How to chose the best spells

[Ivor_The_Mad]

One problem I always find when making a magic casting character is choosing the right spells. What I would like to know is if there are any spells that are really useful or combinations of spells that are good. Are there any specific blends of useful, damage, and other types of spells that make a good caster?

[bc56]

There are really two methods to use here. You can either use a thematic for your spells, or you can choose spells based on the strongest available.

Personally, I prefer to choose spells from thematic.

Look at this list:

Chill touch
Blade ward
Minor illusion

Sleep
Mage armor
Detect Magic

Darkness
Web


What kind of character is that?
Would you say a Drow Shadow Sorcerer? I would.

[KorvinStarmast]

Best spells for what?

[Ivor_The_Mad]

Just in general but I guess i'm referring to mainly Sorcerer or wizard.

[KorvinStarmast]

I'd suggest that you more clearly refine what you envision your Sorcerer or Wizard doing and being.

If your desire is "spells that makes me most flexible/multipurpose/prepared for anything" that might make it easier to answer.

[Aett_Thorn]

Just in general but I guess i'm referring to mainly Sorcerer or wizard.

Again, there's no real "best" spells list that we can give you. Does your Sorc want to be a Controller, a Blaster, or a Social Spell/Buffer type? Is your Wizard an Evoker, Necromancer, Bladesinger, etc. Each of these are going to have a different "Best" list of spells that they can take, depending on how you want to play the character.

[Skyblaze]

As everyone else has said, theres no real best spells. For my tiefling sorcerer (dragon but flavored as demon) I picked fire/psychic damaging spells and then control spells like dominate person/monster, telekinesis, suggestion, confusion, etc.

[Ivor_The_Mad]

If your desire is "spells that makes me most flexible/multipurpose/prepared for anything" that might make it easier to answer.
Ahh yes my bad. Let me clarify, when I make a caster I try to avoided spells that I will probably never use. Or if there are multiple spells that do a similar thing I want to choose the better one. Not specifically making like a necromancy sorcerer or a sorcerer based off of ice. I mean I would like a list of good go to spells to use that make a caster useful and versatile in most or all situations. Sorry if I have not given enough information.

[the_brazenburn]

Ahh yes my bad. Let me clarify, when I make a caster I try to avoided spells that I will probably never use. Or if there are multiple spells that do a similar thing I want to choose the better one. Not specifically making like a necromancy sorcerer or a sorcerer based off of ice. I mean I would like a list of good go to spells to use that make a caster useful and versatile in most or all situations. Sorry if I have not given enough information.

All right, here's some advice for you.

At low levels, Sleep is the best spell of all. Once you gain access to 3rd level stuff, you'll want to swap it out for something else.

The best blasts, IMO, are Scorching Ray and Fireball. Lightning Bolt is inferior due to its unrealistic AoE.

Toll the Dead is an incredibly OP cantrip. If you can, take a familiar, then send it to attack right before you cast this to up the damage die without relying on allies.