AD&D Spell Spotlight: Dig

There are some spells every magic-user takes. Fireball. Lightning Bolt. Sleep if they are low level. Then there are the spells that get ignored. Dig is one of them.

It is a 4th-level spell. That is no small slot. Most players will skip it for something flashier. But Dig is the kind of spell that changes the shape of the battlefield. Literally.

The spell lets you move earth, sand, or soft clay at high speed. Think about what that means. You can collapse a tunnel. You can bury a monster in dirt. You can open up a pit where the enemy is standing. You can unearth a treasure without spending three sessions with shovels.

The rules also say that it weakens constructions. That means walls, ceilings, even stone structures that are not reinforced. Drop that in a dungeon and suddenly the fight is not about hit points, it is about survival.

For a DM, Dig is one of those spells that makes villains scary. Imagine a cultist collapsing the temple during a fight. Or a rival wizard blocking escape routes with a few waves of their hand. It can also be used as part of traps. Picture the players walking into a hall when the floor suddenly caves in. That is Dig used as an ambush.

The spell does not roll damage. It changes the environment. That is old-school gaming at its best. It is not about numbers. It is about imagination.

Players may never pick it. But DMs should not forget it. Dig is not just a spell. It is a tool to make the ground itself an enemy.

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