PDA

View Full Version : Motionless Magic [3.5]



Zaq
2009-06-15, 06:02 PM
So, there are a few classes or tricks out there that let you create magic-type effects (if not normal magic, then psionics, mysteries, etc.) without twitching a finger or uttering a syllable. Basically, any time you get a spell-like ability, or a supernatural ability, or whatever, you can have a character who just stands there while amazing mystical effects burst into existence around him. That, in my mind, is cool. The question is, how can we take advantage of this? Having no somatic components means no ASF, so we can wear armor, but that's a minor benefit. The question is, what else can we do? I like the concept of a character who doesn't (outwardly) do ANYTHING, but still creates magic... but there's gotta be something cool we can actually DO with that, right?

So, the question is NOT "how do we get motionless magic?" (that's easy enough, really... hell, the psion has it built-in, and it's easy to make the checks to suppress displays), but rather, "what do we DO with motionless magic, besides wear armor and look cool?"

Maybe some kind of grapple-casting build? I'm not just talking about non-somatic magic, after all, I'm talking about component-free magic, so material components also aren't an issue... but making a pure caster a grappler is, well, tricky, to put it nicely. (It can be done, but it's usually pretty inelegant.)

There has to be something else cool we can do with the fact that we don't have to twitch a muscle to cast, either thematically or mechanically. Thoughts, anyone?

Flickerdart
2009-06-15, 06:21 PM
A good caster doesn't let his enemies draw near him, though, and has Black Tentacles to grapple for him. The reason that arcane magic and psionics has no ACF is that it's really not all that important or powerful in 90% of cases.

A motionless caster would do much better as a thief and sneak, using Conceal Spellcasting skill trick if need be to avoid his enemies noticing him setting up their doom until it's too late.

Gadora
2009-06-15, 06:24 PM
Play as a Tibbit from the Dragon Compendium. You then can use your magic while in cat form. Magic cat is magic

HamsterOfTheGod
2009-06-15, 07:00 PM
So, there are a few classes or tricks out there that let you create magic-type effects (if not normal magic, then psionics, mysteries, etc.) without twitching a finger or uttering a syllable. Basically, any time you get a spell-like ability, or a supernatural ability, or whatever, you can have a character who just stands there while amazing mystical effects burst into existence around him. That, in my mind, is cool. The question is, how can we take advantage of this? Having no somatic components means no ASF, so we can wear armor, but that's a minor benefit. The question is, what else can we do? I like the concept of a character who doesn't (outwardly) do ANYTHING, but still creates magic... but there's gotta be something cool we can actually DO with that, right?

So, the question is NOT "how do we get motionless magic?" (that's easy enough, really... hell, the psion has it built-in, and it's easy to make the checks to suppress displays), but rather, "what do we DO with motionless magic, besides wear armor and look cool?"

Maybe some kind of grapple-casting build? I'm not just talking about non-somatic magic, after all, I'm talking about component-free magic, so material components also aren't an issue... but making a pure caster a grappler is, well, tricky, to put it nicely. (It can be done, but it's usually pretty inelegant.)

There has to be something else cool we can do with the fact that we don't have to twitch a muscle to cast, either thematically or mechanically. Thoughts, anyone?

With Silent, Still and Eschew Materials, an arcane caster could cast spells while in some other form, say for example in Gas Form or as a Statue.

(It's better for an NPC build than a PC. For ex, take a 9th level sorcerer with Silent, Still, and Eschew Materials and Gas Form. He can then attack with spells of 3rd level or lower while in Gas Form. Sorry no touch attack spells. But he can also do things like cast Stinking Cloud or Cloudkill and travel with the spell spread while in Gas Form.)

Or in his or her regular form, the arcane caster is essentially casting almost as if he had an SLA. So the arcane caster could cast undetected while at a party or while bound and gagged.

The psion does have it easier...so does the druid with Natural Spell...so do creatures with SLAs.

Chronos
2009-06-15, 07:06 PM
The first time you take damage in combat, or that it's even plausible that you might have taken damage, fall prone and play dead. Continue to fight the entire encounter while "dead".

Depending on your spell selection, you might also want to use the Invisible Spell metamagic feat.

Devils_Advocate
2009-06-15, 07:06 PM
Well, you can hold things in both of your hands if you don't need either hand for spellcasting. That opens up various opportunities.

You can be a magic-user as a creature without hands, like an awakened animal or something.

Worira
2009-06-15, 07:08 PM
Druids still need to move and vocalize to cast with Natural Spells, it's just that they can growl and wave their paws instead of chanting and making strange gestures.

HamsterOfTheGod
2009-06-15, 08:31 PM
You can be a magic-user as a creature without hands, like an awakened animal or something.
Normally I would rule that an awakened animal with class levels can cast spells with somatic components even without hands.


Druids still need to move and vocalize to cast with Natural Spells, it's just that they can growl and wave their paws instead of chanting and making strange gestures.

Yes but the poor wizards, they can't catch a break. To cast spells while polymorphed into animal form they need 3 feats :smallfrown:

AmberVael
2009-06-15, 08:40 PM
With Silent, Still and Eschew Materials, an arcane caster could cast spells while in some other form, say for example in Gas Form or as a Statue.

Wow. I'm picturing a place now with a long row of statues which are in fact hidden wizards keeping watch, but no one ever knows this...
That could be creepy awesome. When someone finally attacks the place, magic just starts bursting from nowhere and tearing through them. You think contingency is good? How about ten contingent wizards? :smallbiggrin:

quick_comment
2009-06-15, 08:47 PM
Wow. I'm picturing a place now with a long row of statues which are in fact hidden wizards keeping watch, but no one ever knows this...
That could be creepy awesome. When someone finally attacks the place, magic just starts bursting from nowhere and tearing through them. You think contingency is good? How about ten contingent wizards? :smallbiggrin:

Make them elan wizards with something that makes them immune to fatigue/exhaustion and they can keep eternal watch.

Lycanthromancer
2009-06-15, 08:51 PM
One of the few (actually valid) complaints about psions is that they're notoriously difficult to keep tied up and tied down.

They can still try to zap you even when they're tied to a chair, gagged, blindfolded, and in a zone of silence.

They can also manifest when grappled, or when they're in the midst of having been swallowed (though one would think that that would count as a 'distracting act'... :sabine:).

They can manifest while shapeshifted. They can stand in the middle of a crowd, suppress their displays, and nobody's the wiser (for some things, at least...control sound, control air, control body, psionic charm/dominate, etc; things such as energy wave are a bit more difficult to misdirect). They can manifest while undercover or in disguise; a telepath masquerading as an aristocratic diplomat could be frighteningly good at diplomacy even without Diplomacy (though they do have it as a class skill).

They're also not hindered by especially tight quarters, either.

Flickerdart
2009-06-15, 08:52 PM
Make them elan wizards with something that makes them immune to fatigue/exhaustion and they can keep eternal watch.
Better have some very good benefits.

Or Geas. There's always Geas.

quick_comment
2009-06-15, 08:55 PM
Better have some very good benefits.

Or Geas. There's always Geas.

Geas works. So does keeping their loved ones sequestered away as hostages.

And mindrape.

Flickerdart
2009-06-15, 09:00 PM
Geas works. So does keeping their loved ones sequestered away as hostages.

And mindrape.
If you have access to Mindrape, those are your Clones standing watch, or bound Solars.

HamsterOfTheGod
2009-06-15, 11:00 PM
Wow. I'm picturing a place now with a long row of statues which are in fact hidden wizards keeping watch, but no one ever knows this...
That could be creepy awesome. When someone finally attacks the place, magic just starts bursting from nowhere and tearing through them. You think contingency is good? How about ten contingent wizards? :smallbiggrin:

Just make it a 9th level spell (Note: the text in italics are the changes from the 7th level Statue spell):

Permanent Statue
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

A permanent statue spell turns the subject to solid stone, along with any garments and equipment worn or carried. In statue form, the subject gains hardness 8. The subject retains its own hit points.

The subject can see, hear, and smell normally, but it does not need to eat or breathe. Feeling is limited to those sensations that can affect the granite-hard substance of the individual’s body. Chipping is equal to a mere scratch, but breaking off one of the statue’s arms constitutes serious damage.

If the statue resulting from this spell is broken or damaged, the subject (if ever returned to its original state) has similar damage or deformities.

The subject of a statue spell cannot return to its normal state without some magical means.

However, the spell can be broken by Break Enchantment, Flesh To Stone or Freedom. A Limited Wish, Wish or Miracle can also break the spell.

The creatures mind is not affected in any ill way no matter how long the subject remains in this state.

Material Component

Lime, sand, and a drop of water stirred by a rod of gold.

(Edit: Thanks to Foryn Gilnith for correction on duration.)

Foryn Gilnith
2009-06-15, 11:09 PM
Wouldn't the duration be Permanent? Other super-curses that can be broken by Break Enchantment are Permanent IIRC; especially since this isn't just a full matter transmutation (Flesh to Stone) but allows for consciousness.

HamsterOfTheGod
2009-06-15, 11:10 PM
Wouldn't the duration be Permanent? Other super-curses that can be broken by Break Enchantment are Permanent IIRC; especially since this isn't just a full matter transmutation (Flesh to Stone) but allows for consciousness.

You are correct sir. Fixed that above. Thanks.