I got Spell Compendium...

[Lord Loss]

I just got SC and I'm wondering what spells would be good for a First Level Drow Wizard and a First Level Drow Cleric. Feel free to state spells from other sources that weren't added to SC, I have lots of D&D books.

Thanks in Advance.

Also, the Wizard has the Metamagic feat that adds the Darkness Descriptor to his spells and the Abyssal Spellcasting ACF from Drow of the Underdark. The players are having trouble picking spells and would like some advice. For what it's worth there will be combat (even heavy combat at times) but this campaign will mainly be focusing on political intrigue.

[Darrin]

Color spray and grease are still pretty optimal at 1st level, but in the Spell Compendium the usual big-ticket spells at 1st level:

Wizards
Benign transposition (particularly if paired up with a highly mobile or flying familiar)
Blades of fire (good for gishes/melee types)
Hail of stone (5' radius area effect, untyped damage, no save, no SR)
Lesser orb of <blah> (not all that great at 1st level where it's outclassed by magic missile or hail or stone or at 3rd by scorching ray, but get better later when you can afford to throw on a bunch of metamagic shenanigans)
Master's touch (never blow a feat on Exotic Weapon Proficiency again)
Nerveskitter (helps get your buff spells up early)

Clerics
Not a lot here, although updraft can be nifty. Most of the really good non-core 1st level cleric spells are in Frostburn (ice slick, conjure ice beast I).

A recent discovery for Sor/Wiz 1 from the Ghostwalk Web Enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20030607a):

Fetid breath (stinking cloud as a 10' cone)

[Ozreth]

Do people usually consider the SC spells to be a bit more "heroic" and/or over the top, even the first level ones?

I like more mundane or ordinary spells and am wondering how much use I would get out of the SC. Do the spells let players to ridiculous things?

[Tyndmyr]

I like more mundane or ordinary spells and am wondering how much use I would get out of the SC. Do the spells let players to ridiculous things?

No, that would be the Phb, with crazy spells like wish, gate, time stop, and so forth.

[arguskos]

Do people usually consider the SC spells to be a bit more "heroic" and/or over the top, even the first level ones?

I like more mundane or ordinary spells and am wondering how much use I would get out of the SC. Do the spells let players to ridiculous things?
No more than your normal spells. I mean, the PHB let's you fly, turn into dragons and whatever, shoot lightning, and do other "heroic" things.

By contrast, the SpC lets you light stuff on fire, teleport around, blow holes in stuff, and do other "heroic" things.

The Spell Compendium is a fine book. It's useful for any spellcaster you will ever run. I suggest it, but that's just me.

[SurlySeraph]

Do people usually consider the SC spells to be a bit more "heroic" and/or over the top, even the first level ones?

I like more mundane or ordinary spells and am wondering how much use I would get out of the SC. Do the spells let players to ridiculous things?

SpC has some spells that are a bit much, but I can't think of any that are terrible. There's nothing on the order of Wish, Gate, etc., nor on the order of Arcane Fusion, Celerity, and other overpowered non-core spells. And it (kinda) fixes Quillblast, a spell that was ludicrously overpowered in its first printing in Complete Divine. It's certainly very useful for casters, but not crazy.

[Tyndmyr]

There's a lightning lance spell in it I consider kinda powerful, but other than that, fine.

IIRC, it was d8 dmg/lvl, fort half. Thats a bit wonky.

It's literally the only example I can think of, though, and while it's certainly an odd spell, it's not insane. Nothing like, say, chain gating or what have you.

[arguskos]

There's a lightning lance spell in it I consider kinda powerful, but other than that, fine.

IIRC, it was d8 dmg/lvl, fort half. Thats a bit wonky.
If you're talking about thunderlance, it doesn't work quite like that. It's 3d6+casting stat mod, 20/x3, 20 ft variable reach. It's a good spell actually. If you're not, I'm curious what spell you are thinking of, cause I don't know it, and it sounds curious.

The SpC does have some stuff that's kinda shaky (avasculate, triadspell, programmed amnesia) but on the whole is nowhere near the PHB issues. :smalleek:

[Tyndmyr]

I might be off, since I'm going by memory. I'll have to check it later. In any case, I recalled it being unusual, and on the good side for blasty(though still unarguably below maw of chaos, streamers, wings of flurry, etc).

But yeah, the best spells in SpC wouldn't make anyone bat an eye if they were printed in core.

[hamishspence]

There's a Sound Lance (Wiz/Sorc 3, Cleric 4) that fits the bill-

d8 sonic damage per caster level, to a maximum of 10d8. Fort for half damage, allows spell resistance.

[Cyrion]

For a 1st level cleric spell, I get fair mileage out of lesser vigor until the party picks up wands, healing belts, and other gimcrackery that takes the pressure off the cleric for healing. It's not very useful in combat, but it othewise it beats CLW by a country mile.

[arguskos]

I might be off, since I'm going by memory. I'll have to check it later. In any case, I recalled it being unusual, and on the good side for blasty(though still unarguably below maw of chaos, streamers, wings of flurry, etc).
Maybe it's Sound Lance, like hamish suggests? Sounds alright. Not sure it competes with the orbs though.


But yeah, the best spells in SpC wouldn't make anyone bat an eye if they were printed in core.
Yeah, really. :smallsigh:

[Tyndmyr]

There's a Sound Lance (Wiz/Sorc 3, Cleric 4) that fits the bill-

d8 sonic damage per caster level, to a maximum of 10d8. Fort for half damage, allows spell resistance.

That's the one. Good call, I couldn't remember the name of it. Not sure why I was thinking lightning. Sonic's an even better energy type, though. It's a fairly nasty caster-killer.

Still, I'd sooner describe the deck of many things as broken than that spell. That spell will, at most, make you consider using enemies with appropriate resistances/immunities/lots of hp/etc. DOMT eats campaigns.

At least half of the really broken stuff in the game is core.

[hamishspence]

Revivify is pretty good- 5th level, but allows you to raise a dead target with no loss of level (a bit like True Resurrection).

You do have to cast it within 1 round of the target dying, though.

[gomipile]

Sonic Snap is a great level 0 spell, and can be used creatively. All of the lesser orb spells are solid level 1 damage spells.

Appraising Touch can come in handy, depending on how laissez-faire your DM is concerning loot.

Distract Assailant is great if you have a rogue in your party.

Familiar Pocket can also come in handy.

[Tyndmyr]

Revivify is pretty good- 5th level, but allows you to raise a dead target with no loss of level (a bit like True Resurrection).

You do have to cast it within 1 round of the target dying, though.

See, that's a solid spell, but it's got a very significant downside. I consider it good, but quite balanced.

The same is true of sonic snap. A nearly automatic 1 damage is pretty handy, yes...but it is only 1 damage. The reliability of it is compensated for by the lower damage potential as compared to ray of frost, etc. And a low damage cantrip is definitely not gonna be a game breaker.

[The Glyphstone]

See, that's a solid spell, but it's got a very significant downside. I consider it good, but quite balanced.

The same is true of sonic snap. A nearly automatic 1 damage is pretty handy, yes...but it is only 1 damage. The reliability of it is compensated for by the lower damage potential as compared to ray of frost, etc. And a low damage cantrip is definitely not gonna be a game breaker.

On its own, it's not bad. The real use for Sonic Snap is the chassis of Wightocalypse scenarios and things like that, which are mostly thought experiments anyways.

[Tyndmyr]

Yeah, that doesn't bother me much. Even a fell drained sonic snap, with optimization, is going to be a level 1 spell. Fantastic against level 1s, if you don't mind them rising as uncontrolled undead, but still not amazing considering that one shotting 1 HD creatures is remarkably easy at level 1.

Plus, in most campaigns, you generally don't want wights at level 1. Either they'll own you terribly or the wights will be problematic for someone who might be able to figure out who you are.

[FMArthur]

Similarly, Thunderhead is a great 1st-level Evocation spell for delivering Fell Frighten or Fell Drain via 1 damage over and over in CL consecutive rounds. Evokers really are great for delivering those debuffs, between that and Magic Missile. :smallbiggrin:

[Firechanter]

Bah. You don't see the wood for the trees. :smallcool: The real use of Sonic Snap is to use it on an ally who's not supposed to hear the dirty words you're going to utter in a moment. Such as to protect a Neutral party member from your Holy Word etc, or of course anyone from Wail of the Banshee.

[arguskos]

Bah. You don't see the wood for the trees. :smallcool: The real use of Sonic Snap is to use it on an ally who's not supposed to hear the dirty words you're going to utter in a moment. Such as to protect a Neutral party member from your Holy Word etc, or of course anyone from Wail of the Banshee.
...uh... so what about having them just put in earplugs? :smalltongue:

[Firechanter]

Seeing how Earplugs don't really block but only dampen sound... I wouldn't entrust my life to them.

edit: I suppose in a game like D&D you have to expect something like magical earplugs based on the silence spell or somesuch, but for my liking, this is definitely _too_ cheesy.