Are 'trick' spells viable?

[PvK]

It depends on what they hit. I've stopped super-combattants in their tracks with Tangle Vines. Not resisted by MR, and wastes a turn of theirs regardless of their Strength. As long as you can keep casting it on them, they will be inactive. Now, if it just lands on a soulless or maenad or something, you'd rather have hit them with a damage effect.