It could be said that the sorcerer is the most gifted class among every spellcaster in Dungeons and Dragons. While warlocks, clerics, paladins, and druids must pledge their allegiance to some greater entity in order to perform magic, sorcerers simply have magic running through their veins. Where wizards spend hours upon hours daily memorizing the necessary components to coax magic from the world around them, sorcerers struggle to keep the magic inside their bodies from roaring out.
Sorcerers don't just do magic. They are magic, as is implied by their meta-magical abilities. It's these traits that make certain spells better for sorcerers than they are in the hands of any other class. But what are the best sorcerer spells available in the game?
Updated November 14, 2021, by Jessica Filby: Dungeons & Dragons seems to be making a popularity comeback. The release of Baldur's Gate 3, new modules, and the recent release of Fizban's Treasury of Dragons has seen a ton of new players, all wanting to try out new classes, races, and spells. This is wonderful and brings the game to a new set of players, however, these players often want to try out every spell in every book. So if you prefer to try every spell once or just the most powerful, try these ones out and you'll make playing a sorcerer a little more enjoyable and versatile.
20 Sleep
With the ability to send lower CR creatures to sleep without the need for a saving throw, Sleep can be overpowered at lower levels. So as a squishy Sorcerer, getting rid of those low-level minions so your party can focus on the big bad boss is a perfect crowd control move.
It's a reliable, powerful spell that can really come into its own if used carefully. The only problem - it doesn't scale much as you level, so it's worth looking into replacing this spell later on in your campaign.
19 Enhance Ability
As an extremely underrated spell, Enhanced Ability often goes unused by all who can cast it. However, this fantastic versatile spell can be a huge boon to any party, balanced or not.
You can use a variety of different boosts, but Eagle's Splendor is wonderful if you have some, helping less than charismatic party members who need to talk their way out of a sticky situation. Bull's Strength is another wonderful boost to strength. Ultimately, this spell can boost so many useful aspects of your character or your own party. It's well worth a try.
18 Darkvision
Who doesn't need a bit of darkvision? Not all races are lucky enough to start with the ability to see what enemies approach in the Underdark or that pitch-black cavern. This is where this wonderful second-level spell comes in.
With an eight-hour duration and no need for concentration, this spell is a lifesaver for anyone who doesn't get darkvision from their race. As you increase in level you can try Twinned Spell or Extend Spell to make this just perfect.
17 Magehand
It may not look like a very useful spell at first glance, but not all spells need to do damage. A sorcerer always needs a few utility spells to keep them and their party safe from hazards, be that a mysterious lever, or a giant beholder.
Mage hand essentially allows you to move certain objects at a safe distance. You'd be surprised to see the number of times using this will save your party a few hit points, especially when you need to turn a trap off from afar or check if the chest is a mimic.
16 Mage Armor
Before getting into the benefits of meta magic, it's vital to make sure you have a chance at surviving being attacked. Mage armor will do you just fine for that, increasing your AC to 13 + Dexterity modifier instead of the normal 10 + dexterity modifier.
The importance of having this spell up at all times cannot be understated. The one exception to taking this spell is if a sorcerer has taken the draconic bloodline subclass. One of the subclasses' features, draconic resilience, confers the same benefit.
15 Aganazzar's Scorcher
A favorite for lower-level spellcasters, this is one of the earliest and most powerful AOE spells most casters get. It appears in the Baldur's Gate games, and in digital form it looks pretty impressive, consisting of a fiery beam of blazing heat that radiates from the character's hands.
This spell covers an area of no less than five feet wide and 30 feet long. It can clear a whole room, but it can also aggro a whole room. So, as much fun as the Scorcher is, this is a spell that also requires some caution and discipline, something you don't usually have at Level 2.
14 Shield
Even including mage armor or a draconic bloodline, the AC of a sorcerer can't be expected to be above 15. Taking into account the sorcerers' very small d6 hit die, getting hit by an attack as a sorcerer is a serious cause for concern. Consequently, sorcerers need a last line of defense to ensure their survival, which is why Shield is a necessity.
As a reaction, Shield increases the caster's AC by 5 against a triggering attack. This AC increase stays until the start of the caster's next turn. The thing about glass cannons is, they are made out of glass. You need to take the right precautions in order to prevent yourself from shattering.
13 Feather Fall
A spell that can be used as a reaction and will stop someone from taking potentially lethal fall damage, including yourself. This spell really speaks for itself, and pushes the fact that not all spells need to do damage style of thinking.
Falling damage is a lethal way to take damage, despite it being a little embarrassing to do. However, if you have Feather Fall ready to cast, that fall damage will be negated and you're party will forever thank you for saving their lives.
12 Chromatic Orb (Twinned Spell)
One of the most amazing powers is that of twinned spell meta-magic. Twinned spells allow you to spend a number of sorcery points equal to a spell's level to target a second creature in range of the spell. In other words, sorcerers can cast two spells for the price of one, plus some sorcery points. This meta-magic option greatly strengthens the usefulness of single-target spells.
Chromatic Orb is just the first example. Chromatic Orb is a first-level evocation spell and has the caster make a spell attack against a target within 90 feet. The caster chooses the damage type of the attack. On a hit, the target takes 3d8 damage to the damage type chosen. Using a twinned spell, sorcerers can deal up to 6d8 damage with Chromatic Orb in a single turn. The only drawback is that Chromatic Orb requires the caster to possess a diamond worth at least 50gp.
11 Melf's Minute Meteors
A step up from more haphazard AOE spells like Aganazzar's Scorcher, this is a ranged multi-use spell that that Sorcerer can time and control. Once the spell is cast, the six burning meteors that are now revolving around the caster can be used as bonus actions.
You can aim them at enemies or surfaces, and the meteors explode upon impact for a generous and painful 2d6 of fire damage within a five-foot radius. Obviously, this can backfire if used at close range or in melee combat, but it's deadly in the hands of an experienced Sorcerer with good aim.
10 Ray of Sickness
Twinned spell big damage is one thing, but what about applying debilitating conditions with twin spell meta-magic? Ray of sickness is a first-level necromancy spell that has the caster make a ranged spell attack against a target within 60 feet.
On a hit, the target takes 2d8 poison damage and is subject to a constitution saving throw. If the target fails this save, it becomes poisoned until the end of your next turn. In summary, moderate damage coupled with a disadvantage on up to two enemies' next attack rolls is a great deal for a first-level spell.
9 Hold Person
2d8 poison damage and disadvantage on up to two attacks are great and all, but hold person twin spelled allows you to remove two enemies from combat entirely. Hold person can target any humanoid within 60 feet. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed for the next minute as long as the caster maintains concentration. Furthermore, the target can make the saving throw again at the end of each of its turns.
Casting hold person at a higher level already allows you to select additional targets beyond the first, but the use of a sorcerer point gives sorcerers the ability to do this while still only expending a second-level spell slot.
8 Cloudkill
One of the most infamous of the D&D Sorcerer spells, it's known for being lethal and long-lasting provided the air is still and nobody on the opposing side has a Zone of Sweet Air spell. The Sorcerer themselves would make sure that they're either at a safe distance or can close a door behind them.
The spell is most effective inside, especially in enclosed spaces like dungeons and tombs when the party needs to clear or flush out mobs and hidden enemies. Those who have a Thief in their party or have multi-classes or dual-classed as one will also find this spell handy for stealth and robbery-type purposes.
7 Fireball
Fireball is a spell unanimous amongst all DnD players. It deals 8d6 fire damage to all creatures inside of a 20-foot cube within 60 feet, provided they fail a dexterity saving throw. On a success, the creature still takes half damage.
Sorcerers can use their meta-magic to further enhance the effectiveness of this spell, whether by accommodating it with Heightened Spell or Careful Spell. Heightened Spell would not be as recommended here, as it only gives one target disadvantage on their saving throw. Careful Spell, on the other hand, can be a great boon in such a situation. It gives any ally inside of the creature's radius advantage on their own saving throw.
6 Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting
Although this spell sounds like it would be too situational to be useful, as it's often used to clear brush and other foliage, keep in mind that virtually all living things need moisture, not just plants.
Sucking the moisture out of something sounds like a sordid Waterbending move from The Last Airbender universe, but this spell has several handy applications for the creative and clever Sorcerer. It is an AOE spell but forms a 30-foot cube as opposed to exploding over a general radius. The damage is brutal, consisting of 10d8 of necrotic damage for those failing their saving throws.
5 Counterspell
Here is another spell that doesn't stack with any sorcerer-specific ability, but is instead too good to pass up. Like mage armor and shield, counterspell is a spell any sorcerer will sorely miss when they're not carrying it. Counterspell is a third-level abjuration spell that allows the caster to, as a reaction, snuff out other spellcaster's spells.
Spells cast of third-level and lower are immediately negated, while spells of a higher level require a spellcasting ability check equal to DC 10 + the spell's level. Don't be outdone by magic wielders without natural talent. Use counterspell, and let any novice mage know that sorcerers are the true masters of magic.
4 Haste
Magic mastery considered, back to the benefits of meta-magic. Any sorcerer who's interested in building a good rapport with the rest of their party needs to look no further than the fourth-level transmutation spell haste. Twin spelling haste allows a sorcerer to confer the spell's amazing benefits to two members of their party for twice the fun.
Those benefits include: +2 AC, advantage on dexterity saving throws, and one additional action on each turn that can be used to attack with a weapon, dash, disengage, hide, or interact with an object.
3 Dominate Person
Sorcerers who instead would like extra actions for themselves might be more interested in this little trick. Dominate Person is a fifth-level enchantment spell that requires concentration and targets one humanoid within 60 feet, or two using Twin Spell. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or else become telepathically linked with the caster and be forced to follow the caster's commands for the duration.
Note that a creature the caster is already fighting has an advantage on the initial save. Additionally, each time the target takes damage, it may attempt to make the saving throw again. Despite all the possible drawbacks, making two obedient minions of former enemies is a windfall swing in any combat. It's also about as evil as it gets.
2 Finger Of Death
It's not quite the same as Power Word: Kill, which is also handy, but this spell does actual damage so it's generally more useful. It works at both long or close range, dealing a nasty 7d8 + 30 of necrotic damage, but that's not all. Any humans killed by the spell will rise up for a short time as minions of the caster.
It's not just useful to create a handy sidekick, either. Sorcerers prefer to keep enemies at arm's length, so when something swinging a piece of sharp metal comes in too close it's time to reach out with the Finger of Death.
1 Disintegrate
Then again, instantly reducing two enemies to nothing more than piles of ash might be considered a tad more evil. Disintegrate is a sixth-level transmutation spell that targets one creature within 60 feet, or two using twin spell. The targets must make a dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a target takes 10d6 + 40 force damage.
If this damage reduces the target to zero, its remains transform into fine gray dust. A creature killed in this manner cannot be restored to life, apart from through the use of a true resurrection or wish spell, which are both ninth level. There's no better spell for making something stay dead than a timely disintegration.