20 Best Wizard Spells 5E [Space, Time, And Reality At Your Command]

Crafting the perfect wizard in Dungeons and Dragons isn’t just about stat allocation or skill selection – it’s also about your spellbook.

Experienced players know that when it comes to high-risk, high-stakes magical duels, the difference maker often boils down to having the right spell for the situation. Therefore, it behooves you to be knowledgeable on the very best wizard spells 5e.

This article aims to provide you with a list of 20 superior wizard spells, curated from D&D’s illustrious 5th edition.

Whether you’re an accomplished wizard seeking to expand your repertoire or an aspiring magician looking for a place to start, this guide will offer a comprehensive look at some of D&D 5e’s most powerful and versatile spells.

From crowd control options that let you dictate the battlefield, to devastating evocation spells that rain destruction upon your foes, arm yourself with this arcane knowledge and become a force of reckoning on any campaign.

Best Wizard Spells 5e

In the high-stakes world of Dungeon and Dragons, spells represent a wizard’s true power. The magic they wield can reorder reality, bring ruin to enemies, or deliver life-saving help to allies.

Having an understanding of the top tier spells can truly elevate your gameplay. Here are five of the best wizard spells in D&D 5e.

Wish

The “Wish” spell is arguably the most powerful spell a wizard can master. A spell of ultimate versatility, it allows you to produce almost any effect you desire, within certain boundaries set by the Dungeon Master.

In its base form, it replicates any other spell of 8th level or lower without needing any requirements such as components or casting time. This alone is invaluable.

Yet, where Wish truly shines is in its potential for broader uses – creating items, granting immunity or even reshaping reality itself based on your worded wish.

The power comes at a cost though; taxing on your body and with possible serious consequences whispered by your DM if pushed too far.

Also Read: 20 Best 4th Level Spells 5E [Command Advanced Magic In DnD]

Time Stop

There’s something incredibly satisfying about stopping time. With the “Time Stop” spell, this science fiction concept becomes a reality for wizards in Dungeons and Dragons 5e at their disposal.

Time Stop grants you the ability to take 1d4 + 1 turns consecutively without any interventions from others as time stops around them – irrefutably giving an advantage over adversaries or allowing valuable time to prepare in desperate situations.

Despite it ending if you affect another creature with a spell, clever usage like setting up traps or other indirect influences keeps your foes none-the-wiser until normal time resumes.

Meteor Swarm

For expressing raw destructive power, few spells come close to “Meteor Swarm”. Conjuring four massive meteors that plummet toward targets of your choice within range is fathomably terrifying.

Each meteor bursts in a 40-foot radius sphere on impact resulting in a devastating mix of fire and bludgeoning damage.

The sheer area this 9th level spell covers is unmatched, making it perfect for dealing with large clusters of foes – a veritable doomsday spell at the wizard’s fingertips.

Maze

“Maze” offers something unique to wizards – the ability to trap an opponent within an extradimensional labyrinth where they are lost in space.

No saving throw is required to trap them; they stay there attempting to navigate out while you take care of other threats.

It ingeniously provides both crowd control and significant incapacitation, removing a major enemy combatant from the field without needing constant magical investment. An intelligent use of this spell can turn the tide in your favor.

Power Word Kill

Power Word Kill, an aptly named deadly incantation. It doesn’t deal damage nor require aiming; instead, it snuffs out life instantly as long as the creature has 100 hit points or fewer – no saving throws, no immunities, just certain death.

This terrifying power to instantly end encounters leans into its favor as one of the best spells available. Yet inflicting death without cause may stir philosophical debates in your adventuring party about its ethical use.

Best 1st Level Wizard Spells 5e

The foundational spells a wizard starts with are critical to their long journey ahead.

The choices you make at first level have the potential to lay the groundwork for your character’s magical future. Let’s delve into some of the best first-level spells you can select.

Mage Armor

Without a doubt, Mage Armor is one of the first spells that any wizard should aim to learn. Wizards are typically known for their frail physical defenses, and this spell safeguards against that vulnerability.

When cast, it turns a target’s skin into a gleaming, living armor that lasts for eight hours. The target’s base AC increases to 13 plus Dexterity modifier – a lifesaver in risky battles.

Constant reliance on armor spells also bypasses the need for expensive and bulky actual armors while allowing Wizards to maintain their focus on various magical competencies.

Also Read: 15 Best Buff Spells 5E [Boost Your Allies And Control The Battle]

Shield

Another superior defensive spell at your disposal is Shield. More reactive than Mage Armor, It creates an invisible barrier around you that offers an immediate plus five addition to your Armor Class (AC) which potentially negates incoming attack hits.

Also unique in its aspect – it can be cast as a reaction in response to being hit by an attack or targeted by magic missile.

Precise use of this spell can avoid sneaky ambush attacks allowing you precious time possibly even turning defeat into victory.

Magic Missile

Magic Missile is one of those reliable and invaluable staples any beginning wizard should possess in their arsenal.

With no roll required to hit, It ensures automatic damage on one or more targets as per your choice within range and sight.

Each missile deals modest damage but as multiple missiles become part of its effect from higher spell slot usage – total damage stacks up becoming formidable punch packed in unerring accuracy making it a foolproof offensive choice.

Sleep

Strategic use of crowd control spells during combat can make encounters exponentially easier. Enter “Sleep”, a spell that sends creatures into a magical slumber.

The sleep spell affects creatures based on their current hit points – starting with the creature who has the lowest hit points. A special note for future wizards – this spell does not affect undead or immune to being charmed.

Perfect for disarming menacing enemies or avoiding a battle entirely, Sleep is an excellent tool for any first-level wizard seeking to control the battlefield subtly and effectively.

Charm Person

Low-level manipulation can be just as effective as direct combat. With “Charm Person”, you have the ability to bend others to your will.

This charm makes an individual regard you as a friendly acquaintance eliminating any chance of direct hostility, allowing space for alternative ways to tackle conflicts outside of combat and potentially gain allies from enemies.

Best 2nd Level Wizard Spells 5e

Progression beyond first level often opens a wealth of tactical possibilities for wizards in D&D 5e.

With additional power comes more sophisticated spells that can twist the dynamics of a campaign in strategic ways.

Let us look at several remarkable second-level spells that can be pivotal additions to your magic arsenal.

Mirror Image

Slipperiness is often synonymous with a wizard’s survival on the battlefield. This is where the spell Mirror Image comes into play by creating identical counterparts scheduled to take hits in your place.

Once you cast this spell, three illusory duplicates spring into existence, making you four times harder to hit.

Enemies struggle to distinguish real ones from decoys – providing an excellent temporary shield against direct physical attacks.

This spell’s defensive nature and illusion capability are second to none and become essential when drawn into unavoidable close-quarter conflicts.

Misty Step

Boosting a wizard’s mobility significantly, ‘Misty Step’ is one of those utility spells you’d thank yourself for learning.

It enables instant teleportation up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that’s visible to you – all as a bonus action!

Its utility as a get-out-of-jail-free card cannot be understated – whether it’s jumping across massive chasms, escaping tightly locked grapples, or just repositioning optimally in combat scenarios.

It clears out physical hindrances at no serious expense – earning its place as one of the most practical second level spells for wizards.

Also Read: 20 Best 6th Level Spells 5E [Wield Mighty Magic In High-Level DnD]

Web

Web puts forth compelling battlefield control with area denial application through conjuring a giant sticky web that fills up a substantial area.

Every creature starting its turn in the web or entering it during their movement must make a Dexterity saving throw or become restrained till successful saving throw on later turns.

Moreover, webs are flammable – adding considerable damage when put ablaze. Owing all this, Web spell’s high versatility in crowd control is tough to rival.

Invisibility

Invisibility has always been a highly advantageous status effect in D&D and being able to endow it through the Invisibility spell is significant.

As the name suggests, the affected creature becomes invisible until the spell ends or until spells or actions requiring concentration are used.

This simple yet powerful utility comes with rewards that range from sneaky scouting or infiltration missions, bypassing encounters, to setting up surprise attacks for those preferring covert operations over direct confrontation.

Counterspell

Counterspells allow wizards something truly crucial – a chance. A chance to instantly stop adversaries from casting their magical marvels targeting you or your allies.

Triggered as a reactive action to someone else casting a spell within 60 feet, counterspell attempts to interrupt and negate other spells in mid-air – refusing your enemies their magic usage heavily swings battles into your favour when successful.

It’s one of the most significant reasons why many wizards always keep Counterspell on call.

Best 4th Level Wizard Spells 5e

Becoming a fourth-level wizard in Dungeons and Dragons means stepping into a new realm of power and possibilities.

The spells you gain access to at this level offer increased potency and complexity, leading to more dramatic impacts in gameplay. Let’s look at five of the best fourth-level spells available to wizards.

Blight

If you’re ever up against a plant creature or wander into an enchanted forest, having “Blight” in your spell arsenal will come in handy.

Blight drains moisture from the target, inflicting heavy necrotic damage. While devastating to most creatures, its damage doubles on plant creatures and magical plants – even potentially killing them if they fail their saving throw.

Though terrifying and detrimental as it sounds – keep in mind that undead and constructs are immune to this spell.

Dimension Door

With “Dimension Door”, you literally open the door to endless possibilities. It allows you instantaneous transportation up to 500ft in any direction of your choice – even if not physically possible; Yes, including upwards!

It’s a great spell for emergency exits or infiltrating hard-to-reach places. Plus, you can bring a small companion along if they are within 5ft during casting maximizing its usage versatility.

Polymorph

“Polymorph” is a fun yet highly functional spell which lets you transform creatures into beasts with equal or lesser hit points than theirs.

Careful transformation can be strategic – allies into strong beasts, foes into harmless rabbits.

It refreshes wounded allies by giving them another health pool till beast form lasts expanding options for creative tactical uses beyond mere amusement.

Greater Invisibility

A more embellished version of Invisibility, Greater Invisibility separates itself by allowing spell targets to remain invisible even when attacking or casting spells whereas the basic one doesn’t offer such luxury.

It offers great advantages for assassinations, intricate infiltrations, or merely nudging object-orientated gameplays into your favor – redefining what you’d imagine a ‘fair’ fight to be from a Wizard’s perspective.

Also Read: 22 Best 1st Level Spells 5E [Essential Magic For Early Adventurers]

Fire Shield

The Fire Shield spell is an exceptional defensive/offensive option. Your aura either chills or warms to your choice post-casting affecting those who dare make melee attacks on you.

Any attacker within 5 feet takes significant fire or cold damage (based on shield type) when landing a hit on you. Simultaneously, the shield lends resistance to either fire or cold damage depending on its warmth or chillness.

This dual-functionality filled with elemental nuances makes Fire Shield a highly recommended spell for fourth-level wizards.

FAQs About Wizard Spells 5e