Dungeons & Dragons is all about choices, and for spellcasters, many of those choices involve the magic that makes them useful. As any character levels up they work their way into increasingly powerful spells, and at the 3rd level, the different classes enjoy a powerful range of spells that really allow them to make a difference in their sessions.
Since there are so many great options, that means the pitfalls are all the worse to tumble into. Such a valuable commodity should not be wasted, but a waste is exactly what some of these spells become.
3rd level spells offer tons of options for casters in any role. From straightforward combat spells like Fireball to the rejuvenating ace in the hole Revivify to the constantly life-saving Leomund's Tiny Hut there are plenty of options that spellcasters just should not pass up on. However, the helpfulness of those spells may just seem unoriginal or downright boring to players looking to spice things up. The problem is that they try to spice things up in the wrong way.
Meld into Stone is a horrible spell. It's hard to call most spells completely useless because they so often have at least some unique circumstance where they are helpful, but when it comes to designing that niche scenario players almost end up bending over backward to explain how it may come in handy. The spell allows a caster to enter a space filled with solid stone, do nothing while they are there, struggle to identify anything going on outside the stone, and potentially risk their health immensely if they are detected while unable to defend themselves. 99% of the time a player thinks the spell will be useful it turns out that is only because they misread the spell's description.
Feign Death is not near as bad but suffers similarly from being horribly situational. Players in Dungeons & Dragons quite often come up with contrived plans much to many a DM's chagrin and Feign Death is likely at the center of many of them. Allowing a willing creature to enter a death-like state for the duration of the spell, Feign Death is not impossible to contrive circumstances for. Both it and Meld Into Stone are at least ritual casts that don't burn their spell slot once they are prepared, but they are both better left for preparation exclusively when a character knows for certain they will come in handy the following day.
Other spells seem deceptively useful just because players don't often crunch the numbers on how effective their combat options are. Flame Arrows just does not do the amount of damage that it should for burning a spell slot of such a level. Spirit Shroud is similarly an inferior option to spells like Spiritual Weapon or Spirit Guardians, all of which clerics can also cast, and Life Transference stands out as a terrible healing option since it comes at the cost of the caster's own hit points. When there are better options, why even bother with the inferior model?
Preparing the wrong spell isn't the end of the world, especially for classes that can simply prepare something else the next day. But especially as challenges start to ramp up the need to optimize only increases, and spellcasters taking terrible options hinders their use in the party. Picking the right spell can be the difference between saving the day and cowering outside combat inside a rock.
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