It's more about timing or how you're using the environment. Sometimes the enemies won't really be able to go anywhere (though it's... yeah, really situational) but I've actually used spells just to make the enemies freak out and leave before. <_< Then again, I'm probably the only person who would do that. So stick to using them when you know most of your targets won't be acting until it casts.
PLUS THERE WERE AREA-HEALING SPELLS. Maybe those are useful. I never had access to them long enough (since I gave up playing this game forever) to use them much.
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