Magic Weapon

Level 2 Transmutation spell available to Paladins and Wizards. Touch a non-magical weapon and it becomes magical with +1 to Attack and Damage Rolls until a Long Rest. It is a good spell for exactly as long as it takes you to find a magic weapon, which in this game is not long.

Spell description: Infuse a weapon with arcane energy. The weapon becomes magical, receiving a +1 bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls.

Spell properties

• Range: Melee: 1.5m (5ft)
• Duration: Long Rest
• Concentration spell
• Conditions applied: The weapon becomes magical and receives a +1 bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls.
• Cost: Action + Spell Slot
• Recharge: Per action

Spell upcasting

The bonus increases by 1 for every two spell slot levels above the 2nd. +2 at Levels 4 and 5, and +3 at Level 6.

How to obtain Magic Weapon

• Wizard at Class level 3
• Paladin at Class level 5

Source item: Scroll of Magic Weapon

When to cast Magic Weapon

In Act 1, before the good loot, +1 to hit and damage on your best fighter’s weapon for the whole day is a genuine upgrade, and a Paladin casting it on themselves in the morning is spending a slot well.

It is Concentration though, which is a large price for a small number, and the moment you pick up a +1 weapon from a vendor or a corpse the spell is redundant. Most parties are there by the end of Act 1.

Upcasting brings it back to life: +2 at Level 4 and +3 at Level 6, which beats most of the weapons in the game. A Wizard with a spare Level 6 slot and a Fighter holding a plain greatsword can do worse. It still costs Concentration, and at that level the Wizard usually has something better to hold.