In 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dungeons & Dragons, 1st level spells are essentially glorified cantrips; while they can be useful, their eꦡffects are nothing spectacular. Second-level spells, on the other hand, are when things start to get interesting. This is when spells go from being an annoyance to the e💛nemy to actually being able to turn the tide during a tough encounter.

There are many second-level spells that would seem better 🍨placed in the higher spell levels due to the power an💦d usefulness of their effects. In fact, many of the more famous spell effects of fantasy settings are mere second-level spells in D&D. Here are the most useful second-level spells in D&D – ranked.

Updated on December 10, 2024, by Alfredo Robelo: The release of the 2024 Player's Handbook has everyone review their knowledge of spells, checking what's changed and what is now viable. We've updated this list to include even more reliable second-level spells, so you know what to pick in your low and high-level adventures.

18 Melf's Acid Arrow

Guaranteed Acid Damage

Melf's Ac𝓰id Arrow isn't the most damaging spell on this list, but it is certainly one of the most reliable, since it deals damage even when it misses. If it hits, however, the target suffers 4D4 acid ♔damage initially, and 2D4 more at the end of its following turn.

The acid damage type isn't that easyꦯ to come by, and very few creatures are resistant to it, so this is always a good spell to have. It should also be your opener spell, since the extra damage might be wasted on a creature that is already close to death.

17 Levitate

Early Access To Flight

The Dungeons & Dragons rules tend to be careful when it comes to players flying, particularly 📖on the earlier levels. At later stages, it makes sense for players to be flying around, but the early stages of play are meant for beginners who shouldn't be adding🐎 another dimension to puzzles and combat.

Still, if you are a veteran play🦄er willing to use verticality to your advantage, Levitate is a versatile spell for 🅠that very purpose. You can only move up or down with the spell (unless you grab something to move forward), but it should be enough to sneak around a roof unnoticed, and you can also cast Levitate on a hostile target to get them out of a fight.

16 🧔 Flame Blade

Ideal For Melee Casters

Flame Blade is a spell available for druids and sorcerers, although the latter will see the most use for it. This is because the spell allows for a reliable melee bui🌼ld of the sorcerer class, something not often seen but that can deal so🗹me decent damage.

You can even attack on the very turn you summon the Blade, since casting it is just a bonus action. It deals 3D6 plus your spellcasting modifier in damage, and you can even upcast it to deal one more D6 for each spell slot above the second. The Blade also sheds bright light around you, something that can be key for 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:species that don't have darkvision.

15 ꦿ 𒉰 Alter Self

Adapt To Your Environment

Althou🃏gh it was a little more useful in previous editions (like many spells), Alter Self is still one of the more useful low-level spells an arcane caster can memorize. This spell not only allows the caster to alter their appearance, but can be used to make useful changes to the caster’s physiology. Using this spell, the caster can grow gills and webbed digits for underwater breathing and movement.

It can also be used to grow sharp claws or teeth to attack an opponent – these are considered magical weapons as well. Previous editions allowed the caster to grow wings; making this the lowest level spell that 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:allowed the caster to fly (albeit awkwardly). This 💧was removed in 5th edition, but there’s no harm in asking ꩲthe DM if this can still be done.

14 Web

Trap Enemies And Set Them Ablaze

Mainly useful for crowd control o👍r if you need to buy a bit of time, Web affects all creatures within any 20-foot squareꦦ the caster chooses. The spell works in three dimensions if the caster is in a small, enclosed space. It doesn't do any damage, which works out fine if you or another member of your party gets caught up in it by accident.

If you have a spell similar to Aganazzar’s Scorcher han✃dy, you can light that flammable filigree for up to cause 2d4 fire damage to any creatures trapped in it for one round.

13 🎐 Mirror Image 🥃

Confuse Your Opponent

Mirror Image is another spell that was significantly better in previous editions but is still extremely useful in the 5th edition. This spell creates three illusionary duplicates of the ꦬcaster; which move around to conceal the true location of the caster.

Before an opponent can hit the caster, they must roll a d20 to determine if they attack a duplicate instead (previous versions made the first attack on the caster automatically miss). If a duplicate is hit, it disappears. This spell is invaluable to a low-level wizard or sorcerer, mainly due to them having a less than ideal armor cl𝐆ass.

12 Knock

Open Simple Locks

A handy spell indeed, but regulated closer to the bottom of the list as it's mostly a situational ability. Characters who are dual classed as spellcasters and thieves will get the most use out of Knock, but it's also useful on 🐲more sophisticated locks and magical barriers in places like dungeons. Too bad Gandalf didn't have his Knock spellꦇ handy at the gates of Moria.

Unlike lower-level spells and cantrips that merely open simple locks or remove magic, Knock works on both magi🐼cal and mundane locks whether they be fixed on doors, manaclꦡes, or treasure chests.

11 Detect Thoughts 𝓰 ಌ

Know What They Think

Detect Thoughts is useful in virtually any situ𒉰ation, whether it be a tense dinner with the local lor♏d or a skirmish with a country bandit in his lair. The subject of the conversation at the time guides the train of thought, making Detect Thoughts indispensable for interrogations but less useful for random eavesdropping.

With that in mind, however, the effect of this spell is𒁏 on an area the caster chooses, not a creature or a person specifically. There𒈔fore, casting this spell in a certain area can reveal a hidden creature or person provided that they have an intelligence of 3 or more and are within a 30-foot radius.

10 Aganazzar’s Scorcher ꩲ

Fire In A Straight Line

In a confined area like a hallway, this is perhaps the best damage-dealing second level spell. Aganazzar’s Scorcher is basically a flamethrower that extends 30’ from the caster for one turn; previous edไitions had this effect last two turಞns (but one is actually better).

Anyone caught in the path of this flame takes 3d8 fire damage. If the target(s) pass a dexterity🔴 save, the damage is halved. Like maജny spells in 5e, Aganazzar’s Scorcher is scalable – every spell slot this occupies above second adds a 1d8 to the damage. The caster must be careful to make sure there aren’t any party members in the line of fire, as the spell will hurt them as well.

9 Cloud Of Da♋ggers

Slice And Dice Them

Cloud of Daggers is a very potent (for second level) spell that deals damage in a 5’ area cube🍷. The whirling daggers deal 4d4 points of damage to any being that enters or begins their turn in this 5’ cube area. As far as second-level spells go, this is a respectable amount of damage, and the damage i🐭s also scalable.

The damage increases by 2d4 for every spell slot the caster uses to memorize this spell beyond second. As with Aganazzar’s Scorcher, it is impoꦍrtant to make sure there aren’t any party members in the area of effect. This spell wo🅺rks great when used in conjunction with the spell at the #5 spot on this list.