymorph: Transforms subject into harmless animal.
Telekinesis: Moves object, attacks creature, or hurls object or creature.

Level 6
Antimagic Field: Negates magic within 10 ft.
Globe of Invulnerability: As lesser globe of invulnerability, plus 4th-level spell effects.
True Seeing: Lets you see all things as they really are.
Suggestion, Mass: As suggestion, plus one subject/level.
Chain Lightning: 1d6/level damage; 1 secondary bolt/level each deals half damage.
Disintegrate: Makes one creature or object vanish.

Level 7
Delayed Blast Fireball: 1d6/level fire damage; you can postpone blast for 5 rounds.
Forcecage: Cube or cage of force imprisons all inside.
Spell Turning: Reflect 1d4+6 spell levels back at caster.
Invisibility, Mass: As invisibility, but affects all in range.
Finger of Death: Kills one subject.
Limited Wish: Alters reality—within spell limits.

Level 8
Mind Blank: Subject is immune to mental/emotional magic and scrying.
Maze: Traps subject in extradimensional maze.
Polar Ray: Ranged touch attack deals 1d6/level cold damage.
Shout, Greater: Devastating yell deals 10d6 sonic damage; stuns creatures, damages objects.
Telekinetic Sphere: As resilient sphere, but you move sphere telekinetically.
Polymorph Any Object: Changes any subject into anything else.

Level 9
Freedom: Releases creature from imprisonment.
Imprisonment: Entombs subject beneath the earth.
Mage’s Disjunction: Dispels magic, disenchants magic items.
Power Word Kill: Kills one creature with 100 hp or less.
Time Stop: You act freely for 1d4+1 rounds.
Wish: As limited wish, but with fewer limits.

Good Gaming,
William Holder

 

[maggot]

12 spells per level is a lot if just picking from the PHB. Here are the 12 0-level spells I've seen used a lot.

Level 0
1 Resistance: Pretty good at lower levels, use it to make cloaks of resistance later
2 Acid Splash: No SR touch attack, good against DR at low levels, good if you are a rogue
3 Detect Magic: Don't leave home without it
4 Read Magic: If you are used to finding a lot of scrolls and not resting
5 Daze: Okay for a few levels, then rather bad.
6 Light: Essential, unless you are all dwarves or invest in sunrods
7 Dancing Lights: Always fun
8 Ghost Sound: See dancing lights
9 Disrupt Undead: Very good even beyond 1st level
10 Mage Hand: Indispensible
11 Mending: If ruled to repair damaged weapons
12 Prestidigitation: A general flavorful treat

 

[Flynn]

Thanks, guys. I appreciate the feedback. I'm still working through it, but 12 is a hard number to bring it down to. I can do 20, though.

More later,
Flynn

 

[WhatGravitas]

Thanks, guys. I appreciate the feedback. I'm still working through it, but 12 is a hard number to bring it down to. I can do 20, though.

More later,
Flynn

A somewhat random idea... what if you cut it down to one spell per school, plus four "highlights", then you could highlight the concept of schools as well.

Or if you're already settling for over-12, then set it to 16 - two for each school - then you have a smaller list to select...

 

[Flynn]

A somewhat random idea... what if you cut it down to one spell per school, plus four "highlights", then you could highlight the concept of schools as well.

Or if you're already settling for over-12, then set it to 16 - two for each school - then you have a smaller list to select...

That's what I started with as my base, was two from each school at each level, and the only one that couldn't do it was Divination at 9th level. There's a few extra spells that seem to beg to be included, though.

I'll see what I can do, though.

Thanks,
Flynn

 

[the Jester]

Well, I pared the lists down heavily for my low magic campaign- if you look about midway down pg. 1 of this thread, you can see what I did.

However, I was trying to engineer a certain "feel" for each spellcasting class, take out certain types of spells (the ones that disable certain types of adventures), etc. So my motives were different from yours, and the methodology I used to select which spells would 'stay on the island' may prove unsuited to what you're doing.

 

[Flynn]

Thanks, Jester. I like the looks of it, and it gives me some ideas.

I appreciate the help,
Flynn

 

[Felnar]

dont forget burning hands, sleep, mirror image, and fly

 

[szilard]

Rope Trick
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-Stuart