If you’re about to head out on a dungeon crawl, you’ll want to bring spells that last a while. Spells like these.
Dungeon crawls are a tried and true part of D&D. They’re right there in the name, after all. And yet, the unprepared adventurer will find them to be a deadly game indeed.
After all, a dungeon is multiple rooms strung together, full of danger, enemies, and worse. You’ve got to bring the right stuff to make it through. Spells, especially – you’ll want your blasting spells, sure, but you want a few spells that will last a while, too. Otherwise, you’ll be needing to take a nap while the Fighter kicks in the next door.
Mage Armor
This is a classic dungeon-crawling spell. It’s been around since early D&D and with good reason. Because if you’re playing a straight-up spellcaster, this is one of the few ways you have to boost your Armor Class. Outside of taking a level of Fighter to be skilled enough to put on Platemail or Half Plate or whatever else you can afford.
But what really makes this one sing as a dungeon-crawling spell is that it lasts 8 hours and doesn’t take your concentration, so if you’re going on a dungeon crawl, you’re guaranteed to get a good amount of use out of it.
Aid
If you’re a healer, or anyone with an interest in supporting the party, the Aid spell is a great way to do it ahead of time. You give three creatures five extra hit points that stack on top of their hit point total, meaning everyone affected by this spell is that much more resilient. And it lasts a full 8 hours, so if you get in multiple fights, you’re getting crazy value out of a single 2nd-level spell slot.
Arcane Eye
This one’s a higher level spell, but it’s absolutely worth the investment. If you’re exploring a dungeon, knowledge is power. And the ability to create a magical, invisible eye that can see in total darkness in every direction is invaluable. You can sneak your Arcane eye through any opening as small as an inch, meaning you can see what’s on the other side of doors, explore corridors from relative safety, you could theoretically map out the whole dungeon with a single spell slot, and then plan your next move with the kind of foreknowledge Divination Wizards dream of.
Enhance Ability
This spell is more of a boon for exploring the dungeon than fighting in it. But enhance ability lets you give a creature (or multiple creatures) advantage on all ability checks of one stat. Meaning you can trivialize those tricky skill-challenge sections of a dungeon, or be real likely to find hidden passages, or puzzle out clues or try to figure out how to use the cursed artifact/relic statue/whatever else you’re trying to find in the dungeon. Anyone who’s had to worry about skill checks in BG3 knows the benefits of this one. One spell to enhance your study and delving of the dungeon? Yes please.
Hex/Hunter’s Mark
Finally, if you have a spell like Hunter’s Mark or Hex, it’s a great boost to damage for an hour (or more). And yeah, people might complain about it taking your Concentration, but if you need to pour on damage and be efficient with your spell slots, this is a great way to do it. Plus, no one will ever feel too bad when they’re rolling an extra d6 for damage.
What are your favorite manipulator monsters?
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