What spells do you consider useless?

[Tanarii]

Hooray, you spent a 9th level spell slot and a 3rd-5th level spell slot to preemptively counteract a 3rd level Revivify spell or neutralize a 4th level Death Ward, target's choice. (PWK + Counter-Counterspell, since I assume you're not going to risk having your 9th level spell wasted by a Counterspell.)

Why would an NPC specialize in killing PCs in close-range PWK combat anyway? If you want to mess with PCs you're much better off Wishing their enemies back to life and introducing them to each other, followed by offers of a group Teleport. PWKing one PC out of four is a terrible use of an action + spell slots for an archmage with no bodyguards, which is apparently the only kind of archmage WotC writes.

Dude, you're not thinking like a player. Instant death / one shot spells with no save scare the bejeebus out of them. PWK is a scary spell to PCs and their players. Players aren't emotionless tactical robots. Well, most of them aren't