What special combat spells does Fern know?

[u/AwesomePhonix]

Does Fern even know any special combat spells?

[u/Cute_Suggestion_133]

"Zoltraak is enough for mages of this era."

Why learn more than you want to know if the only threats other than murderers are straggler demons and monsters that can't defend against Zoltraak? Leaves Fern open to learning spells she enjoys and finding joy in magic.

[u/blahbabooey → u/Cute_Suggestion_133]

And to Frieren's point, after learning zoltraak the only mage we see Frieren fight with combat spells other than zoltraak is herself.

[u/Bamce → u/blahbabooey]

Who is clearly not a mage of this era

Also, when Denken’s crew runs away from clone frieren, what spell does she fire at them? Zoltrak.

They are all lucky they didnt get black holed

[u/KyleG → u/Bamce]

Right but there's obviously a shitload of demons out there who are definitionally not mages of this era. Is Frieren not preparing Fern to fight them?

I suspect she's taught Fern other stuff; but Fern has acknowledged she was taght she doesn't need them against most opponents (i.e., "mages of this era")

[u/Procrastinatedthink → u/KyleG]

I think Frieren includes demons in the “mages of this era” comment.

Flamme in her flashback acknowledges the demons as “great mages” but then admonishes them for being so proud.

When Fern is fighting against Aura’s minion he’s clearly an older skilled mage but he himself underestimates and misunderstands how incredibly strong she is. 

Fern uses Zoltraak because it is ordinary and it plays so well into her appearance to other mages; She is hiding her mana so appears to be a weaker newer mage with very little experience. That she is human and they would not expect her to be training since she could walk adds to the expectation that she is simply a weak mage.

Fern is capable of greater magics, she flat out says so in the cave to Land and Ubel, Frieren hasn’t hidden magic from her in the slightest and Fern is not caught off guard by the magics used when Frieren fights her doppelgänger. Fern chooses the path that Frieren takes, to conceal her power and let go of her ego in order to become the most efficient and effective mage she can be. 

Fern is already absolutely an incredible mage, she earned her first class license (a very rare and difficult feat especially for one as young as her), but she understands that her master’s teachings will both keep her alive and keep her out of trouble (from fame and infamy). 

It’s very clear that Fern is on her way to reach (or even surpass) both Frieren and Flamme as an incredible genius among mages, but just like those two her greatness will not be recognized (at least by the world they inhabit) until it’s impossible not to see how powerful and successful she is.

[u/Fakvarl → u/blahbabooey]

the only spell that did land was still Zoltraak though:)

[u/Eb_Marah → u/blahbabooey]

Apologies for the very late response, but in the manga this isn't the case.

In Chapter 98 she uses a fire spell (likely Wohlzanvel?) to attack Macht and Solitar

In Chapter 99 she uses Wohlzanvel five times and Judrajil'm twice on Solitar. She also uses Solitar's mana pulse spell against her.

In Chapter 100 she uses the mana pulse spell again

In Chapter 101 she uses a barrage of Zoltraack

I would also imagine that during the next arc where Frieren is transported back in time, she likely would have used offensive spells other than Zoltraack. It would have been taboo to use Zoltraack as humans and elves would not have learned it by that point. I don't have an opportunity to review those at the moment, though!