In RPGs often we tend not to care about our characters comfort unless there is an in-game impact, and even then we can overlook them it if the penalty is manageable. Camping rough when a comfy bed is an option, the forced march, interrupted sleep due to maintaining watches, etc.
It got me thinking about what trivial spells an average magi would cast to make their life better, as I personally know I dislike the tedium of shaving, let alone sleeping rough or real hardship.
A few thoughts.
The cleansed bed:- PeAn - Removes all bed bugs, lice and similar crawling bugs from the bed and bed linen
The cleansed clothes- PeAn - As cleansed bed but with clothes. A harsher SG may demand a finesse roll not to scorch animal based clothing such as leather.
The perfect resting place - ReTe (He re) Makes a perfectly flat area for one to place a swag or sleeping bag. If used inside, it will balance out the floorboards and remove all lumps from the bed.
The warmed bed - CrIg Brings a bed or sleeping bad to the magi's desired sleeping temperature.
The polished magi:- ReCo (He and or An req) - Straightens the magi clothes, combs out hair and beard, to make the magi more presentable.
Banish the lupine influence (PeCo):- The magi is clean shaven wherever desired and has a hair cut of whichever design desired. A finess roll is required for the hair cut, and a botch may result in a bowl cut.
The best beverage:- PeIg (Cr req) That warmed honey drink when one is sick, or chilled beer when in warm countries.
The best meals - CrHe (maybe animal req) makes the food being eaten the best version of the food. So the nourishing gruel is still nourishing but tastes amazing.
I originally thought perdo to destroy the common cold, however, I think that is incorrect. As there is no bacterial concept for colds, chicken pox, etc I believe it's about humours, however, I am in no way confident of this interpretation.
The humours balanced - CrCo removes all conditions related to unbalanced humours such as the common cold, poxes, gastro, etc.
I commonly pick up some of these. The problem in prevalence I find comes from the low levels, though. So many of these spells I use are 1st magnitude. When you're inside your covenant you get your Aura (about +4), Sta (about +1), and both Arts. With both Arts at 5, you can spont level-3 stuff with no worries. Close to your specialty, level-5 stuff is probably no problem. So I'm much more likely to actually pick these up as Formulaic spells only if casting sponts is slow (old Mercurian Magic) or they're far from my specialty (like CrIg with a ReTe specialist).
I have used a lot of quality of life spells. Here is a couple of examples of spells I have used. I am too lazy to provide a proper write up atm so you will have to make do with a general description:
ward against rain and wind (similar to ward against rain) (ReAu)
I got this one enchanted into an enchanted cloak as payment for making a longevity ritual for a covenant-mate who was a weather-magus.
fire-circle (CrIg)
this spell creates a fire with Ring duration. It is a very useful and fuel efficient alternative to building a campfire. I use this spell a lot. both to have heat and light when on the road and to provide as a service for random people that I want to make a good impression on.
The invisible groomer (ReCo)
This spell has been posted elsewhere and allows the caster to groom themselves, trim nails, look neater (e.g. remove grim og black pouches under the eyes), set ones hair in any hairstyle that naturally supports itself (only limited by ones imagination and ability with Finesse).
I also have a MuAn(Te) enchantment in the cloak (it is naturally a dress made out of feathers with metal clasps) that makes it more comfortable than it could naturally be. About as comfortable as wearing soft wool or silk, depending on the weather.
I have never gotten a mechanical bonus from it but it makes me happy to know that my characters clothes always feel soft, never itch, and generally do what you dream of having clothes that do (just the right amount of warming, cooling, softness, bendy/stretchyness etc.).
Yes, spending 3 months to learn level 3-5 spell is not a good time investment. OTOH if you can come up with a more powerful and flexible version that can also take care of quality of life issues, all the better.
Like why make a spell that can clean a bed of bugs when you could do the whole house at once? Why flatten some earth for a sleeping bag when you could conjure a small stone hut?
Of course, you might always sneak some of these spells into a season where some other project has the same Te/Fo combination. If you're inventing a TeFo15 but have a lab total of 50, you've got points to play with.
Honestly most quality of life spells ca have a game impact if you are using covenant expense accounting- generally magi have a high maintenance cost in part because of labs and books but in part because they have high quality of life expenses which quality of life spells can result in savings on.
I do think a lot of them could be divide by 5 spont spells. No-one wants to regularly cast divide by 2 sponts, so it would need to be in one's area of expertise, or a more established magi.
I was taken with ears of a grateful father from Magi of Hermes. It is an imaginem spell that was designed as a volume control for the inventing magus's children.
Lots of level 3 to 5 spells can be useful and cast as non- fatiguing sponts.
Stuff that comes in as fatiguing spontaneous magic, if cast once a month in relaxed conditions,.would give the caster, on average, 1 warping xp every 100 months.