Best Level 1 Wizard spell to upcast to level 2

[nickl_2000]

You are a Wizard/EK or Wizard/AT that currently has 2nd level spell slots, but not 2nd level spells. What spell do you take that is most effective as a level 2 spell?

Cause Fear, Magic Missile, Fog Cloud, Longstrider, something else?


In my case, my PC is an AT 4/War Wizard 2 (just turned WW 2). Int is 16, so the spell DC is decent, but not excessive.

I already have:
Absorb Elements
Alarm
Comprehend Languages (through a magical helm)
Detect Magic
Disguise Self
Feather Fall
Find Familiar
Illusionary Script
Mage Armor
Shield
Silent Image
Tasha's Caustic Brew
Tasha's Hideous Laughter
Tensor's Floating Disk
Unseen Servant

As you can tell, so far I've focused mostly on rituals, illusions, reaction spells, and other utility spells. So, I would be looking for something similar.


Yes, I'm a wizard and can pick up more, but we are in a time crunch at the moment, so I don't have the spare time to buy scrolls and fill out my spellbook more. I will also be going WW 3 next to pick up Wizard level 2 spells to fill in some gaps in the character. Once I get to level 3 WW, I will be taking Darkvision and Skywrite (because I want to mock people with magical writing in the sky) and then paying for a scroll of Shadowblade to write into the spellbook.




EDIT: If it helps, we have 2 PCs already available for dropping fireballs for crowd control
Edit 2: Holy cow, I forgot how many good level 2 spells that Wizard have available to them. So much money will be spent on copying spells.

[heavyfuel]

Sleep. Two Fireballs from the other PCs followed by a 7d8 Sleep spell is pretty much guaranteed to end any encounter.

That's 8d6*2 (avg 56) + 7d8 (avg 31.5). Not many enemies can survive that.

[nickl_2000]

Sleep. Two Fireballs from the other PCs followed by a 7d8 Sleep spell is pretty much guaranteed to end any encounter.

That's 8d6*2 (avg 56) + 7d8 (avg 31.5). Not many enemies can survive that.

Interesting, I didn't even consider that as a possibility since it drops off after level 4. More to think about :smallbiggrin:

[Eldariel]

Interesting, I didn't even consider that as a possibility since it drops off after level 4. More to think about :smallbiggrin:

It drops off in the sense that it no longer one-shots encounters with no checks beyond a simple quindie roll with great average tendency, but it's still a very solid way to put enemies down especially following AOE. It's not a game winner but it's a roleplayer.

[heavyfuel]

Sleep scales poorly, but when it stops being good, just stop preparing it. When you get access to 2nd level spells, your slots will be better spent on stuff like Suggestion anyway.

[LudicSavant]

Magic Missile and Thunderwave both are competitive with level 2 blast spells when upcast. For example MM beats normal roll Scorching Ray against foes of AC14+, and Thunderwave does the same damage as Shatter with a knockback rider, in a comparable area.

However, blasting spells are usually not especially good if you’re getting them late (as your multiclass character would be).

[ImproperJustice]

Fog Cloud.
Strange choice for some, but upcast it can cover big areas, go around corners, and ignores darksight shenanigans.

At a 40’ radius, that is like a quarter or more of the average battle mat. A good sized camp or tower can be rendered completely blind. Enemy casters and archers completely forced out of position, an escape route, or cover / signaling for allies (if gm lets you change its color).

Versatile and highly underrated, it would be my choice.

[AvvyR]

I played this build a few years ago (Though I think I went Rogue 2, then WW4, then back into AT the rest of the way), and absolutely loved it.

I second IJ's suggestion of Fog Cloud. It won't always come up, but a rogue can get up to a LOT of shenanigans in that 80 foot wide cover.

It wasn't available when I played, but Tasha's Caustic Brew scales really well, and an AT has less need of their concentration in battle. Though the spell is better for wasting actions than actual damage.

[adb82]

Cause fear, sleep and false life maybe.

2 people frightened its much better than 1, and 1d4 + 9 temporary hit points start to have more sense than 1d4 + 4.

Probably sleep fit better your character thematically (you probably dont need fear, while false life its not so bad, even later, as for sleep, you not gonna use it anymore probably).

[nickl_2000]

Thanks for all the opinions. I think I will grab False Life, I can guarantee that will be useful until there is some free time to get more spells into the spellbook. Especially since we tend to take a lot of abuse as a party.

I will definitely be getting Sleep, Fog Cloud, Longstrider, and Magic Missile in the longer term when I have the time to get and write them into the spellbook.

-While playing I find I can usually hit someone, which mage Magic Missile less of a need.
-It's not often that two fireballs get dropped on someone, so while sleep is good. There is no guarantee that I will use it every adventuring day.
-Fog Cloud, same as above. There are going to be times this will be awesome, but it's not a 2 time a day, every day thing for the temp.