The school of abjuration inDungeons & Dragonsfocuses on protective spells. Abjuration spells can buff up a character that focuses on melee combat, and spells in this discipline offer a variety of benefits. Players can create physical or magical barriers, and can negate magical and physical attacks. Some abjuration spells even allow the caster to banish their target to another plane of existence.
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These spells are a great way for players to experiment with quarter and half caster builds, such as Eldritch Knights. Adding abjuration spells to a Fighter can make for an exciting experience. There are plenty of physical damage resistant or immune enemies inDungeons & Dragons,and players will have plenty of ways to counter that with abjuration magic.
10Shield
Shield is afirst-levelspellthat nearly any class can benefit from. A character can cover themselves in an invisible magical barrier, which will protect them until the start of their next turn. Before an attack hits the player character, Shield adds a+5 bonus to the player’s armor class.
This can sometimes completely negate the damage most attacks would cause. When facing a caster who may have Magic Missile equipped, this spell completely negates that damage. The Shield spell can be cast as areaction, as long as players have available spell slots.
9Banishment
Banishment is afourth-levelabjuration spell that, if successful, can help turn the tides of an encounter. The caster can attempt tosend one creature within range to another plane of existence. If the target fails a charisma saving throw, they will be banished. While on this other plane, the target is incapacitated, and remains there until the spell ends. Though the spell only lasts for one minute, this can give the party a chance to escape or regroup.
Banishment is especially useful against creatures from different planes of existence. If successful, players can send these creatures back to their home plane. Unless the spell is stopped before one minute has passed, the creature will remain banished and won’t return to the field.
8Blade Ward
Blade Ward is a fantasticcantripthat players can easily equip onto a character that is skilled in physical combat and offensive magic. Though it is often overlooked by melee builds since the spell costs the player their action,it can benefit several subclasses.
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Bladesingers can cast a cantrip and attack in the same action, while Eldritch Knights can use a bonus action to attack when casting a cantrip. Arcane Tricksters can use it to make an offhand weapon attack (potentially even a sneak attack) after casting. Finally, Bards can still give out a bardic inspiration to assist party members after casting this spell.
7Absorb Elements
Absorb Elements grants the casterresistance to elemental damage. The spell even works on the triggering damage type. It lasts one round of combat, and becomes a powerful way for melee combatants to counter magical attacks. Absorb Elements can be used as a reaction, and therefore does not require the use of an action to cast.
Once cast, players canabsorb elemental ability into their weaponand inflict that same type of damage on their next melee attack. Paired with spells such as Booming Blade and Green Flame Blade, it isperfect for quarter and half casters, such as Eldritch Knights. The elemental damage stacks with the weapon’s damage type.
6Mage Armor
This is a fantasticfirst-level spellthat gives players access to some of the best armor in the game early on. Mage Armor can provide a better AC than leather and even studded leather, as itboosts the target’s AC to thirteen plus their Dexterity modifier.
This spell does not require the use of concentration, which means the player and their allies can all benefit from it. Sorcerers can also use metamagic to players to take a long rest to refresh spell slots, while the Mage Armor remains active.
5Aid
Not only does this spellrestore hit pointsto three members of the caster’s party, but Aidalsoraises the maximum hit pointsof those party members. Aid can be cast using an arcane focus, and can be upcast as well.
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Since Aid does not require the use of concentration, it can be cast multiple times to benefit larger parties. The hit points gained from the spell are also separate from any other temporary hit points, meaning the party’shit points can double easily.
4Pass Without Trace
Pass Without Trace isa great buffto any stealth check the party may need to make. This spell will easilycounteract the disadvantages other party members may have incurred with heavy armor.
In addition to the stealth bonus, this spell allows party members toleave no tracksor evidence of their movements. This makes escaping a lot easier in terrain that would usually leave footprints or even shuffling debris that could alert enemies.
3Remove Curse
Dungeons & Dragonsis full of possibilities — especially ones that can make the life of the party a lot harder. Curses such as lycanthropy and any other creative curses a DM invents can change the way players go about their day-to-day life.
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This is especially true at lower levels, when the party may not be as prepared for these types of encounters. Remove Curse is theeasiest way to deal with almost any cursecaused by magic items and lycanthropy. This spell is also a great way for players to become successful salespeople, by becoming traveling healers.
2Counterspell
Counterspell is one of the ultimate abjuration spells inDungeons & Dragons,and its use can be incredibly varied. Sorcerers can combine Counterspell and Subtle Spell to completelyshut down enemy spellcastersby surprise. It can even be countered by another Counterspell, due to it being a reaction. Counterspell can shut down any spell in the game; however, it does require a successful ability check for use on higher-level spells.
Bards and Abjuration Wizards can add their proficiency bonusto these rolls. Counterspell can also be upcast, ensuring that with proper management, a well-prepared spellcaster will always have this spell ready.
1Intellect Fortress
Mind flayers are creatures to beware ofin anyDungeons & Dragonscampaign. The mind flayer’s ability to extract brains can instantly kill a lower-level party. Intellect Fortress is theperfect countermeasure for mind flayer encounters— and several other dire situations as well.
For one hour or as long as the caster holds concentration on this spell, they can grant themselves or othersresistance to psychic damage. Intellect Fortress also grants anadvantage on wisdom, intelligence, and charisma saving throws. This makes the spell a great magical resistance feature, as the vast majority of spells require those saves.
