A low-level character in Dungeons and Dragons is severely limited in their powers. With only a few abilities and access to the lowest level spells, it can be hard for these characters to feel powerful and heroic.
A level 3 Wizard in D&D, however, is nothing to scoff at. With one of the largest spell pools in the game, Wizards are born spell casters. Unfortunately, at level 3, the number of spells a Wizard actually knows leaves much to be desired. Because of this, it is paramount that every Wizard utilizes their great spell pool to its maximum potential, picking only the best and most useful spells in D&D.
10 Booming Blade (Waste A Slot)
Wizards are first and foremost spell casters. The reason Booming Blade is a waste of a spell is that it requires a Wizard to make a melee weapon attack (something Wizards are, generally, not very good at). This means a couple of things for the spell. It requires a Wizard to be right next to an enemy, a place a Wizard never wants to be.
It also makes the effectiveness of this spell depend on the Wizard's strength or dexterity rather than their Wizard spell casting modifier from their intelligence. This spell utilizes a Wizard’s weaknesses with very little payoff for the great risks players must take to use it.
9 Magic Missile (Should Know)
A damage-dealing spell that automatically hits is a spell that every character in D&D should pick up. Creating 3 projectiles that can all target different enemies and all hit 100 percent of the time is a significant advantage in combat in terms of control.
Additionally, Magic Missile deals force damage, which unlike most spells and attacks is resisted by very few enemies in the game. When cast at higher levels the spell adds additional darts, which can be sent at new enemies or at the same target for a massive dogpile. While the spell's damage scales off when compared to other spells, hitting high AC enemies reliably every turn is well worth the trade-off.
8 Longstrider (Waste A Slot)
Increasing an ally's speed by 10 feet can be situationally helpful, but ultimately 10 feet won’t make enough of a difference in the heat of battle. Most player characters have a movement of 30 feet and enemies fluctuate around the same. 10 feet of movement won’t make a major difference for 1 character.
If the party is fleeing from combat, only affecting 1 character won’t be enough to help the party escape. And in an offensive situation, once the melee characters start clashing, 10 feet of movement won’t have any effect at all.
7 Shield (Should Know)
Wizards have very few reaction spells, and in a game as influenced by the action economy as D&D, every character should take every action they have available. Shield is a perfect reaction spell for any Wizard worried about taking hits. When hit by an attack, Wizards can cast the shield spell to instantly raise their AC by 5 points.
Not only can Wizards gain this massive boost to their AC, but this effect lasts until the start of the WIzard’s next turn. That means that any attacks targeting the Wizard also have to deal with the plus 5 boost. Overall this is a spell that is definitely worth any Wizard’s spell slots.
6 Absorb Elements (Waste A Slot)
Absorb Elements is another reaction spell Wizards can take at first level, unfortunately, this spell isn’t quite as useful as Shield. Absorb elements only lets the player react to elemental damage; that’s acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. At early levels, very few creatures actually deal a specific elemental damage, and so, this spell effectively just wastes a slot that another spell could be taking up.
Additionally, the latter half of the spell is all about channeling the damage type into a melee attack, which again, is not an action Wizards are likely to take. All around, this spell just isn’t useful for a low-level Wizard.
5 Ice Knife (Should Know)
While Magic Missile may be the best all-around damage spell for low-level Wizards, it’s still important that they have a higher damage option for big baddies or groups of foes. Ice Knife provides decent damage for any attack that hits, but even if the ranged spell misses, all enemies within 5 feet of the target will need to make a dexterity saving throw or take an additional 2d6 cold damage.
With overall decent damage and scaling cold damage to spell slot level, Ice Knife should be a go-to for most damage dealing wizards.
4 Magic Weapon (Waste A Slot)
Magic Weapon can be a great spell for low-level Wizards. Unfortunately, it’s not really a great spell for them. Turning a weapon magical and granting a plus 1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls is very significant at early levels.
It can certainly mean the difference between life and death when fighting a phantasmal enemy with resistance to non-magical damage, however, this is a situational benefit, and for a Wizard, who will generally deal much more damage with spells than other casters, it doesn’t always make sense to play the supporting role. Ultimately, Magic Weapon just isn’t worth the action economy that other, more powerful spells, can better utilize.
3 Catapult (Should Know)
Catapult is a spell that many Wizards gloss over when looking at their options for learning a spell. However, Catapult has the capability to be incredibly useful outside of combat, even more deadly within combat, and liable to make a DM flip the table no matter when it's used. Launching a (less than 5 lb) object into an enemy requiring a dexterity saving throw is no laughing matter.
With the ability to launch any object within 60 feet of the Wizard and send that 90 additional feet, this leaves a lot of room for shenanigans. Additionally, for any Wizard playing as an alchemist with potions of acid and vials of fire, the initial 3d8 bludgeoning damage is sure to receive some substantial increases depending on the object catapulted.
2 Gentle Repose (Waste A Slot)
Gentle Repose is a spell that just doesn’t offer much for the 2nd level spell slot it requires. The ability to stop a corpse from decaying and from being transformed into an undead just isn’t a very useful ability. While resurrection spells often require the body to be of a recent death, a low-level character is never going to have access to that kind of magic and so won’t be able to use the time granted by this spell.
Further, stopping a corpse from being turned into undead isn’t very helpful when undead enemies are often used by a DM in hordes, rather than as big solo enemies.
1 Misty Step (Should Know)
One of the best spells any Wizard can learn is Misty Step. As a bonus action being able to teleport 30 feet to any spot within range is quite powerful for a Wizard. This spell is great for avoiding opportunity attacks, crossing large gaps, or quickly flipping a switch in the middle of a dungeon.
Additionally, because Misty Step is only a bonus action, this still leaves the Wizard’s regular action for casting a cantrip, maintaining concentration, or dashing out of danger. Overall, Misty Step is a spell all casters should consider using in combat, especially Wizards.
