Better spells at level one

First level spells are not always very powerful and often randomly determined. Having a lame spell or two forces the Magic User to be creative, but when this is paired with very low HP and just one or two spell slots to memorize them, it makes the Magic User not just quite vulnerable (which is fine) but sometimes nearly useless.
Many house-rules try to address this, by adding cantrips, additional effects, the possibility to cast more than the usual one or two spells before running out of prepared slots, or allowing to prepare more than one spell per slot, and so on.

In the first linked article, Parker adds additional effects or variants to every level one spell. These features sometimes allow delayed or special effects that make the Magic User a little more versatile in the first levels.

Spell Features
by ktrey parker
The intention is to provide a little more "Magic" to First Level Magic-Users, including up to six unusual choices for most of the standard starting spells. This should help insure that no two 1st Level Magic-Users are the same, even if they possess the same spells. It might also make the Class a little more flavorful and “exotic” for those that grouse at the limitations of low level Magic-Users or sour at the idea of Random Spell Selection when they receive perceived non-starters like the much maligned “Ventriloquism.” [...]
I imagine that it would work something like this: Once Spells are randomly determined (or selected, if you are feeling exceptionally generous) for a first level Magic-User the player may either choose or randomly roll on the Spell Features for their specific 1st level Spell (everyone receives Read Magic in most of my games).
Some Spell Features are obviously more useful than others, and no regard has been paid to imaginary beasts like game-balance, nor is there much in the way of mechanical consistency. This was intentional, as I find it keeps things weird and mystifying, just as magic should be. [...]
http://blog.d4caltrops.com/2015/01/wherein-i-start-spitting-out-spell.html

Courtney Campbell instead provides a short and useful list of cantrips (short is always useful, because it's fast to read and make choices with it!), like involuntary bodily reactions, small flames, chill, clean, etc... Cantrips are "level zero" but not necessarily weak: think of an involuntary bodily reaction when an adversary is a precarious position, or a small flame near a barrel of black powder.

On the Effects of Magic, Cantrips and Rules

by Courtney Campbell

[...] Cantrips - “Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.”

Wizards of any sort may do any of the following at any time:

- Touch someone to cause an involuntary bodily reaction at any time on a failed saving throw vs. paralyzation. (fart, bletch, blink, nod, yawn)

- Produce a small lighter sized flame

- Chill an object smaller than 1 cubic foot to 40 degrees. 

- Clean one man-sized creature or smaller, or one 10' x 10' x 10' cube or smaller. Cleaning the cube takes the magic one turn.

- Summon one diminutive vermin or insect

- Kill one tiny vermin or insect [...]

http://hackslashmaster.blogspot.com/2014/04/on-effects-of-magic-cantrips-and-rules.html

R.J. Thompson, then, provides a similar approach to cantrips, but in a sort of "free-form" manner, with some freedom for the player (and negotiation with the GM), but some other limitations (i.e. a minor cantrip might be used many times but only if the "parent spell" was not used yet, or a slightly more powerful cantrip may be used only once).

Simple Cantrip Rules For Swords & Wizardry and OD&D
by R.J. Thompson
Cantrip is an archaic word originally meant to define a trick performed by witchery. Later it was used to mean a malicious trick or a sham. In recent years (at least since the publication of the AD&D version of "Unearthed Arcana") it has come into usage in fantasy role playing to mean a bit of minor magic. This is typically in the form of 0 level spells in D&D and it's simulacra. [...]
How are we going to make this work? Well, this takes bargaining between the referee and the player. A mage can attempt to cause a minor magical effect based upon the effect of any spell currently memorized (or known spells not expended in the case of my sorcerer class.) For example, a mage with fireball written may want to light a pipe from his finger. A witch being bothered by a would be suitor may want to make him drowsy, heading off to bed, without expending the full effect of the spell and making him not off there and then. Likewise a sorceress with telekinesis may want to cause a bell that she can see ring, or wind chimes sound, without using the full effect of her spell. Minor effects like this might be allowed without question (possibly allowing a saving throw for the chap that is getting drowsy.) [...]
http://gamersandgrognards.blogspot.com/2017/06/simple-cantrip-rules-for-swords.html


In another post I'd like also to review the inspiration of the Summon spell to grant level-one Magic Users (and maybe Clerics) access to higher powers, at a greater risk.
In a few words, I am considering to use something similar to the Summon spell, accessible at level one, to gain access to high-level spells but at a great risk. This might take the form of longer rituals, the use of sacrifices (both in terms of wealth, enchanted items, spell books and scrolls, etc.) and in general high risks, in exchange for casting once a powerful spell.

(This is just a very rough draft with no second thoughts about balance and in need of course of a more careful review)
For example, a Magic User could cast as if they were of a higher level, adding one level for each of the following:
- The sacrifice of an unwilling victim (at least an HD 1 humanoid creature)
- Taking hours for a ritual (random? chosen?)
- Sacrificing at least 1,000 sp or a loot of equivalent value
- Sacrificing an enchanted item (not cursed)

There should be some uncertainty, as in the Summon spell. Let's say the MU wants to cast Wall of Fire or Polymorph Self, which are 4th level spells, thus require the MU to be Level 7 or higher.
To do that, the MU should either have access to a spellbook with that spell (even if they cannot learn it), or perhaps they will try to cast it without the full necessary knowledge, at an additional risk.
For each "level of risk" (i.e. 1 for not knowing the spell, and 1 for each level of difference between the MU's level and necessary level), roll a d6.
Every result of 1 is a "bane".

For each aid (sacrifice, hours of ritual, 1,000 sp or enchanted item, etc.) roll a d6. Every result of 6 is a "boon". Spend boons to cancel banes, one to one. One boon, though, must be used to actually obtain the spell effect as intented.
Every bane not countered by a boon, will cause problems. Serious problems.
Maybe the Polymorph Self will last the maximum duration in turns, but the MU cannot end it before (thus losing the ability to cast other spells), or the duration might be in hours or even days (more "banes"), and again impossible to end before the time. Maybe the polymorph causes a serious weakness (Save vs Magic, success go down to half HP, failure go down to 1 HP), etc.
Wall of Fire with one or more "banes"? I can see that halway filling with fire, fast, out of control, and burning for hours, for days... Or maybe the MU hairs all burn out, and their hands become fiercely hot and damage every mundane item they get in touch with, for the next 1d6 hours or days...

This definitely requires more thoughts...