5E Magic - Spells We Miss

One of the things I liked about a number of other game systems, is magic wasn't always about blasting things.  Whether it was 'Sticks to Snakes' in AD&D, the 'Protection From Rain' spell in the Warhammer Fantasy RPGm, the 'Touch of Fyvria' spell from Harnmaster, or some of the odd spells from Malhavoc Press in the 3rd edition heyday.

5th edition, for being fairly streamlined, suffers from a lack of utilitarian spells -- the core rules tends to devolve to 'blast em' magic as it's go-to ... but it could do so much more.  With the sub-rules available like Exhaustion levels, etc, there are lots of spells that could be converted over.  There are some challenges with the concentration mechanic, but I recall reading my shiny-new Player's Handbook thinking 'where is Limited Wish, and Shadow Evocation?'  Also, some of the spell choices by school are limited, so playing a necromancer is kind of challenging without Touch of Fatigue as a 1st level option.  So here's a handful of spells I wrote for my campaign gazetteer to give players a little more versatility ...

(Side note, Greater Charm Person was written when I ran the 1E adventure Against The Cult of the Reptile God, so I could recreate the villain's charm ability -- it offended me there wasn't an enchantment to beguile people without concentrating on just one target, so I built an old-school charm person effect as a justifiably higher 4th-level spell)

Greater Charm Person

4^th-level enchantment (Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard)

Casting Time:  1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components:  V, S

Duration:  1d6 days, plus special

You attempt to charm a humanoid you can see within range.  It must make a Wisdom saving throw, and does so with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it.  If it fails the saving throw, it is charmed by you til the spell ends, or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it.  The charmed creature regards you as a friendly acquaintance.  At the end of the spell's duration, the target must repeatedly make another save, or the effect lasts a further 1d6 days, and be checked again.

     At Higher Levels: When you cast his spell using a spell slot of 5^th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 4^th.  The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them.

Lesser Globe of Invulnerability

4^th-level abjuration (Sorcerer, Wizard)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Personal

Components: V, S, M (a glass or crystal bead)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

An immobile, faintly shimmering barrier springs into existence in a 10-foot radius around you and remains for the duration. Any spell of 3^rd level or lower cast from outside the barrier can't affect creatures or objects within it, even if the spell is cast using a higher level spell slot. Such a spell can target creatures and objects within the barrier, but the spell has no effect on them. Similarly, the area within the barrier is excluded from the areas affected by such spells. 

Limited Wish

7^th-level conjuration (Sorcerer, Wizard)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V

Duration: Instantaneous

This spell allows you to duplicate any spell of 5^th level or lower.  If the duplicated spell requires costly material components, you must supply them to cast successfully.

Shadow Evocation

6^th-level Illusion (Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard)

Casting Time: Special

Range: Special

Components: V, S

Duration: Special

You may cast any Evocation spell effect on the Wizard spell list of 1^st to 3^rd level.  This invocation isn’t as real as a normal casting, so if a saving throw is allowed, regardless of the type of save it is changed to an Intelligence saving throw and the target has advantage.  Each spell is cast as if the base spell level is used (ie a magic missile is cast as if a 1^st level slot was used, fireball is cast as if a 3^rd level spell was used, etc).

     Casting time, range, and duration are the same as the original spells, as are damage effects.  This spell can only duplicate damaging evocations: no rituals, or non-attack effects.

     At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7^th-level or higher, you may duplicate evocation spells of up to 4^th level.  If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 8^th level or higher, you may duplicate evocation spells of up to 5^th level.  If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 9^th level, you may duplicate evocation spwells of up to 6^th level.

Touch of Fatigue

1^st-level necromancy (cleric, druid, sorcerer, wizard)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: 1 minute

You make a melee spell attack against a target within reach.  On a hit, the creature takes a level of exhaustion.  This cannot bring the target past one level of exhaustion.