Mass disable/control spells

[Dreadgrim]

My hearth cringes when I think of the idea of wasting a spell for something that has no effect if the target passes the saving throw. I'd much rather having a smaller effect on an area spell rather than one-target save or die.

Can you name some reliable, low-level spell that deals with many targets at once? Anything goes, from paralisys effects to entangle, to even encircling with walls. Don't be afraid to be creative.

I would like to see the boundaries of efficency. Any spell list and source.

Thank you!

[Diarmuid]

Here you go: http://dndtools.eu/spells/

Go nuts.

[hirojinbrodie]

Color Spray is a stable of disabling spells at low levels. Also there is of course Sleep, Web, and Silent Image when used creatively can be very effective. I would suggest the second level spell Hail of Stone (SpC) but the costly material component (5g piece of jade) is a bit much for my taste, though at higher levels I suppose it would be fine if you are really rolling in money. Honestly the best spell I can think of at low levels and high levels as well is Ray of Enfeeblement. It may not target multiple opponents, but there is no save and the strength damage, though not capable of dropping a opponent below one, can end the career of a big stupid fighter mighty quick. It even works well on spell casters, who after a shot or two will realize their spell book just got a lot heavier.

[Segev]

The Dragonfire Adept's Slow breath weapon effect is a 30 ft. cone that slows a target for 2 rounds on a failed save and still slows them for one round on a successful one. So for your one action every round (or, if you're lucky, every other round), you can keep groups of enemies limited to a single Standard XOR Move action each round.

[Venger]

It may not target multiple opponents, but there is no save and the strength damage

ray of enfeeblement doesn't deal damage, it inflicts a penalty.

OP, what level are you and what kind of spellcaster are you so we know what list to recommend pulls from?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The Dragonfire Adept's Slow breath weapon effect is a 30 ft. cone that slows a target for 2 rounds on a failed save and still slows them for one round on a successful one. So for your one action every round (or, if you're lucky, every other round), you can keep groups of enemies limited to a single Standard XOR Move action each round.

Just get the feat Entangling Exhalation in RotD instead. You automatically debuff opponents if you damage them, and you can do it often enough that you keep an entire counter debuffed. You can even skip Dragonfire Adept and use Dragonborn of Bahamut (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20060105b&page=1) (Heart) instead, so you only lock down a template and a single feat, everything else (class levels, etc.) is completely open for the character.

For strong crowd controls, you have Wall of Smoke, Grease, and Color Spray at level 1, Web and Glitterdust at level 2, Slow and Stinking Cloud at level 3, Black Tentacles and Solid Fog at level 4, etc. Most of those have an effect even if they make the saving throw.

You can also use spells that damage multiple opponents with Fell Frighten Spell in LM, especially if it deals damage over several rounds such as Kelgore's Grave Mist from PH2. That's especially useful if you trap them in a Web first, as the fear condition will escalate each round (Rules Compendium) and if they reach Panicked and can't flee they'll just cower and do nothing.