Want a Simplified D&D Spell List?

If you're looking for a nice, simple Spell List for your D&D game of choice I might just be able to help you. I wanted simple descriptions that assume a degree of common sense and discussion between the Referee and players, rather than something resembling a legal document. 

The following are written with Into the Odd in mind, but work for any D&D game with some tweaking. 

Enjoy!

Cantrips

Resistance: Subject ignores normally annoying affects such as sweltering heat, itchy skin diseases, or a sandstorm.

Acid Splash: Orb deals d6 acid damage.

Detect Poison: Detects poison in one creature or small object.

Detect Magic: Detects spells and magic items within 60 ft.

Daze: A non-hostile humanoid is dazed for a short moment, lost in a daydream.

Dancing Lights: Creates torches or other lights.

Flare: Sends up a flare that can be seen for some distance.

Light: Object shines like a torch.

Ray of Frost: Ray deals d6 cold damage.

Ghost Sound: Figment sounds.

Disrupt Undead: Deals d6 damage to one undead, ignoring armour and resistances.

Touch of Fatigue: Target loses 1 STR.

Mage Hand: 5-pound telekinesis.

Mending: Makes minor repairs on an object.

Message: Whispered conversation at distance.

Open/Close: Opens or closes small or light things.

Arcane Mark: Inscribes a personal rune (visible or invisible).

Prestidigitation: Performs minor tricks.

1^st Circle

Alarm: Intruders set of an alarm audible only to you.

Endure Elements: Exist comfortably in hot or cold environments.

Hold Portal: Holds door shut.

Protection: Ignore the next instance of harm from a specific source.

Shield: Invisible disc grants Armour 1.

Grease: Makes 10-ft. square or one object slippery. DEX Save to avoid slipping.

Mount: Summons riding horse.

Obscuring Mist: Fog surrounds you. Ranged attacks are Impaired.

Summon Creature: Calls an unintelligent extraplanar creature up to the size of a small dog. It holds no loyalty to you.

Unseen Servant: Invisible force obeys your commands.

Comprehend Languages: You understand all spoken and written languages.

Detect Secret Doors: Reveals hidden doors within 60 ft.

Detect Undead: Reveals undead within 60 ft.

Identify: Determines properties of magic item.

True Strike: Your next attack automatically provokes a Save to avoid Critical Damage.

Charm Person: Makes one person your friend until they next rest.

Hypnotism: Fascinate 1d6 creatures.

Sleep: Puts relaxed targets into a slumber and others feel lethargic, causing -1 to damage.

Burning Hands: d8 fire damage.

Floating Disk: Creates 3-ft.-diameter horizontal disk that holds 100 lb.

Magic Missile: d6 damage, goes around corners, ignores Armour.

Shocking Grasp: d8 electricity damage.

Color Spray: WIL Save or all actions are Impaired until Short Rest.

Disguise Self: Changes your appearance.

Magic Aura: Alters object’s magic aura.

Silent Image: Creates minor illusion of your design.

Ventriloquism: Throws voice.

Cause Fear: WIL Save or target flees.

Chill Touch: Lose d4 STR.

Ray of Enfeeblement: DEX Save or all attacks Impaired until Long Rest.

Animate Rope: Makes a rope move at your command.

Enlarge Person: Humanoid creature doubles in size.

Erase: Mundane or magical writing vanishes.

Expeditious Retreat: Run twice as fast.

Feather Fall: Objects or creatures fall slowly.

Jump: Subject can jump twice as far and high.

Magic Weapon: Make a weapon that ignores all supernatural resistances.

Reduce Person: Humanoid creature halves in size.

2^nd Circle

Arcane Lock: Magically locks a portal or chest.

Obscure Object: Masks object against scrying.

Protection from Arrows: Subject immune to mundane ranged attacks.

Resist Energy: Immunity to a specific type of energy attack until your next Short Rest.

Acid Arrow: 1d6 damage now and d6 STR loss next round unless washed. 

Fog Cloud: Fog obscures vision over a large area.

Glitterdust: WIL Save or Impair all attacks. Reveals invisible things.

Swarm: Summons swarm of bats, rats, or spiders. Harmless but distracting.

Summon Beast: Calls an intelligent extraplanar beast. It holds no loyalty to you.

Web: Fills 20-ft.-radius spread with sticky spiderwebs.

Detect Thoughts: WIL Save or else allows “listening” to surface thoughts.

Locate Object: Senses direction toward object.

See Invisibility: Reveals invisible creatures or objects.

Hideous Laughter: WIL Save or target laughs and Impairs actions until passing the Save.

Touch of Idiocy: Lose d4 WIL.

Continual Flame: Makes a permanent, heatless torch.

Darkness: 20-ft. radius of supernatural shadow.

Deafness: All in the blast are deafened.

Flaming Sphere: Creates rolling ball of fire, d10 damage.

Gust of Wind: Blows away or knocks down objects. Opponents get STR Save.

Scorching Ray: Deals d10 fire damage.

Shatter: Sonic vibration causes 1d6 STR loss to objects or crystalline creatures, ignoring armour.

Blur: Your details cannot be seen.

Invisibility: Subject is invisible until it attacks.

Magic Mouth: Speaks once when triggered.

Minor Illusion: Conjure an image with sound.

Mirror Image: Creates 1d6 decoy duplicates of you.

Misdirection: Misleads divinations on one creature or object.

Phantom Trap: Makes item seem trapped.

Blindness: WIL Save or blinded. 

Command Undead: Undead creature must pass WIL Save or obeys your command.

False Life: Regain any lost HP, but they vanish again after a minute.

Ghoul Touch: DEX Save or Paralyzed, exuding stench that makes those nearby sickened.

Spectral Hand: Creates disembodied glowing hand to deliver your next touch spell.

Alter Self: Assume form of a similar creature.

Bear’s Endurance: Subject has Armour 2.

Bull’s Strength: Unarmed melee attacks cause d10 damage.

Cat’s Grace: Automatically pass the next DEX Save.

Darkvision: See 60 ft. in total darkness.

Knock: Opens locked or magically sealed door.

Levitate: Subject moves up and down at your direction.

Owl’s Wisdom: Perceive the world with heightened senses for the next hour.

Pyrotechnics: Turns fire into blinding light or choking smoke.

Rope Trick: As many as eight creatures hide in extradimensional space.

Spider Climb: Walk on walls and ceilings.

Whispering Wind: Sends a short message 1 mile.

3^rd Circle

Explosive Runes: Deals d12 damage when read.

Magic Circle: Prevents an extraplanar being from entering or leaving unless they pass a WIL Save.

Summon Gate: Calls out to any extraplanar being that wishes to enter our plane. You have no choice which being answers and it holds no loyalty to you.

Nondetection: Hides subject from divination, scrying.

Sepia Snake Sigil: Creates text symbol that immobilizes reader until WIL Save.

Sleet Storm: Hampers vision and movement.

Stinking Cloud: Nauseating vapors, WIL Save or vomit.

Arcane Sight: Magical auras become visible to you.

Clairaudience/Clairvoyance: Hear or see at a distance.

Tongues: Speak any language.

Deep Slumber: WIL Save or sleep until the spell is broken.

Heroism: Gives Reroll any one die.

Hold Person: Paralyzes one humanoid until WIL Save.

Rage: Subject's attacks are Enhanced, but so are attacks against them.

Suggestion: Compels subject to follow stated course of action.

Daylight: 60-ft. radius of bright light.

Fireball: d10 damage, 20-ft. radius.

Lightning Bolt: d12 Damage to all in a line.

Tiny Hut: Creates shelter for ten creatures.

Wind Wall: Deflects arrows, smaller creatures, and gases.

Displacement: Ignore any one attack.

Illusory Script: Only intended reader can decipher.

Invisibility Sphere: Makes everyone within 10 ft. invisible.

Major Illusion: Conjure an image with sound, smell and thermal effects.

Gentle Repose: Preserves one corpse.

Halt Undead: Immobilizes all nearby undead until WIL Sav.

Vampiric Touch: Target loses d6 STR, you restore all lost hp.

Blink: You randomly vanish and reappear, avoiding the next attack against you.

Flame Arrows: Ally's missiles deal d6 extra fire damage.

Fly: Subject flies.

Gaseous Form: Subject becomes insubstantial and can fly slowly.

Haste: One creature moves at double speed.

Keen Edge: Next attack with this weapon causes direct STR loss instead of damage.

Secret Page: Changes one page to hide its real content.

Shrink Item: Object shrinks to one-sixteenth size.

Slow: One target moves at half speed.

Water Breathing: Subjects can breathe underwater.

4^th Circle

Dimensional Anchor: Bars extradimensional movement.

Fire Trap: Opened object deals d12 damage.

Globe of Invulnerability: Stops Spells up 3rd Circle.

Remove Curse: Frees object or person from curse.

Stoneskin: Subject gains Armour 3 but running and swimming are impossible. 

Black Tentacles: Tentacles grapple all within 20 ft.

Summon Being: Calls any extraplanar being to our plane. It holds no loyalty to you.

Dimension Door: Teleports you short distance.

Minor Creation: Creates one cloth or wood object.

Secure Shelter: Creates sturdy cottage.

Solid Fog: Blocks vision and slows movement.

Arcane Eye: Invisible floating eye you can see through and control.

Detect Scrying: Alerts you of magical eavesdropping.

Locate Creature: Indicates direction to familiar creature.

Scrying: Spies on subject from a distance.

Charm Monster: WIL Save or monster treats you as an ally.

Confusion: WIL Save or subjects behave oddly.

Crushing Despair: 20ft Area. WIL Save or attacks are Impaired.

Fire Shield: Creatures attacking you take d6 fire damage; you’re protected from heat and cold.

Ice Storm: Hail deals d12 damage in cylinder 40 ft. across.

Resilient Sphere: Force globe protects but traps one subject. DEX Save to avoid.

Shout: All within cone deafened for one round and take d12 sonic damage.

Wall of Fire: Passing through wall causes d12 damage.

Wall of Ice: Creates ice wall 15hp, Armour 3, or hemisphere can trap creatures inside unless they pass DEX Save.

Hallucinatory Terrain: Makes one type of terrain appear like another.

Illusory Wall: Wall, floor, or ceiling looks real, but anything can pass through.

True Invisibility: Subject can attack and stay invisible.

Phantasmal Killer: Fearsome, invincible illusion only the target can see. Attacks for d12 damage, on Critical Damage pass a WIL Save or Die from terror.

Rainbow Pattern: Lights fascinate creatures that fail WIL Save.

Animate Dead: Creates undead skeletons and zombies from corpses.

Bestow Curse: Target automatically fails next Save.

Contagion: Infects subject with horrible disease.

Fear: Subjects within cone must pass a WIL Save or flee.

Polymorph: Gives one willing subject a new form.

Stone Shape: Sculpts stone into any shape.

5^th Circle

Break Enchantment: Frees subjects from enchantments, alterations, curses, and petrification.

Dismissal: WIL Save or creature to returns to native plane.

Mage’s Private Sanctum: Prevents anyone from viewing or scrying an area.

Cloudkill: You can move the cloud, causing d6 STR loss to any within.

Mage’s Faithful Hound: Phantom dog can guard, attack.

Major Creation: Create an item of stone and metal.

Planar Binding: Traps extraplanar creatures that fail a WIL Save until they perform a task.

Secret Chest: Hides expensive chest on Ethereal Plane; you retrieve it at will.

Teleport: Instantly transports you to a known location up to 100 miles away.

Wall of Stone: Creates a stone wall that can be shaped.

Contact Other Plane: Lets you ask question of extraplanar entity.

Prying Eyes: 1d6 floating eyes scout for you.

Telepathic Bond: Link lets allies communicate.

Dominate Person: WIL Save or humanoid is controlled telepathically.

Feeblemind: WIL Save or drop to WIL 0.

Symbol of Sleep: Reading the rune puts reader into magical sleep that lasts as long as the spell.

Cone of Cold: d12 cold damage.

Interposing Hand: Hand blocks 30hp of damage from one opponent.

Sending: Delivers short message anywhere, instantly.

Wall of Force: Wall is immune to damage.

Dream: Sends message to anyone sleeping.

False Vision: Fools scrying with an illusion.

Nightmare: WIL Save or Target wakes with no HP and will not recover them until they have a full rest without Nightmares.

Blight: Withers plants.

Possession: WIL Save or target has soul pushed out and caster possesses their body. Their soul returns when the caster leaves the body, but if the body is slain the soul departs and the caster's soul returns to their body.

Symbol of Pain: Reading the rune causes pain. WIL Save or be unable to do anything but scream until Save is passed.

Baleful Polymorph: WIL Save or Transforms subject into harmless animal.

Fabricate: Transforms raw materials into finished items.

Passwall: Creates passage through wood or stone wall.

Telekinesis: Moves object, attacks creature, or hurls object or creature.

Transmute Earth: Transforms mud to rock or rock to mud.

Petrify: WIL Save or target is transformed into a statue. This effect lasts as long as the Caster wishes.

Control Water: Raise, lower or part water.

Planar Gate: Open a gate to another reality that works in both directions.