They’re the school of magic that focuses on protection that can be utilized in both passive and aggressive ways. While there are a good amount of spells in the school of Abjuration, there’s a few that stand out. This list is meant to highlight those particularly good spells, but this list is by no means exhaustive. Each Abjuration spell has its own uses depending on the situation, so try to keep all of these in mind for your next build.
15. Pass Without Trace
Pass without Trace is an excellent spell to keep hidden. Its effect lasts for an hour and requires concentration, but it can affect the caster and nearby allies. When this spell is in effect, a creature is granted a +10 bonus to stealth checks and can’t be tracked by mundane means. Pass Without Trace will let a party discreetly travel through an area, escape without being followed, or set up an ambush that can’t be detected using passive perception. These kinds of scenarios can be applied in both low level and high level play, and it tilts the odds in the caster’s favor.
14. Absorb Elements
While only being a 1st level spell, its availability at lower levels is a big advantage of Absorb Elements. At mid or high level, spellcasters almost always have a few 1st level spells slots to spare. Absorb Elements lets a caster resist acid, thunder, lightning, cold, or fire damage as a reaction, and keep said resistance until the next turn. If a DM is particularly cruel and the caster is hit by lightning or a dragon’s Firebreath, Absorb Elements will make sure a spell caster won’t take the full damage. Similarly, elemental resistance spells function the same, since those require concentration whereas Absorb Elements doesn’t need concentration. It only uses a reaction to activate.
13. Forbiddance
Forbiddance is one of those underrated spells that can deny an entire army from invading an area. This spell lasts for a day, and its area of effect is large enough to cover most castles with more area to spare. Cast Forbiddance on the party’s castle or base. Then nothing can teleport or planar travel directly into the area, unless they know the password set by the caster. Example: if a party has caught wind of a demon horde coming for their castle, so long as there is 10 minutes to spare, Forbiddance can be laid out on the castle in advance. Now these demons are not getting anywhere near you without taking a whole lot of damage.
12. Restoration
There are many effects that could debilitate a party. Lucky, there are spells like Restoration to counteract them. Restoration is two spells put together: greater restoration and lesser restoration. By harnessing positive energy, a caster restores a creature from effects like curses, exhaustion, petrification, blindness, poison, and energy drain. When ignored, these conditions can either increase the chances of an adventure going horribly, or could spell certain doom for a party. Restoration is a relief spell that can rescue a party from the brink of annihilation. Worth keeping on hand just in case.
11. Aura of Purity
Aura of Purity allows all creatures inside its area of effect to be immune to disease, resist poison damage, and they’re given advantage to all saving throws against all effects that would cause stun, blind, charm, paralyze, poison, or deaf. All this coverage with a 4th level spell is fantastic. This spell can be used in combat as well as in adventuring, social, and roleplay situations. If a tomb suddenly fills with gaseous poison, or if an NPC Bard is trying to convince an entire room to take his side, Aura of Purity should deny any scenarios letting them be nothing more than a nuisance.
10. Anti-Magic Field
There are very few effects in Dungeons and Dragons that deny magic, such as a Beholder’s central eye or an Astral Dreadnaught’s central eye. Anti-Magic Field falls into that very rare type of effect. Anti-Magic Field radiates from the caster, shutting down spells, making magic items useless, eliminating summoned creatures, and turning some constructs inert. Since it radiates from the caster, Anti-Magic Field can be used, and then the caster can walk through a magical Meteor Swarm or take a Ray of Disintegration head-on and walk away unharmed. If a DM allows it, Anti-Magic Field could also deny supernatural effects like a Gorgon’s Glare. Since Dungeons and Dragons worlds are usually filled with magic, a spell that completely denies magic is incredibly potent.
9. Shield
Shield is a very straight forward 1st level spell. It’s a +5 to AC reaction to an attack roll made against the caster, and nullifies incoming Magic Missiles. While simple, its usefulness can’t be ignored. It’s just highly practical. Most spellcasting classes that gain access to Shield almost always make sure this spell is ready.
8. Invulnerability
Invulnerability is one of the most powerful Wizard spells. While its components are expensive at 500gp and Adamantium dust, Invulnerability is the ultimate damage prevention spell. For the entire 10 minute duration, the caster is now completely immune to any kind of damage. However, this doesn’t mean that the caster is immune to petrification, polymorph, or being banished. Since most creatures deal a large amount of damage to crush their enemies, getting rid of an enemy’s win condition for 100 rounds is incredibly powerful.
7. Protection From Evil and Good
Protection From Evil And Good is another low level spell that’s tremendously beneficial. Any Fae, Fiend, Celestial, Aberration, Elemental, or Undead creature that attacks will be forced to attack at a disadvantage, greatly increasing the protected creature’s survivability. On top of that, the recipient of this spell can’t be Possessed, Frightened, or Charmed by said creatures. And if the target is already under one of these effects, they now gain advantage on the saving throws to end the effect. Protection From Evil And Good may sound situational, because it only protects against certain creatures. But the benefits against those creatures are very potent. It essentially shuts down all their attacks and acts like an anti-condition spell to boot. When a Succubus can’t dominate, a Mummy can’t terrify, and two of a Beholder’s eye rays become harmless, it’s too good for a 1st level spell.
6. Mind Blank
If a creature is under the effect of Mind Blank, they’re immune to any and all psychic damage. Effects that could determine someone’s thoughts and emotions, Divination spells, and Charm can’t be used on a creature under Mind Blank. One of the best things about this spell is that it’s one of the few that foils the Wish spell, or other effects that would be used to gather information about a target. Even if this spell is pretty simple in combat, Mind Blank is a ridiculously strong spell in roleplay.
5. Imprisonment
Imprisonment is a one of those “go big or go home” spells. If the target fails a Wisdom saving throw, they’ll be imprisoned for eternity until it’s dispelled. The target could be entombed deep beneath the earth, chained firmly into the ground, banished to a demiplane, shrunk and trapped in a gemstone, or put into a deep sleep where they can’t be awoken. This is the ultimate bad-guy-be-gone spell, and should be used in cooperation with the DM as this is outright game breaking in many cases.
4. Greater Restoration
Now this is the greatest of all restorations. This is the answer if someone has been petrified or charmed. At higher levels, this spell is a must-have to be at the ready, because status effects are very common in higher Challenge Rating encounters.
3. Dispel Magic
Almost all spell casting classes get access to Dispel Magic. And it’s one of those spells that will be useful in almost every adventure.
Being able to cancel ongoing spell effects and shut down magical traps is a must-have for any spellcaster.
Dispel Magic is a 3rd level spell that automatically removes any spell effects of 3rd level or lower from a single creature or target. But that’s not all.
Using a higher level spell slot to cast Dispel Magic automatically dispels any spell effects of the equivalent spell slot level (or lower).
Note that all is not lost if Dispel Magic doesn’t automatically dispel the effects, since a roll is still made against the opposing spell’s DC. Being able to end some truly devastating effects is just too good to pass up.
2. Banishment
Banishment is considered one of the most overpowered spells in Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition, and for a good reason. When cast, a target must make a Charisma saving throw or be teleported into a different plane of existence. Banishment lasts for 1 minute and needs concentration. Banishment forces creatures native to the plane to be teleported to a harmless demiplane where they stay for the duration of the spell. If a creature not native to the plane is banished for the entire minute, then they return to their home plane and don’t return. Taking out an opponent for 1 round (or permanently) could turn around an entire encounter. You’ll just have to know how to use it to your advantage.
1. Counterspell
Counterspell is similar to Dispel Magic, but it stops spells before they can take effect. It can be cast as a reaction against another spell, as long as the caster is within the 60ft range. All 3rd-level spells or lower are automatically disabled, but a 4th-level spell or higher must be contested with a roll against the spell’s DC. Like Dispel Magic, up-casting Counterspell automatically counteracts spells of equal level, making Counterspell an amazing trump card. Counterspell can also be countered while casting so it’s not totally failsafe. But absolutely an abjuration spell you’ll want in your book.
