There are hundreds of spells available to spellcasters in the Player's Handbook. Adventurers can use these spells to perform incredible acts in their campaign, but sometimes players can feel limited by the text. Creativity is one of the most important parts of Dungeons & Dragons, and with a Game Master that isn't too set in their ways, a creative player can utilize their spells in some unexpected ways.
Using these spells in unique and alternative ways doesn't break the rules. More often than not creative uses of spells will make the game better, not worse. As long as this creative spell casting is being used to support the party in overcoming their obstacles, no one should argue too much.
10 Seal a Room Full of Enemies With Arcane Lock
Sometimes while a party is delving deep into a dungeon they'll find themselves facing enemies they'd rather avoid. They can try and stealth by, but more often than not they'll be forced to fight or flee. If fleeing seems like the right option, an improvising spellcaster can run out of the room last and use Arcane Lock behind them to seal their foes in.
They won't be able to break the lock without magical means, which should be more than enough time for the party to get away. However, the door might break before the lock does.
9 Return Home With Banishment
Banishment is usually the perfect tool to dispatch denizens of other planes. But adventurers that find themselves fighting those denizens on their home turf may find themselves at a disadvantage. If things start to look bleak for a party journeying across the realms, a spellcaster can target themselves with Banishment and return home.
Banishment might not be able to save the entire party, but one survivor is better than a total party kill.
8 Become An Architect With Wall of Stone
A goal for a lot of adventuring parties is to eventually obtain some sort of fortress or castle and make it their home base. Sometimes finding a vacant castle isn't too easy, but with Wall of Stone, an enterprising adventurer can build their own.
Wall of Stone is a good spell to utilize when trying to separate enemies during battle, but outside of combat all you have to do is maintain concentration and the walls become permanent. With some creativity, the same spell can be used to make floors, ceiling, and stairs. It's perfect for the adventurer that enjoys a stone aesthetic.
7 Use Alarm to Know When Someone Leaves A Location
Alarm is usually used to make sure no one can sneak up on a resting party without waking them up. However, using it proactively can alert a party when someone makes a move. The spell allows the caster to determine who doesn't set off the alarm. The caster can place Alarm spells at all the exits of the evil castle that will only go off when the main villain leaves.
So when the party is alerted to movement, they'll know it's time to strike while their foe is away from all their minions. It may take some time, but Alarm is a ritual spell, so it can be cast over and over again.
6 Climb Over Obstacles Using Rope Trick
Rope Trick is an interesting spell that allows the caster to create an invisible extradimensional space up to sixty feet in the air for an hour. This space is connected to a dangling rope and is traditionally used as a safe place for the party to take a short rest.
Alternatively, if the party needs to get over something about sixty feet tall, Rope Trick could provide the perfect solution. By ignoring the pocket dimension the party can utilize the rope like a magical grappling hook. Only without the worry of it dislodging.
5 Bring Peace With Multiple Castings of Sanctuary
Sanctuary is a spell that provides an aura of protection around a target. Anyone attacking someone affected by Sanctuary must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or target something else. Not everyone enjoys combat, so casting Sanctuary on both parties could bring peace out of necessity.
Whatever caused the fight won't have been fixed, but at least there will be a chance to talk it out. The spell only lasts for a minute, however, so talk fast or the fighting will just start again.
4 Peer Into Other Realms With See Invisibility
See Invisibility doesn't seem like the most useful spell at first, but there's more to this spell than hunting after hidden opponents. Casting See Invisibility on yourself allows you to look into the Ethereal Plane, seeing ethereal creatures and objects as ghostly and translucent.
The Ethereal Plane is a border realm that overlaps the material plane. It's filled with ghosts and monsters, and being able to look into it could reveal knowledge about a place or a person. The perfect spell to find out if something or someone is haunted.
3 Gain Immortality With Clone
Clone is a very powerful spell that is often used by villains so that they can return after the party believes them dead. However, when the caster is cloning themselves, they can choose to make certain adjustments that might benefit them in the long run.
Specifically, they can alter the maturity of the cloned body, so that when they inevitably die they'll be brought back younger than before. A Wise old wizard using this trick could live forever as long as they keep this up.
2 Teleport Safely to New Locales With Planeshift
Anyone that has used the Teleport spell knows that it contains a certain level of danger. A spellcaster trying to go somewhere they've never been could end up teleporting straight into a wall if they don't roll high enough. Planeshift has different rules.
Casters can Planeshift to locations in other planes without any worry of mishaps. So using Planeshift twice to get to a location might take a little longer, but it'll be a trip without worry.
1 Put Polymorphed Villains to Rest With Sleep
Sleep is a spell that doesn't get a lot of attention. By the time a creature is at low enough health to fall victim to Sleep, it's easier to just kill it. Whether the party is on a quest to capture a target, or if they just want to an easier battle, combining Polymorph with Sleep is the answer.
Polymorph can turn an evil wizard into a poodle with only a handful of hit points. Sleep only lasts a minute, so that poodle better be locked up or buried alive before the spell wears off and it tries to run away.