Best arcane spells

[Renen]

Is there a list anywhere detailing the best arcane spells from all arcane spell lists? For those times when you can cherry pick your spells for whatever reason.

[BowStreetRunner]

Go HERE (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=skifnivd54dv5g3ll4j1n3rqb4&topic=399.0) and look at the second post where it says 'Spells and Other Magic Systems'.

[Splendor]

Zero
Acid Splash - PHB
Launch Item - SC
Launch Bolt - SC
CALTROPS - SC
Preserve Organ - Vile


1st
Remove Scent - SC
Darklight - Vile
Alarm
Low-Light Vision - CA
Orb of Acid, Lesser - CA
Shocking Grasp = PHB
Rope Trick - PHB
Ray of Enfeeblement - PHB
Nystuls' Magic Aura - PHB
Magic Missile - PHB
Detect Secret Doors - PHB
Mord's Buzzing Bee - Min -10 MS & Concentration check DC15+SL of spell fails
Benign Transposition - Min 2 willing targets switch places
Power Word: Pain - RofD - Deals d6/round, up to 16 rounds!
Create Trap - RofD - Creates CR1 trap for 12 hours
RAY OF CLUMSINESS - SC
PERSISTENT BLADE - SC
NERVESKITTER - SC - may cast before initiative, +5 initiative


2nd
Dimension Hop - SC
Resist Energy
Alter Self
SEE Invis
Web
Glitterdust
Mirror Image
ARCANE TURMOIL - CM
Earthern Grasp - SC
SWIM - CA/SC
Spectral Hand - PHB
Scorching Ray - PHB
Melf's Acid Arrow - PHB
Scent - CD
Seeking Ray - PHB2
Ray of Stupidity - SC -d4+1 INT
Heroics - SC - Grants bonus fighter feat of your choice 10 min/lv
Force Ladder - SC - immobile force ladder
Dark Way - SC
CREATE MAGIC TATTOO - SC
Balor Nimbus - 6d6 fire damage during grapple
Combust - SC

3rd
Snake’s Swiftness, Mass - SC
Circle Dance - SC
Analyze Portal - SC
Heart of Water - CM - Lots of stuff, 1hr/lv
Dispel Magic
Phantom Steed
Ghost Lantern - CM
Caustic Smoke - CM
VAmpric Touch - PHB
Curse of Petty Failing - Min -2 attacks & Saves
Regroup - PHB 2 - teleports party to you
Inevitable Defeat - PHB2 -
Bigby's Disrupting Hand - PHB2 -
Power Word: Weaken - RofD -
Power Word: Sickened - RofD -
Ray of Dizzy - SC
Glowing Orb - SC
Giant's Wrath - SC
Mage Armor, Greater - CA

[Chronos]

Erratum: Rope Trick is 2nd-level, not 1st.

Most of the best arcane spells are wizard spells, and there are thousands of lists of those floating around. Wu Jen get a few exclusive gems, though, like Body Outside Body, Giant Size, and Transcend Mortality. And bards add most of the standard healing spells to the arcane domain.

[Renen]

Yeh, Im partly looking for any of those gems as well. Would be nice to know if some obscure spell lists have 1 or 2 good spells that are exclusive, or are a level lower than wizard.

[HalfQuart]

Here's a list of Sorcerer-Only spells:

1ST-LEVEL SORCERER SPELLS
Ghostly Tail: Your tail of force can be used to take advantage of an attack of opportunity.
Strength of the True Form: Polymorphed/shapechanged casters can use their new stats, or original stats, whichever is better.
Wings of Bounding: Get a +20 circumstance bonus on a Jump check.
Wings of Swift Flying: Increase your temporary fly speed by 30 ft.
2ND-LEVEL SORCERER SPELLS
Essence of the Dragon: Confer the dragon type on touched creature.
Magic of the Dragonheart: Enhance the benefits of your draconic feats.
Primal Hunter: Gain a +5 bonus on Climb, Jump, and Swim checks.
Tail Slap: Attack a foe for 1 round/level and knock him back on the first round.
Wings of Cover: Grant cover against a specific attack.
3RD-LEVEL SORCERER SPELLS
Dragonblood Affinity: Grants +2 bonus to all saves, checks, attacks, and damage rolls to one dragon or dragonblood creature/level.
Primal Instinct: Gain a +5 bonus on initiative checks and Survival checks.
4TH-LEVEL SORCERER SPELLS
Hoard Life: Store some of your life force for later healing.
Primal Senses: Gain low-light vision and a +5 bonus on Listen and Spot checks.
Tail Sweep: Your tail of force can attack a group of foes within 10 ft.
Wall of Scales: Create a barrier of dragon hide.
Wings of Flurry: Your wings of force can attack all foes within 30 ft.
5TH-LEVEL SORCERER SPELLS
Arcane Fusion: Cast two spells you know without expending additional slots.
Dragonblood Spell-Pact: Dragonblood creatures can swap known spells of the same level.
Manifest Dragon Heritage: Conjures a wyvern.
Undying Vigor of the Dragonlords: Heal yourself of 5d6 or more points of damage.
6TH-LEVEL SORCERER SPELLS
Dragoncall: Dragon compels 1 intelligent creature to come to his location.
Primal Speed: Gain a +5 bonus on Reflex saves and a +10-ft. bonus to speed.
7TH-LEVEL SORCERER SPELLS
Aspect of the Platinum Dragon: Take the form of an aspect of Bahamut.
Summon Aspect of Bahamut: Summons an aspect of Bahamut.
8TH-LEVEL SORCERER SPELLS
Arcane Fusion, Greater: Cast two spells without expending additional slots.
Aspect of the Chromatic Dragon: Take the form of an aspect of Tiamat.
Manifest Dragon Heritage, Greater: Conjures a dragon turtle.

I think Wings of Cover at 2nd level is a particularly good.

The other list that people like to use poach from is Trapsmith:

TRAPSMITH SPELL LIST
1ST-LEVEL TRAPSMITH SPELLS
Arcane Sight: Magical auras become visible to you.
Cat’s Grace: Subject gains +4 to Dex for 1 min./level.
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance: Hear or see at a distance for 1 min./level.
Dispel Magic: Cancels magical spells and effects.
Fox’s Cunning: Subject gains +4 Int for 1 min./level.
Gaseous Form: Subject becomes insubstantial and can fly slowly.
Haste: One creature/level moves faster, +1 on attack rolls, AC, and Reflex saves.
Knock: Opens locked or magically sealed door.
Protection from Energy: Absorb 12 points/level of damage from one kind of energy.
2ND-LEVEL TRAPSMITH SPELLS
Arcane Eye: Invisible floating eye moves 30 ft./round.
Dimension Door: Teleports you short distance.
Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser: Stops 1st through 3rd-level spell effects.
Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere: Force globe protects but traps one subject.
Stoneskin: Ignore 10 points of damage per attack.
Stone Shape: Sculpts stone into any shape.
3RD-LEVEL TRAPSMITH SPELLS
Bigby's Interposing Hand: Hand provides cover against one opponent.
Break Enchantment: Frees subjects from enchantments, alterations, curses, and petrification.
Fabricate: Transforms raw materials into finished items.
Dispel Magic, Greater: As dispel magic, but +20 on check.
Wall of Stone: Creates a stone wall that can be shaped.

Note specifically Haste as a 1st level spell. But really a lot of them are good.

[Drake2009]

Disjunction , Programmed amnesia.

[HalfQuart]

Oh, the other useful thing (depending on your party makeup) is that you can get the Cure X Wounds spells as arcane off the Bard spell list, and Restoration off the Fatemaker (PlH) list.

Of course you generally don't want to be the healer as a wizard, but if your party lacks robust healing, it might be worth it.

[Cheiromancer]

The other day I saw a link to the worst arcane spells - well, the worst possible spell list for a wizard to take. Some of the spells listed in this thread were also in that one. Buzzing bee and disjunction, maybe others. But now I can't find the thread... :smallmad:

Oh here it is! worst spell list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256232) and worst spells by level (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251763).

I think the trapsmith is one of the main reasons why a DM won't allow Extra Spell to get off-list spells. Their spells should really start at 3rd level, like Nar Demonbinder starts with 4ths. If you are doing something like Extra Spell and your DM has doubts, suggest that trapsmith spells count as 2 levels higher.