Nathair’s Mischief creates a 20 ft. diameter cube with random magical nonsense. Each turn, you’ll determine which condition creatures within the space are saving against. One uses the charmed condition, two uses the blinded condition, three offers the incapacitated condition and forces random movement, and four turns the area into difficult terrain.

Fizban’s Platinum shield is a list of mediocre effects that you can move around as needed. Crucially, it's only a bonus action, but I end up wondering how much better is this than a simple Shield of Faith?

Draconic Transformation is something you want to cast to use as a tool for an entire fight, with as few other resources sunk into it as possible. If you want to do something besides fire out a 6d8 cone of force damage, and are only getting two or three breath weapons out of this, you’ll be way better off casting better single instance spells

Ashardolan’s Stride evokes spectacular imagery; your character goes so fast literal flames catch in their stride. Mechanically, this offers you a repeatable area of effect damage option so long as you keep moving alongside a giant bump in movement akin to getting a free dash each turn.

Temple of the Gods is one such spell; it pairs the goodness of Hallow with its creature type gate with the sanctuary effects of spells like Tiny Hut and Private Sanctum. If you need reprieve from prying divining eyes, extraplanar annoyances, and a place to perform a snooze worthy service, Temple of the Gods will do the trick.

Sword Burst is a really interesting spell to use as a full caster as it asks you some difficult questions like “is risking taking damage worth hitting more creatures?” What I like about these kinds of effects is it encourages you to build to maximize your chances of getting most out of the spell while minimizing the risk.

Psychic Scream is one of my absolute favorite 9th level spells. It's not on the same playing field as Wish or True Polymorph, but all 9th level spells can’t be. What Psychic Scream offers is the top end psychic fantasy: you think really hard and all your enemies' heads around you pop like balloons.

Want to buy a cool base for 26,000 gold? Pick up Mighty Fortress. Want practical 8th level spells that will kill things with frightening efficiency or break the rules of reality? You probably will want something else then.

Mass Polymorph is good, but its not THAT good, plus it does require a bit more effort than I personally want. Still, if you love polymorphing enemies into toads and allies into giant apes or t-rexes, Mass Polymorph will do that for you.

Maddening Darkness is a pretty wide area of damaging darkness, which is… fine? A radius of 60 feet means a creature stuck in the center of this is going to be making a few saves, and 16d8 damage can be enough to justify the slot if you also want the benefits of super-darkness.

Lightning Lure is honestly a quality of life upgrade for Thorn Whip. If you enjoy coordinated planning with area of effect damage spells, Lightning Lure can be an integral part in that.

Invulnerability isn’t the BEST 9th level spell wizards have, but it is a solid addition that satisfies a specific fantasy at the top tiers of play. It's a bit wild to me that it can only ever affect you, as buffing your barbarian or paladin to be an invulnerable death machine sounds like the best time, but as is you’ll still be able to do some neat stuff while you can’t take damage.

Unlike a lot of other illusions, Illusory Dragon puts a tangible dragon into the world under your control. Sure, it’s made of “shadow stuff” and can be inspected like a regular illusion, but its damage and fear effects are here to stay for however long you can keep concentration up.

What sets Green-Flame Blade up for failure is how low an impact it can feel like it has, especially in low tiers of play. If you can get beyond 5th level, the damage this starts to deal becomes far more noticeable and starts to feel quite good to cast.

The cantrips presented in the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide seek to supplement that play style; In Booming Blade’s case, if you’re an Arcane Trickster or another variety of rogue, it's pretty solid. Otherwise, it's underwhelming to say the least.

Wrath of Nature, to me, is THE woodland druid fantasy all neatly tied in a 5th level bundle. It's got difficult terrain in a massive area, vines and roots restraining people, animated trees lacerating them, and finite telekinetic control over the natural rocks around you to toss about and beat people with.

If you are playing a wizard and want to smack stuff around from time to time, Tenser’s Transformation gives you a solid way to do that. So long as you have a decent Dexterity, making three attacks with short-swords around for up to 3d6+6d12 damage, all with advantage, is kind of nuts.

Soul Cage is the first major spell that gives you a tremendous amount of power for committing the despicable act of trapping a soul. While you might be a bit of a bastard for doing this, the effects it offers are AMAZING!

Scatter takes the baseline teleportation effects like Misty Step and Dimension Door built for transporting just one or two people and adds in a whole bunch more. Not only that, it offers you a tool for teleporting hostile creatures to other, separate locations.

Power Word: Pain enters as the lowest level Power Word, but a far weaker effect than most other forms of save or dies. It lands as the second best of them, only slightly worse than Power Word: Stun, and that’s not an endorsement.