In July we will show you 5 spells (1 spell every Friday), their history, what you should know about them, and some tips on how to use them.

Wands was released in 2016 and has had over 50 updates since. All of the game’s 26 spells have evolved over the years, and this series of posts will explore how.

Today we’ll examine a fan favorite spell, Soil Spikes... but it wasn’t always so. In the early days of Wands, Soil Spikes was considered the weakest spell in the game. But one simple change to its functionality elevated it to a top-tier spell, and that change was so positive that Soil Spikes hasn’t required any major improvements or balance tweaks since.

Soil Spikes was one of Wands’ original 16 spells. After it's cast, a cluster of six sharp wooden spikes erupts from the ground to damage your opponent. The spell’s raison d'être was its ability to penetrate shields. However, since the spikes erupt from the ground directly below a player, the spell's design required ample warning time for the player to react, or it would feel unfair. This warning time made Soil Spikes nearly useless as an attack since they could just teleport away.

Instead of searching for the perfect amount of warning time, a more radical change was introduced: Soil Spikes was turned into a trap! Now, if Soil Spikes are cast in a location where nobody is standing, they will lie in wait, armed and ready to deploy the moment a player steps on them.
Combined with its ability to deal damage through shields, this made Soil Spikes an essential spell for controlling key parts of the arena, which added a tremendous amount of depth and strategy to the game. By rethinking the fundamental purpose of a weak spell, it went from one of the worst to one of the best, overnight.

Check back next week to find out why Lightning Strike has been nerfed 5 different ways!