Favorite Spell?

[NeoSeraphi]

What it says on the tin. I'm not exactly looking for the spell you think is most powerful (unless you only value spellcasting for its power, in which case, do tell). I'm talking about your actual favorite spell. One you think is well-designed, cool, one you just love to picture yourself casting.

For example, my favorite spell is blinding color surge, mostly because the way I picture it, the spellcaster raises his hand above his head, and then slowly his skin starts ripping off (becoming invisible) as it gathers above him until finally he is completely invisible and there is a giant lance of his color hanging above his head, which he then throws at the target and blinds them.

In my opinion, a pretty cool spell. And mechanically, it's not too shabby either.

What are some of your favorite spells?

Edit: Please please include your source material. If I hear a spell I don't know, I want to look it up!

Also, psionics is okay as long as you admit you're a cheating, wizard-hating mana user. :smallbiggrin:

[Tvtyrant]

Polymorph for the visual of a Wizard becoming a hydra and killing people.

[Amnestic]

Shapechange. Shapeshifters are cool, especially ones who can do it on the fly as a free action as the fight shifts. Sure, casters may not often find themselves shifting to a new form every round, but the fact that they can is cool enough for me.

Also, any weather-affecting spells like Control Winds, Control Weather, Blizzard, Fimbulwinter and Sandstorm. Stuff like that makes you feel like a truly powerful spellcaster, especially when it has flashy results (like an obscene amount of snowfall per round, as Blizzard does).

Honourable Mention: Magic Missile, a spell so awesome it got its own prestige class.

[Rimeheart]

That is a tough one...

My three favorite, are grease, animate rope, and tenser's disk.

Now, I like tenser's disk because of it's ability to be a simple cart for typically low strength caster

Animate rope is just fun!

Grease is also lots of fun.

[Zaq]

It's hard to pick one. Wall of Stone is probably close. It's big, it's permanent (instantaneous, even), it's hard to ignore, it's shapeable, it's useful both in and out of combat, and it's incredibly receptive to creativity, especially if you have (Greater) Stone Shape available, which you should.

[Sdonourg]

Defenestrating Sphere, of course.

[Tenno Seremel]

Custom psionic power (I think that counts) that lets you change your physical qualities within the norm of your kind. Sure your abilities do not change but I love it :}


Aspect
Psychometabolism
Level: Psion/Wilder 1
Display: Visual
Manifesting time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)

You change your minor (such as hair color, hair texture, and skin color) and significant physical qualities (such as height, weight, and gender) in any way you like as long as they are within the norm of your kind. You cannot imitate specific individual although you can use this power to improve your disguise that results in +4 bonus to Disguise checks.

In addition, if you ever become unconscious or unable to use purely mental actions this power ends. Dismissing this power is an immediate action.

Augment:

If you spend 1 additional power point, you retain your changed form even if you fall asleep.
If you spend 4 additional power points, you can change between your normal form and a changed one as a swift action. Characteristics of your changed form do not change.
If you spend 8 additional power points this power's duration changes to Instantaneous. Obviously, you don't revert to your previous form when unconscious or unable to use purely mental actions as this new form is effectively your primary form. You cannot use this augment with other augments.

[NichG]

Energy Transformation Field. It's the transistor to the thaumaturgic computer, a ridiculously expensive and overly complex way of doing simple addition with near-epic level magic. It's also good for infinite energy spell engines, and a whole other bunch of interesting magitechnological applications.

Also I once used it in a campaign to suck the energy out of a planet-sized spell, turning it into a few billion doses of Polymorph Any Object (pointed at myself of course) all at once. That's gotta be worth something.

Speaking of, Polymorph Any Object is probably second-favorite for all its versatility. Forget targeting enemies with it, its dynamic battle environments on demand! Also, its hilarious to turn other creatures into copies of party members to confuse villains and the law (especially when they counterspell it, Break Enchantment it, or put them in an AMF and it turns into an Elsewhale or a Dire Elephant or something else ridiculous).

Third favorite is a tough one... Maybe Planeshift, for all the possibilities it introduces once it becomes available. Nothing says master wizard like the ability to go on planar vacations, though clerics get it first.

[SowZ]

Tasha's Hideous Laughter, because it was the first spell my first character, (a sorcerer,) got that was able to seriously screw up boss guys. Good times... Good memories..

[Dumbledore lives]

Grease is a favorite of my group, and I do have a certain fondness for it. I also like prestidigitation, and all the image spells for their sheer versatility. My favorite spell though would have to be giant size, if only for the picture.

[Circle of Life]

I'm a fan of Feeblemind and Disintegrate. The effects are just so... visceral. Players are generally like "...bluh?" when they fail a save. Pretty awesome.

Honorable mention to Maw of Chaos.

[Rogue Shadows]

Hmm...by spell level:

0 - Prestidigitation
1 - Magic missile
2 - Darkness
3 - Fireball
4 - Dimension door
5 - Bigby's Interposing Hand ("The hand cannot be fooled")
6 - Evocation
7 - Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion
8 - Otto's Irresistable Dance
9 - Gate

[Alleran]

I have a couple. Shapechange is a good one, as is Control Winds. Whipping up a hurricane with a snap of your fingers can be great fun, and Fly gives you, well, flight.

I do still have a special spot in my heart for Lightning Bolt and Fireball, though. The image of an angry wizard floating on high raining down death and destruction is quite pleasurable.

[opticalshadow]

bone fiddle,

i just imagine the bow manifesting from the weave around, i like to add the appearance of a massive skeletal figure wielding it, and then using it to play a song of pure dread, using the victims spinal cord as the instrument.

[Thyrian]

Major Image- hands down.

The sheer potential of that spell is mind boggling, the things power is not linked to the actual casting but to the mind of the user him/herself.

[Elric VIII]

Shatter, Stone Shape, Disintegrate, etc

You could build a decent and fun character whose only spells are those that let you do landscaping on the fly.

[Psyren]

Psychic Reformation, it's so unique :smallsmile:

I also love the idea of Metaconcert.

[Optimator]

Ruin Delver's Fortune, Hindsight, Foresight, Time Stop,

[HappyBlanket]

Prismatic Sphere.
You will never, ever, ever, ever, get to me in here.

Ah, and with my recent dive into Psionics... Metaconcert, Astral Construct... And Skate. Definitely Skate combined with Up The Walls. That's a feat though, and by RAW it effectively can't be used in tandem >>"... But still! Who the hell needs to fly when you can skate up the walls! Yeeeeeaaaaaaaah!

[Edhelras]

Fireball, simple as that.

The most basic motivation for playing DnD. To be able to launch Fireballs. Maybe I'm just being childish. Maybe I just like seeing things burn. Anyhow, Fireball is my favorite spell.

(Of course, there are so many cool spells in DnD, not least when creative uses of them are taken into account, so just about any spell could be a favorite. But Fireball stands out as #1 for me.)

[ILM]

Iceberg. Because dropping a massive chunk of ice (big enough that the fragments it disintegrates into are elephant-sized) on enemies has a near-inextinguishable comedic value.

[Prince Zahn]

hmm... wordy -

0th - Dancing Lights - definitely not useless.
1st - shocking grasp - 6th level sor deals more damage with empowered this than with fireball when foes don't group together...huh.
2nd - Catapult (Complete Scoundrel) - situational, but ultimately priceless when you see the look on the DM's face when you tell him the bard is launching a toad with endure elements(wizard's familiar) towards the volcano.:smallbiggrin:
3rd - Unluck(Spell Compendium) - target rolls twice and takes lower result, it seems like a nice choice, I root for it!
4th - Cure critical wounds - this spell saves lives, I don't want to take that for granted.
5th - Indomitability(spell compendium) - Banned personally by my DM :smallbiggrin:, at these levels it is possible the DM would want to give his team a run for their money, turn the foe's most-likely lethal blow into simply very dangerous for your front-liner.
5th - lightning leap(complete mage) - I. Like. this. lightening bolt and dimension door functioning as one, I wanna use it someday...
6th - True Seeing - I love the thought of being in magical darkness while "birdwatching" ethereal creatures on Mass invisibility. :smallamused:
7th - Spell turning - upping the anti with a spell that makes level-appropriate spellcasters think twice before picking on you, I'd use it...>_> <_<
7th - Magnificant mansion - It's like "The Big House", only more pleasant and with less outlaws and refugees...(:smalltongue:go ahead, tell me I'm wrong)
8th - Polar ray - Evocation, cold, "whoosh 16d6!"...yay?
9th - time stop - ...
9th - True Resurrection - I don't like my characters dying by the time they can cast 9th level spells.*pout*

[oball]

Shatter, Stone Shape, Disintegrate, etc

You could build a decent and fun character whose only spells are those that let you do landscaping on the fly.

D&D meets Minecraft!

[Kojiro]

Favorite spell overall... Not sure. However, for "hurting things" spells, two favorites are at opposite ends of the spectrum in a way. One is Prismatic Spray, which is big, awesome, showy, and weird, capable of doing a lot of crazy things and being generally great. Other is Disintegrate, which by contrast simply zaps a single thing and turns it to ash. Spectacular.

[DragonOfUndeath]

Fav spell would be Irresistible Dance
"Dance my puppets! DANCE!" is said 99% of the time when i cast that spell.
Generic Evil Laughter is the remainder

[deuxhero]

prestidigitation

[gibbo88]

I'm probably biased since I have only played one moderately powerful wizard, but I liked the image spells and sound lance since I used it as my main offensive spell.

[erikun]

I liked Otiluke's choice in spells. Resilient Sphere (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/resilientSphere.htm), Freezing Sphere (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/freezingSphere.htm), and Telekinetic Sphere (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/telekineticSphere.htm) are all fun for various reasons. Shadow illusions are fun, as well.

For psionics, the Synesthete (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/synesthete.htm)/Touchsight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/touchsight.htm) ones are my favorite, perhaps because I like knowing where stuff is. Psychic Chirurgery (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/psychicChirurgery.htm) is always fun for transferring powers to other party members.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Call Avalanche, from Frostburn (Druid 5). An avalanche of snow drops out of nowhere and crushes your enemies, burying them in the snow. Anything that doesn't have a burrow speed or an ability to teleport gets completely screwed by it. You can also throw a Blood Snow on it afterward, adding Con drain per round to anyone buried in or walking over it. It's also great for sinking ships, knocking down flying creatures, destroying buildings, etc.

[ILM]

Call Avalanche, from Frostburn (Druid 5).
Actually, there's a lot of stuff I like from Frostburn. Frostfell and Fimbulwinter are also favourites of mine. Especially Fimbulwinter. GTFO summer, we've had enough of you.

[Hironomus]

Cure critical wounds coz I am just a really nice guy.

No but really, Magic jar. The flavour of it and the potential things you can do with it appeal to me.

[PrismCat21]

Black Karma Curse :smallyuk:
it always seems to turn the battle around whether used by us or the DM lo

[Delcor]

Shadow-landscape from Spell Compendium
and
Prestidigitation

Cause they're awesome :smallsmile:

EDIT: Also, prismatic spray

[Terazul]

Alot of the bard only spells. And music themed spells in general. Off the top of my head though, Avasculate. You point at a guy and all the blood explodes out of his skin. Great for intimidation and parties!

[Hironomus]

Ack! just remembered how much I love rays. Arcane trickster is a really cool class.

[Midnight_v]

Evard's Black Tentcles.
For the levels when it works... Its so viscious.
If only it scaled better.

Psionics? Form of Doom. Which is like You are the Black tentcles.

Honorable mention:
Extract Water Elemental. I doesn't really work but man it is awesomely wicked.

I guess I just am partial to evil looking spells.

[NeoSeraphi]

Alright, adding a note to the OP requesting sources for all spells...

I was not aware that there was a spell called evocation. What does it do?

Because other people decided to cheat (xD) and say more than one, I'll go ahead and cheat all of you by listing not only my 9 favorite spells in spell order (because cantrips and orisons suck) but also my favorite school! Take that!

1st- Reduce Person. The "person" spells are amusing because, unlike Expansion or Compression, they were designed under the assumption that the default size of the target would be Small or Medium. Reduce Person doesn't always work, but when it does, it's either damn funny to watch the evil orc barbarian shrink down to a halfling, or freaking hilarious to shrink the kobold or gnome down to the size of a football and then punt it. (I homebrewed a spell called Summon Field Goal just for that purpose)

2nd- Escalating Enfeeblement (Complete Mage)- I'll be the first to admit it, I'm a sadist irl. Debuffers are my absolute favorite class to play, and this spell makes them all worthwhile. A maximized escalating enfeeblement that followed a ray of exhaustion (they stack) will result in a deadly -21 Strength penalty that will knock most Medium or smaller creatures off their feet, and make Large and Larger creatures much less scary (usually). Another thing is its unexpected versatility. It doesn't stack with ray of enfeeblement, but you can cast it on a creature who has been entangled, due to the -4 Dexterity penalty associated with it. (This is, of course, my second favorite 2nd level spell, after the aforementioned basket of awesome, blinding color surge)

3rd- Giant's Wrath (Spell Compendium)- If Belkar could cast spells, this would definitely be his favorite. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0745.html) It's a solid flavorful choice for halfling druids, and the look on your fellow player's faces when you cast the spell (It's not commonly known, at least, not in the groups I've played in) is well worth using it over call lightning.

All in all, any spell that lets me say "I throw my pebble at the dragon" and actually has the DM sweating as I calculate my damage, that's a good spell.

4th- Lawful Sword (Spell Compendium)- Oh YES, now this is what I'm talking about! I spent 14 levels as a paladin...okay I couldn't type that with a straight face. I spent 5 levels as a paladin and 9 levels in a prestige class that offers full divine spellcasting progression and class features other than more uses of smite evil and remove disease...and it was well worth it. 14 levels of walking the line between law and justice, and finally my gods have granted me the power to completely smash the faces of creatures that would dare laugh in the face of my ideals. I always say that the verbal somatic components for this spell involve raising my blade to the sky and saying something to the effect of "I will not accept your vile crimes anymore, you trash! By the power vested in me by Heironeous the Divine Himself, I pronounce you guilty! Now, you shall perish!"

(Holy Sword gets an honorable mention for having a slightly similar feel, but to me, paladins are much more lawful than they are good)

5th- Song of Discord- This is why the bard is such a powerful caster. Contrary to say, common logic, this spell does not require the bard to concentrate for its duration, and its price is steep, a much much deadlier version of confusion that consumes only a single spell slot higher. Using it on a BBEG's swarm of minions and having them all attack each other (or him) is hilarious and effective.

6th- Flesh to Stone- I really don't think this needs any explanation, though I will say that the beholder is the first non-animal, non-humanoid monster I ever fought in D&D.

7th-Solipsism (Spell Compendium)- This is my second favorite illusion spell in the entire game. It is fantastic in every way. It is both a hilarious concept fluff-wise and executed perfectly mechanically. An illusion that doesn't actually create an illusion, but forces the victim to believe that everything he is seeing is an illusion. Amazing.

8th- Frostfell (Frostburn)- Wait, what? Fort save or what? Like most of Frostburn, this spell makes the cold descriptor much more viable, and that's a good thing, because without this spell, the idea of druids from a tundra instead of a forest would be fun to play fluff-wise, but horribly unsupported. The best part? It's shapeable.

Save-or-Dies are generally fun, but the difference between spells like slay living and destruction and spells like flesh to stone and frostfell is that it feels more spell-like. More magical. Simply touching someone and having them die is less fantastical than say, freezing someone for eternity, turning them to dust or to stone.

9th- Summon Monster IX- Just look at the list. A couatl? An elder elemental? It's like gate except people don't throw the Monster Manual at your face for casting it.

And my favorite school of spells? Necromancy, hands down. I don't really like animating or reviving the dead, but the sweet sweet ray spells that weaken, sicken, and poison the enemy are fantastic.

[Squiggles]

It has to be Streamers from Shining South. 5d10 damage from red wavering streamers! Nothing says failure more than succumbing to a deluge of streamers

[Ernir]

Spell Theft from Complete Scoundrel was what immediately came to mind. I didn't really know before. :smalltongue:


It has to be Streamers from Shining South. 5d10 damage from red wavering streamers! Nothing says failure more than succumbing to a deluge of streamers
That's like my least favorite spell. :smallbiggrin:

"Wait, is an AoO an action? What about letting go of my two-handed weapon with one hand?"

[DarkestKnight]

Apocalypse from the sky. Why? because i did the math on how big it could get using an optimized level 20 char with a casting circle and certain meta-magics all taken into account. it turns out to be about a 600 mile radius circle. do you know what a 600 mile radius circle is? visible from orbit (look at Google maps/earth. find a spot 500 miles from you. it hits that too). this spell makes dm's cry because you just killed a campaign setting...also fun to pair with prismatic sphere!

[Ifni]

Benign Transposition and Phantom Steed.

Benign Transposition is the lowest-level, cutest, chess-master tactical-mobility spell you will find. Quickening it lets you reposition people as a swift action, putting your fighters into full-attack range, yanking your more fragile allies out of danger, giving your pouncers charge lanes, etc. It is also super awesome in hostage situations.

Phantom Steed at CL 14 is 240ft fly speed that lasts all day - and it can be handed out to the entire party, especially if you're a sorcerer. Even better, it's 240ft fly speed on a mount, which means you can fly in, cast your spell, and fly back out, without any need for feats like Flyby Attack or Mobile Spellcasting. Also, it is a pretty magical horsie :smalltongue:

[Zaq]

Benign Transposition and Phantom Steed.

Benign Transposition is the lowest-level, cutest, chess-master tactical-mobility spell you will find. Quickening it lets you reposition people as a swift action, putting your fighters into full-attack range, yanking your more fragile allies out of danger, giving your pouncers charge lanes, etc. It is also super awesome in hostage situations.

Phantom Steed at CL 14 is 240ft fly speed that lasts all day - and it can be handed out to the entire party, especially if you're a sorcerer. Even better, it's 240ft fly speed on a mount, which means you can fly in, cast your spell, and fly back out, without any need for feats like Flyby Attack or Mobile Spellcasting. Also, it is a pretty magical horsie :smalltongue:

I like Bottle of Smoke better than Phantom Steed, mainly because it can't be attacked.

Oh, and one time I accidentally a whole desert with it, but that's another story.

[Ifni]

I like Bottle of Smoke better than Phantom Steed, mainly because it can't be attacked.

Oh, and one time I accidentally a whole desert with it, but that's another story.

Can the Bottle of Smoke horse fly? I'm not seeing a flight speed anywhere in the spell - it has a speed of 20ft/level, but it looks like that's only landspeed. If I'm not missing something, I think I still like Phantom Steed better, hours/level flight that can be given to other PCs is very useful (of course, you want to make sure you have Featherfall, in case of unexpected dragon attacks or the like).

[Zaq]

Can the Bottle of Smoke horse fly? I'm not seeing a flight speed anywhere in the spell - it has a speed of 20ft/level, but it looks like that's only landspeed. If I'm not missing something, I think I still like Phantom Steed better, hours/level flight that can be given to other PCs is very useful (of course, you want to make sure you have Featherfall, in case of unexpected dragon attacks or the like).

It can't fly, but a +84 on Jump checks will come damn close. Both spells have their uses, and PS is certainly no slouch of a spell. I just prefer BoS since it can't get shot out from under me.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

The powergamer in me loves wraithstrike (SpC) for turning anywhere from one round's to an entire day's attack routine into touch attacks.

It's hard to say I have a single favorite out there. I know most of my wizards have things like haste or Girallon's Blessing (also SpC) just because those are both solid 3rd level spells. Really, the thing that gets me are spell interactions. And my favorite interaction has got to go to Body Outside Body, Giant Size (both CA) and Transcend Mortality (CM). Create a bunch of clones who use their SLA'd Giant Size and Transcend Mortality to walk as nigh invulnerable gods for about a minute while you continue being a weird wizard-like gish.

[Malimar]

Apocalypse From The Sky. It's one of the few 9th level spells (Fimbulwinter is another) that actually feels like a 9th level spell to me.

[Roc Ness]

Benign Transposition is the lowest-level, cutest, chess-master tactical-mobility spell you will find. Quickening it lets you reposition people as a swift action, putting your fighters into full-attack range, yanking your more fragile allies out of danger, giving your pouncers charge lanes, etc. It is also super awesome in hostage situations.

Seconded. That and its 2nd level counterpart are my two favourite spells.

... And maybe haste too. The swiftblade is an awesome class.

[Elboxo]

By level:
0 - Stick ( GLUE AMG ) or Launch Bolt ( It says crossbow bolt, no size restriction..... huge crossbow bolt ftw, best combined with flaming arrow spell )
1 - Colour spray or Reduce Person
2 - Tough choice... Levitate, Blindness/deafness or Alter self. Versatile and fun for everyone! Also Earthlock, and Protection from arrows
3 - Lightning Bolt ( When i discovered it can go through walls ), Phantom steed, reverse arrows or Icelance
4 - Evard's Black Tentacles, Secure Shelter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/secureShelter.htm) <3 or Flamewhips
5- Magic Jar, Ironguard lesser, Wall of Limbs, Gutsnake, Nightstalker's transformation ( I havn't used it, but it seems to make rogues redundant when accompanied with invisibility, fly, knock, and acid splash )
6 - Fire Spiders, Geas, Move earth ( Hello pit, goodbye enemies )Circle of Death, Stone to Flesh
7 - Submerge ship, Glass strike, Mage's Magnificent mansion, Statue
8 - Maze, Symbol of Insanity, Polymorph any object, Heart of stone ( 1 year! )
9 - Undermaster, Reality Maelstrom, Wail of the banshee, Timestop, Gate.
Yeah.. a few there
8 -

[Martin Greywolf]

1) Eclipse. It. Is. Epic. No, really, this is how I picture epic spells. Not bigger damage, not mass save or die/suck. You give finger to THE SUN.
2) Foresight. Knowing what is coming in next 6 seconds is awesome.
3) Color spray/Prismatic spray: Three words: Taste the rainbow!
4) Holy sword. It´s just cool.

[Kogak]

I would have to say Fabricate. I love the idea of a mage getting high enough level to cast that spell, then retiring into a production industry selling trinkets to the tourists. With the right crafting skills, he can make anything in an instant (and since craft is int based and may be used without training a high enough int will do the trick).

A close second would be Mindrape from the Book of Vile Darkness. Everyone will fail the will save eventually. The little evil gremlin in me says rewriting an entire lifetime and learning everything they have ever known is what an evil mage should do. Torture is for lesser beings.

[vampire2948]

Mass Evasculate. Halves targets' current health, and grapples them with their own internal organs.

Because everyone needs to hug their intestines from time to time.

[AmberVael]

Temporal Acceleration.

It's time stop, but three levels lower, with a swift action casting time, and with a duration completely under your control.

I've used this power so much.

[Yora]

I think Alter Self. Available at 3rd/4th level and the applications are endless.

[ExemplarofAvg]

Master's Touch, from the Wizards Online Spell Archive.

It's a first level spell available to wizards, sorcerors and bards. It lasts 1 minute per level. The point of the spell it provides instant proficiency with whatever you are touching. That freaky crab walker tank thing, bam works instantly, some weird complex siege weapon those goblins didn't stand a chance. And in the rare cases when the wizard runs out of spells Master's Touch plus the Sugliin from Frostburn things get back easily.

Oh and Mordenkainen's Force Missiles, It's Magic Missile but better much better.

[Vladislav]

0 - Mage Hand - Reach out and touch someone
1 - Entangle - Best low-level battlefield control EVAR!
2 - Alter Self - Be all that you can be
3 - Fireball - Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!
4 - Polymorph - Be all that you can be, and more
5 - Baleful Polymorph - What's the point of being a wizard if you never turn someone into a frog?
6 - Heroes' Feast - Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
7 - Reverse Gravity - Oh, think of the fun we could have with that in parties!
8 - Irresistible Dance - D-I-S-C-O!
9 - Shapechage - See choices for levels 2 and 4

[big teej]

well, I had 2 kneejerk reactions to this, so I guess those must be my favorites

1 Crushing fist of spite - Book of Vile Darkness
2 Wall of Chains - book of vile darkness

the artwork for the fist of spite just lent itself to this wonderful mental image that makes me laugh.

[Yora]

*bam!* (http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/6715/untitlednk1.png)
padding

[LaughingRogue]

I'm a big fan of dominate at the current moment --- but it probably has to do with my current character being a beguiler.

[Tenno Seremel]

0 - Mage Hand - Reach out and touch someone

Target: One nonmagical, unattended object weighing up to 5 lb.
Can you really do that?

[Vladislav]

Can you really do that?
Poe's Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_law) - no matter how exaggerated your parody is, someone will mistake it for a real opinion.

[Yorrin]

Ray of Enfeeblement

I've played enough campaigns that never gotten up to the higher level spells that I've really learned to love my basics. I've also figured out how to get a Fell Weaken (-4 Str on spell hit, from LM) attached to it without raising spell level. At first level 1d6+4 Str damage is about as good as it gets. Used sparingly, of course, lest the ban-hammer comes down.

[Reverent-One]

Defenestrating Sphere, of course.

This. Plus Murderous Command from PF's Ultimate Magic book. A level one spell that says "Go kill your allies!"? Yes please.

[Ekul]

Dimension hop, when used by a Duskblade. Flipping people upside down? Off Cliffs? Into the air? Yep.

Maybe you just want to get into a locked room with a keyhole.

I once used my familiar(wearing a ring of invisibility) to teleport this caster into my power attack arcane strike Shocking Grasp attack.

Hawks using dimension hop is a great way to get flying people into the fray.

Deceptively useful!

[Rodimal]

My favorite spell? That would have to be:



Knock

[Downysole]

My favorite spell is Iron Body.

I played a wizard who was going out for some solo xp so he could make some spare potions or what not. Found some enhanced goblins who were messing up the area, and decided to take them out. Using all my low-level spells like web and burning hands and such, I pretty well stealth-nuked them before they could get close. Then I quietly walked into the middle of the room of them sleeping and used circle of death to kill as many as possible before taking the rest down using typical style spells.

Then I walked into the boss room where the chiefy-type goblin was sitting on his throne, looking at me. So, I hit him in the face with chain lightning. Nothing. He got up and started walking towards me, turning invisible somewhere around the 3rd step. I Transmuted the floor to mud, and he sank a bit, showing me where he was. He took a couple more steps and then stopped moving. Instead about 6 seconds later, I was getting my back torn up by a Rakshasa with Sorcerer levels.

I used Tenser's Transformation, but his AC was too high (and I already ran afoul of his spell resistance), so I cast Iron Body on myself. Then his strikes couldn't hurt me, and between my prepared resistances and my new form, he couldn't really harm me in other ways either. So, we did that for a round before I got an idea.

I grappled him, dragged him over to the mud, and drowned him in it, using my unbreathing Iron Body as the weight to hold him down.

Still the best kill I've had in my decade of experience.

[CodeRed]

Scholar's Touch. A 1st level spell. Touch a book or scroll and instantly have all the knowledge contained within in your mind as though you had read it once. It just really appeals to me as a Law Student the idea that I could read my entire casebook in six seconds..... Inside a D&D game it spectacular for any spy types as you don't need to steal the info from the target and thereby let them know they've been robbed. Instead you just read the "attack plans" or what-have-you and then GTFO.

[TurtleKing]

A few of mine:

Backbiter-turn that big nasty brute into his own worst enemy.

Phantom Steed/Bottle of Smoke-for when you need to get somewhere in a hurry.

Channeled Sonic Blast- for when you just want to shout out at the top of your lungs...and devastate everything around you.

Burning Blood-"What is that a gift that keeps on giving?" So what if they make a save this round they still have to make another save next round.

Kelgore's Chilling Mist/Fire Bolt-What do you mean my Spell Resistance only has a partial effect?

I'll post more has I think of them.

[Jjeinn-tae]

Ghost Sound, I think, there are a lot out of core, but I've always enjoyed Ghost Sound. It has a whole lot of utility.

[TurtleKing]

My most favorite spell is..............

Misspell!!!

With that spell all of the other spells become hilarious..., and potentially harmful to yourself or another.

[Reprimand]

Mage's Magnificent Mansion

I summon a furnished mansions you appear whenever I cast this spell and I get a staff of twice my caster level and a banquet to feed an army.

That's kind of an awesome spell, I want to make it into a ring...

Through research, my wizard retired and built himself a sky castle Using this and a persisted flight spell and a lot of money.

Also Disjunction is kind of the gentleman's agreement because one spell makes all magical stuff stop working and no one wants that, plus it makes artifacts explode.

[ericgrau]

Haste I suppose, with feather fall a close second. I went through 5 builds in a row all with haste and 4 with feather fall. A sorcerer, a bard, an archer with 1 wizard level and a monk/wizard gestalt. Finally I played a cleric who didn't get feather fall but both he and the archer had boots of speed for haste. I was debating whether to dedicate a finger to the ring of feather fall but I already had two nice rings.

The sorcerer was the best since a lot of foes had knockback effects so when the DM said "and that player takes X falling damage too" I said "no he doesn't." The campaign was set high in the mountains with bridges, airships, and other varying elevations too. I was also partial to sleet storm in that campaign, as I quickly found that there was no problem that a sleet storm couldn't solve one way or another through sheer size.

[Kojiro]

Oh, another one I like, probably my favorite Wall spell, Wall of Gears. While the picture gives it some weird robotic arm thing, personally I like to imagine it as, well, what it says; a giant, clockwork wall with huge gears that, if you get to close, will slam or crush you. Much better. It's probably not the "best" Wall overall (especially if you include Prismatic Wall), but I still like it for style.

Edit: More practically, I really like Overland Flight. While it can't hover or do other neat things like that, it's a flight spell that, once you have a high enough level, can basically keep you airborne for all of your waking hours. That's great.

[A Ladder]

Favorite spell? It has to be Mount.

seriously. most utility/flavor EVER.

You come across a locked door? have your horse kick it down.
walking down a dungeon with too many traps? make your equine companion run down the hallways first.
big bad evil guy coming your way with a sword? put a one and a half ton mound of meat in between him and you.
too short to get over that wall? now you have a 10 ft ladder.
goblins chasing you down a tunnel? whoops, there's a large mammal blocking that entrance.
need some cash? sell your trusty steed to a merchant and laugh when it dissolves away.
Tenser's floating disk? nah, I'll have my mount drag my crap around for me.
expeditious retreat? screw that, I'll move WAY faster on this guy.

But the best use for Mount is this: one-shot Insta-Squish.
Oh, that guy over there has too much spell resistance for your spells to get through? how does a medieval-style bus landing on his head from 60ft up sound to you? My DM never figured out the damage, but just assumed he died under the carapace of falling horse.

[Drinzor]

hmm good question not really played that much, so I have to say I always find my self loving Metamagic Magic Missile.


else Ray Of Enfeeblement is rather awesome



oh and Glitterdust

[Geigan]

Solid fog

I like mah fluffy clouds. Especially with sculpt, as I'll use the cone for the lovely image of spewing clouds from my fingers.

[Venom3053000]

Prestidigitation

[Zaq]

Favorite spell? It has to be Mount.

seriously. most utility/flavor EVER.

You come across a locked door? have your horse kick it down.
walking down a dungeon with too many traps? make your equine companion run down the hallways first.
big bad evil guy coming your way with a sword? put a one and a half ton mound of meat in between him and you.
too short to get over that wall? now you have a 10 ft ladder.
goblins chasing you down a tunnel? whoops, there's a large mammal blocking that entrance.
need some cash? sell your trusty steed to a merchant and laugh when it dissolves away.
Tenser's floating disk? nah, I'll have my mount drag my crap around for me.
expeditious retreat? screw that, I'll move WAY faster on this guy.

But the best use for Mount is this: one-shot Insta-Squish.
Oh, that guy over there has too much spell resistance for your spells to get through? how does a medieval-style bus landing on his head from 60ft up sound to you? My DM never figured out the damage, but just assumed he died under the carapace of falling horse.

I was going to nag you for the whole "can't summon a creature in midair" thing, but then I realized that that didn't bother me nearly so much as the implication that horses have carapaces (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carapace), which I do not believe they do.

[Olo Demonsbane]

Prismatic Wall: Combined with some Quickened Evocation spell that blasts your opponents backwards...so much fun. That or Tornado Throw.

Manyjaws: I love this spell. So much.

Charm Monster: For all your fighter-replacement needs.

[Qwertystop]

Animate Breath Weapon.

<Invisible> Wall of Stone.

<Invisible> Apocalypse from the Sky (OH MY GOD OH MY GOD WHY IS EVERYTHING EXPLODING?!)

[Tenno Seremel]

Poe's Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_law) - no matter how exaggerated your parody is, someone will mistake it for a real opinion.
I'm not a telepath although I play one :P

[A Ladder]

I was going to nag you for the whole "can't summon a creature in midair" thing, but then I realized that that didn't bother me nearly so much as the implication that horses have carapaces (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carapace), which I do not believe they do.

no summoning creatures in midair??? I didn't know that.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_esYA_43f6xM/Sc0-BwiPBZI/AAAAAAAACog/FfnAsIs8BMw/s400/demon+horse.jpg
To me, that spine is rather carapace looking. Kinda how a horse's might be if it burst from their back due to falling. But I am sad you did not like my metaphor (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metaphor).

[Elboxo]

1) Eclipse. It. Is. Epic. No, really, this is how I picture epic spells. Not bigger damage, not mass save or die/suck. You give finger to THE SUN.
2) Foresight. Knowing what is coming in next 6 seconds is awesome.
3) Color spray/Prismatic spray: Three words: Taste the rainbow!
4) Holy sword. It´s just cool.

Taste the rainbow, +1

[Black_Zawisza]

For example, my favorite spell is blinding color surge
Seriously? No ****, that was the first answer off the top of my head! :smallbiggrin:

[Qwertystop]

Alright, adding a note to the OP requesting sources for all spells...

I was not aware that there was a spell called evocation. What does it do?

Because other people decided to cheat (xD) and say more than one, I'll go ahead and cheat all of you by listing not only my 9 favorite spells in spell order (because cantrips and orisons suck) but also my favorite school! Take that!

1st- Reduce Person. The "person" spells are amusing because, unlike Expansion or Compression, they were designed under the assumption that the default size of the target would be Small or Medium. Reduce Person doesn't always work, but when it does, it's either damn funny to watch the evil orc barbarian shrink down to a halfling, or freaking hilarious to shrink the kobold or gnome down to the size of a football and then punt it. (I homebrewed a spell called Summon Field Goal just for that purpose)
Why is it any different from Compression, other than the fact that you can use it on someone else?

[Kansaschaser]

Favorite Spell = Telekinesis

Reason: There are three different things you can do with Telekinesis.

1. Violent Thrust (hurl heavy objects or weapon at targets that have a high spell resistance)
2. Combat Maneuver (weild weapons larger than normal)
3. Sustained Force (move objects, people, or flight)

It also allows entry into the Master of the Unseen Hand prestige class. Nothing better than weilding a Colossal sized weapon while invisible and beating things sensless. Lots of fun there!

There is also a ring of Telekinesis that allows you to use Telekinesis at will. So much fun and versatility.

[Phloxine]

Major Image. I've used it to reduce an encounter with a BBEG to beating on a pinata. The illusion of an opposing God had the cleric, whom had a long string of failed will saves, discharging all of his most powerful spells into thin air. The best part was that that didn't even matter, because we killed him before he realized he had been attacking an illusion.

I also have to say grease, because if I were to go back and count the number of times I've used each individual spell I know, this one will have been used more than any other. Grease under an enemy, stick a fighter next to him. The enemy either has to stay where it is and continue making reflex saves and taking attacks of opportunity when it falls and gets back up, or moving out of the way, taking an attack of opportunity, and then having me cast another grease under it.


no summoning creatures in midair??? I didn't know that.

-unrelated picture-
To me, that spine is rather carapace looking. Kinda how a horse's might be if it burst from their back due to falling. But I am sad you did not like my metaphor (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metaphor).

Must resist urge to derail thread. Failed.

You do not know what carapaces or metaphors are.

[NeoSeraphi]

Why is it any different from Compression, other than the fact that you can use it on someone else?

Compression targets "self", while reduce person targets a humanoid. Therefore, you could be a pixie or a jermalaine manifesting compression on yourself, but not casting reduce person on yourself.

As the target is humanoid, the design was intended for Small and Medium creatures only (with reduce person)

[Rogue Shadows]

I'd like to revise my favorite spell to be Truth is a Scourge, a 5th-level maho spell from the Rokugan campaign setting.

For some reason it is a Necromacy spell, when really it should be Enchantment, but regardless:


Similar to zone of truth, this spell causes a target to tell the truth. Unfortunately for the target, truth is a scourge lasts longer and has a more severe effect. Not only must the affected target tell the truth, but they speak exactly what comes into their mind at the very moment they think it. Simply put, there is no difference between thought and speech so long as this spell lasts. In a society which places importance on preservation of face the way that Rokugan does, this can have a devastating effect. Many targets find themselves placed in a situation where they must become ronin or commit seppuku following the disastrous effects of thsi spell. This is simply another way for maho-tsukai to show samurai the folly of the society that they protect.

Basically, the spell turns you into Jim Carrey from Liar Liar. You must tell the truth. You must speak: you can't remain silent. And you say exactly what you are thinking. You do not have time to to create a fancy cover story through half-lies and double meaning.

Soooooo abuseable. And will make your DM cry.

[Scarlet-Devil]

Anyone said Prestidigitation yet? :smalltongue:

[Silva Stormrage]

My favorite spell is Blackfire (Spell compendium). It's especially hilarious with invisible spell on it. It is just such a cool idea for a spell, black flames that leap to others.

[Inferno]

Stone wall: awesome utility. hide/block a cave/door, make a bridge, make cover, capture enemies and more!

[Randomguy]

I just have to love the spell detonate: Making other people explode so hard that they hurt their allies FTW.

I also like anticipate teleportation, because you can ambush the people that were about to ambush you :smallbiggrin:.

Last but not least: light. Why? You can cast it on your feet so that you're walking on sunshine.

EDIT: Oh, and arcane sight. Who needs see invisibility when you can see the aura of an illusion spell in mid air?

[elonin]

Also love Predistigination.

Moment of Prescience. This=win

[starwoof]

My favorite spells are colored by my experiences as a cleric of maglubiyet a while back. If not for these three he would have died many times over. As it was, we kept casting these until level 9!

Obscuring Mist. Every time we got into a pickle my Sudden Widened Obscuring Mist saved the day.

Updraft. Why yes, I would like to fly 60 feet straight up and then float back down onto a building.

Black Tentacles. I never cast this. But it won all our fights for us. I did cast a lot of Freedom of Movement though. :smallbiggrin:


But if I had to pick just one... Obscuring Mist. I like all mist spells. Pity I never got to use solid fog... or cloudkill.

[RedWarrior0]

Fimbulvintr, because not only is it an awesome spell, it provides a use for the d12.

[DoughGuy]

Magic Missile
Fireball
And Disintegrate.

I once played a Warmage who only used these three spells. It was my first campaign. Mainly because once I found these three I didnt feel I needed to look for anything else.

[Drachasor]

I've always really liked simulacrum, even though you can't really use it a lot. Want a dragon mount? Get a dragon mount! Among many, many other uses.

[Vizzerdrix]

Hmm...

Ya know what, they're just too many spells I like to make a list.

I like cantrips. I dunno what it is about them, but they always seem to be useful and fun. :smallsmile:

I like archery spells. Specifically arrow enhancing spells. I've found quite a few of them on the Sorc/Wiz list. I just gotta find a good way to utilize them...

Create Crawling Claw(3rd level spell) and Create Darkenbeast(5th level spell). The first gets you a cr1/3 construct, the second a cr4 flying monster. No limits on how many you can have either.

[Cipher Stars]

I couldn't possibly choose. but THIS just made my top's.

Custom psionic power (I think that counts) that lets you change your physical qualities within the norm of your kind. Sure your abilities do not change but I love it :}


Aspect
Psychometabolism
Level: Psion/Wilder 1
Display: Visual
Manifesting time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)

You change your minor (such as hair color, hair texture, and skin color) and significant physical qualities (such as height, weight, and gender) in any way you like as long as they are within the norm of your kind. You cannot imitate specific individual although you can use this power to improve your disguise that results in +4 bonus to Disguise checks.

In addition, if you ever become unconscious or unable to use purely mental actions this power ends. Dismissing this power is an immediate action.

Augment:

If you spend 1 additional power point, you retain your changed form even if you fall asleep.
If you spend 4 additional power points, you can change between your normal form and a changed one as a swift action. Characteristics of your changed form do not change.
If you spend 8 additional power points this power's duration changes to Instantaneous. Obviously, you don't revert to your previous form when unconscious or unable to use purely mental actions as this new form is effectively your primary form. You cannot use this augment with other augments.




Soo....

Aspectthis very thread, Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusiongitp, GropeNymphology, Black Tentacles, Ice LanceSC, Greater Invisibility, Knock, Create Water, Summon Undead, Create Undead, Animate Dead, Wall of Fire, Force Cage, Dominate Monster/Person, Charm Person.

Off the top of my head.

Only been a few days... 1 week. limits 2 isn't it?

[WeLoveFireballs]

See Name. Fireballs are great because you can get them at a fairly low level but are useful for a long time and also because seared giant snake is tasty :smallbiggrin:

[DonDuckie]

0: prestidigitation - cold beer

1st: charm person

2nd: invisibility

3rd: shrink item

4th: animate dead

5th: magic jar

6th: disintegrate, or flesh to salt(unapproach. east/oriental adv./not sure) - it's a money spell, without the need for scheeming or thinking

7th: magnificent mansion - my absolute favorite

8th: polymorph any object

9th: teleportation circle - maybe

Note: PF versions, where/if they differ

[sreservoir]

sirine's grace (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20040131a) is really fun, because int damage at will as a free action, so you can move up to them, touch them, then get away. some source of a fly speed, or really any other speed which is twice as much as what you fight, is necessary, though.

although, if it's cast multiple times, do you get multiple attacks? they aren't exactly bonuses, so they aren't actually subject to stacking rules, are they?

[Antonok]

Torrent of Tears. I love that spell. Played a Goblin Wu Jen and that was his staple spell.

Just imagining a little 3ft high yoda berating ppl for thier actions while they wept uncontrollably still makes me smile everytime I look at that charecter sheet.

[RaggedAngel]

Unname.

Because if you manage to use it, you end someone. They don't just die; it's like they never were. The universe forgets them, all because of your words. That's the kind of effect I expect out of a 9th level spell. That's power.

[Xtomjames]

While I like Unname, I think that my favorite spell is Create Water, just because of the more curious ways of using it that most people don't think of.

Some of the more gruesome things would be, drowning someone, filling a house with water (once you're at a high enough level), damaging fire elementals, cooling lava, becoming a desert spring. One can create a water jet using create water by the logic of the spell as well (thus one can make a water jet pack if, at least, actual physics were brought into it.) You can create a muddy surface easily, or make a rock face slippery (or any honed marble or granite surface that's been shined). You can create ice bridges with it, and ice staircases. The seeming endless array of possibilities for the spell makes it versatile and affective.

Making the water jet pack: You create up to 2 gallons per level instantaneously.

Use craft arms and armaments to form a funnel with a very narrow muzzle (roughly 1.5 inches in diameter) that fits over your hand and comes to a point (think sort of like hose spout). Create water on your hand. At 20th level that's 40 gallons instantly formed inside the nozzle with no where else to go but out.

The water would be 5.7 cubic feet of water rushing out in an instant through a narrow stream. That's 357 lbs of water hitting a creature in an instant. The PSI would be Area of the Nozzle container (roughly 78 square inches)/nozzle diameter ~1.5~* total weight of the water 357 lbs. (78 square inches is the average flat area of a fisted hand plus a 3 inch cone and nozzle~ imagine an open ended oil can). That's a PSI of over 18,000 for a 1.5 inch wide jet of water. I'd suspect it could be treated as a line weapon with a range of 80 feet or so, damage I'd follow the falling rule (1d6/10lbs of weight, or roughly 35D6 in initial damage).

[Leon]

D&D meets Minecraft!

Needs Fabricate on that list

[Kosjsjach]

Scholar's Touch. A 1st level spell.
I am with you on this. I'm not even currently in school, and if I were miraculously given the ability to use any 1st-level spell however often, this would certainly be a contender.

[Gwendol]

Shatter. Versatile and useful at all levels.

Righteous might + Divine power combo (+ divine favor if time allows it). Because +10 STR is never wrong.

[Werekat]

My favorite is very probably Dimension Door and the rest of the teleportation line. I can't count the times I've saved the party bacon with that one, either by getting someone into position, taking us all to the portal that had 30 golems between us and it, or taking a golem with me (failed save) to extreme heights and dropping it for damage. Yeah, Benign Transposition does a lot of this stuff earlier, but nothing really does it as well as DD does at its level, nor has more uses, as long as the caster has other ways of keeping difficult to hit.

[Leon]

I have 3 that stand out for me

Bones of the Earth.

Summoning Rock spires out of the ground has a great image for me and it has a few useful applications as a way to build things like walls and bridges that are going to be rather durable.


Dispel Magic.

Most often used to counter spell something buy the ability to strip magic off things has been useful time and time again.


Disintegrate.

Use as a Damage spell non withstanding its ability to just remove a obstacle - such as a locked door or wall is great