Most Dungeons & Dragons players and guides focus primarily on character creation or the end goal of certain builds. However, for the bulk of player characters, what matters most are mid-game abilities. These involve what a PC can do once they have a few levels under their belt but before they fully come into their own. Nowhere is that more evident than in the lack of focus on second level spells.
While they often go overlooked, there are some amazing second level spells out there. If a spellcaster knows what they're doing, these may just be the spells that save the day for their party time and again.
One of the interesting aspects to Fifth Edition's spell system is that the standards that define a good or bad spell don't necessarily apply to all spells. In fact, they vary pretty heavily for spells at different levels. With cantrips, a caster may be looking to do the most damage possible or to create the most versatility. For high level spells, caster's often want the most bang for their buck in terms of burning valuable spell slots. However, second level spells take a middle road -- they're valuable resources early on, but they only remain valuable as a character levels up if they chose wisely.
Invisibility and Misty Step are perfect examples of invaluable second level spells that will be useful throughout a game. Invisibility provides an indispensable method of stealth either for scouting out situations, gaining information or hiding during combat. Misty Step's teleportation ensures that range-focused spellcasters will be able to put distance between themselves and their attackers. The fact that it's a bonus action allows it to be useulf even in the tightest of conditions.
When it comes to overcoming challenges outside of combat, there's little competition against Augury. As a ritual spell it seldom even requires burning a spell slot, and it allows players to plan out their actions with some gentle guidance from the Dungeon Master without the hints feeling like a cheat or freebie. Crazy plans that won't work are part and parcel of Dungeons & Dragons games, but Augury steers clear of the most impossible options, guiding the party toward more sensible options.
Second-level spells are typically not great for combat, but options like Suggestion and Web are so versatile that they can be used in combat. Suggestion is a convenient way to disarm opponent's of powerful weapons, but its uses are really only limited by the imagination. Web's usefulness in combat is even more immediate, as it's one of the best crowd control spells in the game. It strikes a perfect balance as a spell that has a large area-of-effect, but whose effects aren't so harmful that it backfires if an allies is accidentally caught in its radius.
All of these spells are ones that even a Wizard with the fattest spell book in the game can find useful. Spells are fun to experiment with, and there's nothing wrong with trying out different arrangements throughout a character's adventurers. However, players looking to buckle down and take their second level options seriously should consider these as absolute musts.
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