"What? I didn't cast that fireball at you."

[ScrambledBrains]

A few questions for my beloved Ponyground. :smallbiggrin:

1. How many ways are there that allow a degree of deniabilty when casting? (I.E. How many ways to hide your casting are there?)

2. How many of them have any real use for a mid to high op game?

[Answerer]

Well, Fireball for one is described as a projectile emanating from your space, so it's pretty obvious.

Otherwise, it's largely up to the DM.

If you want to do this sort of thing, there's a Metamagic feat in Cityscape, IIRC, that allows you to make magic look like it was coming from somewhere else entirely.

[Coidzor]

Let's see, IIRC there's the invisible spell metamagic feat, at least one skill trick from Complete Scoundrel, the silent and stilled spell metamagic feats...

[ScrambledBrains]

Well, Fireball for one is described as a projectile emanating from your space, so it's pretty obvious.

Otherwise, it's largely up to the DM.

If you want to do this sort of thing, there's a Metamagic feat in Cityscape, IIRC, that allows you to make magic look like it was coming from somewhere else entirely.

Well, you could use Invisible Spell on the fireball, but I see your point,

I'm aware of Deceptive Spell, but I'm looking for all options. Other MM feats(Even Stilled and Silent Spell), skill tricks, and any magic item, if any exist, that could hide a spell.

Thank you for your help though. :smallsmile:

[Flickerdart]

There's a couple of ways to make something else (your familiar, a shadow duplicate) appear to be the source of a spell, if that's close enough.

[ScrambledBrains]

There's a couple of ways to make something else (your familiar, a shadow duplicate) appear to be the source of a spell, if that's close enough.

I hadn't even thought of those...nice! :smallsmile:

[Zale]

I think Don't hold me to this that I read somewhere about allowing a Sleight of Hand check to work your spell casting into something innocuous.

Like working the gestures and words of a Suggestion spell to make a conversation with a few minor gestures.

[nedz]

It helps to have a good bluff roll, which is more of your Sorceror or Bard kind of thing. Bard especially, since they get Glibness :smallsmile:

[ScrambledBrains]

It helps to have a good bluff roll, which is more of your Sorceror or Bard kind of thing. Bard especially, since they get Glibness :smallsmile:

Or a Factotum thing. :smallbiggrin:

[Venusaur]

Races of Stone has a use for sleight of hand that lets you deny casting. No skill trick needed.

[Zombulian]

I heard this trick a while ago. Be an Anthro-Bat Psion that goes into Thrallherd. Have your Thrall be a rogue. You always sit on your Thrall's shoulder and have him wear some wizardy robes. Every time you manifest a power have your rogue make a bluff check. You are now a familiar!

[Just to Browse]

Hmmm... I don't remember where it was from, but one of the Monte Cook 3rd party material books (I think The Book of Eldritch Might, or something in that series) had a feat where you could cast a spell over the course of 10 minutes by incorporating the necessary gestures into your actions without tipping someone off.

[ahenobarbi]

Also Deceiptive Spell (Meta Magic +1) from Cityscape makes spell look like it came from somewhere else.

[nedz]

As a Bard you can use Disguise Spell (from CAdv) to hide your spell within your perfomance (spot v perform) and then Subsonics (also from CAdv) so that they don't know you are the performer.

[ScrambledBrains]

Alright, all good stuff. :smallsmile: Another question-Assuming a level 19 Factotum, what are the best 15th level or lower Ex. abilities to take?

[Flickerdart]

The Rogue's special abilities are all pretty nice, and can all be useful in certain situations.

[Slipperychicken]

False theurgy (skill trick, CS), AFAIK, just works. "No sir, I was just re-casting my Mage Armor".

Beguilers get Still and Silent 'fo free, so no one sees them casting, or can identify or counter their spells. Beguiler10/Rainbow Servant10 casts the whole Cleric and Beguiler lists stilled, silently, and spontaneously at 20th level.

You're putting points into Sleight of Hand anyway, might as well use the Races of Stone skill use (SoH vs. Spot to hide casting).

To hide the fact you're even a mage, item of at-will Magic Aura for 2,000gp. Christmas-Tree effect darkened. No one detects your auras/buffs.

Dress in anything with an ASF (the higher the better), find a sneaky way to mitigate it. "What kind of mage wears Fullplate?". Carry a cudgel, dagger, spiked-chain, or greatsword around, even if you don't know how to use it. Basically, disguise as a cleric or thief, and never wear robes.

[Flickerdart]

Better yet, wear a Monk's robes. Everyone will ignore you!

[Slipperychicken]

Better yet, wear a Monk's robes. Everyone will ignore you!

With a ponytail (obligatory trailing cloth headband?), sandals, a rope belt, and hand wraps. Everyone will think you'll make all your saves, have a ridiculous AC, Spell Resistance, and barely inconvenience them. Act like you're guarding another caster, so you seem even less important. Genius!

[erikun]

Disguise Spell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm#disguiseSpell) has already been mentioned, but it's on the SRD as well.

[Wookie-ranger]

Magic jar into someone and cast your spells. you are the one casting the spell, but everyone will see the person that you currently 'occupy'.

or dominate an other spellcaster.

[Wavelab]

Here ya go (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/projectImage.htm)

I loved that spells once when I played a illusion specialized red wizard. Screwing with people is so much fun.

[Ravens_cry]

I heard this trick a while ago. Be an Anthro-Bat Psion that goes into Thrallherd. Have your Thrall be a rogue. You always sit on your Thrall's shoulder and have him wear some wizardy robes. Every time you manifest a power have your rogue make a bluff check. You are now a familiar!
Aren't Anthro-bats a wee bit too big for that?

[Greyfeld85]

Races of Stone has a use for sleight of hand that lets you deny casting. No skill trick needed.

Yeah, this is what I did for my beguiler. Between this, massive skill points per level, and free silent/still spell, I could pretend to be a helpless damsel in distress in pretty much any situation, with nobody the wiser.

[Morph Bark]

Aren't Anthro-bats a wee bit too big for that?

Expanded Knowledge: Compression? Helps only for some of the day of course, unless you can somehow get a 24-hour version.

[shadow_archmagi]

Aren't Anthro-bats a wee bit too big for that?

Also, if I remember right, Anthro-Bats get huge wisdom bonuses, which won't help a psion at all?

[Telonius]

This works best against a single mark. You can use various illusion spells to make a person believe that an evil gremlin is following him around. Only he can see it; you can voluntarily end the spell as soon as he notices it, so nobody else can detect it. Add on the Nightmare spell every once in awhile, to really pile it on. Then, just use a few glamers to make yourself appear like the gremlin, cast whatever you want, then turn invisible. He'll have no reason to believe it was anything other than the gremlin doing the casting. Of course everyone else will believe he's gone completely insane, but that's half the fun.

[Zubrowka74]

On the mundane side, if we're specifically discussing fireballs I'd say : Sleight of Hand + Delayed Blast Fireball.

[Duke of URL]

Isn't there also a metamagic called Earthbound Spell, or something like that -- it essentially makes a single 5' square "trapped" to trigger the effects of the spell when someone steps in the square. Not the most useful of feats, but great for plausible deniability, as you wouldn't even necessarily have to be there when it goes off.

[Morph Bark]

On the mundane side, if we're specifically discussing fireballs I'd say : Sleight of Hand + Delayed Blast Fireball.

And then another Sleight of Hand to put the bead into someone's pocket. :smallamused:

[Zombulian]

Aren't Anthro-bats a wee bit too big for that?

Well get a large Thrall then! Duh :smalltongue:


Also, if I remember right, Anthro-Bats get huge wisdom bonuses, which won't help a psion at all?

Psion is more for the fact that you don't have somatic, verbal, or material components for your "spells."