AD&D Spell Levels Re-Constituted

Admit it, it has always bugged you that spell levels don't match character levels.  That is, why do you have to wait until your Magic User reaches 3rd level to get 2nd level spells?  Why this arbitrary and confusing separation of church and state?  Why not streamline it so that at 2nd level you get 2nd level spells?

Well, there are plenty of reasons why, but I won't bother getting into them here.  My sole intention is to go through the ol' AD&D spell list and reassess spell levels so that at each level MUs get a whole new level of spells to muck around with while still preserving the balance of powers that the old spell list set out to establish.  How you work this into your campaign is clearly your problem.

Also, you might notice that I've included zero level spells--and no, these are not cantrips.  These spells need not be memorized; if an MU has learned said spell he can cast it without all the rigmarole.  How often, you ask?  Again, not my problem.

Without further ado, here is a partially exhaustive list of AD&D Magic user spells, re-stratified into handy new levels.

Zero Level Spells (aka. “Spells no self-respecting MU would ever admit they have in their spell book”)

1. Affect Normal Fires
2. Dancing Lights
3. Erase
4. Jump
5. Mending
6. Message
7. Nystul's Magic Aura
8. Read Magic
9. Ventriloquism
10. Write

First Level Spells (AKA, “Spells that pay the rent”)

1. Burning Hands
2. Charm Person
3. Comprehend Languages
4. Detect Magic
5. Enlarge
6. Feather Fall
7. Find Familiar
8. Friends
9. Hold Portland
10. Identify
11. Light
12. Magic Missiles
13. Protection from Evil
14. Push
15. Shield
16. Shocking Grasp
17. Sleep
18. Spider Climb
19. Tenser's Herniated Disc
20. Unseen Servant

2^nd Level Spells (Formerly known as “Spells that make 3^rd level MUs wonder why they even bother to put on their pointy hats”)

1. Audible Glamor
2. Detect Evil
3. Detect Invisibility
4. Fools Gold
5. Forget
6. Locate Object
7. Mirror Image
8. Pyrotechnics
9. Scare
10. Shatter

3rd Level Spells (Formerly known as “2^nd level spells that don't suck taint”)

1. Continual Light
2. Darkness 15' r.
3. ESP
4. Invisibility
5. Knock
6. Leomund's Trap
7. Levitate
8. Magic Mouth
9. Ray of Enfeeblement
10. Rope Trick
11. Stinking Cloud
12. Strength
13. Web
14. Wizard Lock

4^th Level Spells (Formerly known as “Invisibility is a 2^nd level spell but these stinkers are 3^rd level?!”)

1. Feign Death
2. Flame Arrow
3. Gust of Wind
4. Infravision
5. Leomund's Tiny Hut
6. Protection from Evil 10' r.
7. Protection from Normal Weapons
8. Water Breathing

5^th level Spells (Aka. “The spells which will finally get that hot elven thief to notice me”)

I'm losing steam here, so let's just say that here reside all those bitchin' spells like Fire Bolt, Lightning Balls, and Wall of Sheetrock that--finally--convinced the rest of your party that it was worth protecting your pathetic ass through all those early dungeons.