10 Spells In Dungeons & Dragons That Feel Useless Until You…

Spells in Dungeons & Dragons come in both Levels and Schools, with the acclaimed TTRPG making sure there's always something that fits a particular situation. Should players not see a specific effect they want to whip up with their Spellcasters, it's up to them to mix and match Spells to try to achieve their desired effect. This creativity and ingenuity make spellcasting such a fun thing to do in D&D, but it's also what makes arming a spellcaster difficult to do in some situations.

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By Rhenn Taguiam

After all, with such a large library of Spells to work with, how should a spellcaster choose the best Spells to add to their arsenal? Aside from the traditional damaging and mobility Spells and the occasional utility, they should add some surprising outliers that generate effects that could benefit the party in the long term. Let's take a look at some of the best situational Spells in D&D.

The images are a mix of D&D and Magic the Gathering, as we went with backdrops that embody the Spell.

Continual Flame

Get A Permanent, Mobile Torch

At first glance, the idea of Continual Flame being a 2nd-Level Evocation Spell seems overkill for a non-damaging ability. After all, it just engulfs an object in flames that sheds 20-foot Bright Light and 20-foot Dim Light for an indefinite amount of time. Some would say the fact that Continual Flame is permanent unless magically extinguished (caster's will, dispelled, or antimagic) can justify its 2nd-Level cost. However, it's certainly not an immediate choice for spellcasters whose 2nd-Level repertoire may also include more useful Spells like Misty Step.

However, the fact that Continual Flame is permanent and non-damaging makes it extremely useful in scouting situations or in the dark, where non-Darkvision users have difficulty seeing in an exploratory setting in towns and villages, where Long Rests (and their benefits) are possible to be taken in sequence. Remember, since Continual Flame doesn't disappear after a Long Rest, a spellcaster can spam it into mundane objects such as trinkets and even ordinary weapons to give them a permanent source of light. This can be used in unique ways, such as attaching Continual Flame to arrows and bolts (the non-pointy end) to illuminate faraway areas, or even on stones to mark locations.

Phantasmal Force

The Illusion Can Fight Enchantments

Whereas Minor Illusion can create simple illusions that don't interact negatively with creatures, Phantasmal Force is its damaging equivalent. If a creature fails an INT Save to recognize it, the caster creates an illusion that only the target can see. Worse, the target treats the illusion as real and rationalizes any illogical situations associated with it. This can go as far as to receive 2d6 Psychic damage from the illusion, perceived as the damage type they are seeing in their mind. With INT Saves not a common specialty among enemy creatures, Phantasmal Force can be a great way to fight sub-bosses or even actual bosses with enough luck.

While Phantasmal Force is already potent for a 2nd-Level Spell, it can be more efficient when used in niche situations where illusions need to pack a punch, and not necessarily against foes. If an ally is Charmed by an enemy, player characters may use Phantasmal Force to "force" the ally's mind to "see" their "new ally" as an enemy all along. This may break the Charmed effect, or counteract it enough that their ally doesn't become a hindrance in fights.

Light

Temporary Variant Of Continual Flame

Spellcasters who want to get similar benefits to Continual Flame but without the Leveled Slot cost could actually settle for something simpler: Light. Its conjured light (but not fire) still affects a 20/20-foot (Bright/Dim) radius, but this time only lasts until dispelled, affected by antimagic, or its 1-hour time limit elapses.

The 1-hour time limit can be a bummer for parties who want to use a lighted object in any dungeon moving forward, and the only other caveat this Spell has is that only one object can be lit at any time. However, in extreme emergencies where an object needs to be a light source and 2nd-Level Spells couldn't be wasted, Light can be a decent go-to option for teams.

Mending

Think Outside The Box, And Inside Tools And Kits

Mending remains one of those Cantrips that seems useful but also rather difficult to use, not because it costs a lot of resources, but rather because of figuring out "what" players can exactly "mend." The Spell states that Mending can repair an object with a tear or a break no larger than a foot in any area, and it works in examples such as a torn cloak, halves of a broken key, or even a broken chain link. However, in practice, Mending often results in a discussion rather than an actual effect. The only consensus that is generally agreed upon is, yes, Mending cannot restore any magic to a Magic Item.

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By Rhenn Taguiam

However, Mending has one other interesting use that players should consider: fixing their own Tools. Given the definition of Mending, it's technically possible to use this Cantrip to repair a broken Tool, such as lockpicks. By extension, players should also be able to use Mending to repair their other Tools, making it more convenient for characters to perform tasks using their Skill Proficiencies.

Calm Emotions

Defuse An Encounter Easily

Like many other TTRPG similar to Dungeons & Dragons, there is one thing that tends to carry over between games: if the table ends up in an encounter, it's generally because diplomacy is a lost cause. That said, in D&D, players can try something else: Calm Emotions. While this 2nd-Level Enchantment seems like a waste of a Spell Slot to cast, its effects — and its 20-foot range — can make it exceptionally powerful in encounters.

If affected creatures fail their CHA Save, they can be affected with one of two effects: immunity to Charmed or Frightened for a minute, or suppression of said emotions. This is already useful for allies that may be facing foes who have demonstrated such enchantment abilities, such as a Barbarian forced to Rage against their will. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, affected creatures may turn Indifferent to enemies they were previously Hostile towards, an effect that ends as soon as they take damage. While the second effect will last for only a minute, this could be more than enough to defuse an encounter by calming down offended parties.

Rope Trick

A Nifty Escape Solution

Anyone who's played a turn-based RPG similar to D&D, like Divinity: Original Sin 2, knows that the party should always have an escape plan. This could range from items that grant extra movement, teleportation, or the ability to disengage from combat safely so they can reposition or come back for a counterattack. In D&D, mobility and escape can come in a lot of ways, and players who want to err on the side of caution and make sure they get even the "crazy" options available can rely on Rope Trick to do the job.

For a 2nd-Level Transmutation, Rope Trick can be immensely useful when deployed properly. At its core, a rope dangles from a "ceiling" that reveals an invisible 3x5-foot portal to an extradimensional space that exists for an hour, can hold up to eight creatures up to a Medium size, and no effects can pass into or come from the space. This means a party can theoretically use Rope Trick to get a quick "out" of an encounter. And as long as they take the rope out before enemies can reach it, there's essentially no way to figure out where they are right in the middle of the encounter.

Animal Friendship

Never Get Lost In A Dungeon Again

Animal Friendship is one of those Spells that seem useless, given how Rangers already exist with their Animal Companions or how Druids can talk to animals most of the time. There's really not much use to Charm a Beast with a WIS Save that will cost a 1st-Level Spell Slot, when there are more attacks to use as a leveled Spell. However, Animal Friendship can be exceedingly useful when players need a local guide to unfamiliar territory, especially if Beasts are out and about.

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By Isaac Garry-Madden

With Animal Friendship, a Beast that is befriended could help them traverse complex dungeons and get to much safer territory. Likewise, they may even be used to communicate on the player's behalf, advocating for them to their leader, so there would be no risky encounters.

Hail Of Thorns

Turn Size To A Disadvantage

Given the number of 1st-Level Spells in Dungeons & Dragons, Hail of Thorns doesn't seem to be an immediate choice due to its seemingly lackluster effect. After all, it only creates a sprout of thorns within five feet of the target, requiring a DEX Save to take half damage or the full brunt of a 1d10 Piercing. In fact, it even takes a higher-level Spell Slot to increase the damage by 1d10, making it not as useful compared to more consistent Cantrips.

However, players can maximize Hail of Thorns if they reinterpret its mechanics properly. First, while Cantrips cost free and some consistently deal 1d8 Damage, this is only to a single target, whereas the 1d10 of Hail of Thorns is for all affected targets. Not only that, the affected creatures beyond the target extend from their position, which means all squares adjacent to them. When used against a larger enemy, this means more enemies will be in their vicinity, making Hail of Thorns an option for damaging terrain.

Locate Object

Stop Wasting Time Looting For Items

Among Divination Spells in Dungeons & Dragons, Locate Object is among the most underrated. This is mostly due to how niche it could get for a 2nd-Level Divination Spell. After all, players need to identify a specific object or a type of object before learning its direction (within 1,000 feet) or its immediate location (within 30 feet). Unless players know what they're looking for, Locate Object won't be as useful. Moreover, since they will likely look for the said object outside combat, they're better off just manually looking for it for as long as it takes.

However, Locate Object can be an ace in the hole for more specific searches. Locate Object is great for checking anything specific without wasting as much time, such as pieces of metal or gold, or concealed doors and trap triggers. Most importantly, with the Dungeon Master's permission, Locate Object may even locate Magic Items; as one can argue, a Magic Item is a sufficient-enough identifier of specificity.

Enlarge/Reduce

Get Cartoony With Any Encounter

Among 2nd-Level Spells in Dungeons & Dragons, Enlarge/Reduce is something rather niche in that there are a lot of ways to use it, but not in the immediate sense. After all, the affected object (or creature, with a failed CON Save) is either increased or decreased by one size and has its Strength checks and Saves on Advantage (Enlarge) or at a Disadvantage (Reduce). At first glance, there doesn't seem to be any need to use this immediately, especially with a 2nd-Level Spell Slot at stake.

However, players with the same creative genius as Wile E. Coyote can technically Looney Tunes their way past encounters and challenges with this Spell. For instance, why bother lockpicking a door when one can reduce its size? A throwing knife could be turned massive until it hits or misses the target. It may even be possible to enlarge a chandelier so it gets so heavy it falls on enemies below, or collapse a reasonably-sized ceiling, so enemies on the floor above could crash onto the battlefield.

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