There are many, many spells out there. But not all of them are as good as the next one. But not to worry, I’ll be playing out some of the best of the lot for you to peruse.
20. Color Spray
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Self, 15ft Cone Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Round Have you ever wanted to blind your enemies with a spray of obnoxious glitter? Then Color Spray is the spell for you. By stretching out a hand, this spell allows you to spray out a cone of magical rainbow glitter, which blinds anyone that gets in its way. Mechanically speaking, you roll a total health pool that you can affect, and anyone with HP that’s equal or less than the total ends up blinded, starting with the one with the lowest current HP. If you really just want to ruin someone’s day, then this is the perfect spell. All that glitter is never getting out!
19. Chaos Bolt
Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 120ft Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: Instantaneous Chaos Bolt is a spell that’s as chaotic as the name suggests. Much like a normal damaging spell, you roll to hit. But upon hitting…that’s where it gets weird. For damage, you roll a 2d8+1d6. But you don’t use both of the 2d8s. Instead, the number you roll determines the damage type on a table. Acid, Cold, Fire, Force, Lightning, Poison, Psychic and Thunder. All represented by 1 through 8, respectively. Choosing one of those types from the numbers you roll, that ends up being the damage type used. But it gets even weirder. If you happen to roll the same number on the d8, the spell leaps to another enemy nearby, which you roll for the damage again. And, even more chaotically, that can then leap to yet another enemy if you roll doubles again. Chaos reigns!
18. Expeditious Retreat
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action Range: Self Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: 10 Minutes (Concentration) This one’s far more straightforward than the previous spell on our list. As a Bonus Action you cast the spell, which gives you the ability to run really, really fast. In mechanical terms, it allows you to take the dash action as a bonus action on each of your turns for the duration of the spell. If you really just don’t want to be in your current spot real quick, then this spell is a life saver!
17. Hideous Laughter
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 30ft Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration) Now this is a fun one. Hideous Laughter renders anyone the caster targets to fall into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, causing them to be left Prone and Incapacitated for the duration of the spell. If they fail a Wisdom save, that is. Every time the victim takes damage, or at the end of their turns, they can repeat the save again for a chance of breaking free. It doesn’t even have to be a funny joke! You can tell your poor target the biggest groaner of a pun, and it’ll have them rolling around on the ground in a fit of laughter. A fitting PUNishment, if you ask me.
16. Detect Poison and Disease
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Self (30ft radius) Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 10 Minutes (Concentration) A somewhat niche detection spell, this one does exactly what it says on the tin. In a 30ft radius around the caster, you know the presence and location of any and all poisons, poisonous creatures, or diseases. It also lets you know the exact identity of each of those. On top of that, if said things are not behind a barrier (such as 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt) you know the location of anything that the spell detects.
15. Detect Evil and Good
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Self (30ft radius) Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: 10 Minutes (Concentration) Detect Evil and Good is a spell that allows Clerics and Paladins to suss out if there’s any unnatural forces around them. Picking up on any and all Aberrations, Celestials, Elementals, Fey, Fiends or Undead within a 30ft radius from the caster. As with the Detect Poison, so long as they’re not behind 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt, you can know exactly where their precise location is, for as long as the spell is being concentrated on.
14. Find Familiar
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Hour (Ritual) Range: 10ft Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: Instantaneous A staple spell for Wizards everywhere, Find Familiar allows the caster to summon an animal familiar to serve them. Choosing from an array of available animals such as Owls, Ravens, and Cats, you choose to bind an entity that’s either Celestial, Fiend, or Fey to take the form of your choosing. And then become your Familiar. Your brand new Familiar can serve a number of different abilities. If you’re within 100ft of it, you can speak with it telepathically. And(at the same range) you’re able to use an action to take over its senses, allowing you to see and hear what they can see and hear as if you were there. But, doing so renders your own body blind and deaf while you’re doing that. Another neat feature: having a Familiar allows you to cast touch spells through them. If you have a flying familiar, you can send it to land on an enemy and cast something like Shocking Touch or Inflict Wounds to damage them. Alternatively, if you somehow have access to a familiar when playing a Cleric, you can cast Cure Wounds through it! Very useful in the right circumstances.
13. Disguise Self
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Self Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: 1 Hour The perfect spell for one who wishes to hide their identity, Disguise Self allows the caster to create an illusory disguise around themselves, changing their appearance for anyone looking at them. You can’t change your general body type. And you have to keep the same basic arrangements of arms and legs and so on. But how you look is entirely up to your imagination. Do you want to be taller, shorter, maybe even another gender? You can do that and more. But, there are some weaknesses to the spell. Under close inspection the illusion falls apart. For example, while you may look different, underneath you’re still your usual size and shape. Which can be found out by simply touching you. But unless you expect to be up close and personal while disguised, the spell is otherwise a great one to have in your repertoire.
12. Absorb Elements
Source: Elemental Evil Player’s Companion Casting Time: 1 Reaction Range: Self Components: Somatic Duration: 1 Round This spell’s good for if you ever find yourself on the wrong end of a Fireball. As a reaction, you’re able to give yourself resistance to whatever damage type hits you, halving the damage in the process. Additionally, you’re able to harness part of the energy that you absorb into your next melee attack, causing an extra 1d6 worth of damage, in the type of energy that you sucked up with the spell.
11. Bane
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 30ft Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration) Bane is a great spell for any Bard or Cleric to have in their list. It allows the caster to target up to 3 creatures within 30ft, forcing them to make a Charisma save. On a failed save, the creatures are forced to roll a 1d4 for every attack or save that they make, reducing the total roll by the number on the d4 and potentially causing a success to turn into a failure. When upcasting the spell, for every slot of 2nd level or higher, you’re able to target an additional enemy with this effect.
10. Bless
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 30ft Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration) The complete opposite of Bane, Bless is another great spell for any Cleric or Paladin in your party. It allows the caster to target up to three creatures within range, blessing them with an additional 1d4 to roll for any attack or save they make, potentially turning a fail into a success, in the same manner as Bane. Only, less annoying for the players. And like with Bane, for every slot above 1st level, you’re able to target another creature of your choice with Bless.
9. Burning Hands
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Self, 15ft Cone Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: Instantaneous A great spell for the burgeoning pyromaniac in your party, Burning Hands allows the caster to create a 15ft cone of fire from your fingertips. Anyone caught inside of the area of effect must make a Dexterity Save, or take 3d6 worth of fire damage. But be careful! Anything that’s not being carried or worn is at risk of catching fire afterwards. So using the spell inside of a small room is…likely not the best of ideas. But if you want to burn down a house, then go right ahead!
8. Arms of Hadar
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Self, 10ft Radius Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: Instantaneous This one’s a Warlock exclusive spell, for any of you lovers of eldritch horror out there. As an action, you’re able to create a number of tentacles that sprout from your body which flail about at anything and everything that’s within a 10ft radius of yourself. Anything that the tentacles touch are forced to make a Strength Save, or take 2d6 worth of necrotic damage. And additionally, anything that fails the save is also restricted from taking reactions until their next turn. Great to use if you find yourself surrounded, giving you the chance to run away unopposed, so long as they fail the saves on your spell!
7. Alarm
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Minute (Ritual) Range: 30ft Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 8 Hours Have you ever sat down to begin a long rest, only to get woken up in the middle of the night by a band of marauding Goblins (or something else that goes bump in the night)? Then this is the spell for you! Alarm allows the caster to designate an area no larger than a 20ft cube as warded, set to trigger an alarm if anyone unwanted ends up passing through it. With the exception of anyone you designate as allowed at the time of casting, any creature that’s Tiny or larger triggers the spell’s effect. You can make the alarm an audible ringing, or make it so that it gives you a mental ping that’s silent, and wakes you up so that you’re aware of any danger that might be coming your way. Great for those times where you’re just too tired to want to have to deal with surprise rounds set against you in the middle of a long rest!
6. Chromatic Orb
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 90ft Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: Instantaneous Chromatic Orb is a fantastic spell. It allows the caster to create…well, an orb, of whatever element they wish. Choosing from Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison, or Thunder, you’re able to toss the orb as an attack action, dealing 3d8 worth of your chosen damage type at whatever poor creature earned your ire. It’s great if you know what a creature is vulnerable to, or what it has resistance to, so you can tailor pick the right element for the job. For every spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the spell’s damage output increases by a d8.
5. Feather Fall
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Reaction Range: 60ft Components: Verbal, Material Duration: 1 Minute Feather Fall is a must have spell. I, personally, always have it prepared at any given time. In the event of an emergency, Feather Fall can be used to keep yourself from going splat if you end up falling from a great height. Upon casting the spell, you’re able to target up to 5 creatures within range. Said creatures affected by the spell have their fall halted to a speed of 60ft per round, and will gently deposit them on the ground without taking any damage from a fall that may have otherwise been the end of them.
4. Detect Magic
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action (Ritual) Range: Self, 30ft Radius Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: 10 Minutes (Concentration) The best of the detection spells available at 1st level, in my opinion. Detect Magic allows you to pinpoint the location of any and all magical effects around you. Be it a trap, a hidden door, or a magical item, the spell allows you to know it’s precise location so long as it’s not blocked in the same manner of Detect Poison or Detect Evil and Good. On top of that, it also lets you know what school of magic the effect belongs to. Though it doesn’t tell you exactly what that is.
3. Cure Wounds
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Touch Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: Instantaneous The first(and best) of the two healing abilities that are available at 1st level, Cure Wounds allows the caster to touch a hand to any living target and heal them for 1d8 plus their spellcasting modifier. If you fall in the middle of combat, then you’ll be glad to see your resident Cleric or Paladin swooping in to save the day with this spell on hand. Literally. The spell has no effect on constructs (except for Warforged) or undead, and can be upcasted to do an additional 1d8 of healing per spell slot above 1st level.
2. Faerie Fire
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 60ft, 20ft Cube Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: Instantaneous Faerie Fire is yet another amazing spell that’s available to you right off the bat. It allows you to coat a 20ft area with dazzling motes of colorful fire, blue, green or violet, which stick to enemies and make them much easier to hit. Creatures in the area of effect have to succeed on a Dexterity Save, or else have the motes of fire stick to them. The fire itself is harmless, but it grants anyone targeting a creature stuck with it Advantage to hit. Additionally, anyone affected by the spell no longer benefits from turning invisible, as their outline is easily shown off by the Faerie Fire.
1. Identify
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Minute (Ritual) Range: Touch Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: Instantaneous And finally we come to the last spell on our list…Identify! Identify is a must-have spell for any party that expects to find magical items, and aren’t willing to just use them and find out what they do. Choosing an object that you hold onto for the spell’s duration, you’re able to learn said item’s properties and how to use them. For example, you may come across a weapon that’s clearly magical, but you don’t know what it does. You could always attune to it to find out, but that would be risking the chance of it being cursed. If you use Identify, though, you’ll learn exactly what the weapon does, how best to make use of it, and (unless otherwise stated by the item) can learn if it’s cursed or not. It’s an all-around great 1st-spell, which has earned my number one spot!
