Summary

  • From illusory spells to high-level necromancy, the 2024 Player's Handbook has a lot of creative spells worth looking into.
  • Spells like Dream or Mislead can be used creatively to solve problems through roleplay rather than combat.
  • Even low-level transmutation spells like Rope Trick and Alter Self can have tide-turning results if used in unconventional ways.

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as casting the perfect 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dungeons & Dragons spell for the problem at hand. Sometimes it’s as simple as abruptly turning an encounter on its head. Or, you can cast a spell that solves an issue the party🎃’s be🌳en dealing with for some time.

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Whatever the problem, having a creative and varied arsenal of spells prepared is essential for any D&D ✤campaign. After all, D&D isn’t just about combat spells. Sometimes, having a spell to creatively solve an issue at hand is more clutch than anything. Here are some of the best spells for creative problem-solving.

Updated February 17, 2025 by Jack Filsinger: Dungeons & Dragons boasts an enormous roster of spells, but so many of them are under appreciated, especially when it comes to creative problem-solving. That's why we've updated this list with even more unconventional spell options in Dungeons & Dragons.

13 𓆉 Alter Self

A demon queen of fungi with purple hair examining a mushroom spore in Dungeons & Dragons.
Zuggtmoy, the Demon Queen of Fungi by Dawn Carlos

Rules

Details

Level

2nd Level Transmutation

Classes

Sorcerer, Wizard

Casting Time

Action

Range

Self

Components

Verbal, Somatic

Duration

Concentration, up to one hour

Alter Self is a simple, low-level spell that has a lot of flexibility in terms of creativity. When y𝔍ou cast this spell, you can either alter your appearance, sprout 🌄gills, and gain a swim speed, or grow claws or other natural weapons. This means that not only is this spell great for roleplay, but also combat scenarios.

Need to do some reconnaissance in an underground sewer system? Gaining the ability to breathe underwater with this spell can help. Or, you can use the 🅠ability to grow claws and perhaps gain a climb speed if your DM allows it. The possibilities are endless.

12 Dream

A player character succumbing to the Reality Break spell in Dungeons & Dragons.
Reality Break Spell by Brian Valeza 

Rules

Details

Level

5th Level Illusion

Classes

Bard, Warlock, Wizard

Casting Time

1 minute

Range

Special

Components

Verbal, Somatic, Material (a handful of sand)

Duration

8 hours

Dream has a lot of practical effects to it in addition to interesting roleplay consequences. When you cast this spell, you can enter the drea𒊎ms of your target (as lo🐼ng as you know them and are on the same plane of existence) and appear as a messenger, altering the shape of their dreams as well. You can also inflict damage on them by making their dream a nightmare (3d6 psychic damage on a failed Wisdom save).

What's most interesting about this spell is that it's a guarantee that the target will rememb🌃er the dream perfectly. This means that you can use this spell in the same way you wo꧂uld use Sending, or to communicate without fear of being scryed on.

11 𒀰 ꦅ Illusory Script

An artisan's workshop in Dungeons & Dragons.
Artisan Background by Luca Bancone

Rules

Details

Level

1st Level Illusion

Classes

Bard, Warlock, Wizard

Casting Time

1 minute or Ritual

Range

Touch

Components

Somatic, Material (ink worth 10+ gp)

Duration

10 days

Though Illusory Script is a very low-level spell, you can use it creatively to circumvent a lot of different problems. Illusory Script allows you to write down a message that can only be read by those you designate, obscured from all others. Alternatively, you can alter the meaning, handwriting, and language of the message as long as you know the language you're changiꦆng it to.

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This means you can essentially 🅠use this spell to fake credentials, noble pedigrees, or even letters to solve all kinds of problems your party might encounter. Or, you can use this spell to convey meaning to your party without anyone else finding out. This is perfect for urban sprawl-style campaigns or palace intrigue.

10 Alarm

Three rogues infiltrate a vault and steal a gem while attacking a pair of guards in Dungeons & Dragons.
Sneak Attack by Evyn Fong

Rules

Details

Level

1st Level Abjuration

Classes

Ranger, Wizard

Casting Time

1 minute or Ritual

Range

30 feet

Components

V, S, M (a bell and silver wire)

Duration

8 hours

This spell allows you to safeguard a door, window, or other area no larger than a 20-foot cube and trigger an alarm whenever someone enters the space. You can also designate creatures that can’t set off the alarm, such as fellow party members. In addition, you can chooꦇse if you want the sound to be mentally or physically audible.

Beyond just using this spell to guard a sleeping party around a campfire, you can also use Alarm to track enemies. If you want to follow the movements of someone in and out of a specific area, this spell will also do the trick. Plus, you can use the audible element to alert others to someo🥂🍷ne’s presence besides yourself.

9 Arcane Eye ꦦ

A red dragonborne character in Dungeons & Dragons holds an arcane focus in his claw.
A Draconic Warlock by Ignatius Budi

Rules

Details

Level

4th Level Divination

Classes

Wizard

Casting Time

Action

Range

30 feet

Components

V, S, M (a bit of bat fur)

Duration

Concentration, up to 1 hour

After casting this spell, you can create an invisible, invulnerable eye that lasts🦋 for one hour. You can receive visual or auditory information from the eye 🌃(your choice), and it has darkvision within 30 feet. You can also move the eye by using a bonus action.

This spell is the ultimate lower-level spying spell. Use it to gain information from adversaries. Or, you can use it to figure out what might be lurking on the🏅 other side of a doorway in a dungeon. If no one in the party has darkvision,ඣ this spell can also be helpful in that regard.

8 Clone

Tasha brewing a potion over a cauldron in Dungeons & Dragons.
Tasha by Linda Lithen

Rules

Details

Level

8th Level Necromancy

Classes

Wizard

Casting Time

1 hour

Range

Touch

Components

V, S,๊ M (a diamond worth 1,000 gp, and a vessel worth 2,000+ gp)

Duration

Instantaneous

This one takes some planning to enact but is well worth it for a wizard who wants access to resurrection magic. If your party doesn’t have any 🔜divine magic users ▨for resurrection spells, you can use Clone to create a duplicate of a party member. If the party member dies, their soul can be transferred into the clone to bring them back to life.

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This can be immensely helpful if you want to have a party member run a potentially lethal mission, from which the𒁏y might not return. Maybe you have to place an object in a Lich’s alchemical lab, but you know you’ll be unable to escape alive. Clone is the perfect solution to making sure your character comes back in one piece.

7 💛 Commune Wit🐽h Nature

A druidic woman with red hair and a crown of wood is surrounded by animals in Dungeons & Dragons.
A Druid by Alexander Mokhov

Rules

Details

Level

5th Level Divination

Classes

Druid, Ranger

Casting Time

1 minute or Ritual

Range

Self

Components

V, S

Duration

Instantaneous

For exploration-based campaigns, this spell is not to be overlooked. Commune with Nature grants you knowledge of the area within three miles of you. You can learn three of the following five facts about the area: locations of settlement🍌s, locations of portals to other planes, location of Challenge Rating ten or higher creatures, the most prevalent type of plant, mineral, or beast, or the locations of bodies of water.

If you’re trying to track an enemy or creature, Commune with Nature is the perfect way to do it. Looking to plan escape ro💟utes f꧂rom a potentially dangerous combat encounter? This spell will also do the trick. It’s easy to get creative and customize this spell’s abilities to your party’s needs.

6 🌳 Forbiddance

A sorcerer with white hair and a red cape casts an intricate spell in Dungeons & Dragons.
The Sorcerer Delina by Wisnu Tan

Rules

Details

Level

6th Level Abjuration

Classes

Cleric

Casting Time

10 minutes or Ritual

Range

Touch

Components

V, S, M (ruby dust worth 1,000+ gp)

Duration

1 day

This spell allows you to ward a large area (up to 40,000 square feet of floor space) from certain creatures and teleportation. Of course, at its base level, this is great for168澳洲幸运5开奖网: protecting party bastions ﷽or keeps. However, there are other waꦦys to make use of this spell.

Since you can designate creatures to ward off and cause damage to, you can use t🧸his spell to ward off a combat area and reduce the number of enemy combatants on the playing field. The spell allows you to choose from several types of creatures as well. This includes Aberrations, Celestials, Fey, Fiends, and Undead.

5 Mislead

A wizard in a green study casts a magic spell, as a creepy green phantom emerges from a pot of slime from D&D.
A Wizard In His Study by Olga Drebas

Rules

Details

Level

5th Level Illusion

Classes

Bard, Warlock, Wizard

Casting Time

Action

Range

Self

Components

S

Duration

Concentration, up to 1 hour

Mislead allows you to create an illusory double of yourself while you become invisible for one hour. While invisible, you can als🤡o make the illusory double move, gesture, speak, and behave in whatever way you choose. You can also see and hear through this double.

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Not only will this spell allow you to do some reconnaissance out on your own, but you can also use your duplicate to act as a sentry. Furthermore, since the duplicate is intangible, yo♎u can use this spell to protect yourself against potentially dangerous traps. Consider sending your duplicate into the next room of the dungeon before yourself!

4 Modify Memory 🦹 ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ

A cleric attempts a raise dead spell surrounded by glowing white light in Dungeons & Dragons.
Raise Dead by Polar Engine

Rules

Details

Level

5th Level Enchantment

Classes

Bard, Wizard

Casting Time

Action

Range

30 feet

Components

V, S

Duration

Concentration, up to 1 minute

This is the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card. This spell allows you to alter the memory of a creature by either removing a piece of its memory or changing its con💎tents. And, at higher levels, you can alter memories from years prior.

Using this spell to alter a social interaction gone wrong, or perhaps even absolve yourself from a crime, can be immensely helpful. Not only that, but you might beℱ able to use this spell to sway an adversary to your side if you play your cards right. T⛄here’s no limit to the ways you can use this spell to change the tides in your campaign.