The Best Defensive Spells In Dungeons & Dragons That Every Wizard Needs

Key Takeaways

• Defensive spells are crucial for wizards in
  D&D
  to survive – prioritize Rope Trick, Misty Step, and Absorb Elements.
• Rope Trick creates a safe pocket dimension, Misty Step teleports to safety, and Absorb Elements resists damage.
• Reflect on Mirror Image, a Spell that confuses attackers, provides much-needed protection, and buys time for strategic moves.

There are a lot of spells in Dungeons & Dragons, and the Wizard class, as the archetypal spellcaster, gets the lion’s share. It can be hard for newer players to decide which spells to prioritize when faced with the massive list of options available, but a wizard who doesn’t master at least a few defensive spells isn’t going to last.

Wizards are famously fragile in Dungeons & Dragons. They have the smallest hit dice to quantify their HP and, by default, they don’t get any armor proficiencies to help keep them safe in combat. Luckily, there are plenty of powerful and useful spells to help wizards keep themselves and their allies safe in the heat of battle. Here are ten of the best defensive spells that should be in every wizard’s spellbook.

10 Rope Trick

A Sanctuary On The Go

• Spell Level: 2nd
• Spell School: Transmutation
• Source:Player’s Handbook

The second-level spell Rope Trick functions as a get-out-of-jail-free card for almost any sticky situation a wizard might find themselves in. In order to cast this spell, the caster must touch a normal rope, causing it to levitate straight upward into a small pocket dimension roomy enough to hold all but the largest of parties.

This pocket dimension is invisible from the outside, and the rope can be pulled up into the portal behind the wizard to completely cut off access. Once cast, the spell lasts for a full hour, giving adventurers plenty of time to rest and reassess if they find they’ve bitten off more than they can chew.

9 Misty Step

Stepping Freely

• Spell Level: 2nd
• Spell School: Conjuration
• Source:Player’s Handbook

Misty Step is as simple as it is indispensable. This spell allows a wizard to instantly teleport to any spot they can see within 30 feet. Since teleportation bypasses opportunity attacks, this provides wizards with a perfect way to put space between them and a menacing foe who’s gotten too close.

Further expanding the utility of Misty Step is the fact that the spell takes a bonus action to cast, allowing the caster to use their main action for a cantrip or even a melee attack if they’re desperate. One could even use their action to dash, putting even more distance between them and their foe.

8 Mirror Image

A Face In A Crowd

• Spell Level: 2nd
• Spell School: Illusion
• Source: Player’s Handbook

Mirror Image is an excellent choice for any wizard who wants to stay alive in the thick of a fight. This spell summons three illusory duplicates of the caster, who surround them and confuse any potential aggressors. Any attack targeting the wizard who cast this spell has a random chance of hitting one of the duplicates instead, causing the attacker to completely waste their attack.

As one might expect, illusory images aren’t particularly tough, so it will only take one hit to put a copy out of commission. And, of course, the fewer duplicates remain, the easier it becomes to hit the real wizard. That said, Mirror Image is still an excellent choice for wizards who need a few rounds of breathing room to line up a devastating fireball.

7 Absorb Elements

Bolstering Defenses

• Spell Level: 1st
• Spell School: Abjuration
• Source: Xanathar’s Guide To Everything

While wizards have more to fear than most classes from a sword or a mace, they’re also just as vulnerable to magic damage as anyone else. Absorb Elements will protect the caster from acid, cold, fire, lightning, and thunder damage, and the fact that it’s a reaction cast makes it an ideal spell for a wizard to keep in their pocket.

This spell gives the caster resistance to whatever damage type triggered the spell, halving the amount of damage the wizard takes. This resistance lasts until their next turn, keeping them safe from further attacks until then. Wizards with some martial capabilities will benefit from a bonus to melee damage fueled by the energy they absorbed, but even for wizards who’ve never thrown a punch in their lives, this defensive spell will shed a lot of damage.

6 Mage Armor

Clothes Make The Wizard

• Spell Level: 1st
• Spell School: Abjuration
• Source: Player’s Handbook

Without multiclassing or special magic items like Elven Chain, most wizards will never see the inside of a suit of armor, or even hold a shield. Mage Armor helps make up for that deficiency. As the name suggests, this spell surrounds an unarmored creature in a magical set of protective wards, giving them an armor class a bit better than studded leather.

This spell lasts eight hours, letting wizards benefit from its protection for most of the day. It can also be cast on other characters, so a caster can protect a companion or summoned minion if they have the spell slots to spare. The versatility and utility of this spell makes it a basic defensive enchantment that any unarmored wizard should make a point of memorizing.

5 Silvery Barbs

Turning The Tide

• Spell Level: 1st
• Spell School: Enchantment
• Source: Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

Silvery Barbs, a piece of enchantment from the magical university of Strixhaven, is a wildly versatile spell that can get a whole party out of a jam if used at the right moment. A wizard can cast this spell whenever they see a creature make an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, forcing them to reroll and take the lower option. This could turn an attack into a miss, potentially saving the wizard or an ally from certain death.

Even better, after they cast the spell, the wizard can channel that stolen luck into a boon for one of their companions, giving that character advantage on their next roll. This spell aids allies, hinders enemies, and can potentially shift the entire course of a fight, all for the cost of a single first-level spell slot.

4 Counterspell

Shutting It Down

• Spell Level: 3rd
• Spell School: Abjuration
• Source: Player’s Handbook

Counterspell is infamous for its ability to shut down an enemy spellcaster with a simple reaction. By the original 5e rules, wizards can cancel out any spell of 3rd level or lower, including another Counterspell cast on their own magic. A successful spellcasting ability check can turn off a higher-level spell. In the 2024 update, this spell instead requires the target to make a Constitution save to avoid having their spell countered.

Either way, Counterspell is a must for any wizard going up against another spellcaster of any stripe. Magic in Dungeons & Dragons is extraordinarily powerful, and a well-timed spell can turn the tide of battle in either direction. Counterspell can defend a wizard from the worst spells the enemy has on offer, or protect the wizard’s own spells from getting countered in turn.

3 Wall Of Force

An Immovable Object

• Spell Level: 5th
• Spell School: Abjuration
• Source: Player’s Handbook

Wall of Force is a potent defensive spell that, if used properly, can completely shut down an enemy in the middle of battle. As the name suggests, this spell conjures an invisible wall of solid magical force, that players can shape to their liking. Nothing can pass through this wall, be it a creature, weapon, or spell.

This wall is immune to damage and can’t even be taken down by Dispel Magic. It blocks travel through the Ethereal Plane as well, shutting down most ethereal and incorporeal threats. Nothing short of a high-level Disintegrate spell will pierce its defenses. Players can use this wall to shield themselves, fence up a dangerous foe, or block off a crowd of attacking enemies.

2 Polymorph

Wearing Something Else’s Skin

• Spell Level: 4th
• Spell School: Transmutation
• Source: Player’s Handbook

The Polymorph spell is one of the most powerful and versatile spells in a wizard’s repertoire. This incantation turns a character into a beast with a challenge rating equal to or less than theirs or their level. It replaces the target’s stats entirely, which is ideal for a wizard in a tight spot. If the caster is low on hit points, they can assume the form of something massive, like a giant ape or a T-Rex, with over a hundred hit points and devastating attacks to boot.

Wizards can also use this spell for utility, like by assuming the form of a flying beast to cross a dangerous gap, and they can even temporarily turn a menacing boss into a harmless rabbit. The list of applications for this spell is just as massive as the list of creatures wizards can use it to turn into.

1 Shield

A Reliable Barrier

• Spell Level: 1st
• Spell School: Abjuration
• Source: Player’s Handbook

The Shield spell is one of the first incantations any beginner wizard should learn, and it will likely remain a mainstay in their repertoire well up to level 20. This humble level one spell immediately raises the caster’s armor class by 5, a hefty amount that can block out a lot of attacks. It also renders the caster completely immune to the Magic Missile spell, which is a niche case but a valuable one, since that spell normally cuts through any defense.

This defensive boost lasts until the start of the caster’s next turn, letting them breathe a little easier until they’re able to act and take more definitive steps to remove themselves from danger. Since it costs a mere 1st level spell slot, this defensive power is widely accessible to every wizard, and should not be overlooked by any of them.