October 3, 2021 September 3, 2023
Most Underutilized Spells
in Wizard101
Each class has its go-to spells. Storm has Tempest, Fire prefers Meteor Strike, while Life enjoys Satyr, and Death loves Scarecrow. But aren’t there some spells that people have trained but never actually use? Here is a list of underutilized spells that I think are under-appreciated and should be used more often.
Check out my Spell Classification article, as I will be using the terms defined in there quite frequently.
Click the school symbols to jump to their category below.
Underutilized Life School Spells
Minor Blessing
Classification: Healing
Level/World: Completion of Unicorn Way in Wizard City.
Definition: Heals a player for 120 life at a cost of zero pips.
Usage: The benefit of this spell is that it costs nothing. If augmented with Radical and the proper healing output gear, it can be potent in topping off a player while you build up to Pigsie or Rebirth. This spell may also revive a player enough for them to support their allies as you build up to the AOE heal.
Triage / Mass Triage
Classification: Utility/Damage Mitigation
Level/World: Triage is learned at level 35 in Grizzleheim via side quest while Mass Triage is learned at level 72 in Avalon via side quest.
Definition: Triage removes one DOT from the target player while Mass Triage removes one DOT from all players in the team.
Usage: These spells are great in battles, such as Aphrodite II, where DOT spams can become a constant nuisance. This can become very problematic as pierce from mobs and bosses increase in each world. The ability to remove potentially lethal DOTs can be player savers. Triage is best in situations where single target DOTs such as Poison are being used. Mass Triage should be used in the case of AOE DOTs such as Fire Dragon.
Guardian Spirit
Classification: Utility/Healing
Level/World: Learned at 75 in Avalon via side quest
Definition: After the target of this spell is defeated, they come back at 15% of their life.
Usage: This is best used by the healer, in case something goes terribly wrong. In Karamelle, some of the boss fights have a mechanism where if you flee and return to a battle, the punishment is instant death. Guardian Spirit should be placed on the healer, that way if something were to knock out the player, the healer would be able to come back and build up to heal the team.
Calm
Classification: Utility
Level/World: Calm can be learned at level 15 via training through Mortis in Nightside. Mega Calm can be learned at level 50 via training through Tupa Taua in Celestia.
Definition: Calm prevents an enemy from targeting you for one round. Mega Calm prevents an enemy from targeting the targeted player for one round.
Usage: The 2021 reworks to the Threat/Pacify abilities has made these spells more viable. This is a great spell to be used by the healers. This ensures that the healer can’t be targeted by the boss. This only applies to solo attacks, not AOEs. Mega Calm can be a useful spell used by a support wizard, such as Balance with Life Mastery, because it can take the attention off of the healer.
Underutilized Death School Spells
Beguile
Classification: Crowd Control
Level/World: Learned after completion of Krokotopia.
Definition: Target is charmed for one round. Attacks cast will instead be cast against their allies.
Usage: This spell can be useful in fights where minions spam lots of damage. The first place that comes to mind is Darkmoor. The minions have high HP and can do a decent amount of damage. This can shift the focus away from the players for a round. This spell is best used by support class Death wizards. Beguile can also be useful on minions that may tend to spam heals.
Curse
Classification: Buff
Level/World: Learned at level 18 in Nightside via main school quests.
Definition: It applies a 30% trap on an enemy.
Usage: This is the most underutilized trap in the game. It is a zero pip trap that helps set up for a big attack. The fact that it is a universal trap makes it useable by everyone. While it’s not as potent as a feint, the fact that only Necromancers can learn it makes it unique to Death wizards only. Everyone can learn feint, not everyone can learn Curse.
Dark Pact
Classification: Buff
Level/World: Learned at level 35 in Grizzleheim via side quest.
Definition: Take 250 death damage and apply two 25% universal blades to the target ally.
Usage: This is a spell that many Death players tend to forget about. It provides two universal blades to the target, in return for a little bit of your health. With a high enough resist, this damage is negligible. Still, this is a bit annoying to those of us who spent an excessive amount of time preparing death damage immunity gear.
Empower
Classification: Utility
Level/World: Learned at level 38 in Nightside via main school quest.
Definition: User takes 250 moon damage and gains three normal pips.
Usage: Much like Dark Pact, this spell is best used by wizards that have high or complete immunity to death damage. This can be a great spell because it can help with setting up plenty of pips so that you can spam Bad Juju or Plague for a few rounds in a row. The one complaint is that instead of death damage, it’s now moon damage. This can be annoying to those wizards who spent excessive time prepping a death damage immunity gear set. Still, with a solid enough set, this damage can be negligible.
Infection / Mass Infection
Classification: Debuff
Level/World: Infection is a trainable spell at level 0 in Nightside via Mortis. Mass infection is learned at level 58 in Avalon via side quest.
Definition: Infection applies a -50% to outgoing heals on a single opponent while Mass Infection applies a -50% to outgoing heals on the entire opposing team.
Usage: One of the most aggravating things that can happen in a boss fight is when the boss or a minion heals the team. Infection and Mass Infection can be useful in fights where that can be a serious problem. Out of all of the debuffs, this one sees the least amount of action when it has some of the greatest gameplay usages at higher levels. This can be particularly important if minions or bosses spam heals (Exalted Krokopatra comes to mind).
Underutilized Myth School Spells
Grendel’s Amends
Classification: Healing
Level/World: Spell can be learned by opening it in Grizzleheim Lore Packs, a chance of being dropped by Loremaster in Dragonspyre, or crafted by a recipe bought from Grady in Avalon.
Definition: Heals target for 720 life.
Usage: A Myth player’s only school heal. This can be useful if there are no other healers on the team and the Myth player does not have a Life Mastery Amulet. The only downside to this spell is that it either requires farming Loremaster (where spell drops are extremely rare), farming King Borr for spellements building up TCs to craft the spell in Avalon, or spend Crowns in order to buy the Grizzleheim Lore Pack.
Monstrology Minion Summons
Classification: Utility/Damage
Level/World: Monstrology can be started by a wizard at level 12 or higher in Wizard City. Extract Undead is taught for free by Monstrologist Burke in Ravenwood. Additional extract animus enchantments can be bought in different worlds. Treasure cards are crafted via monstrology menu option when enough animus is collected.
Definition: Summons monstrology minion using treasure card crafted by monstrology.
Usage: Monstrology minions can be extremely useful in Pre-Celestia worlds. If you have a high-level Wizard (say level 140) with a high enough Monstrology tier, you can farm for animus from high-rank minions. This will then allow you to create Monstrology TCs where you can summon those minions. Trade them to the lower level wizard and they have access to a minion that can be useful in the final boss battle of a world. The only catch to Monstrology TC is the time it takes to farm enough animus to create the TCs. I would recommend creating mob TCs, not boss ones.
Check out these guides for further details!
Cleanse Ward
Classification: Utility
Level/World: Learned after the completion of Krokotopia.
Definition: Removes a trap from the target ally.
Usage: This is a Myth spell that doesn’t see enough action in my opinion. Traps can get very annoying, especially when the bosses start using feints of their own. Since this is a zero pip spell, this is effective as a trained Myth spell or a TC. The only pitfall that this spell has is when it comes to protected traps, it takes two turns to remove the trap. This becomes annoying in higher-level dungeons where you may not have time to waste.
Blinding Light
Classification: Crowd Control
Level/World: Learned after completion of Marleybone.
Definition: Stuns the entire opposing team for one round, assuming that they are not immune to being stunned.
Usage: In my opinion, stun is one of the most underappreciated spell mechanics in the game. Stuns can be lifesavers in some fights, delaying potentially deadly attacks. Now while many bosses can’t be stunned, you can still prevent the minions from being a pest. I think that this can be very useful in battles against fire mobs, since they love to spam DOTs which can really add up over time. A good stun can buy another wizard time to build up to that powerful AOE hit.
Shift
Classification: Utility
Level/World: Learned at level 72 in Avalon via side quest.
Definition: Pushes a DOT from user to an enemy target.
Usage: This is one of the most interesting utility spells in the game. It doesn’t just get rid of a DOT. It can be used as a hit against the enemy. This can be useful in battles where DOTs can be a pain (I’m looking at you Aphrodite II). While this can only be used by the caster, it can still be useful in preventing potentially deadly damage. As players reach higher levels, they tend to sacrifice resistance for more damage. Seeing as any mobs and bosses have higher damage output and pierce, pushing away a DOT can be a matter of life or death.
Underutilized Balance School Spells
Helping / Availing Hands
Classification: Healing
Level/World: Helping Hands is learned after the completion of Krokotopia. Availing Hands is learned at level 55 in Grizzelheim via side quest.
Definition: Helping Hands heals a target for 50 health immediately and then applies a HOT for a total of 490 health. Availing Hands heals a target for 70 health immediately then applies a HOT for a total of 780 health.
Usage: These spells are, in my opinion, a necessity in the Balance wizard support deck. HOTs can be useful in keeping a wizard at full health, particularly if an ally has a DOT on them. This is even more important if for some reason you don’t own a Life Mastery Amulet.
Supernova
Classification: Utility/Damage
Level/World: Learned at level 75 in Avalon via side quest.
Definition: Destroys enemy targets aura and deals 405 balance damage to the target.
Usage: Some of those auras can be a pain, especially the ones that boost pierce, critical, or resistance. This spell not only removes the aura but damages the opponent in the process. Seeing as this is a two pip spell, I think this is a must in a Balance support deck.
Mana Burn
Classification: Utility/Damage
Level/World: Learned at level 72 in Avalon via side quest.
Definition: Enemy target takes 80 balance damage per pip (one power pip equals two pips) and removes 3 regular pips from the enemy.
Usage: Everyone hates when a boss uses this spell against them. Now it’s time to flip the tables. This can be a very useful spell in battles where the boss may have a large number of pips (such as Corporal Tenni’syn). The only downside to this spell is that it costs five pips. Still, if you have pips to spare after casting all of those Balance blades, it is worth using to keep the boss from building up pips.
Underutilized Fire School Spells
Link / Power Link
Classification: Damage/Healing
Level/World: Link is learned at level 12 in Ravenwood via main school quest. Power Link is learned at level 55 in Grizzelheim via side quest.
Definition: Link instantly damages target for 30 fire damage and then applies a 150 DOT while also healing the user for 15 health immediately and then applies a 105 HOT. Power link instantly damages a target for 55 fire damage then applies a 345 DOT while also healing the use for 40 health immediately and then applies a 240 HOT.
Usage: Fire is a great school for damage, but when it comes to heals, it can be a pain. Link and Power Link can provide the heals necessary to Fire wizards who may be trying to solo a particularly difficult boss. While Dragon or Rain of Fire may provide more powerful DOTs, this is the only heal that Fire school gets so might as well make the most of it.
Smoke Screen
Classification: Crowd Control
Level/World: Learned at level 38 in Ravenwood via main school quest.
Definition: Applies a -40% accuracy debuff on all enemies on the opposing team.
Usage: At higher levels, fizzles are not problems that most Wizards have to worry about. Monsters? That’s not necessarily true. There are plenty of battles where I am praying for that storm boss to fizzle his spell. Smokescreen can help with this. What makes smokescreen particularly helpful is that plenty of high-level bosses are resistant to stun. They are all susceptible to a good old-fashioned fizzle.
Detonate
Classification: Utility/Damage
Level/World: Learned at level 72 in Avalon via side quests.
Definition: Destroys target DOT and instantly damages the target for the full DOT damage amount.
Usage: The biggest bane facing Fire wizards is the reliance on DOTs, particularly at higher levels (at least prior to Burning Rampage). This can be time-consuming when facing a high-rank boss. Detonate helps expedite the process, making sure that the boss is killed before they can get a brutal hit off.
Underutilized Ice School Spells
Taunt / Mega Taunt
Classification: Crowd Control
Level/World: Taunt can be learned at level 15 via training through Mortis in Nightside. Mega Taunt can be learned at level 50 via training through Tupa Taua in Celestia.
Definition: Taunt generates one round of focus on the player while Mega Taunt generates two rounds of focus on the player.
Usage: The newest Taunt/Pacify reworks have made these once obsolete spells useful. In a battle where bosses may have some brutal solo attacks, a tank can use this to make themselves the center of attention. A well-set-up tank has high resistance to immunity! That can make them invaluable in tough worlds. It’s important to note that these spells can be learned by any wizard. If you’re thinking of playing a tank outside of the School of Ice, I’d highly recommend learning this spell.
Stun Block
Classification: Utility
Level/World: Can be trained at level 0 via Diego the Duelmaster in Unicorn Way.
Definition: Places two stun black wards on target ally, preventing the target from being stunned twice.
Usage: Conviction TC tends to be the more popular option. Stun Block is useful when a boss has the ability to destroy an aura (like Malistare the Undying). This Ice spell is available at Diego the Duelist and best of all, doesn’t require any battles! Stun Block is great for those tanks who want to protect their friends from annoying stuns. That also frees the hitter from needing to use Conviction or a Stun Block themselves.
Celestial Intervention
Classification: Healing
Level/World: Unlocked with spellements found in the Celestia Spellement Pack.
Definition: Heals target for 100 life per shield sacrificed at tier one with a maximum of 3 shields sacrificed from self. Spellwriting can either increase the amount healed per shield or increase the number of shields sacrificed.
Usage: This is the first and only healing spell that Ice currently has. The benefit this spell has is it gets rid of unnecessary shields to heal a player. This can be useful if you are spamming dual school wards, such as Thermic Shield. If you’re going against a fire boss, you’re covered but those Ice wards continue to float around you with no purpose. This allows you to put them to good use. While a Life Mastery Amulet is still better, it’s nice to have this option in your back pocket.
Click on the above image to visit a more detailed guide on the spell.
Legion Shield
Classification: Damage Mitigation
Level/World: Level 35 in Grizzelheim via side quest.
Definition: Applies a -45% shield to all allies.
Usage: The newest buff in the Spring 2021 update made Legion Shield a must-have in every Ice tank’s deck. Originally Legion Shield was 30%. Now it’s up to a whopping 45%! This provides a shield that is 5% less than the old Tower Shield. Better yet, this is applied to all friends. This can be useful in enemies that may have high pierce. It prevents those enemies from piercing right through the hitter’s defenses to KO them.
Snow Drift
Classification: Utility
Level/World: Level 72 in Avalon via side quest.
Definition: Steals a HOT from a target enemy and places it on the caster.
Usage: To me, this spell has some of the greatest potentials with little to no battle time. Some high-level enemies love to use HOTs on themselves or allies. This not only cancels that out for the enemies but gives yourself a HOT! This could be useful for those Ice tanks who need just a bit of extra healing to keep themselves in the green.
Cooldown
Classification: Utility/Damage Mitigation
Level/World: Level 75 in Avalon via side quest.
Definition: Removes one round of damage from all DOTs on the target ally.
Usage: This is Triage’s little brother. While Mass Triage can remove DOTs in their entirety from all wizards, it is a spell that can only be used by Life wizards. If you don’t have a life on your team, it might be useful for Thaumaturges to have this spell in their back pocket. While it doesn’t completely remove DOTs, removing a round of damage can still be majorly beneficial. Instead of three rounds of insane damage, you drop down to two.
Underutilized Storm School Spells
Enfeeble
Classification: Utility
Level/World: Level 72 in Avalon via side quest.
Definition: Removes all unprotected charms from the target enemy and removes protection from all protected charms.
Usage: Ever since Glowbug Squall lost the ability to remove blades, this is a spell that may be useful for Diviners who are boosting their fellow Storm wizards. This spell is great against bosses such as Shane Von Shane which build blades up rapidly. This is even more important when Shane cheats in a Supercharge without losing his pips. I would recommend packing a few into your deck or at least having a TC or two, that way if the boss is getting too liberal with blades, you can break them to shreds.
Underutilized Star School Spells
Empowerment / Adapt
Classification: Utility
Level/World: Empowerment can be trained at level 58 at the Star School trainer in Celestia. Adapt can be trained at level 110 at Qyburn Stellargaze in the Arcanum.
Definition: Gain one regular pip from all incoming rank 4 or higher spells with empowerment. Gain one power pip from all incoming rank 6 or higher spells with Adapt.
Usage: These auras receive little to no action time. For those healers (such as Life Mastery Balance and Life), the extra incoming pips can help you build up pips to keep your team afloat. If you have tanky enough armor, you can Taunt the enemies into focusing on you, leading to a massive influx of pips.
Underutilized Shadow School Spells
Shadow Sentinel
Classification: Damage Mitigation
Level/World: Can be trained at level 92 at Sofia DarkSide in Khrysalis or Velma von Venkman in the Arcanum. Death and Ice are automatically taught the spell after completing the quest “Shadow Dancer” in Khrysalis.
Definition: Increase caster’s critical block by 80 for three rounds, increase resistance from all incoming spells on caster by 10% and receive 25% of all incoming damage for all players.
Usage: This spell is built for tanks, particularly Ice wizards. Not only does this increase your resistance to spells, but you soak up some of that damage from your teammates. This can be a life-saving tactic. Tie this in with Empowerment/Adapt and you have a flow of pips coming in while being the damage sponge.
Donate Shadow
Classification: Utility
Level/World: Can be trained at level 120 at Velma von Venkman in the Arcanum.
Definition: Donate one shadow pip to the target player at the cost of two shadow pips.
Usage: This spell is best used by support wizards such as Balance, Ice, or Life. When in the support role, these wizards rarely use all of their shadow pips if any. This allows you to donate that ever-so-desirable shadow pip to your hitter, leading to a swifter victory.
Underutilized Sun and Moon School Spells
All Sun spells worth using people already have. The Sun spells that increase accuracy and pierce take away from a spell’s ability to increase the damage output while Cloak is useless. In my opinion, there are no worthwhile Moon spells. Polymorph TCs can be traded but, in my opinion, it’s a waste of training points to train any of the polymorphs (unless you’re going for the “Master of Shapes” badge).
In Conclusion
As you can see, each school has a plethora of spells that doesn’t see much action. Depending on the role you want to play, some of these spells may be useful to add to your deck. Feel free to play around with them and see what game play style works for you!
