Summary
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as casting the perfectDungeons & Dragonsspell for the problem at hand. Sometimes it’s as simple as abruptly turning an encounter on its head. Or, you’re able to cast a spell that solves an issue the party’s been dealing with for some time.
Whatever the problem, having a creative and varied arsenal of spells prepared is essential for any D&D campaign. After all, D&D isn’t just about combat spells. Sometimes, having a spell to creatively solve an issue at hand is more clutch than anything. Here are some of the best spells for creative problem-solving.
Updated July 10, 2025 by Jack Filsinger:Dungeons & Dragons boasts an enormous roster of spells, but so many of them are under appreciated, especially when it comes to creative problem-solving. That’s why we’ve updated this list with even more unconventional spell options in Dungeons & Dragons.
Duration
Concentration, up to one hour
Alter Self is a simple, low-level spell that has a lot of flexibility in terms of creativity. When you cast this spell, you can either alter your appearance, sprout gills, and gain a swim speed, or grow claws or other natural weapons. This means that not only is this spell great for roleplay, but also combat scenarios.
Need to do some reconnaissance in an underground sewer system? Gaining the ability to breathe underwater with this spell can help. Or, you can use the ability to grow claws and perhaps gain a climb speed if your DM allows it. The possibilities are endless.
1 minute
Verbal, Somatic, Material (a handful of sand)
8 hours
Dream has a lot of practical effects to it in addition to interesting roleplay consequences. When you cast this spell, you’re able to enter the dreams of your target (as long as you know them and are on the same plane of existence) and appear as a messenger, altering the shape of their dreams as well. You can also inflict damage on them by making their dream a nightmare (3d6 psychic damage on a failed Wisdom save).
What’s most interesting about this spell is that it’s a guarantee that the target will remember the dream perfectly. This means that you may use this spell in the same way you would use Sending, or to communicate without fear of being scryed on.
1 minute or Ritual
Somatic, Material (ink worth 10+ gp)
10 days
Though Illusory Script is a very low-level spell, you’re able to use it creatively to circumvent a lot of different problems. Illusory Script allows you to write down a message that can only be read by those you designate, obscured from all others. Alternatively, you can alter the meaning, handwriting, and language of the message as long as you know the language you’re changing it to.
This means you can essentially use this spell to fake credentials, noble pedigrees, or even letters to solve all kinds of problems your party might encounter. Or, you can use this spell to convey meaning to your party without anyone else finding out. This is perfect for urban sprawl-style campaigns or palace intrigue.
30 feet
V, S, M (a bell and silver wire)
This spell allows you to safeguard a door, window, or other area no larger than a 20-foot cube and trigger an alarm whenever someone enters the space. You can also designate creatures that can’t set off the alarm, such as fellow party members. In addition, you can choose if you want the sound to be mentally or physically audible.
Beyond just using this spell to guard a sleeping party around a campfire, you can also use Alarm to track enemies. If you want to follow the movements of someone in and out of a specific area, this spell will also do the trick. Plus, you can use the audible element to alert others to someone’s presence besides yourself.
V, S, M (a bit of bat fur)
Concentration, up to 1 hour
After casting this spell, you may create an invisible, invulnerable eye that lasts for one hour. You can receive visual or auditory information from the eye (your choice), and it has darkvision within 30 feet. You can also move the eye by using a bonus action.
This spell is the ultimate lower-level spying spell. Use it to gain information from adversaries. Or, you can use it to figure out what might be lurking on the other side of a doorway in a dungeon. If no one in the party has darkvision, this spell can also be helpful in that regard.
1 hour
Touch
Components
V, S, M (a diamond worth 1,000 gp, and a vessel worth 2,000+ gp)
Instantaneous
This one takes some planning to enact but is well worth it for a wizard who wants access to resurrection magic. If your party doesn’t have any divine magic users for resurrection spells, you can use Clone to create a duplicate of a party member. If the party member dies, their soul can be transferred into the clone to bring them back to life.
This can be immensely helpful if you want to have a party member run a potentially lethal mission, from which they might not return. Maybe you have to place an object in a Lich’s alchemical lab, but you know you’ll be unable to escape alive. Clone is the perfect solution to making sure your character comes back in one piece.
For exploration-based campaigns, this spell is not to be overlooked. Commune with Nature grants you knowledge of the area within three miles of you. you’re able to learn three of the following five facts about the area: locations of settlements, locations of portals to other planes, location of Challenge Rating ten or higher creatures, the most prevalent type of plant, mineral, or beast, or the locations of bodies of water.
If you’re trying to track an enemy or creature, Commune with Nature is the perfect way to do it. Looking to plan escape routes from a potentially dangerous combat encounter? This spell will also do the trick. It’s easy to get creative and customize this spell’s abilities to your party’s needs.
10 minutes or Ritual
V, S, M (ruby dust worth 1,000+ gp)
1 day
This spell allows you to ward a large area (up to 40,000 square feet of floor space) from certain creatures and teleportation. Of course, at its base level, this is great forprotecting party bastionsor keeps. However, there are other ways to make use of this spell.
Since you can designate creatures to ward off and cause damage to, you can use this spell to ward off a combat area and reduce the number of enemy combatants on the playing field. The spell allows you to choose from several types of creatures as well. This includes Aberrations, Celestials, Fey, Fiends, and Undead.
Mislead allows you to create an illusory double of yourself while you become invisible for one hour. While invisible, you can also make the illusory double move, gesture, speak, and behave in whatever way you choose. You can also see and hear through this double.
Not only will this spell allow you to do some reconnaissance out on your own, but you can also use your duplicate to act as a sentry. Furthermore, since the duplicate is intangible, you can use this spell to protect yourself against potentially dangerous traps. Consider sending your duplicate into the next room of the dungeon before yourself!
Concentration, up to 1 minute
This is the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card. This spell allows you to alter the memory of a creature by either removing a piece of its memory or changing its contents. And, at higher levels, you may alter memories from years prior.
Using this spell to alter a social interaction gone wrong, or perhaps even absolve yourself from a crime, can be immensely helpful. Not only that, but you might be able to use this spell to sway an adversary to your side if you play your cards right. There’s no limit to the ways you can use this spell to change the tides in your campaign.
