[D&D 3.5] Favorite Spells Ever?

[Lyndworm]

I'm building a character with the Chameleon PrC right now, and (for those of you who aren't familiar with the class) they gain the ability to cast any spell of 6th level or lower (there are some limiting factors, but that's the gist of it). It got me to thinking. I'm fairly sure a thread like this have been made before, but I can't find one. If I could, it would almost certainly take some Epic Thread Necromancy to rip the beast from its cyberspace grave.

I ask you, O mighty Playground, what are your favorite spells? I'd like to know why, as well, if that's not too personal a question. Is the spell particularly versatile or powerful? Does it have good imagery or thematic effects? Maybe you like it for sentimental reasons, or for a reason you can't even really describe. All of that (and more!) is fine, I just want to know what it is, and why you like it.

If it's not too much trouble, could you also list the level of the spell (0th through 9th), to which classes it's available, and the source, for ease of reference? Please and thank you!

[Sdonourg]

Defenestrating Sphere, of course. IIRC it is from Spell Compendium and is a Sor/Wiz 4 spell.

[Lyndworm]

That is a good one. A single-target spell that throws the victim into the air and (usually) away from you, inflicting falling damage. It's delicious.

[sonofzeal]

Defenestrating Sphere is awesome in theory, but requires two consecutive failed Fort saves in a row to really do much, and Fort is on average the highest save you'll be seeing. I want to love it, but I really can't. Not as a 4th level spell.


My personal favorite is Explosive Forceful Great Thunderclap. Make ALL the saves! (http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/gallery/x-all-the-things/x-all-the-things-template.jpg)

[Lyndworm]

That's very true, about defenstrating sphere. I meant that it was a good favorite spell, not a good spell. Although I like it quite a lot, I, too, find it hard to love it (due to the nonsensical Fortitude save).

I'm familiar with Explosive metamagic, but what's the source Forceful?

[Amphetryon]

Orb of Force is a great damaging spell. Fell Drain Orb of Force is my preference, for the rider effect.

Acid Fog is my go-to AoE/Crowd Control option, because it limits movement and vision, and causes damage.

Shivering Touch and its Lesser cousin are good enough to often see the banhammer/nerfbat at a lot of tables; they're called Dragon-killers for good reason.

Entangle is a solid choice at low levels and doesn't become useless - though perhaps it becomes use-impaired - as you advance your adventuring career.

The various Image spells are limited only by your imagination and what the DM is willing to allow. If your DM has NPCs interact with non-damaging illusions, you win. If not, you'll want something else.

[sonofzeal]

That's very true, about defenstrating sphere. I meant that it was a good favorite spell, not a good spell. Although I like it quite a lot, I, too, find it hard to love it (due to the nonsensical Fortitude save).

I'm familiar with Explosive metamagic, but what's the source Forceful?
Dragon #358. Fort vs Prone and Stunned.

So the grand total is....


Fort vs Prone and Stunned
Reflex vs Ejected, ~1d6 damage, and Prone
Will vs Stunned
Fort vs Deaf
Reflex vs Prone

Can you see why I love this? I mean it's effectively a 6th level spell without metamagic reducers... but man. Worth it just for the looks on their faces.

[Eldan]

Silent Image is always a favourite of mine. First level wizard, sky's the limit.

And just for the name, Shock and Awe, first level wizard, SpC. Reduces enemy initiative by -10.

[Quirp]

Bigby´s Slapping Hand (CM)
Make a concentration check or everybody can make an attack of opportunity against you. Defenitely the best spell of the Bigby´s Hand line. It´s just that embarassing.

[DeAnno]

True Strike. If you can actually spare the action to cast it, it's the most efficient spell in the game when comparing the effect you get to the value of the spell level you paid.

[Perryy]

Probable the whole Image line of spells. The sky's (or DM) the limit for what you can produce and it's just so much fun! :smallsmile:

[OracleofSilence]

Probably Avascular Mass 8th level, Spell Compendium. I just love the really horrifying mental image. Target loses 50% its HP, and must save against stunned and total immovability.

[Calanon]

Hmm favorite non-epic spell... Gonna have to say Disintegrate since everyone recommends it for everything :smalltongue:

Now if i could pick a favorite epic spell I'd say Tolodine's Killing Wind... Very funny if your able to convince your DM that it comes out your bum :smallredface:

[gkathellar]

The Symbol spells in general definitely qualify for me. Everything about their "you must be this tall to ride" mechanic seems like a perfect fit for the godlike imagery of a mid-high level spellcaster.

Stone Shape, Transmute Rock to Mud, Transmute Rock to Lava, Undermaster, and really any kind of terrain-shaping or world-shaping spell.

And ... well honestly, Genesis, Time Stop and Astral Projection qualify. Really, I like to present spellcasters as nigh-deific forces of nature, and these are the absolute highest threshold of that.

[Gullintanni]

The Symbol spells in general definitely qualify for me. Everything about their "you must be this tall to ride" mechanic seems like a perfect fit for the godlike imagery of a mid-high level spellcaster.


Permanency, Symbol of Weakness, and any shield. Key the trigger so that it activates when people look at you.

Congratulations, you're now the sexiest man alive. You make everyone weak in the knees. :smallcool:

[Zaq]

Unluck is a good one. Useful, but not soul-crushing. A balanced debuff, I feel.

Wall of Stone is glorious for how versatile it is. Plus, it doesn't go away, so you can really have a lasting effect on the environment. Similarly, Stone Shape and Bones of the Earth.

If Dinosaur Stampede's effect was as good as its name, I'd love it. Unfortunately, I just love the name.

[Manateee]

Time Hop. No question. It just works around campaign assumptions in such weird ways that it always has something interesting to add.

And I probably try to get Control Air/Wind/Weather into my characters more often than I should. But for some reason, making the air itself into something limiting/scary just seems too cool for me to pass up.

[stack]

Wraithstrike. Power attacking gish's best friend.

[Hirax]

Lightfoot is nice for avoiding AoOs

[Lyndworm]

Time Hop. No question. It just works around campaign assumptions in such weird ways that it always has something interesting to add.
Isn't that a Psion Power? As in, psionics, and therefore not a spell at all? Although a very interesting effect, I'd prefer to keep this to spells only.

[Xerinous]

Disintegrate is always fun. Best part is I can refluff it as balefire :smallbiggrin:.

I like the concept of Disjunction, but I've never actually gotten to use it.

[TravelLog]

Two Words: Friendly Fire.

Exemplars of Evil. It's one of my favorite spells of all time.

[Medic!]

Morality Undone from BoVD will always have a special place in my heart after facing a high lvl paladin with a holy avenger, a massive ego, and a handful of (comparitively) lower lvl friends as an evil cleric.

"Oh god he has a holy avenger...this is gonna hurt"

"Wait for it....Wait for it..."

*grimace* ooooooh that's not good.

[Silva Stormrage]

Blackfire (Spc) easily my favorite spell. Add invisible spell to it and you have a self spreading invisible flame that can decimate an entire city by itself. From Medium range too. :smallbiggrin: Also you can light yourself on fire if you are immune to nauseation and ability damage.

[navar100]

Bless

Really.

That +1 to hit and will save vs fear has significantly helped my party whenever it is cast. I know it's because of Bless because a few players always forget to add the +1 in announcing their total when the DM says it's a miss. I ask "Did you add the +1 from Bless?" They add it then; the DM says it's a hit. There was also that time the fighter failed his save vs Cause Fear, I remind him I had cast Bless, he adds the +1 and makes the save.

[Chronos]

And I probably try to get Control Air/Wind/Weather into my characters more often than I should. But for some reason, making the air itself into something limiting/scary just seems too cool for me to pass up.Of course, it doesn't hurt that Control Wind is the best blasting spell in the whole game.

Personally, my favorite is Shrink Item. It just has so many uses: Carrying big equipment around, taking souvenirs, removing obstacles, ludicrous-sized throwing weapons...

Of course, everyone loves Prestidigitation.

And for a Chameleon, the Shadow Evocation/Shadow Conjuration lines are very thematic.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Any elemental-themed spell. Orb of Fire, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Move Earth, Wall of Stone...

I'm too much of an Avatar: TLA fan. Legend of Korra isn't helping.

[Dumbledore lives]

I think I have to go with the oft-loved grease. It's multi-purpose as well, in that it adds excitement to any wrestling match, allows for a good multitude of fires, and stops frenzied berserkers in their tracks. It makes people fall down, it's comedy gold!

[Akal Saris]

I'm a fan of buff spells. So Haste and its big clerical brother, Righteous Wrath of the Faithful, are 2 of my favorites. Greater Mirror Image is another one I really like.

I'm also a big fan of Close Wounds (Cleric 2). Immediate action healing. Available at level 3, when clerics have nothing better to do with their immediate actions. I've found it useful from 1-6 in keeping people standing just when it looks like they would go unconscious, and still allowing my cleric to spend most rounds on the offensive.

[nolispe]

Heh. I remember this thread. It must have been one of the first I ever made...

For me, I prefer Time Stop (I mean, come on! You're stopping time!) and Unluck (For the reasons already quoted above).

[motoko's ghost]

Genesis, just because you're making your own private little world (I like that)

[J-H]

I don't have the books, but I suspect this spell exists somewhere. I know it's in DDO as a level 6 spell. Bread and butter for my pale master.

Necrotic ray: Take 1d8 negative energy damage per level of the caster, and lose a level. Fort save: Reduce damage by half, and lose a level.

Damage + level drain, with no save against the drain.

[Golden Ladybug]

Oh, (Greater) Arcane Fusion, how I love thee...

Besides those gems, I love me some Silent Image. I really need to play a Shadowcraft Mage one of these days, so I can prep nothing but Silent Images :smalltongue:

Summon Elemental Monolith is pretty sweet. Gotta love Elemental Monoliths

[Thurbane]

I'm pretty fond of Great Thunderclap (SC p. 107). 3rd level Sor/Wiz, and forces targets to make a Will save vs. stunned, Reflex save vs. knocked prone, and Fort save vs. deafened. It's also one of the few attacking Evocation spells that is SR: No.

[Tenno Seremel]

Thread found!
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210908

[sonofzeal]

I'm pretty fond of Great Thunderclap (SC p. 107). 3rd level Sor/Wiz, and forces targets to make a Will save vs. stunned, Reflex save vs. knocked prone, and Fort save vs. deafened. It's also one of the few attacking Evocation spells that is SR: No.
Great minds think alike (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=12652721), but in my head the canonical use is always with Explosive and Forceful attached.

[candycorn]

True Strike. If you can actually spare the action to cast it, it's the most efficient spell in the game when comparing the effect you get to the value of the spell level you paid.

Snake's Swiftness is up there.

[FyreByrd]

Magic Missile.

Yeah it's not powerful, yeah the fluff is a bit silly.

I just like turning up at a table with a few levels in force Missile Mage(Dragon Compendium), and stacking as much metamagic onto the humble Magic Missile as possible, and watching people's faces as I one shot the BBEG with a magic missile!

[ScionoftheVoid]

Polymorph Any Object is just amazingly cool, as well as powerful.

The humble Web and Mirror Image spells hold a special place in me for being incredibly good at stopping people from hitting me.

But my absolute favourite spell has to be Explosive Runes. I will build a character around that spell one day, and it will be awesome. Just dump all of your spare spell slots into it at the end of the day (this works better with Sorcerer, unless you want to be a really cocky Focused Specialist Evoker), and use it for anything it could possibly help for. No need to keep watch, Explosive Runes. No need to send someone in for assassinations, Explosive Runes. No need to pick locks, Explosive Runes. Metamagic to taste.

[FearlessGnome]

Two Words: Friendly Fire.

Exemplars of Evil. It's one of my favorite spells of all time.

...Yeah, this is going on my Sorcerer. It's beautiful.

[Abd al-Azrad]

I've found Silent Image to be ludicrously powerful if used cleverly. It's my go-to spell when I have to neutralize an enemy melee presence. Combined with the Swift Concentration skill trick, you can throw all sorts of minor, inventive tricks around without disrupting your primary attack routines.

Besides, I enjoy the way that this allows you to largely ignore an enemy fighter with literally less than a second's thought.

I (almost) fielded a Sorcerer / Spellwarped Sniper who would rely on... oh, dear, I forget the name of the spell. SpC, 2nd-level Sorc / Wizard, cone of 1d4/level cold damage (max 5d4) + daze for 1 round, reflex half and to negate the daze effect. Or, in the case of Spellwarping, just a minor amount of damage and no-save daze. At low levels I was merely trading my actions for the enemy's, but then came Split Ray, Greater Arcane Fusion and Arcane Surge... :smallbiggrin:

Oh, P.S. Greater Arcane Fusion and Arcane Surge.

[Tr011]

Darkbolt (SpC and some other book IIRC). It's just BAM.

63 average total damage divided on up to 7 targets? Check.
7 total saves vs. daze divided on up to 7 targets? Check.
You can sneak with it? Check.
No save vs. the damage? Check.
You can divide the damage on multiple rounds to sneak attack every round as a free action just because of that grease/greater invis? Check.

[Chronos]

Oh, and I forgot my favorite high-level spell: Reverse Gravity. Especially Pemanencied, since then you can make perpetual motion machines with it. Or hovering fortresses, or highly amusing traps, or of course you can incapacitate nonflyers with no save nor SR.

[Mirakk]

As a DM inflicting an effect on players in those low/mid levels... RAY OF STUPIDITY.

Purely for roleplay purposes. It's the best!

[Desril]

My personal favorites are Flesh to Stone (I love leaving statues rather than corpses along my path), Time Stop, and haste. 6th, 9th, and 3rd respectively.

[Incom]

Disintegrate is always fun. Best part is I can refluff it as balefire :smallbiggrin:.

...

:D

:DDDDDDDDD

I have yet to find an actual DnD group, but I imagine I'll get a ton of mileage out of Silent Image and other illusions.

[Suddo]

I like genesis personally. For the same reason as above (just like to make my own little place). But to help contribute:
Wish and Blasphemy (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/The_Wish_and_the_Word_%283.5e_Optimized_Character_ Build%29)

[Slipperychicken]

I would like Irresistible Dance or Power Word: Stun if they ever worked on anything (Irresistible my ***. SR and Immunity are about as common as the cold at those levels).


I love the idea of Forcecage + Quickened Dimensional Lock + Cloudkill. Because I hate wasting actions on things that don't work because the DM wants you to whack everything with a stick till it falls over. Too bad for expensive material components... Maybe I can get it as an SLA..

[Zombulian]

Cranial Deluge. I know, I know, no powers... but it's just so great! I mean, your head asplode! (http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/cfbsigs/your-head-asplode.jpg)
Also just for the great effect (and being an actual spell) Heart Ripper. Your opponents make a save or HAVE THEIR HEARTS RIPPED OUT THROUGH THEIR BACKS

[Bladesinger]

I'm going to have to go with either Magic Missile (the first spell I ever cast) or Contingency (because when I play a wizard, I take the scout motto, "Be Prepared," very seriously).

[marcielle]

I think I have to go with the oft-loved grease. It's multi-purpose as well, in that it adds excitement to any wrestling match, allows for a good multitude of fires, and stops frenzied berserkers in their tracks. It makes people fall down, it's comedy gold!

Now with less saturated fats! (http://rustyandco.com/comic/level-5-18/)

[Hiro Protagonest]

Now with less saturated fats! (http://rustyandco.com/comic/level-5-18/)

Obviously she used Shadow Conjuration. :smalltongue:

[Elboxo]

It's a tough one but I'd have to go with the Mother Cyst chain ( Libris Mortis), because of both fluff and mechanics, you can make necrotic cyst a potion, feed the most important in the town, or just have your raven familiar deliver the touch attacks, thus getting you control/scrying on the town without a save.
Also gets you spells a level early, like Necrotic Domination ( 4th level dominate person ) AND anyone with a necrotic cyst ( Bar you ) takes an extra d6 of damage from all undead melee attacks AND-2 on saves on necromancy spells. Beautiful.



My other possibility would be Phantom Steed, because flying 240 feet as a move action, casting a spell with a concentration check DC 10 + spell level, and then flying 240 ft away again is just too good to be true.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#mountedCombat

[ShriekingDrake]

Two Words: Friendly Fire.

Exemplars of Evil. It's one of my favorite spells of all time.

I agree completely. This spell is an absolute godsend.

[Qwertystop]

Extract Water Elemental, from the spell compendium. Only use it for a killing blow.

[Aneurin]

Web. So long as I can find some way to supply some giant spiders. Summon Monster and Polymorph work nicely for this.

Ring of Fire from Exemplars of Evil just looks funny - an expanding pool of lava that traps anyone still in it when the spell ends? What's not to like?

[Karoht]

Magic Missile.

No really.

Not only is it iconic and well known, but look at the optimizers who try and break it, and turn it into something greater or equal to the power of a 9th level spell.
There was a guy who was able to pull something retarded like 240 xd4 +[insert some ridonkulous number] per cast.
Then you get people who think about arming x number of peasants with scrolls of magic missile, and casting it at the same time to produce [insert absurd number] bolts of force damage.

Sure, it is easily countered. But I would be willing to wager that among some circles of optimization, this 1st level spell, taught to fledgling wizards, is probably discussed as often as any level 9 spell, known only by true masters of the arcane arts.