Every adventuring Wizard and Sorcerer worth his salt has a Fireball or Lightning Bolt and a couple Magic Missiles spell up his sleeve in case a fight breaks out, and spells like Bull’s Strength and Cure Serious Wounds have an obvious appeal when out dungeoncrawling or dragon-slaying. This post isn’t about those no-brainers, but rather the more subtle, multi-use spells you may have been forgetting.

Disguise Self

Need to look like a palace guard? Want to get back into that gentleman’s club you were kicked out of last night? Are you about to do something that’ll get your face on a wanted poster? Disguise Self will do the trick in a flash. This spell is a must for any want-to-be murderer in an area where the local clergy cooperate with the authorities (Speak with Dead is a homicide detective’s best friend).

Enlarge Person

In addition to the obvious combat benefits of putting this transmutation on a friendly melee combatant (damage increase, reach, etc.), an increase to the size of a creature multiplies its carrying capacity significantly. This can be tremendously-useful in getting exceptionally-heavy treasure out of a location, making priceless statues and such fair-game for an enterprizing dungeon-delver. As an example, a Human with a Strength 18 can carry 300 pounds as a heavy load. Under the influence of Enlarge Person, the same character (with his +2 strength and new size) can carry 800 pounds as a heavy load. The benefit is further amplified if dragging something instead of carrying it.

Freezing Sphere

Need to get across that river in a hurry? Chuck a Freezing Sphere at it and you have 6-inch-thick ice to skid across. It can also do up to 15d6 damage to everything in a ten-foot radius, but that’s beside the point.

Levitate

Often seen as an inferior version of the Fly spell, Levitate has the advantage of affecting inanimate objects, which can be quite handy when used creatively.

Prestidigitation

This cantrip was written in such a overly-broad way that it’s almost criminal to have it under 1st level. Great for removing bloodstains on your clothing before sneaking past the palace guards of that noble you just murdered.

Solid Fog

Ever needed to leap from a perilous height? Put a Solid Fog in the intervening space, and it’ll cut your effective fall height (for damage purposes) by 20 feet. If you’re being pursued by somebody with a ranged weapon, Solid Fog provides additional protection.

Many spells, such as Light and Identify are have such obvious utilitarian value that they are excluded from this listing.