10 Spells For Creative Problem Solving In DND

Summary

• Spells like Alarm can protect the party while tracking enemies.
• Arcane Eye offers spying opportunities and aids in dark places.
• Clone is valuable for resurrection and dangerous missions.

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as casting the perfect Dungeons & Dragons spell for the problem at hand. Sometimes it’s as simple as abruptly turning an encounter on its head. Or, you can cast a spell that solves an issue the party’s been dealing with for some time.

Whatever the problem, having a creative and varied arsenal of spells prepared is essential for any D&D campaign. After all, D&D isn’t just about combat spells. Sometimes, having a spell to creatively solve an issue at hand is more clutch than anything. Here are some of the best spells for creative problem-solving.

10

Alarm

This spell allows you to safeguard a door, window, or other area no larger than a 20-foot cube and trigger an alarm whenever someone enters the space. You can also designate creatures that can’t set off the alarm, such as fellow party members. In addition, you can choose if you want the sound to be mentally or physically audible.

Beyond just using this spell to guard a sleeping party around a campfire, you can also use Alarm to track enemies. If you want to follow the movements of someone in and out of a specific area, this spell will also do the trick. Plus, you can use the audible element to alert others to someone’s presence besides yourself.

9

Arcane Eye

After casting this spell, you can create an invisible, invulnerable eye that lasts for one hour. You can receive visual or auditory information from the eye (your choice), and it has darkvision within 30 feet. You can also move the eye by using a bonus action.

This spell is the ultimate lower-level spying spell. Use it to gain information from adversaries. Or, you can use it to figure out what might be lurking on the other side of a doorway in a dungeon. If no one in the party has darkvision, this spell can also be helpful in that regard.

8

Clone

This one takes some planning to enact but is well worth it for a wizard who wants access to resurrection magic. If your party doesn’t have any divine magic users for resurrection spells, you can use Clone to create a duplicate of a party member. If the party member dies, their soul can be transferred into the clone to bring them back to life.

This can be immensely helpful if you want to have a party member run a potentially lethal mission, from which they might not return. Maybe you have to place an object in a Lich’s alchemical lab, but you know you’ll be unable to escape alive. Clone is the perfect solution to making sure your character comes back in one piece.

7

Commune With Nature

For exploration-based campaigns, this spell is not to be overlooked. Commune with Nature grants you knowledge of the area within 3 miles of you. You can learn three of the following five facts about the area: locations of settlements, locations of portals to other planes, location of Challenge Rating 10+ creatures, the most prevalent type of plant, mineral, or beast, or the locations of bodies of water.

If you’re trying to track an enemy or creature, Commune with Nature is the perfect way to do it. Looking to plan escape routes from a potentially dangerous combat encounter? This spell will also do the trick. It’s easy to get creative and customize this spell’s abilities to your party’s needs.

6

Forbiddance

This spell allows you to ward a large area (up to 40,000 square feet of floor space) from certain creatures and teleportation. Of course, at its base level, this is great for protecting party bastions or keeps. However, there are other ways to make use of this spell.

Since you can designate creatures to ward off and cause damage to, you can use this spell to ward off a combat area and reduce the number of enemy combatants on the playing field. The spell allows you to choose from several types of creatures as well. This includes Aberrations, Celestials, Fey, Fiends, and Undead.

5

Mislead

Mislead allows you to create an illusory double of yourself while you become invisible for one hour. While invisible, you can also make the illusory double move, gesture, speak, and behave in whatever way you choose. You can also see and hear through this double.

Not only will this spell allow you to do some reconnaissance out on your own, but you can also use your duplicate to act as a sentry. Furthermore, since the duplicate is intangible, you can use this spell to protect yourself against potentially dangerous traps. Consider sending your duplicate into the next room of the dungeon before yourself!

4

Modify Memory

This is the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card. This spell allows you to alter the memory of a creature by either removing a piece of its memory or changing the contents of it. And, at higher levels, you can alter memories from years prior.

Using this spell to alter a social interaction gone wrong, or perhaps even absolve yourself from a crime, can be immensely helpful. Not only that, but you might be able to use this spell to sway an adversary to your side if you play your cards right. There’s no limit to the ways you can use this spell to change the tides in your campaign.

3

Unseen Servant

This low-level spell is severely underrated. Unseen Servant allows you to conjure an invisible being that can perform simple tasks for you via mental command. Though it can’t attack, there are many ways you can use this spell.

First, checking for traps with an Unseen Servant will always be worthwhile. Additionally, using the servant to retrieve objects can turn a tricky encounter into a risk-free one. Finally, consider using an Unseen Servant to help create illusions, since the servant is invisible and could appear phantasmal in nature to an untrained observer.

2

Word Of Recall

Word of Recall is a high-level last resort. First, you must designate a location to serve as a ‘sanctuary,’ such as a temple or bastion. Then, upon casting a second time, you and up to five willing creatures can instantly teleport to this sanctuary.

There are no limitations on this spell’s teleportation abilities, meaning you can teleport from any plane of existence. Again, this is a great spell for missions where escape through other means seems highly unlikely, like traversing into the Nine Hells or other unforgiving realms. This spell can embolden your party to be more courageous when it comes to exploration, knowing you always have an escape route ready.

1

Rope Trick

This is another underrated, low-level spell that can be immensely helpful. After casting this spell and touching a physical rope, one end of it will float up into the air perpendicular to the ground. At the upper end of the rope, an invisible, three-by-five portal opens to an extradimensional space that can fit up to eight medium or smaller creatures.

Rope Trick is great for quick escapes, but also for protection from area effects. Attacks, spells, and other effects can’t get into the space. You can also use this space for recon purposes, as players inside the space can see outside the portal.