Spells every new DM should make sure to know.

[Squirrel_Dude]

Pretty simple premise. What are some spells that every DM should have in their back pocket to either make their handwaving less obvious, or to try and stop some easily accomplished cheese that can mess with plot? Obviously this first requires us to understand what spells can mess with a game, and then is basically trying to figure out how to beat them.

So, I'll try and start.

1. Misdirection: All of your NPC big bad will have this spell active. All of them. And if one of your players is a Paladin, all of his lieutenants will have this spell cast on them, too. There. Now the Paladin can't "ruin" games with his ability to detect evil at will because all of your baddies register as a block of wood to him.

[Eurus]

Pretty simple premise. What are some spells that every DM should have in their back pocket to either make their handwaving less obvious, or to try and stop some easily accomplished cheese that can mess with plot? Obviously this first requires us to understand what spells can mess with a game, and then is basically trying to figure out how to beat them.

So, I'll try and start.

1. Misdirection: All of your NPC big bad will have this spell active. All of them. And if one of your players is a Paladin, all of his lieutenants will have this spell cast on them, too. There. Now the Paladin can't "ruin" games with his ability to detect evil at will because all of your baddies register as a block of wood to him.

Not sure if that's entirely fair, but to each his own. :smalltongue:

2. Forbiddance: One of the best practical ways to ward an area against teleportation. The damage is secondary.

[Deophaun]

3. Grease. At least make it a challenge for the ubercharger to one-shot enemies.

[Zanos]

4. Teleport Through Time. Retcon everything that just happened with RAW!

5. Mage's Private Sanctum. No save, lower level than mind blank, can be made permanent, and prevents scrying with no save of any sort? Glorious.

[Squirrel_Dude]

Not sure if that's entirely fair, but to each his own. :smalltongue:

2. Forbiddance: One of the best practical ways to ward an area against teleportation. The damage is secondary.It's more that I don't think that any villain should be so incapable that a level 1 character could out him as evil without batting an eye. It's about making villains respectable, not hating on the Paladin.

It's also because it really grates on my nerves when people complain about how overpowered the ability for a Paladin to detect evil at will, when the solution is a level 2 spell.

[Jeenyus]

6. Baleful Transposition (heightened and probably quickened or readied).

Great for getting NPCs away from sneak/death attacks, minimizing damage to low hp NPCs, swapping the enemy tank for a squishier opponent, and other fun little tricks. In a pinch it works as Benign Transposition (both subjects intentionally fail their save) which increases is flexibility.

There are higher damage options, but if you include some kind of cc mage in your encounter then this is a very viable option after a couple cc spells are in place.

[RCgothic]

It's more that I don't think that any villain should be so incapable that a level 1 character could out him as evil without batting an eye. It's about making villains respectable, not hating on the Paladin.

It's also because it really grates on my nerves when people complain about how overpowered the ability for a Paladin to detect evil at will, when the solution is a level 2 spell.

It isn't a crime to be evil. The obvious solution is to have enough evil-yet-not-provably-nefarious characters in your campaign world that merely registering as evil isn't just cause.

[Vaz]

There is a First level spell just for that, it is called Undetectable alignment. If he is that worried about being outed, then that spell is needed.

Also Contingent spell/Craft Contingent spell is a wonderful thing. It allows you to on the fly adjust your defense suite to the power of the party. If they start pulling out all the stops, adjust appropriately.

[Crake]

It isn't a crime to be evil. The obvious solution is to have enough evil-yet-not-provably-nefarious characters in your campaign world that merely registering as evil isn't just cause.

This is the obfuscation method I prefer. Also misdirection allows a save, so it's not a good enough excuse, because a) paladins tend to have pretty decent saves and b) he'd've been bound to pass one eventually, but didn't? He wouldn't be happy with that. If you're gonna do that, just grab rings of mind shielding all around, or potions of undetectable alignment with breakfast.

[Telok]

7. Divination (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/divination.htm).


A divination spell can provide you with a useful piece of advice in reply to a question concerning a specific goal, event, or activity that is to occur within one week. The advice can be as simple as a short phrase, or it might take the form of a cryptic rhyme or omen.

If your NPCs have a 7th level cleric and a 14+ Intelligence they need to use this spell. There's also a domain or two that has Divination as a 3rd level spell. If your PCs are invulnerable to physical damage this spell will let enemies stock up on elemental damage. If the PCs are going to scry-and-die the BBEG this spell will warn him.

Of course your players could use this spell too, but in my experience they never bother.

[Saintheart]

Wings of Cover and Friendly Fire. The first stops Dispel Magic dead in its tracks; the second stops ranged attacks outright.

[TuggyNE]

Wings of Cover and Friendly Fire. The first stops Dispel Magic dead in its tracks; the second stops ranged attacks outright.

Are those spells the DM should know of, in order to deal with them, or spells the DM should know to use, in order to accomplish the listed feats? Because stopping "ranged attacks" from players is just about the opposite of blocking cheese, in most cases.

[Invader]

4. Teleport Through Time. Retcon everything that just happened with RAW!



I can't find this spell anywhere, what's it do or where can I look it up?

[Humble Master]

I can't find this spell anywhere, what's it do or where can I look it up?http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/pg/20030409bThis is were I found it.

Also seconding 7. Divination. Knowledge is power.

[Lafaellar]

If I have a paladin in the group it usually gets the way the paladin doesn't want to use his ability anymore because every time he does I start explaining to him every aura that is visible to him and evil and if he decides to go out killing every evil person it's goodbye paladin powers.

I only use the misdirection trick for evil characters whose modus operandi is to act like the nice guy and not every villain is a villain of this sort.

1. Polymorph any object
The power of this spell almost knows no bounds.

2. Wish / Miracle
You need to know that they exist and what may be done with them.

3. Discern location / Mindblank

4. Dismissal / Banishment / Word of [Alignment]
"I am the mighty demon lord Abazimal and I came to devour the... *toilet flush sound*"

5. Contingency
"You just activated my trap card!"

6. Antimagic field
Can relly destroy even the most elaborated obstacle if it contains the slightest magic in it.

7. True seeing
You could also call it "School of Illusion has left the game"

8. Analyze Dweomer
"Tell me everything"

9. Guards and Wards
Can be really fun if used well.

10. Permanency
Be very careful when a player comes up with an own idea for what could be made permanent.

11. Polymorph
Can be really powerful.

12. Resilient Sphere
Can render a creature almost immune against every form of damage.

13. Minor Creation / Creation / Fabricate
Can be a real mess if a player knows what he's doing.

14. Fire Trap / Sepia Snake Sigil / Explosive Runes / Secret Page / Glyph of warding / Magic Mouth / Symbol of whatever
Can be really interesting plot devices.

15. Tongues
"Speak language is overrated."

16. Gaseous Form
Good and stylish low level boss escape that can even be powerful on higher levels depending on the group.

17. Phantom Steed
Incredibly fast travel speed and style.

18. Phantom Trap
Can be hilarious

19. Silent / Minor or whatever image / Mirage Arcane
Can be very powerful and interesting as long as true seeing is out of the question.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Eh forget numbers. Shivering Touch. A no-save-just-lose touch spell for the vast majority of non-[Cold] creatures, famous for being a dragon's Achilles Heel. Be prepared to have a Wizard spellcraft and counter it, buff your Touch ACs, or protect your important bad guys from ability damage.

[Invader]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/pg/20030409bThis is were I found it.

Also seconding 7. Divination. Knowledge is power.

Oh yeah, that's completely ridiculous.