Best cantrips or level 1 spells at CL1

[supermonkeyjoe]

So according to the item creation rules a use activated first level spell at CL1 would cost 50GP or 25GP for a cantrip, are there any spells that would be remotely worth the cost?

The ones I have found that might be worth it:

Blockade (complete scoundrel)- 2000lb 5'/5' wooden block for 3 rounds,

Mount- for when you suddenly need a horse for an hour

Obscuring mist- Smokebomb! for when you need to make a sudden getaway


Any other contenders that adventurers might like to keep on hand, should ideally have a duration of minutes/hours per level or a fixed duration, or an instantaneous effect that's worth 50GP, I'm ideally looking for spells that wouldn't be potions or oils.

[galan]

Prestidigitation.

[Waker]

0:
Dawn- Instantly awaken all sleeping or unconscious creatures within 15ft. Good for night ambushes.
Prestidigitation- The bestest cantrip ever. Clean objects or yourself, flavor your food, dye your clothes...
Silent Portal- Handy for any burglar.

1:
Benign Transposition- Let you swap places to get out of danger or to save an ally.
Cheat- Depending on the game, the spell could literally pay for itself.


Sorting through all these spell lists is boring, so that's all for now.

[avr]

Feather Fall Talismans exist and characters buy them.

Silent Image. Maybe Disguise Self, too. True Strike, occasionally. Unseen Servant is sometimes useful or fun.

Entangle is a decent battlefield control spell lasting a minute even at CL1. Aspect of the Wolf, Camouflage and Hawkeye are useful buffs, each in their own way. They're Personal so can't be potions. Wood Wose is another version of Unseen Servant.

It'd be easier to make suggestions for a particular character of course.

[ben-zayb]

Nerveskitter and Benign Transposition also make great (Eternal) Wands.

That wasn't the question, was it? :smallwink:

[Killer Angel]

Not exceptional, but Ray of Enfeeblement is a solid debuffer even at CL1.

And if you need it, Shield gives you that +4 at CL 1, so it can be handy, at low level games.

one scroll of Speak with animals can be nice.

Grease is great (edit: but, as noted, not at CL 1)

[Rubik]

Not spells, but...

Astral Traveler (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/astralTraveler.htm) (as it's not worth a power known)

Call to Mind (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/calltoMind.htm)

Catfall (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/catfall.htm) (if only for kip-ups)

Control Light (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/controlLight.htm)

Detect Psionics (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/detectPsionics.htm)

Entangling Ectoplasm (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/entanglingEctoplasm.htm)

Hammer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/hammer.htm)

Skate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/skate.htm)

Synesthete (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/synesthete.htm) (especially if you're either blind or deaf or cursed with one of the two)

Vigor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/vigor.htm) (mainly for use between battles so you save 5 hp in healing every fight)

Control Object (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/controlObject.htm) (1d6+Int bludgeoning damage and utility are pretty darned nice, even into mid-to-high levels, especially if your Int is high)

Destiny Dissonance (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/destinyDissonance.htm) (no save, sickens foe for one round; good if you have a moment to prepare and use unarmed strikes or natural attacks especially)

Psionic Charm (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/charmPsionic.htm) (just keep manifesting it until it sticks)

Bite of the Wolf (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/biteoftheWolf.htm)

Chameleon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/chameleon.htm)

Claws of the Beast (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/clawsoftheBeast.htm)

Compression (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/compression.htm) (also see: Reduce Person)

Expansion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/expansion.htm) (also see: Enlarge Person)

Float (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/float.htm) (especially in a seafaring campaign)...

...And the grandaddy of them all, Psionic Minor Creation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/minorCreationPsionic.htm[/url). Who couldn't use infinite food, drink, flammable materials, poison, basketweaving material, and anything made out of MAHOGANY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14D5wKSVlXg)!?

Don't forget Cure Minor Wounds, Cure Light Wounds, and Lesser Vigor for infinite out of battle healing.

[Ravens_cry]

Enlarge Person on your ablative armour. Not only are they hitting a little harder, but reach is awesome.

[Lord Haart]

In my personal experience (mostly single-digit levels; the default level range in Moscow is not the same as the default level range here on Playground), the spell i've used and was glad i have most often, the spell that always worked well whether good CL or CL 1, the spell that i had the pleasure to wish i had when it could change the situation dramatically, was good old Obscuring Mist.

[Slipperychicken]

Charm Person is still awesome when you can get it off.

Scrolls of Scholar's Touch are a good idea by the time your WBL approaches the five figures range. Reading a whole shelf of books in a Standard Action can be quite useful. Also helps you cram for tests.

[Rubik]

Scrolls of Scholar's Touch are a good idea by the time your WBL approaches the five figures range. Reading a whole shelf of books in a Standard Action can be quite useful. Also helps you cram for tests.Combine with Autohypnotoad Autohypnosis to permanently memorize every book you read as a standard action.

[eggynack]

Instant of power (FoW, 114) is pretty sweet. It's a first level spell that grants a +4 on the target's next attack roll, damage roll, or saving throw, as an immediate action. There's zero scaling, so the CL doesn't matter, and there's an incredibly low action cost.

[Slipperychicken]

Combine with Autohypnotoad Autohypnosis to permanently memorize every book you read as a standard action.

Spend a weekend at the setting's largest library to memorize all knowledge therein with perfect recall, then hope your DM doesn't critically hit you with his copy of Expanded Psionics Handbook.

[Alabenson]

It's a bit campaign dependent, but I've found Daze to be quite useful at 1st level. It's not a great spell, but if you're trying to conserve your first level spell slots Daze is one of the most effective level 0 combat spells.

[gorfnab]

Amanuensis (SC), Cantrip - Xerox copy machine in spell form.

[Ruethgar]

Of course Mageslayer and Sanctum on any of the spells that don't require a CL to function is always worth the money.

[Sunken Valley]

Chalkboard. The Cantrip that gives you cover.

[Cavir]

Cloistered Cleric version of Identify => 1st level divine spell that bypasses the 100gp arcane material cost. Scribe it yourself for a mere 12.5gp/1xp to be able to ID something while down in the dungeon in just one round and not have to wait to get back to town.

I know we're talking CL1 but this got me thinking... For CL2 or CL3 (depending on your metamagic specials): Add Reach to the divine Identify and ID what your enemies are using! No save, no SR, just a ranged touch roll. Might be nice to know what the BBEG's primary item can do before he uses it on you.

[Rubik]

Cloistered Cleric version of Identify => 1st level divine spell that bypasses the 100gp arcane material cost. Scribe it yourself for a mere 12.5gp/1xp to be able to ID something while down in the dungeon in just one round and not have to wait to get back to town.

I know we're talking CL1 but this got me thinking... For CL2 or CL3 (depending on your metamagic specials): Add Reach to the divine Identify and ID what your enemies are using! No save, no SR, just a ranged touch roll. Might be nice to know what the BBEG's primary item can do before he uses it on you.Chain Spell means you can ID all of them, and if they're all cursed or Evil items, you won't feel bad about using Disjunction on him!

[lsfreak]

Identify's cast time is rather prohibitive of in-combat usage, and Rules Compendium set the cast time off items equal to the original cast time. Off the top of my head, the two ways of counter that would be SpT erudite Linked Power abuse or maybe blowing a limited wish, neither of which are very ideal.

Mount also makes an excellent trapfinder, and unlike summon monster, if it fails to find a trap you don't have to blow another use for the next section. In similar vein, Unseen Servant is good.

@Killer Angel: Grease is significantly less useful at a 1-round duration. Pump the CL, sure, but without that it's pretty bad.

If your DM allows a use-activated, non-action True Strike... though you deserve the smack you'd get from everyone here for taking advantage of it if they were that naive.

Silent Image and Ghost Sound are both very good if you've got them effectively at-will, but requires creativity on the player's part (and a DM that doesn't stonewall using them creatively).

Disguise self suffers from CL1 more than the other illusions, but is certainly not wasted.

Cure minor wounds, cure light wounds, or lesser vigor for unlimited out-of-combat healing.

Some of the paladin or ranger spells would be good. Rhino's Charge (double damage on charge) comes to mind as probably brokenly-good.

Distract Assailant, also if you get it as swift-action to match the original, would be very good. Yea the saving throw sucks... but most melee aren't doing **** with their swift actions anyways, so the rare autofail is probably worth when your DM inevitably realizes dropping Rhino's Charge every round is silly.

[Bullet06320]

If your DM allows a use-activated, non-action True Strike... though you deserve the smack you'd get from everyone here for taking advantage of it if they were that naive.





lol, best use of a first level spell ive gotten away with on lowlevel magic items a few times

[Killer Angel]

@Killer Angel: Grease is significantly less useful at a 1-round duration. Pump the CL, sure, but without that it's pretty bad.


You're obviously right, I was focusing on the effects, that are not level-dependent, so i forgot the duration.

[Radar]

I'd like to point out, that Haste is a 1st level spell for Trapsmith. It does suffer from the low CL, but it's surely not a wasted action in a big party.