D&D: Five of Our Favorite 2nd-Level Spells in 5.5E
With a new edition out in the wild, we take alook at some of our favorite 2nd-level spells. Some got hefty buffs!
2nd-level spells are the workhorse spells of D&D. Those 2nd-level spell slots have to put in work over your first 5-8 levels. And with 5.5E, some of these 2nd-level spells have gotten some fairly substantial buffs.
A single spell slot can go a long way. Some of these are even worth upcasting until the end of time. So here are someof our favorites in the new edition.
Scorching Ray
Get ready to see a lot of life out of this one. Scorching Ray is basically the same as it ever was. But in 5.5E, a lot more people, places, and things have access to extra damage on hit. From spells like Hex or Hunter’s Mark, which do extra damage to one creature, to the showstopping Conjure Minor Elementals, which do extra damage in an area around you, letting you pile on the extra damage.
And for 3+ rays of fire that do 2d6 damage each, you can really capitalize on the “per attack” bonuses. For not that much extra effort.
Suggestion
Suggestion has always been a good spell. But in the new edition of the rules, it feels even better. All thanks to a single change.
Now the spell reads
“You suggest a course of activity, described in no more than 25 words, to one creature you can see within range that can hear and understand you. The suggestion must sound achievable and not involve anything that would obviously deal damage to the target or its allies.”
It’s a straight up Jedi Mind Trick. You can ask fr the key to a treasure vault, or tell someone to leave and not return, and if they fail their save, they’ll have to follow the suggestion for as long as they have the Charmed Condition.
Mind Spike
Mind Spike is that rare Divination spell that does direct damage. Because it creates a spike of psychic energy that blasts a single opponent for 3d8. Upon hit, if the target fails a save, you become psychically attuned to them.
From then until you lose Concentration on the spell, you’ll always know where they are. They can never benefit from Invisibility or hide from you. It may not be the flashiest spell, but for folks with access to Divination, or who need to track an important target, this spell is handy.
Arcane Vigor
New for 5.5E, Arcane Vigor is an even rarer sort of spell. It’s an arcane healing spell. That’s right.
Now, because it’s an Arcane spell, it’s like a healing spell with a slight restruction. It lets you tap into your unspent hit dice and then spend them as a Bonus Action, so you actually have to have unspent hit dice to spend.
But if you do? A single Bonus Action can get you two hit dice back (plus more at higher levels). Giving your Cleric a break in a pinch.
Summon Beast
Summon Beast is the first of the new style summon spells included in 5.5E. It lets you call forth a Bestial Spirit, which can be a Beast of the Land, the Air, or the Water. It starts with a single attack, though can make more if you use higher level spell slots.
But what really makes this spell nice is that you can decide what you need when you cast it. For a single Action, you can effectively add another party member to your group for up to an hour. And that can be a powerful aid indeed.
Happy adventuring!
