Now you’re looking to see what might be worth grabbing for second level spells. Well you’ve come to the right place! Let’s dive in.
20. Spike Growth
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 150ft, 20ft Radius Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 10 Minutes (Concentration) Spike Growth’s the perfect spell to use for if you ever find yourself facing down a group of enemies that have only one way to get at you. Exclusive to Druids and Rangers (and certain Clerics or Warlocks), Spike Growth allows the caster to lay down a field of thorns that prick the feet of your foes with every step they take. Best part is, if you place it before they notice, it’s camouflaged from a casual glance. So unless your enemies can manage to spot it with a Perception check vs. your spell DC, they’ll be none the wiser until it’s far too late.
19. Suggestion
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 30ft Components: Verbal, Material Duration: 8 Hours (Concentration) Suggestion is like the big brother of Charm Person. As a spell that comes innately to certain races, like the Yuan-Ti Pureblood, it’s also available to Wizards, Bard, Sorcerers and Warlocks. It allows the caster to plant a magical suggestion in the mind of a target, who’s forced to carry out to the best of their ability. So long as the command you imprint on them isn’t something that will obviously be harmful to themselves, the target will work to complete their given task for as long as the spell lasts. You can even make it so that there’s a specific trigger effect with the spell. For example, you can tell your victim to give all of their gold to the first peasant they run across, or something like that. It’s a great spell for the schemer in your party!
18. Crown of Madness
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 120ft Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration) For another spell that’s great for bending another to your will, we have Crown of Madness. This allows you to target an enemy combatant and turn them against their allies. Summoning a crown of twisted iron to sit upon the head of your chosen target, the one wearing the crown is thrown into a fit of madness that removes all reason from them. At your command, the one affected by the spell must make an attack against any creature that you choose that’s within range, be they friend or foe. For as long as you maintain concentration, the target is forced to act as commanded for the duration of the spell.
17. Blindness/Deafness
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 30ft Components: Verbal Duration: 1 Minute Giving you the ability to ruin just about anyone’s day, Blindness/Deafness does exactly what it says on the tin. Choosing a target within range, you’re able to strip them of their sight or their hearing, provided they fail the accompanying Constitution Save. Perfect to use in the midst of a battle, as you’re able to effectively neuter a combatant. Without their sight, they can’t attack effectively. And they can’t properly defend themselves. Or if you deafen them, it makes sneaking around a whole lot easier when you don’t have to worry about making too much noise.
16. Enlarge/Reduce
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 30ft Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration) Have you ever wanted to become a Giant? Well…this spell can’t let you do that. But it can make you Large. Or, alternatively, Small. Choosing a target within range, you’re able to either make them one size larger, or one size smaller. While Enlarged, the target gains Advantage on all Strength based Checks and Saves, and their strikes are more powerful due to their size. But while Reduced, they suffer from the opposite, gaining Disadvantage on all Strength Saves and Checks, as well as they’re strikes are far weaker than normal. This is great if you either need to reach somewhere high, or fit into somewhere that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to!
15. Dragon’s Breath
Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action Range: Touch, 15ft Cone Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration) Now you can have the power of Dragons at your disposal! Touching a target, you’re able to grant them the ability to breath elemental breath much like those giant flying lizards. Choosing from Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning and Poison, the one you grant the spell’s power to is able to use their action each turn to spew the chosen element at anyone and anything that gets in their way. No longer do you have to watch as dragons fly overhead, longing for their help. Dragon’s Breath gives you a taste of what it’s like for yourself!
14. Heat Metal
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 60ft Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration) Have you ever thought: “Man, I’d just love to ruin the day of that guy wearing full plate armor over there”? Well, now you can! With Heat Metal, you can target any manufactured metal object, and heat it to the point where it’s glowing red hot. Anyone who doesn’t(or can’t) drop the item suffers from terrible burning damage, and is afflicted with disadvantage on all attacks and rolls till your next turn. Great for those heavily armored enemies that are otherwise hard to get a hit in on in the midst of combat.
13. Hold Person
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 60ft Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration) If you’re going up against a slippery foe who likes to move around, this spell is a must have for any Wizard’s spellbook. Hold Person does exactly as the name implies: forcing a target to be paralyzed for the spell’s duration if they fail the accompanying Wisdom save. If they fail the save, they’re left completely helpless and unable to defend themselves, leaving you to deal with them with ease… well, provided you maintain Concentration and they keep failing their saves to escape.
12. Enhance Ability
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Touch Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Hour (Concentration) A brilliant spell if you just need a bit of an edge. Enhance Ability allows the caster to grant anyone they touch with a bonus to a chosen attribute. Be it Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, or any of the other core stats, you’re able to grant a bonus to them. Advantage, temporary hit points, extra carrying capacity, lessened fall damage and more are the benefits that can be granted through this spell. All in all, it’s a great one to have on hand.
11. Maximilian’s Earthen Grasp
Source: Elemental Evil Player’s Companion Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 30ft, 5ft square Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration) With the fury of the world itself, this spell allows you to create a giant hand out of the earth to crush your foes. Choosing a point within range, you’re able to summon up a person sized hand to grab a creature and restrain them. On subsequent turns, you’re able to command the hand to try and crush the life out of the one it’s holding. Until the spell ends, or until the creature can break out of the hand’s grip, they’re stuck at your mercy.
10. Shatter
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 60ft, 10ft Radius Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: Instantaneous As a spell that creates a massive ringing noise and destroys any unattended objects, Scatter is great for causing some chaos. If you come across a door or a chest, or just about any object that you don’t want to exist anymore, then Shatter is at the ready. Anything that gets caught in the blast suffers from significant Thunder damage, along with creatures if they fail a Constitution save, and objects (of course). Any constructs made of inorganic materials have an even harder time of it, having disadvantage on the check.
9. Scorching Ray
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 120ft Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: Instantaneous This is often an Evocation Wizard’s introduction to just how useful Fire is. Scorching ray is like a lite version of Fireball. Creating three rays of fire, you’re able to roll three separate attacks for each ray, either on the same target or spread out on others. Each ray has the chance to inflict significant damage on each hit. Also great for setting things on fire, if you really need it. Not quite as potent as Fireball is at 3rd level, but this is still a good spell to have on your list.
8. Moonbeam
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 120ft, 5ft Cylinder Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Minute (Concentration) A spell that’s exclusive to Druids, certain Paladin subclasses, and a single Cleric subclass, Moonbeam allows you to harness the power of…well, the moon. Calling down a beam if silvery moonlight, you’re able to position the beam on top of any creatures that fit inside the cylindrical area, causing the light to burn anything lingering inside with holy Radiant damage. You’re also able to move the beam as an action on each of your turns. And if you happen to catch a shapechanger in it, they suffer from disadvantage and are forced to change back to their normal form. If you happen to be fighting werewolves, this is one of the best spells you can have on hand to combat them. It effectively ruins their ability to fight, so long as they fail the save and you can keep the beam on them.
7. Misty Step
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action Range: Self Components: Verbal Duration: Instantaneous As the first taste of teleportation that most players get, Misty Step allows the caster to shimmer with a silver mist, stepping into it and emerging once again in another space. While not nearly as powerful as later spells such as Dimension Door or Farstep, Misty Step still allows you to move up to 30ft away on a Bonus Action, which is nothing to scoff at. Great for tactical replacements, or for getting out of a mob of enemies. Misty Step is just a solid spell for any player to keep on their list.
6. Knock
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: 60ft Components: Verbal Duration: Instantaneous An oddly named spell for what it does, Knock is perfect for the party that lacks a Rogue. Selecting any object with a mundane lock holding it shut, this spell creates a very loud knocking noise as it unlocks whatever you target. Extremely loud, but very useful nonetheless. If you don’t feel like simply breaking open a door and can’t pick the lock, well here you go. Especially good when you get to the point of there being magical locks that come into play, as Knock allows you suppress the effect of the spell Arcane Lock for 10minutes, allowing you to simply open and close whatever the spell was holding locked as normal.
5. Invisibility
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Touch Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Hour (Concentration) The perfect tool for any Arcane Trickster, Invisibility is rather self-explanatory. After casting the spell, you render yourself (or anyone you touch invisible) for an hour, so long as you maintain concentration. Completely invisible to the naked eye, this allows you to get into places unseen much easier. But be careful: if you cast a spell or attack, the spell will immediately break, potentially leaving yourself in a bad position.
4. Gentle Repose
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action (Ritual) Range: Touch Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 10 Days Gentle Repose is a must have if you expect to go into combat and take casualties. If someone should fall and you don’t readily have the means to revive them, or if the nearest town is too far away, Gentle Repose allows you to effectively freeze the body in time magically. For the entire 10 days’ worth of duration, the preserved body is protected from decay, cannot be turned undead, and extends the time allowed for spells like Revive.
3. Lesser Restoration
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Touch Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: Instantaneous Should you ever find yourself afflicted with an (arguably) lesser condition that hinders you, then you’ll be glad to have Lesser Restoration on hand. It’s a spell that Bards, Clerics, Druids, Paladins and Rangers can all have out of the box. And it allows the caster to purge any one disease or condition affecting the target. While the conditions are limited to Blinded, Deafened, Paralyzed or Poisoned, those are all still rather nasty things to deal with. Having the means to just be rid of them is an amazing thing on any adventure.
2. Mirror Image
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Self Components: Verbal, Somatic Duration: 1 Minute Mirror Image is one of my favorite spells to have when I’m playing a Wizard. It allows the caster to summon up a trio of illusory copies of yourself, which makes it much harder for your foes to hit you in combat. Now, the actual mechanics are a bit of a mess. So I won’t get into them too much here. But suffice it to say, if you end up fighting someone and suddenly there were four of them out of nowhere, would you be able to easily figure out which one was the real one? Probably not.
1. Pass Without Trace
Source: Player’s Handbook Casting Time: 1 Action Range: Self Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material Duration: 1 Hour (Concentration) So this has to be one of my favorite 5e spells overall, not just from the 2nd level list. Adding a +10 to any Stealth check to anyone that’s within 30ft of the caster, it’s the perfect spell for any group that struggles when it comes to sneaking. Got a Cleric who wears heavy plate armor and has the grace of a hippo? Just pop this spell on and even they’ll have a decent chance at being sneaky. And for those who are good at Stealth? The rogue in your party will just cease to exist. I love playing rogues, personally. And I always go heavy into the Stealth aspect of the game. Adding a +10 on top of my current Rogue’s +13 to Stealth is just…insane, and I absolutely love it. And I’m sure you will too!
