Feb 19

Feb 19 For Your Consideration - 3rd Level Spells

I’ve been talking a lot about spells lately and wanted to keep my streak alive, so I decided to take the way back machine and dig out an old series that fell by the wayside. For Your Consideration takes a look at spells of a specific level that players may want to give serious thought to taking. Some are no-brainers, while others are good spells that seem to fall by the wayside for one reason or another.

At the 3rd level, sorcerers and wizards gain access to the most iconic spell in the game, Fireball. I’ve talked in great depth about the spell here, so I excluded it from this list. It is not because it’s not a great spell but because I’ve been there, done that. If you want to find out more about the fireball, how it works in-game, and the implications of real-world physics that would affect the spell, I suggest taking a few minutes to read it.

Other than the flaming ball of searing pain, what spells are out there at the 3rd level for your character to take? I’m not here to tell you which spells you absolutely have to take, and if you don’t, you're not playing your character right. Only you know what your party makeup is and the type of campaign you’re involved in. You also know which spells are on your personal must-have list, for whatever reason you deem important. There is no right or wrong answer. My purpose is to provide you with information about the spells I like to assist you in making an informed decision.

Blinding Smite
Casting time: 1 bonus action
Range: Self
Components: V
Duration: 1 minute (Concentration)
Classes: Paladin

The next time you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack during this spell’s duration, your weapon flares with a bright light and the attack deals an extra 3d8 radiant damage to the target. Additionally, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the spell ends.
A creature blinded by this spell makes another Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, it is no longer blinded.

The best smite spell this side of the 5th level banishing smite spell. None of the lower levels smite spells come close to the 3d8 radiant damage (13 avg.) this spell does, and the 4th level staggering smite spell does only slightly more average damage (4d6=14 avg). What’s even better is that you have the opportunity to blind your target for up to a minute. Low Consitution creatures beware because our paladin will stand in front of you and swing away at advantage while you are forced to attack at disadvantage. Not even staggering smite gives you advantage on your attack rolls!

Cast this spell as your bonus action, make your attack(s) with your action and when one hits, use another spell slot to use your divine smite on top of that. Interesting fact, divine smite is essentially a “free action”, as it does cost you anything beyond a spell slot to use it.

Let’s say I’m a 9th level paladin and encounter a shadow demon (66 HP) or any other creature that’s vulnerable to radiant damage, I’m using one of my 3rd level spell slots to cast blinding smite and the other to use my divine smite ability. If I’m attacking with +1 longsword - hopefully you have a better sword by 9th level - and I have an 18 Strength, I’m doing an average of 39 points of damage (5 sword damage + 4 Str. modifier + 18 divine smite + 12 blinding smite). That 39 damage is then doubled because our demon is vulnerable to radiant giving us a total of 78 points of damage.

Our paladin’s single round burst damage has sent the poor shadow demon back to the abyss with a single attack. And if you roll like me and do well under average damage and the demon is still alive, it’s attempting a save with its meager 12 Constitution, meaning it will probably be blinded. It’s for the best, though, since the demon won’t have to see the next attack that will most likely kill it.

Counterspell
Casting time: 1 reaction
Range: 60 ft.
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

You attempt to interrupt a creature in the process of casting a spell. If the creature is casting a spell of 3rd level or lower, its spell fails and has no effect. If it is casting a spell of 4th level or higher, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a success, the creature's spell fails and has no effect.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the interrupted spell has no effect if its level is less than or equal to the level of the spell slot you used.

The rare reaction spell makes an appearance on the 3rd level spell list, and it’s a doozy. I cannot begin to tell you how many times our wizard cried out “COUNTERSPELL!” and save our collective butts from an enemy's potentially devastating blast spell. I’m not going to get into the whole debate on how the spell works or how it is seemingly broken at higher levels. All I know is that if you are playing any one of the classes with access to this spell, take it. Using a 7th level spell slot to negate a finger of death spell may cause the spellcaster a bit of mental anguish, but it is a whole lot better than being dead.

Haste
Casting time: 1 action
Range: 30 ft.
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 minute (Concentration)
Classes: Artificer, Sorcerer, Wizard

Choose a willing creature that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, the target's speed is doubled, it gains a +2 bonus to AC, it has advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and it gains an additional action on each of its turns. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action.
When the spell ends, the target can't move or take actions until after its next turn, as a wave of lethargy sweeps over it.

Easily my favorite 3rd level spell when I’m playing a front-line fighter. The biggest problem is convincing my friendly neighborhood sorcerer or wizard to use one of their precious 3rd level spell slots to cast this glorious spell on me. How dare I ask such a thing! Denying them a chance to cast another fireball is the equivalent of asking them for their firstborn child, so unless they hate their kids, it’s never going to happen.

Ok, ok. Maybe that’s a tiny bit of an overreaction. There are countless players out there that understand the true power of this spell and will happily cast it on their party members, then stand in the back of the room and watch the body parts fly. That’s a good thing, too, since the spell requires concentration, and if it’s broken my character is a sitting duck for one round, being unable to move or strike back when the baddies descend upon me. Of course, if the player is a tanky artificer, they may give you a gleeful smile, cast the spell upon themselves, and not bother looking back as they run in.

As you’re probably someone who likes to hit things, you’ll be using the extra attack option most of the time. Your character will gain the equivalent of a shield bonus to their AC which is always nice. You will also get to get up close and personal with the creatures quicker since they have double movement, but this can also backfire if they get too far ahead of the rest of the party. It’s ok though, because once you realize there are consequences for running in while screaming “Leeroy Jenkins!!!” you can also use your extra action to disengage and back off. You’ll even be able to get one final attack off with your regular action before running away…I mean making a strategic battlefield maneuver.

Let’s take another look at our paladin, who has convinced the wizard to cast haste on them. Being the bold and brave divine warrior they are, they run up 60 ft to attack the pair of frost giants headed their way with malice in their cold icy eyes. Since they are 9th level, they already have two attacks at their disposal. For their action, the paladin uses the blinding smite attack described above to inflict 39 points of damage on the first attack (sorry, no radiant vulnerability for these creatures), decide to use a first level spell slot on their 2nd attack for 18 points of damage (5 sword damage+4 Str. modifier+2d8 radiant damage), and enjoyed themselves so much they smite again for their 3rd attack, thanks to the haste spell, for an additional 18 damage. That’s an average of 75 damage in their first-round attack, leaving one of the frost giants bloodied.

In the 2nd round, our paladin has the unfortunate pleasure of being hit 4 times by the two frost giants’ greataxe attacks, taking 100 points of damage! Somehow still standing, our brave warrior of divine power realizes this maybe wasn’t the best idea and decides to group up with the party, take a breath, and hopefully get healed (being stubborn, they don’t want to use their lay on hands ability, wanting to save it for a real emergency). Before they depart, however, our pally wants some revenge for getting hit so many times. Hence, they use their action to attack twice, burning their remaining 1st level spell slots to divine smite, delivering 36 damage on the bloodied, who has now taken 111 points of damage thus far. If they have an additional smite spell prepared and spell slots available, our paladin could also use their bonus action to inflict additional damage. Using their hasted action to disengage, our paladin then runs back to the party, who collectively shake their heads in disappointment.

So unless potions of speed start to grow on trees, do whatever it takes to convince your wizard or sorcerer that this is a spell they must cast on you at every available opportunity.

Slow
Casting time: 1 action
Range: 120 ft/40 ft. cube
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 minute (Concentration)
Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard

You alter time around up to six creatures of your choice in a 40-foot cube within range. Each target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be affected by this spell for the duration.
An affected target's speed is halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can't use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn.
If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn't take effect until the creature's next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can't, the spell is wasted.
A creature affected by this spell makes another Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, the effect ends for it.

The opposite of the Haste spell, which you use against your enemies with devastating consequences. This spell is criminally underutilized in my opinion, or maybe it just the type of people I play with.

A character with ranged attacks will enjoy peppering the target with arrows as they slowly trudge towards them. The creature will be easier to hit, too, since their AC has been reduced by 2. Maybe you’re fighting a group of Shadar-Kai, and one thinks they’ll be smart and use their bonus action to shadow jump to you, followed by hitting you three times with their spiked chain. No such luck for the brooding elvish edgelord since they’ve burned the one action/bonus action they can use per round. If you’re feeling feisty, attempt to grapple them and watch the DM as they decide whether to make a crappy Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check at disadvantage.

Things get fun when you cast this spell on a fellow spellcaster. First off, you get to roll another die, and it’s not even your turn! Delaying a creature’s spell for an entire round allows you to move out of the incoming fireball’s blast radius if you figure out that it’s been cast. Now, I’m not encouraging metagaming, but there’s nothing wrong with asking your DM if you can make an Arcana check to attempt to discern what spell was cast. In the end, your spellcasting arch-nemesis will be truly screwed over until they make their saving throw. At the very least, they will burn at least a 3rd level spell slot to counterspell your spell.

Honorable Mentions

Leomund’s Tiny Hut. It’s always nice to have a safe place, out of the rain, to rest your weary head for the night. It can be tight quarters but will do until you get Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion.

Revivify. Rise for you are no longer dead! Of course, it costs 300 gp worth of diamonds, but it’s better than letting a party member die. Well, maybe not the rogue.

Spirit Guardians. This is how your life cleric does the damage they’ve been dreaming about.

Thunder Step. Are the bad guys getting a little too close for comfort? Announce your departure with authority as you teleport away in a thunderous fashion.

Third-level spells make up a diverse list of spells that you’ll have a hard time choosing from. While these are my favorites, I’m interested to see what your favorite spell is and why you have to have it prepared at all times.