| SPELL LEVEL(S) | SPELL | DESCRIPTION |
| 0 | Telepathic message | Basic telepathy is a relatively low-power effect. |
| 1 | Command | This is an early compulsion effect that is notably limited in its effects. |
| 1–6 | Flight | Note that the lower-level versions of flight grant limited benefits; true flight doesn’t kick in until the 3rd-level version. |
| 1 | Lesser confusion | This introduces confusion but limits it to 1 round; at 4th level, confusion significantly increases this to 1 round per level. |
| 1 | Lesser remove condition | Note the conditions removed by this spell, as well as its higher-level counterparts, remove condition (2nd level) and greater remove condition (5th level) |
| 1 | Magic missile, mind thrust, overheat | These are basic damage spells with varying parameters; note that mind thrust is a variable-level spell. |
| 1–6 | Mystic cure | This is a good benchmark for healing Hit Points. |
| 2 | Daze monster | This imposes a powerful condition and is limited to creatures of a certain CR or lower. |
| 2 | Invisibility, see invisibility | This is when both basic invisibility and the ability to see invisible creatures enter the game. |
| 3 | Dispel magic | This spell can provide a powerful antimagic effect. |
| 3 | Explosive blast | This is a quintessential area-of-effect damage spell. |
| 3 | Haste, slow | These spells affect action economy, a very powerful lever that should be pulled with caution. |
| 3 | Remove affliction | This is when the ability to magically neutralize curses, disease, and poisons enters the game. |
| 4 | Dimension door | Teleportation enters the game; see teleport (5th level), interplanetary teleport (6th level), and plane shift (6th level) for comparable, but more powerful, abilities. |
| 4 | Reincarnate | This is a way to get around death (though with major consequences). See raise dead (5th level) for the more powerful, more straightforward way to “undo” a character’s death. |
| 5 | Dominate person | The potential to fully control another character is a very powerful effect. |
| — | Miracle, wish | These and similar spells are unlocked only through max-level class features and have extremely powerful effects; if your spell does anything comparable it’s likely too strong for the game at all but the highest level. |