Anyone who's played Barbarians and Fighters in D&D may be able to take and deal out massive amounts of damage, but if they need to fly, breath underwater, or perhaps banish a particularly nasty demon, then they come to the spellcasters.
Spells in D&D are some of the most versatile tools in a party's kit. They can be used for anything from espionage to battle, and even to bring back the dead. That's not to say they're all-powerful though, as spellcasters only get so many uses of them daily. This is why they'll often try to find the most powerful spell for their situation. But with spells that can disintegrate enemies, summon lightning, and even ward off death, how is it possible that one can stand out above the rest?
Confusion is a fourth-level spell that many D&D can learn, which is a good thing, because it's possibly the most overpowered. It might be surprising that a spell which doesn't deal damage can lead to even the most powerful monster's doom, but there's perfectly good reasons as to why this is the case.
What D&D's Confusion Spell Is & Why It's So Useful
The first thing Confusion has going for it is that it requires enemies to make a Wisdom save. If the enemy fails, which is likely because most monsters in D&D do not have an amazing Wisdom stat, they fall under the effects of the spell and can only escape if they succeed another Wisdom save, which they get to make at the end of each of their turns. The effects of the spell are what really makes it amazing though, as it's almost impossible for an opponent to take an action, or even move while under it. In the 20 percent chance that the opponent is able to control their action, they still have to succeed on another Wisdom save, or they'll remain under the effects of the spell next turn. This means that, as long as the opponent stays under the spell, a party basically has 10 free rounds to defeat them.
Just because Confusion is an overpowered spell in Dungeons and Dragons doesn't mean it should be used in any situation, though. It being a fourth-level spell means that players can only use it a few times each day. There are also a few rare and dangerous D&D monsters, like Angels and Sphinxes, which have really good wisdom, so they're less likely to fall under the spell's effects.
Despite these downsides, though, Confusion more than makes up for them with the fact that it's an area-of-effect spell that can target any enemies inside of it. Whether it's a monster horde or a single boss, Confusion can handle almost any encounter, which is why it's easily the most overpowered spell in Dungeons and Dragons.
Update 9/12/2020 10:30am: This article has been modified to more accurately explain the effects of the spell Confusion.
