D&D’s Five Best Defensive Buff Spells
They say the best offense is a good defense. And these are the five best (defensive) buff spells in D&D. Cue the power-up music.
Teamwork makes the dream work in D&D. And nowhere is that more apparent than in D&D’s buff spells. They’re capable of handing out powerups to even the lowliest of henchmen and hirelings.
With the right retinue of buff spells, your adventuring party will be ready for anything D&D can throw at you. And these are the five best buff spells in D&D. At least, when it comes to defensive buffs. These spells make you and/or your allies hardier in combat. Want to deal more damage? Check out our list of the five best offensive buffs in D&D. Now let’s look at these protective spells.
Bless
One of the only spells likely to make the list as one of the best offensive and defensive buff spells, Bless is an absolute blessing. Pick up to three of your friends (including yourself) and they get a d4 to add to any attack roll or saving throw. It lasts a minute and can make the difference between success and failure.
Mage Armor
This is one of the staples of D&D. Since the days of 1st Edition, Wizards have needed protection. And that protection was most frequently in the form of mage armor.
This spell lasts 8 hours, which makes it a category we like to call “breakfast spells” because you cast them at the beginning of your adventuring day. And it’s pretty straightforward. You gain an AC of 13 + your Dexterity modifier. It isn’t compatible with other armors (or unarmored defense) but it’s great baseline protection if you have no armor.
And you can cast it on yourself or someone else.
Mirror Image
Another classic magic-user defense. This one is self-only, but Mirror Image is hands down one of the best defensive spells in the game. It lasts for a whole fight without taking your concentration. And on top of that, it gives you a minimum of three extra hits.
Mirror Image conjures up three duplicates that might take a blow intended for you. When an enemy attacks you, they must roll to see if they target you or one of your duplicates. They must also hit a Mirror Image (which has a lower AC, but it’s not an automatic hit).
Aid
Aid is one of the more underrated spells in the game. For a single 2nd-level spell slot, you can bolster up to three creatures for eight hours.
Each creature gets five extra hit points. Their current hit points and hit point maximums all increase by five for the eight hours of the spell. And it increases by five per slot level above 2nd. So you’ll be able to add even more hit points above and beyond what your party already has.
Heroes’ Feast
Courtesy of D&D Hero’s Feast Cookbook
Finally, we come to Heroes’ Feast. This is a mighty buff spell indeed. Not only do you feed everyone for a solid hour, but the up to twelve creatures that you’ll feed with this spell are cured of any diseases or poison. And on top of that, they become immune to poison, are frightened, and gain an advantage on any Wisdom saving throw.
But there’s still more because these feasting friends also gain 2d10 hit points and their maximum increases by the same amount. All for up to 24 hours. It’s the gift that gives through every encounter you face that day.
What tops your list as the best buff spells in D&D?
