The best defensive spells in dungeons and dragons that every wizard needs

Important takeaways

• Defensive spells are essential for wizards in
  D&D
  to survive – prioritize Rope Trick, Misty Step and Absorb Elements.
• Rope Trick creates a safe pocket dimension, Misty Step teleports to safety, and Absorb Elements resist damage.
• Reflect on Mirror Image, a spell that confuses attackers, providing much-needed protection and buying time for strategic moves.

There are many spells in it Dungeons & Dragonsand Wizard class, as the archetypal sorcerer, gets the lion's share. It can be difficult for newer players to decide which spells to prioritize when faced with the huge list of available options, but a wizard who doesn't master at least a few defensive spells will not last.

Wizards are famously fragile in Dungeons & Dragons. They have the smallest hit dice to quantify their HP and by default get no armor skills to keep them safe in battle. Fortunately, there are plenty of powerful and useful spells to help wizards keep themselves and their allies safe in the heat of battle. Here are ten of them the best defensive spells that should be in every wizard's spellbook.

10 Rope trick

A sanctuary on the go

• Game level: 2nd
• Playing school: Transmutation
• Source:Player's Handbook

The second level spell Rope trick serves as a get-out-of-jail-free card for almost any sticky situation a wizard might find himself in. In order to cast this spell, the caster must touch a normal rope, causing it to levitate straight up into a small pocket dimensionally spacious enough to hold all but the largest parties.

This pocket dimension is invisible from the outside, and the rope can be pulled up into the portal behind the guide to completely cut off access. Once cast, the spell lasts for a full hour, giving adventurers plenty of time to rest and reevaluate if they find they've bitten off more than they can chew.

9 Foggy step

Step freely

• Game Level: 2nd
• Playing school: Incantation
• Source:Player's Handbook

Foggy step is as simple as it is indispensable. This spell allows a wizard to instantly teleport to any location they can see within 30 feet. Since teleportation bypasses attacks of opportunity, this gives wizards a perfect way to put space between them and a threatening enemy that has gotten too close.

Further expanding the usefulness of Misty Step is the fact that the spell takes a bonus action to cast, allowing the caster to use their main action for a cantrip or even a melee attack if they're desperate. One could even use their action to rush and put even more distance between them and their enemy.

8 Reflection

A Face In A Crowd

• Game Level: 2nd
• Playing school: Illusion
• Source: Player's Handbook

Reflection is an excellent choice for any wizard who wants to stay alive in the middle of a fight. This spell summons three illusory duplicates of the caster, surrounding them and confusing potential attackers. Any attack directed at the wizard casting this spell has a random chance to hit one of the duplicates instead, causing the attacker to completely waste their attack.

As you'd expect, illusory images aren't particularly tough, so it only takes one hit to put a copy out of commission. And, of course, the fewer duplicates that remain, the easier it will be to meet the real guide. That said, Mirror Image is still a great choice for wizards who need a few rounds of breathing room to line up a devastating fireball.

7 Absorb elements

Strengthens the defense

• Game level: 1st
• Playing school: Abjuration
• Source: Xanathar's Guide to Everything

While wizards have more to fear than most classes from a sword or mace, they are also just as vulnerable to magical damage as anyone else. Absorb elements will protect the caster from acid, cold, fire, lightning, and thunder damage, and the fact that it's a reaction roll makes it an ideal spell for a wizard to keep in his pocket.

This spell grants the caster resistance to whatever type of damage triggered the spell, halving the amount of damage the wizard takes. This resistance lasts until their next turn, keeping them safe from further attacks until then. Wizards with certain combat abilities will benefit from a melee damage bonus powered by the energy they absorbed, but even for wizards who have never struck a blow in their lives, this defensive spell will do a lot of damage.

6 Belly armor

Clothes make the magician

• Game level: 1st
• Playing school: Abjuration
• Source: Player's Handbook

Without multiclassing or special magic items like the Elven Chain, most wizards will never see the inside of a suit of armor, or even hold a shield. Belly armor helps compensate for that deficiency. As the name suggests, this spell surrounds an unarmored creature in a magical set of protective wards, giving them an armor class slightly better than double leather.

This spell lasts for eight hours, allowing wizards to benefit from its protection for most of the day. It can also be cast on other characters, so a caster can protect a companion or summoned minion if they have the spell slots to spare. The versatility and utility of this spell make it a basic defensive enchantment that all unarmed wizards should make a point of memorizing.

5 Silvery barbs

Turning The Tide

• Game Level: 1st
• Playing school: Enchantment
• Source: Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

Silvery barbs, a piece of enchantment from the magical university of Strixhaven, is a very versatile spell that can get an entire party out of a jam if used at the right moment. A wizard can cast this spell when they see a creature make an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, forcing them to reroll and take the lower option. This can turn an attack into a miss, potentially saving the wizard or an ally from certain death.

Even better, after they cast the spell, the wizard can channel the stolen luck into a boon for one of their companions, giving that character advantage on their next roll. This spell helps allies, hinders enemies, and can potentially shift the entire course of a fight, all for the cost of a single first-level spell slot.

4 Counterplay

Turns it off

• Game Level: 3rd
• Playing school: Abjuration
• Source: Player's Handbook

Counterplay are notorious for their ability to shut down an enemy spellcaster with a simple reaction. Under the original 5e rules, wizards can remove any spell of 3rd level or lower, including another counterspell cast on their own magic. A successful Spell check can disable a higher level spell. In the 2024 update, this spell instead requires the target to make a Constitution save to avoid their spell being countered.

Either way, Counterspell is a must for any wizard facing another spellcaster of any kind. Magic in Dungeons & Dragons is extraordinarily powerful, and a well-timed spell can turn the battle either way. Counterspell can defend a wizard from the worst spells the enemy has to offer, or protect the wizard's own spells from being countered in turn.

3 Wall Of Power

An immovable object

• Game level: 5th
• Playing school: Abjuration
• Source: Player's Handbook

Wall of Force is a potent defensive spell that, if used correctly, can completely shut down an enemy mid-battle. As the name suggests, this spell conjures an invisible wall of solid magical power, which players can shape at will. Nothing can pass through this wall, be it a creature, weapon, or spell.

This wall is immune to damage and cannot even be taken down by Dispel Magic. It also blocks travel through the etheric plane, shutting down most ethereal and incorporeal threats. Nothing less than a high level Disintegrate spell will penetrate its defenses. Players can use this wall to protect themselves, corral a dangerous enemy, or block a crowd of attacking enemies.

2 Polymorphic

Wear someone else's skin

• Game level: 4th
• Playing school: Transmutation
• Source: Player's Handbook

The Polymorphic spell is one of the most powerful and versatile spells in a wizard's repertoire. This spell turns a character into a beast with a challenge equal to or less than their or their level. It replaces the target's stats entirely, which is ideal for a wizard in a tight spot. If the caster is low on hit points, they can take the form of something massive, like a giant ape or a T-Rex, with over a hundred hit points and devastating attacks to boot.

Wizards can also use this spell for good, such as by assuming the form of a flying beast to cross a dangerous gap, and they can even temporarily turn a menacing boss into a harmless rabbit. The list of applications for this spell is as large as the list of creatures wizards can use it to transform into.

1 Protect

A reliable barrier

• Game level: 1st
• Playing school: Abjuration
• Source: Player's Handbook

The Protect spell is one of the first spells any novice wizard should learn, and will likely remain a mainstay in their repertoire well into level 20. This humble level 1 spell instantly raises the caster's armor class by 5, a hefty amount that can block out many attacks. It also makes the caster completely immune to the Magic Missile spell, which is a niche case but valuable, as that spell normally cuts through all defenses.

This defensive boost lasts until the start of the caster's next turn, allowing them to breathe a little easier until they can act and take more definitive action to remove themselves from danger. Since it only costs one spell slot at first level, this defensive power is universally available to all wizards and should not be overlooked by any of them.