Your favorite, under-appreciated spells

[Agincourt]

I've seen plenty of threads about best spells, but I'm looking for some hidden gems. I'm focusing on the Wizard/Sorcerer list, but I suppose if the spell is good enough and it can be accessed via Limited Wish, I'd be interested.

So what are the best spells no one talks about? Please let me know what book they are from, the spell level, and explain how you use and why you like it.

[deuxhero]

In 3.5 Pyrotechnics because it is great, but it's inferior to Glitterdust.

You can make the area a cone that won't effect you with a bullseye lantern.

[killianh]

any vermin related magic usually gets shunned for something more practical.

[Ramshack]

Baleful transportation. switch your AoO tank with the enemy wizard in the back line. Always fun times.

Magical Tattoo's for added effects

[Aegis013]

Cure Minor Wounds. Instant stability for a dying character for a 0th level spell? I'll take that over investment in Heal skill any day.

[Agincourt]

Doesn't Create Magic Tatoo have an expensive material component?

[Sponson]

From Stormwrack - Ice Ship.

I played in a nautical themed campaign once. I was a sorcerer who was the mage-on-deck of a small ship (it was a size or two smaller than the galleon). Lots of navel battles occured. A casting of Ice Ship (which summons a Galleon made of ice) and ramming it into the enemy (whose ship was a few sizes smaller, once again) would essentially instantly end the encounter before it began.

Also, Torrent of Tears (http://dndtools.eu/spells/complete-mage--58/torrent-of-tears--814/)
Because making someone cry uncontrollably for 5 rounds is hilarious.

[Aegis013]

Doesn't Create Magic Tatoo have an expensive material component?

100gp of ink. That's certainly non-trivial, but whether it is expensive is relative.

That +1 caster level might net you more than 100gp of profit in a day, for a poorly defined example.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

100gp of ink. That's certainly non-trivial, but whether it is expensive is relative.

That +1 caster level might net you more than 100gp of profit in a day, for a poorly defined example.

The best part is Shadow Conjuration can cover the cost, although, Shadow Conjuration is far from under appreciated.

I've always had a soft spot for Heroics in terms of 2nd level slots. Yeah, it competes somewhat with the infamous Wraithstrike, but it does have the extra utility of being able to give anyone (or everyone, for War Weavers) Martial Study: Take your pick!

[robertbevan]

Cure Minor Wounds. Instant stability for a dying character for a 0th level spell? I'll take that over investment in Heal skill any day.

never thought about that. good call.

[Aharon]

In 3.5 Pyrotechnics because it is great, but it's inferior to Glitterdust.

You can make the area a cone that won't effect you with a bullseye lantern.

Strictly speaking, it won't effect most of your party, but the target is the fire source within the lantern, and you need line of sight to the fire source to target the target, so at least the caster is effected.

[Azoth]

I don't know if these are my favorites, but these are some moments of purely funny uses of a few spells/powers.

1) we were trapped in a high tower prison cell that stuck out from the tower. If memory serves we were about 200-250ft above the ground. We managed to get freed of our shackles and another prisoner was actually a guard in disguise. Well my butt got entangling ectoplasmed. Our rage out machine managed to rip a bunk from the wall and missed smashing the guy's face in (gotta love nat 1's), but destroyed the floor under where he was suspended by his chains. Next up comes our wizard with a celerity...KNOCK...combo. Undid the guys manacles and we watched him kersplat looney toons style.

2) Another funny and IMHO ingenious one was the use of quintence (or whatever that power is that makes a dollop of liquified time is) and delayed blast fireballs. We were to kill a polotician, so our party wiz and psion got together and did the math on how long until a delayed blast fireball would go off if it was covered in that gunk. Came out to be several hours. So a few fireballs under his chair and the podium with a few drops of liquified time coating them, and middle of the event...he got grilled hard while we were long gone.

3) This isn't really a story, but I gotta give some love to telekinesis. I can't count the number of times it has saved my and my party's bacon. Though that life saving only comes if you are occasionally willing to eat a few d6 damage from being forcefully launched over distances, or into enemies, or up to a window, or pray that your weapons aren't' the thing being jetesoned to impeede the enemy...

[panaikhan]

Don't know if it is a favorite, but my one of my oddest uses has to be:
I said I wanted to use Grease on the underside of a Giant's boots (sinse I couldn't effect every square he was standing in).
DM ruled that the boots got a saving throw as an attended object, which the Giant subsequently failed, then failed the save for moving in a greased area.
It gave the party time to get out of melee 'SPLAT' range (we were low level) and mount a ranged salvo do deal with it.
Another spell I loved was Scatterspray. My sorceror always carried bags of marbles for such occasions (sinse the marbles became a hazard to movement after dealing their damage, and my DM ruled caltrops were too heavy to be effected)

[Glimbur]

Helping Hand is normally a pretty bad spell. It lets you guide someone to you, over a rather significant distance, but who trusts a ghostly hand? However, the fact that it is an Evocation that nevertheless can find people can be amusing. If, for example, someone is (ab)using the hide rules to snipe at your party, but you know what they look like, cast Helping Hand. The spell appears in front of them, which gives you enough of a target to cast, say, Glitterdust. If you still can't see them after a -40, just run for it.

[ben-zayb]

Lightning Leap: get out of jail card, in case of dimensional lockery.
Ferocity of Sanguine Rage: solid +1/2CL morale bonus to damage if you like wading in combat
Trap the Soul: no Save, no SR if done right
Hail of Stone: easy to optimize L1 conjuration spell, with no save, no attack, no SR.
Helping Hand (swordsage'd): a cleric spell that finds creatures and is not a divination effect.
Refreshment: another cleric spell. removes all non-lethal damage (troll with energy immunity, how ya doin?) plus other minor goodies.
End to Strife: no save 20d6 damage/attack on the aggressor in an 80ft radius

[Eldan]

I love Entice Gift. It's a level 2 enchantment from Spell Compendium. The effect is that a target creature has to give you whatever it is holding in its hands. "Oh, a sword? For me? How nice!"

Also, for pure fun, there's one I forgot the name off. It transforms your beard into precious metal. That gives you a natural armour bonus and a diplomacy bonus with dwarves.

[Antonok]

Also, Torrent of Tears (http://dndtools.eu/spells/complete-mage--58/torrent-of-tears--814/)
Because making someone cry uncontrollably for 5 rounds is hilarious.

This. Love this spell.

Made a Goblin Wu Jen for an oriental campaign once who (along with a cleric who had Blindness) shut down ever encounter we had.

(Off Topic)
One of the encounters we had was with some rogue samurai. Their leader could make an Orc **** his pants. He failed his save, and it was just funny as hell imagining this little 3ft goblin berating this 8ft buff samurai into tears.

Back on topic; I also like Fire Trap combined with Open/Close.

[AmberVael]

Improvisation. Like, holy crap.

I think mainly it goes unmentioned because it is a bard spell, and when people get down to talking about casting, they normally are talking about a fullcaster. And as far as I know, there's no real way to get it onto another list.

(Well, maybe if your DM gives a favorable ruling on Extra Spell, or you use Archivist and Divine Bard.)

But seriously, it is a really awesome spell. It is a level one spell that grants you a pool of luck points equal to twice your caster level. You can spend these points to increase basically any roll you make, and can spend up to one half your caster level in points on any given roll.
At low levels it's not too amazing, but at higher levels? It's the best level 1 spell there is. It scales like crazy, and allows you to succeed on whatever roll you want to succeed on.

The only downside is that it only lasts one round per level, so it's better in combat or really short duration scenarios.

[LadyLexi]

Prestidigitation- Clean 1 foot of space every round for 1 hour? Saves time in bathing, keeps the barbarian from walking around covered in dried blood, can make my cheap meal taste like a king's feast. Also, I like the approach to this kind of magic, a list of things it can do and an hour to do the effects in.

Mending- Damn it, I tore my blouse when we were fighting that stupid troll. Way faster than sewing.

Hell the two of those alone make general housekeeping and clothing repair a breeze.

[Slipperychicken]

Infernal Transformation. Might not give you flight, but it gives you a beard attack.

Think about it. You KILL PEOPLE WITH YOUR BEARD. How awesome is that?

[Psyren]

Can we include powers too?

I'm a big fan of Control Flames. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/controlFlames.htm) Have your level 1 Psion or Wilder start the game with a few torches and you're set - you're basically making fire elementals at level 1 and can torch an entire encounter for the low cost of 1 PP. Long range too, and once the bad guys catch on fire, you or a teammate can control their flames too. Nobody is making a DC 25 reflex save at 1st-level.

[CthulhuEatYou]

Backbiter, Level 1 spell from SC that causes an enemy to hit himself with his next strike. Op in lvl 1 where one hit can be lethal.

[Ryu_Bonkosi]

Think about it. You KILL PEOPLE WITH YOUR BEARD. How awesome is that?

Pretty awesome. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116838)

I rarely see people mention it and when I bring it up in groups they don't know the spell but Guidance of the Avatar (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20010504a) has to be hands down one of my favorite spells of all time. It is just so good.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Phantom Steed. At 12th level, it has Air Walk, and by level 14, it flies. So it's a 3rd level version of Overland Flight, and by a strict interpretation, you can use Mounted Combat to negate damage to your ride so you stay in the air longer.

[Hyde]

Good old all-purpose "fabricate" for when you have too many skill points.

Need a bridge? bridge. Need a door? door. need a door to not be there any more? pile of spoons (The rules are a little vauge, but making multiples was always a house rule of ours- there are other ways to pull this off).

The inexact nature of the spell lends itself to a variety of shenanigans. It wasn't enough to destroy the enemy ships with fire- my brother had to fly high above them, cast wall of Iron, and then fabricate it while it was falling toward the enemy into a spike-like shape, punching a hole clean through the ship, or so we estimated.

[Slipperychicken]

Anyspell, and its Greater brother. Clerics now get some Wizard toys. If you're a shameless bastard, you can DMM: Persist Wraithstrike for easy-hitting, power-attacking fun. If you do have shame, you can enjoy Wizard toys like Phantom Steed or Overland Flight.

[Sudain]

Helping Hand is normally a pretty bad spell. It lets you guide someone to you, over a rather significant distance, but who trusts a ghostly hand? However, the fact that it is an Evocation that nevertheless can find people can be amusing. If, for example, someone is (ab)using the hide rules to snipe at your party, but you know what they look like, cast Helping Hand. The spell appears in front of them, which gives you enough of a target to cast, say, Glitterdust. If you still can't see them after a -40, just run for it.

Brilliant.

[Tvtyrant]

I like Ooze Puppet, because you get control of the Ooze for 24/level, meaning you can get up to 20 days per casting.

The way to really abuse this is to have the Ooze step into a box when not in use, and on the 20th day you cast Ooze Puppet on it till it fails the save. It makes getting the Oozes somewhat difficult, but you can have an entire army of them which you use like Pokemon once you have them caught.

Also, the Oozes are mindless, so you can lock them up and put them in Handy Haversack (inside a box of some sort of course), and even if you don't have them under your control you can propel them into the enemy and let them mindlessly attack them.

[Psyren]

I like Ooze Puppet, because you get control of the Ooze for 24/level, meaning you can get up to 20 days per casting.

The way to really abuse this is to have the Ooze step into a box when not in use, and on the 20th day you cast Ooze Puppet on it till it fails the save. It makes getting the Oozes somewhat difficult, but you can have an entire army of them which you use like Pokemon once you have them caught.

Also, the Oozes are mindless, so you can lock them up and put them in Handy Haversack (inside a box of some sort of course), and even if you don't have them under your control you can propel them into the enemy and let them mindlessly attack them.

Or fill the boxes with Quintessence - the clock doesn't start ticking until you're ready to use them.

Did I mention Living Spells are oozes?

[Ernir]

Arcane Turmoil (CMage). Targeted Dispel Magic, only a level lower and with a debuff. I have no idea why it isn't mentioned more often.

Battlemagic Perception (HoB). Free alerts when the enemy starts spellcasting, which is useful - but you get an opportunity to counterspell the thing too, which is awesome. With its duration, there aren't many excuses for going into battle without one at higher levels, IMO.

Spell Theft (CScoundrel). It actually does what it says it does.

Tasha's Hideous Laughter (PHB). Just because I see Torrents of Tears being mentioned. I think this one is better. Especially if you're a Bard (or a Hexblade, I suppose). One of the better low-level SoLs I know of.


Anyspell, and its Greater brother. Clerics now get some Wizard toys. If you're a shameless bastard, you can DMM: Persist Wraithstrike for easy-hitting, power-attacking fun. If you do have shame, you can enjoy Wizard toys like Phantom Steed or Overland Flight.

Anyspell is under-appreciated? :smalleek:

[Makiru]

Also, for pure fun, there's one I forgot the name off. It transforms your beard into precious metal. That gives you a natural armour bonus and a diplomacy bonus with dwarves.

That would be Silverbeard. It's a 1st level paladin spell, hilariously enough.

I'm a fan of the investiture spells from FC2, personally.

[Tvtyrant]

Or fill the boxes with Quintessence - the clock doesn't start ticking until you're ready to use them.

Did I mention Living Spells are oozes?

...I now know what I have to do with my next character. He will be an* Ooozymon trainer!

Edit: an

[Agincourt]

I love Entice Gift. It's a level 2 enchantment from Spell Compendium. The effect is that a target creature has to give you whatever it is holding in its hands. "Oh, a sword? For me? How nice!"

I'll have to give this one a try. Have you found it problematic to encourage enemies to move closer to your spellcaster? The spell lasts one round, and then you could have a really annoyed tank next to your wizard.

[Tvtyrant]

I'll have to give this one a try. Have you found it problematic to encourage enemies to move closer to your spellcaster? The spell lasts one round, and then you could have a really annoyed tank next to your wizard.

And now we finally have a spell that can be used to tank. You simply chain Entice Gift together as a Cleric with the Greed domain, and force every enemy in sight to move to you.

[eggs]

I love the spell matrix line, but I don't hear anyone else talk about them. On first blush, they're kind of mediocre - Quicken Spell already does similar and is a locked feat for many casters. But they're amazing action economy (especially for gishes), and they get certain effects in early.

For instance, a level 9 caster can start quickening Hastes, or a gish can start getting a full suite of low-level buffs up without interfering with its combat routine - and do so considerably faster than quickening or spellsurging them.

Or when considering that metamagic doesn't actually raise a spell's level, they permit certain tricks like gishes that can channel Smiting Empowered Combusts through weapon attacks at level 10 in the same round as their normal charge/full attack routines.

[King Atticus]

I've always had a soft spot for Heroics in terms of 2nd level slots. Yeah, it competes somewhat with the infamous Wraithstrike, but it does have the extra utility of being able to give anyone (or everyone, for War Weavers) Martial Study: Take your pick!

Heroics, while awesome, isn't a valid War Weaver Spell AFAIK. It's saving throw:none not saving throw: whatever (harmless).

But if you know of a way around that stipulation I would love to hear it, I'm putting together a War Weaver right now and am looking for tricks.

[Uhtred]

Otto's Irresistible Dance. My sister played a Pixie Bard in one of my campaigns and got it as a SLA. I prepped a whole huge encounter with a Frost Giant Jarl, maps, minis, the whole shebang. The party showed up, he came out of his cave and used Never Outnumbered; everyone in the party was scared witless except for her. She flew right up to him and poked his nose; bam. Macarena. It was a bit of a fizzle of an encounter.

Also, not an arcane spell, but Bewildering Substitution! Make it APPEAR as though an enemy and an ally have switched places. Hilarity ensues.

[Mirakk]

Any spell or spell combo expertly timed.

In one campaign, one of the bad guys was making a break for it in a boat while the others got mopped up by the party. The party makes it out of the cave to see him making a break for it.

That's when the druid struck. Call lightning, and the row boat is destroyed. The man plunges into the ocean. The Sorcerer casts Hold Person, and stops the poor guy from swimming around. Next round the Sorcerer cast Hideous Laughter while he was sinking, and that was the end of that guy.


The party reactions IC were actually quite cool. Everyone started to wonder about the sorcerer for a bit, on account of his unusual cruelty.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Heroics, while awesome, isn't a valid War Weaver Spell AFAIK. It's saving throw:none not saving throw: whatever (harmless).

But if you know of a way around that stipulation I would love to hear it, I'm putting together a War Weaver right now and am looking for tricks.

I think the usual trick is to use Spellguard of Silvery Moon ( Silver Marshes AFAIK); but I am not sure.

I think there is a War Weaver handbook at BG, so you might want to check it.

[Garwain]

Things I did as a lvl1-3 cleric with Enlarge Person (from str domain):

- climb out of a 10ft pit (without removing heavy armor)
- grapple a low flying young wyrmling dragon
- served a an in promptu ladder
- broke skulls with the enlarged heavy mace
- walked under water and enlarged to breathe
- blocked the narrow alley (lvl1 thou shall no pass)

It has become his signature spell. At low levels there are a lot of mundane obstacles while wearing heavy armor, but enlarge person helps a great deal.

[Quirp]

Some of my favorite, not-so-often-mentioned spells are:
-resinous tar
-Bigby´s slapping hand
-fool´s gold
-defenestrating sphere
-familiar refuge

[Sudain]

Erase.

You don't need to erase every word; just a select words will do.

Should read:
Adventurers wanted: A dangerous Balor has been in town terroizing people. Please seek and destory it. The reward for it's destruction is the hand of our local princess, and she will bestow our ancestral +2 weapon of demon bane. Our people will be eternally grateful.

Change it to read:
Adventurers: A dangerous town terrorizing people. Seek and destroy the hand of local princess. She ancestral demon, eternal.


Now that's a little choppy, but still changes the message. Add in a forgery skill check(plays wonderfully with this spell) and you can easily change the message.

Erase + forgery.
Adventuers wanted: A dangerous town is being terrorized by it's very people. Specificity please seek and destroy the local princess. By her hand, she's damming others eternally.

Written information is wonderful to play with. :)

[Slipperychicken]

Anyspell is under-appreciated? :smalleek:

I keep forgetting and rediscovering it, anyway :smalltongue:. Haven't seen anyone use it in an actual game. Going to try it out on my Cleric soon enough (Substitute Domain to get Spell Domain).

[Myrddin0001]

prestidigitation gets swept under the rug a lot. But I've had some good times with it. Once I had a Hat of Prestidigitation with unlimited charges.