Limited Wish Choices

[TypoNinja]

So I'm playing a Sorcerer (Mystic Thurge actually) and recently got 7th level spells. It seems like for sheer versatility I should take Limited Wish, however this leaves me in the position of what do I actually use Limited Wish to cast.

This is my first time playing a full caster to this level, so I'm not really a walking spell library, and while I've got a Spell Compendium I could browse, I've noticed that some spells are amazing when used right, but otherwise mediocre, so it seems like asking for some suggestions on things to keep in mind would be my best bet.

So any tips? What's good to cast through Limited Wish?

[holywhippet]

It's all circumstantial as you've noted. Limited wish is useful for when you simply don't have a spell that can help in the current situation and you really need help urgently. So maybe your party is running for their lives being chased by an army of angry monsters. You could wish up a fall of force to block their path. Or if the rest of the party is badly hurt you could wish up a healing spell.

I'd not make a habit of casting limit wish except for emergencies since it costs you XP for every casting.

[Psyren]

It's good for situational stuff you might otherwise have had to go back to town for. Stuff like Break Enchantment, Remove Curse, or Raise Dead for instance. It's a little less useful for you since you have a lot of the cleric spells anyway but it can still be handy if you have the XP or GP to spare (you didn't specify 3.5 or PF so I don't know which.)

Personally, given that you are a MT and thus have cleric spells already, I wouldn't go after LW first thing. I'd go after something your cleric side can't cover instead, like Forcecage, GSC, Waves of Exhaustion, or Prismatic Spray.

[Ivanhoe]

Limited wish is particularly useful for getting faster casting time (=1 standard action) and thus cast spells in combat that usually have very long casting times (hallow with some effect like dimensional anchor to prevent opponents from escaping with magical means, legend lore ... even contingency might be possible, but check with your DM since contingency also requires the casting of a second spell to be contingencie'd).

Also, depending on the divine class for your mystic theurge, you could either get some cleric or druid spells.

[Asrrin]

The automatic -7 to next saving throw is good to pair with a save or die spell.

Under the clause "Produce any other effect whose power level is in line with the above effects" you can cast 4th level psionic powers, of which Psychic Reformation is fairly powerful.

5th level cleric spells also get you Raise Dead if the party cleric takes a dirt nap.

Mostly it's a great "I win" button for casting extremely niche spells that you as a sorcerer don't know but may come in handy in corner cases. Party cleric just got turned to stone? Stone to Flesh would be in any wizard's spellbook, but you as a sorcerer almost never have a use for it.

[TypoNinja]

Yea, I figured with the XP cost I don't want to make a habit of using it. Its for the "Actually, I do have a spell for that" moments.

Using it to produce Psionic powers is brilliant, I hadn't thought of that. I'll have to look up some and see if any jump out at me.

Thurged Sorc/Cleric, I know Wiz is strictly speaking better, but I prefer how a Sorc plays.

[Chronos]

Because of the XP cost, I would never take Limited Wish as my first spell known as a sorcerer. Start by taking something that you can reasonably expect to spam every single day. Once you've got a spammable option, then take Limited Wish as your second spell known of 7th level.

[Ketiara]

Because of the XP cost, I would never take Limited Wish as my first spell known as a sorcerer. Start by taking something that you can reasonably expect to spam every single day. Once you've got a spammable option, then take Limited Wish as your second spell known of 7th level.

This!

Limited wish is a spell that you want when you know what to use it for... and actually even then you might still be missing out on its potential... so, if you don't know how to use it, choose another spell. IMO

EDIT: personally Ive had half a dozen times where I thought I could really use it and it would have been cool to have. But thats in 10 years.. and everytime ive had something els that worked, perhaps not as well but worked. I know that my DM's are not as high op as most on these bords, but still. Wait it out and pick it up when you personally see its potential.

[137beth]

At 14th level, I'd might try and find limited wish from a scroll, but not learn it for a few more levels. Honestly, for a sorcerer, I'm not sure if I'd want to learn it at all, as there are so many good spells and it isn't really spammable at any level pre-epic.
Side note: if the xp cost is swapped out for a gold cost a la PF, limited wish becomes a much more attractive option, as gold increases much faster than xp, so the gold cost at level 16+ is pretty minor for an encounter-winning ability.

[Adverb]

Because of the XP cost, I would never take Limited Wish as my first spell known as a sorcerer. Start by taking something that you can reasonably expect to spam every single day. Once you've got a spammable option, then take Limited Wish as your second spell known of 7th level.

I wouldn't do this as a Sorcerer either, but as a Mystic Theurge I might. I've got Cleric spells of similar level to help out, and I have typical Cleric flexibility there when I pray in the morning. Limited Wish gives me "crap I need it right now" flexibility at a price, but if I don't want to use it, I'm a Sorcerer and can just use that slot to throw out another Disintegrate or Superior Resistance or similar.

TypoNinja - if your DM is friendly, maybe don't sweat memorizing spells too much. Just say, "hey, if I cast Limited Wish and burn 300 XP, can I make [X] happen?" Instead of looking up what the best available bull rush spell is, he/she might just say "Yeah, that will totally work to push them off that cliff right there."

[TypoNinja]

I wouldn't do this as a Sorcerer either, but as a Mystic Theurge I might. I've got Cleric spells of similar level to help out, and I have typical Cleric flexibility there when I pray in the morning. Limited Wish gives me "crap I need it right now" flexibility at a price, but if I don't want to use it, I'm a Sorcerer and can just use that slot to throw out another Disintegrate or Superior Resistance or similar.

TypoNinja - if your DM is friendly, maybe don't sweat memorizing spells too much. Just say, "hey, if I cast Limited Wish and burn 300 XP, can I make [X] happen?" Instead of looking up what the best available bull rush spell is, he/she might just say "Yeah, that will totally work to push them off that cliff right there."

I've also got some metamagic so a few open high level slots aren't a complete waste of time, but thanks to cleric casting (which I overload with all kinds of really situational support spells and just spontaneous into heals after combat) I've got a lot of the "I've got a spell for that" moments covered. So I think I will go with something else.

Normally I'd jump on Energy immunity, but that seems like a bad choice since Cleric got it a level ago.

Spell Turning and Stun Ray both seems like good choices. Which one to get first though...

[Osiris]

{snip} Spell Turning and Stun Ray both seems like good choices. Which one to get first though...

Stun Ray. Not everyone has spells, some have spell-like abilities, or are just Tank types, but stun ray affects anybody. If you have sudden maximize as well, that's a lot of stunning right there:smallbiggrin: If I'm thinking of the right spell, the d4+1 or just 1 spell, if I'm incorrect, don't kill me

[Slipperychicken]

Break Enchantment, Remove Curse, or Raise Dead for instance

Keep scrolls for when you need these in a hurry, and just wait to prep them otherwise (you prep divine spells, right?). At the levels where you're casting Limited Wish, you have more than enough money to afford scrolls.

[TypoNinja]

Stun Ray. Not everyone has spells, some have spell-like abilities, or are just Tank types, but stun ray affects anybody. If you have sudden maximize as well, that's a lot of stunning right there:smallbiggrin: If I'm thinking of the right spell, the d4+1 or just 1 spell, if I'm incorrect, don't kill me

Stun ray seems like a fight winner. I like it.

[NichG]

The auto-hit on next attack thing is also very potent in the right circumstances, e.g. if you're fighting something that has really cheesed out AC or miss chance, and you just need to get that one ranged touch spell effect through.

My favorite Limited Wish story though was that at one point I had a character who burned a casting of it to emulate Message to talk secretly with a high-up Red Wizard across the room during some negotiations. The Red Wizard was so disgusted that they personally scribed a Message scroll and gave it to my character after the meeting.

[Brookshw]

like Forcecage, GSC, Waves of Exhaustion, or Prismatic Spray.

Nitpick: FC, PS & WoE are too high level for limited wish 3.5 unless there's some cheese going on. Or did PF drop them in level?

[TypoNinja]

Nitpick: FC, PS & WoE are too high level for limited wish 3.5 unless there's some cheese going on. Or did PF drop them in level?

I think he means I should pick those rather than LW.

Force cage is tempting, though unless I'm missing something Prismatic spray just isn't very impressive. Neither is Waves of Exhaustion.

[Brookshw]

I think he means I should pick those rather than LW.

Force cage is tempting, though unless I'm missing something Prismatic spray just isn't very impressive. Neither is Waves of Exhaustion.

You're right, misread it at first.

Agreed regarding prismatic but woe has its uses. FC is always pretty kick add.