unconventional uses of low level spells.

[robertbevan]

what are some of your favorites? for example, "mount" can call up a horse for you to get where you're going a bit faster, but it could also be used to call up a horse to separate you from your enemies while you run away on foot... effectively making it a meat shield.

what have you got?

[lt_murgen]

Not exactly a spell, but fun none the less.

Our Paladin has the ability to summon a celestial mount. We found it useful to load it up to its maximum carrying capacity when looting treasure. I mean, to the point where the beast could no longer move.

Then he dismissed it.

Days later, when we were back in town, he re-summoned it and we unloaded the treasure.

We call this the "Horse of Holding"

[panaikhan]

Things I have gotten away with in the past:
Grease on a giant's boots (took a little doing, and there was a saving throw as an 'attended item').
Freezing Ray for ice-cold drinks.
Prestidigitation to prevent a noble being poisoned (re-flavoured the meal to taste positively revolting).

[HunterColt22]

I've used dancing lights to create a spot light effect on someone, who was shield surfing down a course of his own design. I then also used it to create a "ghost" version of someone similar mirroring his movements to make it look as if he had competition on his run. Crowd loved it and only inflated the elf's ego even more than need be.

It was an interesting trick, and once the duskblade was done with that, she immediately went back to her research, researching a DM made disease for your race is no fun.

[Belril Duskwalk]

Ghost Sound. Normally I only ever find this little spell useful for minor mood music and entertaining children. But on one occasion, while trying to sneak past a clan of Hill Giants, a party member stubbed his toe and cursed out loud, attracting the Giants' attention. My sorcerer, thinking on his feet, fired off a Ghost Sound of a man shouting behind the giants. The giants proceeded to pound the bush that seemed to have cried out to pieces and left the area without ever noticing us.

[NichG]

Rope trick can suspend a significant amount of weight. Therefore you can use it in place of Immovable Rods to create temporary architectural supports for rope constructions of various sorts. I've got a player who used this trick to win a magical bridge-building competition.

I also like the idea of a computer made of Magic Mouths (they can respond to auditory signals, so you can use them to make auditory circuits).

[robertbevan]

Freezing Ray for ice-cold drinks.


nice one. i've actually got this one in the first chapter of the sequel to my novel.

[jaybird]

Launch Bolt + Eschew Materials.

Colossal crossbow bolts as a cantrip.

[nedz]

The Dwarf fighter was badly wounded during a hard fight when he was grappled by a Hook Horror. Fearing that he was about to be rent asunder I said "I Grease the Dwarf". Dwarf waived the save and ended up ungrappled and on the floor.

[Pilo]

Launch Bolt + Eschew Materials.

Colossal crossbow bolts as a cantrip.

@jaybird:
This one is abusive, the bolt is the target of the spell not a component.

[Andreaz]

Launch Bolt + Eschew Materials.

Colossal crossbow bolts as a cantrip.Yeah, no. Eschew materials only works if the bolts cost less than 1gp, which colossal bolts definitely do not. And don't come at me with "But bolts' only listed price is 1sp", because that table only accounts for small/medium weapons, who use very different weapons than someone Colossal.

You may resume your normal programming.

[ThiagoMartell]

Yeah, no. Eschew materials only works if the bolts cost less than 1gp, which colossal bolts definitely do not. And don't come at me with "But bolts' only listed price is 1sp", because that table only accounts for small/medium weapons, who use very different weapons than someone Colossal.

You may resume your normal programming.

Even if it did work, you would take a major penalty to your attack roll.

[HunterOfJello]

Disguise self as a medusa. Now you can fight an enemy who is flat footed against you since his eyes are closed.

Alter self for a crazy long list if options.

Always remember, Prestidigitation is just a Minor Wish.

[BowStreetRunner]

I use Detect Animals or Plants as part of a chain of spells that allow my druid to move around the world fairly freely.

At his home he has a garden with plants gathered from all over the world. Regular uses of Plant Growth keep them all prospering. When abroad, he uses Commune with Nature to get a general idea of where there are plants of any of the types he keeps in his garden. When he gets close to those areas he uses Detect Animals or Plants to locate the specific plants needed, then uses Trasport via Plants to teleport back home through those plants.

It doesn't always work to rely merely on ranks of Survival and Knowledge (nature) to find useful plants for the Transport spell, so the lowly Detect Animals or Plants can be extremely useful to have for this purpose.

[BowStreetRunner]

Yeah, no. Eschew materials only works if the bolts cost less than 1gp, which colossal bolts definitely do not. And don't come at me with "But bolts' only listed price is 1sp", because that table only accounts for small/medium weapons, who use very different weapons than someone Colossal.

You may resume your normal programming.

Actually, Launch Bolt only lists a Verbal and Somatic component. There is no material component to the spell. As Pilo stated, the target of the spell is "one crossbow bolt in your possession."

[Dr Bwaa]

We call this the "Horse of Holding"

We usually just use the Druid for this. Load him up way beyond encumbrance limits, then he wildshapes and it all disappears until he resumes his real form. Good use of the celestial mount for those times when it's not actually useful to have around, though (ie any dungeon).

[Andreaz]

Actually, Launch Bolt only lists a Verbal and Somatic component. There is no material component to the spell. As Pilo stated, the target of the spell is "one crossbow bolt in your possession."You want me to quote books? I will quote books.

"Material Component: The crossbow bolt to be fired (1sp)"Earlier it also cites it works off a Light Crossbow, but again without citing size.

[BowStreetRunner]

You want me to quote books? I will quote books.


I did not realize this spell was reprinted in the Spell Compendium. It does indeed have a material component in that version, which would interact correctly with Eschew Materials.

[Andreaz]

Ok :D
obligatory character minimum filler

[jaybird]

Earlier it also cites it works off a Light Crossbow, but again without citing size.

Would it be related to the Wizard's size, though - as in, would the Wizard, if under the effects of Enlarge Person, fire Large Light Crossbow bolts instead of Medium Light Crossbow bolts? The "as a Light Crossbow" suggests that size does matter, unfortunately.

[Yora]

I like to aim damage spells at floors or ceilings against magic immune opponents. Better than nothing.

[lucky9]

I like to aim damage spells at floors or ceilings against magic immune opponents. Better than nothing. On that note, our DM was getting into the impossible situations phase for our high level party one time. He threw a monster he created at us with all kinds of immunities, including magic 10' radius. The party wizard just disintegrated(not that low level, I know) the floor and the monster fell a few stories before landing on a rival adventuring party in the same dungeon... As for low level spells: a member of my group had a story of when he was playing a gnome illusionist and there was a giant in his party. They were really playing up the gnome/giant racial enmity. The party was about to have an important meeting with the king. Just before the doors of the grand hall opened for them the gnome whispers 'glitter' as in the glitterdust spell. Making tough guy giant all sparkly during the meeting.

[Karoht]

Acid Splash.

Cantrips in Pathfinder (for sorcerers anyway) are endless. Meaning that I can indeed use Acid Splash as often as I want.
Acid typically bipasses all hardness on objects unless the object has a specific property to deal with that.
Using it to create marks on walls in a dungeon where we know that the walls are shifting from time to time, certainly makes it easy to keep track of where one has been or where one is. The real trick was coming up with a labeling system to corrispond with the map we were drawing, but one linguistics skill check and Craft: Cartography later we had something to work with.

As for walls which one thinks may be illusionary, Acid Splash tends to be an excellent test. No marking? Probably an illusion.

Need to get rid of some evidence? Melt it in acid.

Want to ranged sunder someone's weapon? Acid arrow can do the trick, though not ideal. Aiming for another caster's spell component pouch or spell book? Now we're talking. Sure, there are better options for this sort of thing, but it works in a pinch.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Magic Missile homing beacon. Mr. Wizard has the lovely See Invisible spell buff up, and the party is fighting an invisible enemy. Wizard casts Magic Missile via a wand (doens't have to, but easier for spell spam), the party knows the targets location square every round. Not ideal, but for low level where Invisibility is awesome, a great counter.

[Anxe]

Magic Missile homing beacon. Mr. Wizard has the lovely See Invisible spell buff up, and the party is fighting an invisible enemy. Wizard casts Magic Missile via a wand (doens't have to, but easier for spell spam), the party knows the targets location square every round. Not ideal, but for low level where Invisibility is awesome, a great counter.

This one's only relevant if there is also a silence effect in the area. The wizard could just tell the party where the invisible enemy is.

[gr8artist]

yeah, but this way he's telling them AND dealing 1d4+1 damage at the same time. :smallbiggrin:
My favorites...
Command. Our ship was being attacked by pirates. They pulled alongside. We started to attack. I leapt across the 10' gap effortlessly (rogue). The cleric didn't stand a chance. So he made them come to him. They tried a standing jump from the edge of the ship. Orc pirates in splint mail... not making a standing 10' jump. Instant KO.
Burning hands. Same campaign, different pirates. Invisibility to sneak into their cargo hold (where they stored black powder for cannons). Stand in window, light floor on fire. Immediately leap out window. Watch in amusement as enemy ship explodes.
Flaming sphere. Having a celebration? Why not make 5' bonfires which moved at will? Oh, and just for flavor make them look like animals. Pyromancer now leads a troop of dancing otters, foxes, dogs, and bobcats. You want to put on a show? That's a good way to do it.

[TuggyNE]

Acid typically bipasses all hardness on objects unless the object has a specific property to deal with that.

I don't believe that's the case. Hardness (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/exploration.htm#hardness) and Energy Attacks (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/exploration.htm#energyAttacks), combined, indicate that sonic and acid do normal damage (with hardness subtracted, if applicable), and other types do half or quarter damage (before hardness is subtracted). Certainly it could be clearer, but there's no specific language saying that acid and sonic ignore hardness, only that they are not reduced prior to that.

[Etrivar]

It was the first session of a seafaring campaign, and one of the players fell over the edge and drowned. After quickly recovering the body, my 1st level sorcerer proceeded to use shocking touch as a defibrillator.

[gorfnab]

Regal Procession (Spell Compendium) - It's Mount/CL. When used in naval combat it can fill the enemy's deck with horses. It's good in any situation when you need to block off passages or confine movement. Or if you're being tracked cast it jump on the horses you need and send the rest off in random directions.

[Karoht]

I don't believe that's the case. Hardness (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/exploration.htm#hardness) and Energy Attacks (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/exploration.htm#energyAttacks), combined, indicate that sonic and acid do normal damage (with hardness subtracted, if applicable), and other types do half or quarter damage (before hardness is subtracted). Certainly it could be clearer, but there's no specific language saying that acid and sonic ignore hardness, only that they are not reduced prior to that.
Yeah, not sure how I got that quite so bass-ackwards. Consider my suggestion retracted for the time being.

[Zaq]

I have not done this, but I have always WANTED to use Prestidigitation while fighting a bulette to make someone taste like elf. You know, the one thing that a bulette won't eat.

In a naval campaign, I once used Silent Image to create a rather large illusion of a whirlpool, which bought us a buff round while the incoming enemy ship maneuvered around it.

[Deophaun]

I have not done this, but I have always WANTED to use Prestidigitation while fighting a bulette to make someone taste like elf. You know, the one thing that a bulette won't eat.
Wouldn't work. It's limited to flavoring non-living material. Additionally, the "lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects" would likely mean it cannot duplicate the effects of horrible taste spell, which is essentially what you're doing.

[dascarletm]

Wouldn't work. It's limited to flavoring non-living material. Additionally, the "lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects" would likely mean it cannot duplicate the effects of horrible taste spell, which is essentially what you're doing.

I'd yet to see a DM throw away a good prestidigitation if it was clever enough:smallbiggrin:

[Deophaun]

I'd yet to see a DM throw away a good prestidigitation if it was clever enough:smallbiggrin:
Not sure how clever it is. There's a reason I know that particular little detail off the top of my head, and it's not from exhaustive study.

[SowZ]

While not a low level spell, my favorite use of stone shape is to make a square hole below an enemies feet, then make a peg the exact size and shape of the hole fall from the ceiling directly above said hole.

[Socratov]

prior casting the spell glitterdust, keeping it charged on my hand. next I need to cinvince the king that his advisor is evil (yeah, it's a job requisite for advisors). So By bluffing that I have an evil ratbastard identifying spell charged and that it will go off when I face someone evil I face the advisor and let the spell go active. Result: advisor raging about his evil plan, King mad at advisor, lots of lewt :smallamused: Who needs zone of truth when you have a nice bluffscore and glitterdust? :smallcool:

[TypoNinja]

The Dwarf fighter was badly wounded during a hard fight when he was grappled by a Hook Horror. Fearing that he was about to be rent asunder I said "I Grease the Dwarf". Dwarf waived the save and ended up ungrappled and on the floor.

That's pure gold.

I had a wizard in a game I ran who used a reserve feat to summon an earth elemental all the time, didn't use it for combat. Bob (yea we named it) the Earth Elemental's job was to earth glide just the other side of the wall and report back if he ever came across intersecting corridors.

No more searching for secret passages for that party.

[Tokuhara]

Tibbit Wizard + Enchanted Collar of Mage Hand = Flying Cat!!!

[TuggyNE]

I had a wizard in a game I ran who used a reserve feat to summon an earth elemental all the time, didn't use it for combat. Bob (yea we named it) the Earth Elemental's job was to earth glide just the other side of the wall and report back if he ever came across intersecting corridors.

Useful, but isn't that the #2 use of that reserve feat? (The #1 being trapfinding.)

[Andreaz]

prior casting the spell glitterdust, keeping it charged on my hand. next I need to cinvince the king that his advisor is evil (yeah, it's a job requisite for advisors). So By bluffing that I have an evil ratbastard identifying spell charged and that it will go off when I face someone evil I face the advisor and let the spell go active. Result: advisor raging about his evil plan, King mad at advisor, lots of lewt :smallamused: Who needs zone of truth when you have a nice bluffscore and glitterdust? :smallcool:
Beautiful, but doesn't work either. You don't hold charges with non-touch spells.
Also good thing no one around you had spellcraft o.o

[Socratov]

Beautiful, but doesn't work either. You don't hold charges with non-touch spells.
Also good thing no one around you had spellcraft o.o

well, the DM at the time thought it was ok while I could concentrate on keeping the spell alive :smallamused:

Just remembered: Once I was playing in a dungeon wit a couple of newbies. 1 had a 2-hander PA barbarian, the other a rogue, I was a warlock. So we find this bear skeleton. Barb has a tough time hitting at lvl 6 (really poor rolls), the rogue achieves next to nothing, my blasts seem to not really hurt the bear. At the moment the bear seems to be missing only a 10 HP or so after 3 rounds. so next I ask My DM: "Are bones considered chrystalline like they are in the real world?" DM: "I don't see why not..." me: "Ok, I invoke baleful utterance" DM rolls saves "ok, save fails, roll dmg", I roll dmg 6d6, 2 fours, 1 five, and 3 sixes. DM: "Ok, the bear explodes into a fine dust. have some treasure". me: "I guess he *puts on glasses* lost the right to bear arms".

[Magnera]

Unseen servant can do just about anything a monster with 2 str can do.
Open/close doors, hold up a sheet for concealment.... The list goes on and on

[PaperMustache]

There was some enemy that was supposed to chuck some sort of throwing sword from horseback. I had my unseen servant go up and sit on his weapon which unbalanced it so he couldn't throw it far enough to hit me. Guy thought he was cursed.

[Andreaz]

Unseen servant can do just about anything a monster with 2 str can do.
Open/close doors, hold up a sheet for concealment.... The list goes on and onCompany on cold nights...

[Krazzman]

Wouldn't work. It's limited to flavoring non-living material. Additionally, the "lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects" would likely mean it cannot duplicate the effects of horrible taste spell, which is essentially what you're doing.

Casting 1: My clothing smells like elf.
Casting 2: Now it tastes like it too.

[navar100]

My sorcerer likes to use Benign Transposition for rescuing. Funny how it's always the paladin who needs the rescuing. My favorite time is when I was in a dungeon corridor while the paladin was in a room fighting some efreet. They were attacking him with spells and he got dropped to Death's Door. On my turn I moved next to the cleric in the corridor and cast Benign Transposition, switching my place with the paladin, knowing I would be attacked by the efreets' spells. Meanwhile, cleric healed the paladin back up into fighting capability. On my turn I cast Benign Transposition again to get the paladin back into the fight.

[robertbevan]

Company on cold nights...

nice one. i like your style, dude.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Glitterdust a Silent Image. Requires 2 casters to pull off but great for prepared enemies. The enemies know you have an utilize invisibilty. So, your two casters cast Silent Image and Glitterdust simultaneously. The 'invisible' image 'appears' and the enemy springs their trap early thinking one of their guys revealed the invisible enemy.

[Duboris]

Gonna have to say that the most unorthodox use of a lvl 0 spell involved our fighter pinning down a guard, and the nearby PC using create water to water board him.

He later used the same trick to drown 3 people.

[Deophaun]

Casting 1: My clothing smells like elf.
Casting 2: Now it tastes like it too.
As it can only affect 1 lb of material at a time, I hope you're not wearing armor, as it would take 30 rounds just to do that to some simple leather. And the wearer still tastes and smells like the wearer tastes and smells.

[Traken]

Casting Light on someone's eyelid is an amusing interrogation technique. heh.

[HunterColt22]

Stone shape has made our character lives in one campaign a nightmare. "You find a statue of Nerull." the druid then has a wonderful idea "... I stone shape it into a dildo." "Well, now you have the god of death, very freaking pissed off at you, along with two others for elevating a talking cat to god hood.... Good job." That is sadly, he has also done it to a statue of a demon to shape it into a fellow party member who is a paladin... Some days I just want to hurt the druid.

[nedz]

Casting Light on someone's eyelid is an amusing interrogation technique. heh.

Targeting someone's eyes with a light spell to blind them was a suggested combat use of the spell in the 1E PH.

[manyslayer]

yeah, but this way he's telling them AND dealing 1d4+1 damage at the same time. :smallbiggrin:
My favorites...
Command. Our ship was being attacked by pirates. They pulled alongside. We started to attack. I leapt across the 10' gap effortlessly (rogue). The cleric didn't stand a chance. So he made them come to him. They tried a standing jump from the edge of the ship. Orc pirates in splint mail... not making a standing 10' jump. Instant KO.

In 2nd edition (when you could command wasn't limited to a list of specific words/effects) I once commanded the plate mail wearing enemy to swim from on board the deck of a ship. Of course, one guy I used to play with often used "masturbate" with command.

[Slii Arhem]

You want me to quote books? I will quote books.
Earlier it also cites it works off a Light Crossbow, but again without citing size.

Well, I feel the need to point out that bolts would still cost more the larger they are. At a bare minimum, 10 bolts costing 1gp at medium size would double in price for every size larger than that, so at large it's 2sp per bolt, huge it's 4sp, Gargantuan it would be 8sp, and Colossal it would be 1gp and 6sp per bolt, just out of Eschew Material's range.

That being said, you could still fire Gargantuan nonexistent bolts if the GM used those figures, and not a more realistic figure such as an exponential increase in price based on the time and difficulty involved in crafting bolts out of entire trees. :smalltongue:

As for inventive uses for low level spells, I already mentioned this one in another thread, but Dark Way is the poor man's Wall of Force. The only thing it requires is having two points to anchor it to, and it says quite clearly that it can be tilted to any angle. So stringing it up between two walls gives you 5ft high cover to hide behind, or stringing from floor to ceiling in a 5ft wide hallway can completely block it of. Also, if you centered the bridge in the middle of a 10ft hall, you'd force anyone wanting to pass through that section to have to squeeze through on either side. The spell only allows passage through it if a certain amount of sustained force is applied (200lbs per caster level) and you can pretty much watch your GM have an aneurysm as they try to figure out what the DC on a strength check for pushing 600lbs of sustained force would be, unless they're really into physics problems.

Other uses include a ramp up to high areas for those that can't fly, and one of my favorites, using it in its originally intended use to cross a chasm, then waiting for whatever monster was chasing you to run onto it behind you and Stone Shape-ing a boulder onto the edge of the bridge that just puts it over the max encumbrance. Watch as the mighty Balrog falls into the gap of khazad-dûm, no heroic sacrifices required.:smallwink:
Of course if it were a real Balrog you were fighting, chances are your caster level wouldn't support its weight anyway.

[Sutremaine]

Additionally, the "lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects" would likely mean it cannot duplicate the effects of horrible taste spell, which is essentially what you're doing.
I wonder whose job it is to look through all the other spells and determine whether or not their effects overlap with Prestidigitation's. I also wonder what would happen if your character had consistently been using Prestidigitation to make items taste bad (but not to the point of forcing a save vs. Nausea) and then learned of the existence of the Horrible Taste spell.

[Person_Man]

Binder with the Ronove vestige (usable at 1st level) gets access to the "Far Hand" ability, which lets you move objects as per the Mage Hand spell, but with a Str equal to your Binder level, and as a Swift Action. So buy a very wide and very thin sheet of mithral or whatever, and move it around the battlefield at will to block line of sight and frustrate enemies. (Although they can simply smack it away, they're wasting an action to do so, and in the interim they can't target you with ranged attacks or spells which require line of effect). If your effective Str is high enough that you can carry yourself, you can make a surf board, stand on it, and move it around as a Swift Action.

If you want to pull this off without being a Binder, you have to take the Extraordinary Concentration Feat (Comp Adv), which allows you to maintain Concentration on a spell as a Move or Swift Action (requires Concentration check). Though the Str doesn't scale on generic Mage Hand, so you'd need to be very small/light if you wanted to pull of the surfing trick.

[only1doug]

I wonder whose job it is to look through all the other spells and determine whether or not their effects overlap with Prestidigitation's. I also wonder what would happen if your character had consistently been using Prestidigitation to make items taste bad (but not to the point of forcing a save vs. Nausea) and then learned of the existence of the Horrible Taste spell.

How about the group that has been playing core only and the GM has just purchased spell compendium, "good news guys, we've now got a whole bunch more spells we can use, here's a list of what prestidigitation can no longer do...."

[Toliudar]

Glitterdust a Silent Image. Requires 2 casters to pull off but great for prepared enemies. The enemies know you have an utilize invisibilty. So, your two casters cast Silent Image and Glitterdust simultaneously. The 'invisible' image 'appears' and the enemy springs their trap early thinking one of their guys revealed the invisible enemy.

Since the glitterdust seems to be targeting an illusion, and you're relying on the silent image to react as if it's just been dusted, why not just use the silent image to create the look of a glitterdust spell being cast and revealing the things? The actual glitterdust seems extraneous here. Fun idea, though, and one I'll look for a chance to steal!

A wand of Pyrotechnics makes a great impromptu fire department. Every casting can put out a 20' cube of fire.

I've used Stone Shape to create a stone 'coccoon' on the floor, where we'd just rendered an opponent unconscious. Who needs rope?

Since Locate Object has long range, a decent duration and doesn't require concentration or give a save, I've used it to track an opponent who dimension door'ed out of combat. I cast locate object on the guy's special dagger/hat/whatever, and instant long-range GPS tracking.

My crafter cleric used Mending to fix a McGuffin device, eliminating the need for an entire side quest. The DM looked relieved, actually.

My halfling druid used Speak with Animals to chat with a mouse that gave intel on the occupants and layout of a house where a hostage situation was unfolding.

For my clerics, Updraft has meant never ever making climb checks. And got me out of a patch of Grease when I was doomed to never make the balance check to stand.

[manyslayer]

Force ladder (SC, wiz2, creates an immobile ladder of force) can be used a a poor man's wall of force to stop charges, as well as using as a bridge or even, if you're a bit crazy, a ladder.

[nedz]

If you want to pull this off without being a Binder, you have to take the Extraordinary Concentration Feat (Comp Adv), which allows you to maintain Concentration on a spell as a Move or Swift Action (requires Concentration check). Though the Str doesn't scale on generic Mage Hand, so you'd need to be very small/light if you wanted to pull of the surfing trick.

Servant Horde [SpC] does scale with level.
It creates 2d6+1/level (max 15) Unseen Servants, you just have to be very light - or Reduced.

[The Redwolf]

It's not terribly low level and it isn't something I've been able to do so far, but I want to play a druid and get someone on a patch of dirt and cast create water or get them over stone and cast stone to mud, then have someone with high strength or myself in wildshape hold them upside down with their head in the mud and cast mud to stone. I feel like if you have a group of people to you need to scare that might work fairly well.

[navar100]

I've long wanted to play a cleric who casts Harm, bad guy is reduced to 1 hit point, then cast Cause Minor Wound.

[nedz]

I've long wanted to play a cleric who casts Harm, bad guy is reduced to 1 hit point, then cast Quickened Cause Minor Wound.

FTFY ............

[Karoht]

Because if you can cast a 5th-7th level spell, why not blow the 4(?) spell levels to just make it stick.
Any time I've had the opportunity to cast Harm on anything, one of two things has occured.
1-The target makes the save for half damage.
2-The target has Deathward up and takes no damage.
But the sheer amusement factor of finishing someone with a Cantrip?
Priceless.

[Thump]

Using Ghost Sound to make it sound like the King farted in the middle of his epic pre-battle speech.

[Karoht]

Ghost Sound for a ranged intimidate check.
I find it's worth it to have the Goblin or Troll language just for that purpose.
The words "I will eat your face" apparently sound particularly scary to those who don't understand a lick of Goblin or Troll.
Of course I could probably say "Bunnies and Kitties" in that language and give someone the creeps if they don't know the language.

[sombrastewart]

Ghost Sound for a ranged intimidate check.
I find it's worth it to have the Goblin or Troll language just for that purpose.
The words "I will eat your face" apparently sound particularly scary to those who don't understand a lick of Goblin or Troll.
Of course I could probably say "Bunnies and Kitties" in that language and give someone the creeps if they don't know the language.

Doing it in Abyssal or Infernal would probably do it, provided they have those words.

[Belril Duskwalk]

In 2nd edition (when you could command wasn't limited to a list of specific words/effects) I once commanded the plate mail wearing enemy to swim from on board the deck of a ship.

Another fun use of command: Saving a life. Also in 2nd edition. Our party was talking with the captain of the guard. He was offered a drink by someone. The guard went to drink it. Somehow, we, the PCs knew this drink had been poisoned. But we couldn't tell the guard how we knew. He assumed we were joking and went to drink it anyway. Our cleric decided he would stop him from drinking it, forcibly. He cast command and gave the order "Spill". The guard spilled the drink and, having no idea what just happened, assumed the cleric had predicted he was about to spill his drink. And so the assassination attempt was foiled, by a first level spell.

[Astral Avenger]

Grease centered on BBEG, + combust, 'nuff said.

Edit: not sure how legal this is with anyone else's DM...

[Silva Stormrage]

Grease centered on BBEG, + combust, 'nuff said.

Edit: not sure how legal this is with anyone else's DM...

Doesn't grease comment on how it can be lit aflame? And doesn't combust specify that it can light things on fire :smallconfused: Why would a DM ban that?

[TuggyNE]

Doesn't grease comment on how it can be lit aflame? And doesn't combust specify that it can light things on fire :smallconfused: Why would a DM ban that?

It doesn't. Some D&D-based games allow it to be combustible explicitly (DDO, for example), but given that there is in fact a higher level spell somewhere (Sor/Wiz 2, I believe, but I don't recall the name) that is basically "grease that ignites if you want it to" some DMs figure it's a good reason to nerf grease.

I'm not sure I agree; I might prefer adjusting the Balance rules and removing the superfluous Sor/Wiz 2 version, which has a similar effect on grease's overall power, without the weirdness of non-flammable oily substances spread all over.

[Slii Arhem]

Force ladder (SC, wiz2, creates an immobile ladder of force) can be used a a poor man's wall of force to stop charges, as well as using as a bridge or even, if you're a bit crazy, a ladder.

That's... special, I suppose? It really just seems like they took Dark Way and reduced its effectiveness in every way possible by half (supports half the weight, is half the width, has a definite length limit) and on top of that they gave it a required focus. The only upside, I suppose, is it lasting minutes per level rather than rounds per level. Even so, I wouldn't choose a wizard with this over a cleric with Dark Way.

[MesiDoomstalker]

THis one is dependent on DM and interpretation, but my Wizard has on a few occasions used a Gust of Wind spell as a super jumping ability. Even once dodged the BBEG's attack with a Contingencied Gust of Wind aimed at the floor. That was a fun fight.

[Deophaun]

It doesn't. Some D&D-based games allow it to be combustible explicitly (DDO, for example), but given that there is in fact a higher level spell somewhere (Sor/Wiz 2, I believe, but I don't recall the name) that is basically "grease that ignites if you want it to" some DMs figure it's a good reason to nerf grease.
Incendiary slime, from Complete Mage. And I don't view making grease inflammable as a nerf at all. It's more of a buff than anything, as 9 times out of 10 when fire damage is being tossed around my grease spells, I would rather keep the effects of grease in play rather than have it converted into 1d3 fire damage for 2 rounds.

It also makes it safe to grease the dwarf, as the kids are apparently calling it these days.

[ericgrau]

I've long wanted to play a cleric who casts Harm, bad guy is reduced to 1 hit point, then cast Cause Minor Wound.
Alas that only worked in 3e. 3.5e nerfed it.


I've summoned an unseen servant underneath the opening under a cheap locked door. Had him open it from the inside.
I put my shrink item spell on a (caster level) day cycle so I'm carrying (caster level) shrunken items all the time for only 1 spell slot. Then I load up on random huge stuff from the player's handbook.
Level 3 scrolls of tenser's floating disk make good emergency stretchers and a good way to carry random things you find too.
Wand of augury to play 20 questions on the current plot point.
Reduce person to buff the rogue. +2 to both hit and AC from a level 1 spell.
Swift fly on a sorcerer for when you can't be bothered to lose a single standard action to fly. Cast it again and again.
Round 1 of fight for the macguffin: Levitate the macguffin out of enemy reach. Finish the rest of the fight at a leisurely pace against whichever foe you wish to engage. Ally in trouble? Levitate him too, at range; who needs a healer? Enemy flying away? Levitate flying ally for a 20 foot head start. Dungeon obstacle? The strongest party member becomes a human elevator for the whole party. I used to think it was fly-lite to briefly provide a weak option until you can get the real thing, but it can do so much that fly can't (except the elevator).

[BowStreetRunner]

I wonder whose job it is to look through all the other spells and determine whether or not their effects overlap with Prestidigitation's. I also wonder what would happen if your character had consistently been using Prestidigitation to make items taste bad (but not to the point of forcing a save vs. Nausea) and then learned of the existence of the Horrible Taste spell.

As you point out here, Horrible Taste is a spell that forces a save or become nauseated. Using Prestidigitation to cause something to taste horrible is not the same. Note that the effects of the spell aren't copied by this use of Prestidigitation.

Myself, I am thinking that the next time my character is present when a new cask of beer is tapped, a little Prestidigitation to make the first mug taste bad might just leave me the only customer willing to pay (half-price of course) to drink the rest of the cask. :smallbiggrin: