Most novel spell?

[Grinner]

So, spells. There's a lot of them. In fact, by one count, there's 4,958 of them in the core books and official supplements*. With all of those spells, there's certainly a considerable amount of chaff, but I'm sure there's a couple gems as well.

What spells catch your interest and why? Are they interesting? Well-designed? Just plain fun?

*The count included a number of 3rd edition supplements as well as reprints, so that figure is a little inflated.

[Bakkan]

I figure the most novel spell is probably Scholar's Touch.

[Phelix-Mu]

I figure the most novel spell is probably Scholar's Touch.

*ba dum boom ching*:smallbiggrin:

So, there is a long list of stuff that comes to mind.

awaken line: so hard to really turn into an exploit, but, gosh, create a new sentient creature from almost nothing (or something that is much less). I am still working on the finer points of my plan to take over reality with awakened green slime. At higher levels of optimization, this is a really inefficient way to do stuff that you should probably be using ice assassin for, but is nevertheless very cool. Once made a spaceship out of awakened colossal oaks that had been hardened to the strength of adamantine and shaped into a solid hull. Massive action economy fun, hehe.

polymorph line, esp. pao (and it's more rational breakdown into a series of limited scope permanent transmutation effects): Turn x into y! It's hilarious fun for the whole family, and can lead to some crazy fun and madness. I had a high-level druid that used stone shape, transmute stone to sand and stone metamorphosis to very slowly channnel a natural magma chamber toward a series of underground caverns that were full of the corrupt ooze-thing that was going to devour the world. Hehehe, good times. Definitely useful underground, in close quarters.

Obviously, the other big show in polymorphing is shapechange, which should really be called "do anything right now forever."

There are others that I will mention if they don't come up, but business calls me away from idle posting.

[eggynack]

My favorite spell has to be heart of water (CM, 107). I just love the design of the thing, along with the fact that it's such an efficient little package. For the "spell with the coolest name" category, my current pick has to be raptor cloud (SoS, 128). Classic options like defenestrating sphere and dinosaur stampede seem so played out by this point, and raptor cloud is such a nifty little spell. Finally, for the category of weirdest spell, I'd have to go with mandragora (MotW, 90). I just don't understand the thing. Is it for if you're facing enemies with low will saves, but have a high will save yourself, and your enemies also love to use illusions? Is that a thing? Either way, with half of itself devoted to confusion, and half to true seeing, mandragora is a spell that is weird as hell.

[Cog]

I figure the most novel spell is probably Scholar's Touch.
That was probably true until they printed Mordenkainen's Monumentous Manuscript. No they didn't.

I'm fond of Cloud of Knives. Sure, it's ultimately just another attack per turn, but the idea of having a cloud of sharp, glittering death hanging over your head waiting to be flung off at a moment's notice is pretty fun.

[RolandDeschain]

I don't know if it's the "most novel", but Bonefiddle always struck me as creepy as ****.

[Fax Celestis]

That was probably true until they printed Mordenkainen's Monumentous Manuscript. No they didn't.

I'm fond of Cloud of Knives. Sure, it's ultimately just another attack per turn, but the idea of having a cloud of sharp, glittering death hanging over your head waiting to be flung off at a moment's notice is pretty fun.

One of these days I'll play someone who uses cloud of knives and ring of blades all the time, and who themes all his spells as magically-propelled shrapnel.

[BWR]

Mad Monkeys (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateMagic/spells/madMonkeys.html#_mad-monkeys) is a favorite.
2e Solipsism and There/Not There were also fun. Bascially succed at STs to convince yourself a non-existent bridge is actually there, or vice versa.
Which lead to some interesting situations when someone is shooting an arrow at you, believeing there isn't a wall between you while you believe there is.

Also, this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203799)thread might be useful.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I'm endlessly amused by Snakebite. It's not a very useful spell, but the idea of turning one of your arms into a live snake makes me do a little "WFT?" snort-laugh every time.

[Fates]

Engulfing Terror can be hilarious at low levels- summons a gelatinous cube over which you have no control, that attacks whatever creature is closest to it at any given point in time. Lots of fun shenanigans to be had with that one.

Evard's menacing tentacles, which causes two tentacles to spring from your back and make slam attacks every round as a free action, is already pretty fun on its own, but it's especially fun if you have a familiar. :smallbiggrin:

Interestingly, Scholar's Touch actually is rather novel, I think. Especially when combined with a decent autohypnosis score and a generous DM, allowing you to perfectly memorize several volumes of text in a short amount of time, it can be really useful in certain situations.

[Vedhin]

Skyhurling (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20050114a) qualifies as just plain fun.
Skyrift, on the same page, has interesting BBEG/campaign setting potential.

My favorite spell is Binding Chain of Fate from City of Splendors: Waterdeep. Awesome name, nifty effects.

[NichG]

My absolute favorite is Energy Transformation Field. Its basically a spell that can be used to create magical engines, computers (using overlapping fields for logic gates), the whole works. I had a character who used it to unseal an earth-sized volcano on the Plane of Water once, and who received death threats from Mechanus due to his plans to use an ETF with Planar Binding to create an exponentially growing lantern archon summoning engine.

There's certainly a lot of fun that can be had with Polymorph Any Object.

One core spell I really like the idea of, but have never really seen used in play, is Refuge. I think its a cool concept to be a benificent high-level cleric/outsider/etc who can hand out get-out-of-jail-free cards to people or ways for them to summon them to aid them when needed.

[Vedhin]

Wah, I just realized I forgot Price of Loyalty from Magic of Eberron. It's basically Charm Person, but the only component is a Focus component, a platinum piece you give to the target.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Lovebite. It's on the initiate of sune and ruby rose knight paladin spell lists.

It lets you deliver touch spells at range but just the name of it and the goddess that provides it makes me giggle like I'm in high school again.

Then there's haboob. It's not terribly good but I just love saying haboob.

For functional novelty it's hard to beat skillfully used major image.

I'm also fond of haunt shift. Poltergeisted plate armors and vehicles FTW.

[Dalebert]

The prismatic line of spells.

[Slipperychicken]

Mad Monkeys (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateMagic/spells/madMonkeys.html#_mad-monkeys) is a favorite.

Seconding Mad Monkeys. I want to have a character and cast that spell one day.

[bekeleven]

I'm endlessly amused by Snakebite. It's not a very useful spell, but the idea of turning one of your arms into a live snake makes me do a little "WFT?" snort-laugh every time.

http://evoluto.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/xavier_renegade_angel_416_1680.jpg

[Bullet06320]

its a 2nd edition spell, but easily converted to 3rd.
mantle from secrets of the magister
it takes 4 pages to detail the spell, scales with level and cost a 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th level slot at its best. but I think its worth it

now for just 3rd editon publication, summon undead spells from the forgotten realms campaign book before they errated and updated it

and I will give a thumbs up to scholar's touch


That was probably true until they printed Mordenkainen's Monumentous Manuscript. No they didn't.
I don't recognize it, where do I find it?

[Forrestfire]

Grim Revenge: It's a combination dismemberment and reanimation, where you rip someone's hand off at range and turn it into a flying wight that attacks them. I feel like this spell was written by someone trying to figure out the most hilariously evil thing a bad guy could do to a hero... No, wait, I lied. That would be Love's Pain, a spell reserved only for the most card-carrying of villains. You care so little about your enemies that you spend a turn to kill their loved ones instead. Accompanying it with an evil laugh isn't required, but it should be.

Another of my favorites is Crushing Fist of Spite, partially because of the picture. You materialize a gigantic in the sky and punch people with it. If you're casting it normally, then you're making the fist out of pure, disease-fueled rage, as it requires Festering Anger as a component. This spell boils down to someone being so angry at something that reality itself punches that something in the face.

Another awesome spell I've found is Ring of Fire. Why? Because the floor is now lava. Not much else to say there, other than "the immunity to lava damage rules are dumb and you should talk to your DM and have them fix that before using this." Still, a level 17 mage can make real many a childhood fantasy.

Lastly (but not leastly), I really like the Celerity line of spells. You're literally stealing time from the future to act in the present. How cool is that?

Honorable mention is the simple Magic Missile. I love the idea of being a dakkamage throwing unerring balls of force at things. I wish it was a stronger spell at later levels, or that there was a way to optimize it well.

[Captnq]

So, spells. There's a lot of them. In fact, by one count, there's 4,958 of them in the core books and official supplements*. With all of those spells, there's certainly a considerable amount of chaff, but I'm sure there's a couple gems as well.

The actual count of official, WotC, 1st party, RAW spells is 3316. Eliminating duplications, of course. And No, dragon magazine is not "official". Published under a 2nd party, I'm afraid. But the number does include the on-line DLC.

The first spell is abate dracorage, The last Being Zone of Truth.

I personally think there are 197 Above average spells.


ADEPT SPIRIT
ADORATION OF THE FRIGHTFUL
ADVICE
AID, MASS
ALIBI
ALTER FORTUNE
ALTER SELF
AMANUENSIS
AMBER SARCOPHAGUS
ANIMATE OBJECTS
ANTICIPATE TELEPORTATION
ANTIMAGIC FIELD
ARCANE FUSION
ARCANE FUSION, GREATER
ARCANE SPELLSURGE
ARCANE TURMOIL
ASTRAL PROJECTION
BIGBY’S HELPFUL HAND
BLACK KARMA CURSE
BLADE BROTHERS
BLINK, GREATER
BLOOD WIND
BREAK ENCHANTMENT
CELERITY
CELERITY, LESSER
CHAIN CONTINGENCY
CHAIN DISPEL
CHAIN OF EYES
CHOOSE DESTINY
CLOAK OF KHYBER
CLOSE WOUNDS
CLOUD OF KNIVES
COBRA’S BREATH
COMBUST
COMPREHEND LANGUAGES
CONTACT OTHER PLANE
CONTINGENCY
CONTINUAL FLAME
CREATE FOOD AND WATER
CREATE MAGIC TATTOO
CREATE SPRING
CURE LIGHT WOUNDS
DEADFALL
DEATH PACT
DEATH WARD
DETECT MAGIC
DETECT THOUGHTS
DIMENSION DOOR
DISCERN LOCATION
DISGUISE SELF
DISOBEDIENCE
DISPEL MAGIC
DISPEL MAGIC, GREATER
DISPLACER FORM
DISTILLED JOY
DIVINATION
DIVINE INSIGHT
ENERGY TRANSFORMATION FIELD
ENGULFING TERROR
ERUPT
EVARD’S BLACK TENTACLES
FABRICATE
FALSE LIFE
FAMILIAR POCKET
FAVOR OF THE MARTYR
FEATHER FALL
FEIGN DEATH
FIND TRAPS
FLESH TO ICE
FORTUNATE FATE
FREEDOM
FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
GATE
GEM TRACER
GENTLE REPOSE
GLIBNESS
GLITTERDUST
GLORY OF THE MARTYR
HALASTER’S TELEPORT CAGE
HASTE
HASTE, SWIFT
HEAL
HEAL MOUNT
HOARD GULLET
HOWLING CHAIN
ICEBERG
ICICLE
IMPRISONMENT
IMPROVISATION
INNER BEAUTY
INSIGNIA OF HEALING
INVISIBILITY
INVISIBILITY, GREATER
KELGORE’S GRAVE MIST
LEGEND LORE
LIMITED WISH
LIQUID PAIN
LONGSTRIDER
MAGE ARMOR
MAGE HAND
MAGECRAFT
MAGIC JAR
MAGIC MISSILE
MAZE
MENDING
MESSAGE
MIGHTY WALLOP
MIGHTY WALLOP, GREATER
MIND BLANK
MIRACLE
MIRROR IMAGE
MIRROR IMAGE, GREATER
MOLD TOUCH
MOMENT OF PRESCIENCE
NERVESKITTER
NEUTRALIZE POISON
NIGHTMARE
NONDETECTION
OTTO’S IRRESISTIBLE DANCE
OTYUGH SWARM
OVERWHELM
OWL’S INSIGHT
PERMANENCY
PERMANENT IMAGE
POLYMORPH
POSITIVE ENERGY AURA
PRESTIDIGITATION
PROJECT IMAGE
RAISE DEAD
RARY’S MNEMONIC ENHANCER
RAY DEFLECTION
READ MAGIC
REGENERATE
REINCARNATE
REJUVENATING LIGHT
REMOVE CURSE
REMOVE DISEASE
RESIST ENERGY
RESTORATION
REVENANCE
REVIVIFY
ROPE TRICK
SCALDING TOUCH
SEEKING RAY
SHADES
SHADOW CONJURATION
SHADOW CONJURATION, GREATER
SHADOW EVOCATION
SHADOW EVOCATION, GREATER
SHALANTHA’S DELICATE DISK
SHAPECHANGE
SHELTERED VITALITY
SHRINK ITEM
SILENCE
SIMULACRUM
SINSABUR’S BALEFUL BOLT
SLEEP
SLIDE, GREATER
SLIPSAND
SLOW
SPEAK WITH DEAD
SPELL MATRIX, LESSER
SPELL PHYLACTERY
STALWART PACT
STONE SHAPE
STONE TRAP
STONESKIN
STORM TOUCH
SUFFER THE FLESH
SUMMON MONSTER I
SURGE OF FORTUNE
SUSPENSION
TASHA’S HIDEOUS LAUGHTER
TELEPORT
TENSER’S FLOATING DISK, GREATER
THAT ART THOU
TIME STOP
TRANSFERENCE
TRIADSPELL
TRUE CASTING
TRUE SEEING
TRUE SEEING, MASS
TRUE STRIKE
UNHALLOW
UNNAME
UNSEEN SERVANT
VALIANT STEED
VAMPIRIC TOUCH
VIGOR, LESSER
VIGOR, MASS LESSER
WALL OF FORCE
WEB
WINGS OF FLURRY
WISH
WORD OF RECALL
WRAITHSTRIKE
ZONE OF TRUTH

[eggynack]

Is that list purely wizard/cleric based? If not, you're missing quite a few clearly above average spells. Also, as I noted above, heart of water is some sweet business, and shows up on the wizard list, especially because freedom of movement is there, and is a generally inferior spell.

Edit: Also sorcerer. And maybe some other stuff, but I'm not sure. Mostly just not-druid, which gives my heart sadness.

[ben-zayb]

I applaud the Ubermensch who designed the teleportation spells from Stormwrack:
Stormwalk: not only does this spell give druids an alternative transportation spell, but it also does it in style; imagine a storm suddenly brewing/intensifying in your area to the point where you can't see anything, and after the longest ten minutes of your life, by the time the weather calms down, a band of adventurers suddenly appears before you

Planar Navigation: not that transporting mass of people across planes in assembly line fashion is bad, but occasionally, I'd rather teleport like a BAMF-ing pirate cap'n with your crew on board the Colossal+(or however big you want it to be) mothership

Other stuff that aren't necessary "spells":
Black Labyrinth: this mystery has a very cool flavor (some vast, dark and twisted maze where you have no idea where you're going) backed up by strong mechanics

Time Hop: another gem that is both flavorful, largely versatile (seriously, this is probably XPH's answer to Silent Image), potentially powerful, and decently usable even in combat; it's also a low level power, so the fun starts as early as level 5

[eggynack]

I applaud the Ubermensch who designed the teleportation spells from Stormwrack:
Stormwalk: not only does this spell give druids an alternative transportation spell, but it also does it in style; imagine a storm suddenly brewing/intensifying in your area to the point where you can't see anything, and after the longest ten minutes of your life, by the time the weather calms down, a band of adventurers suddenly appears before you.

It is an utterly fantastic little spell. You can't really pull of a scry and die, but it does long range party transportation better than just about any other druid spell. Also, master earth (SpC, 139). Teleportation that is not teleportation is a wonderful thing. Also also, shuffle (Shining South, 49). Druids get a lot of things, but one thing they do not get in any sort of efficient manner, at least from spells, is tactical teleportation. Shuffle is nowhere near the best tactical teleportation spell, but it's almost certainly the best tactical teleportation spell for druids, and that is a cool thing.

Edit: Also, that list of above average not-druid spells has freedom, and it does not have ice assassin. I mean sure, you should keep it in mind in case someone gets imprisoned, but ice assassin is one of the best 9th's in the game. There's a lot of competition for that spot, but freedom is not one of the competitors.

[ben-zayb]

Also also, shuffle (Shining South, 49). Druids get a lot of things, but one thing they do not get in any sort of efficient manner, at least from spells, is tactical teleportation. Shuffle is nowhere near the best tactical teleportation spell, but it's almost certainly the best tactical teleportation spell for druids, and that is a cool thing.O_O
Whoa, I didn't realize Shuffle is on the Druid's list... That's what I get for assuming Druids generally not having straight up teleportation (without theatrics or *nature-bending*).

[eggynack]

O_O
Whoa, I didn't realize Shuffle is on the Druid's list... That's what I get for assuming Druids generally not having straight up teleportation (without theatrics or *nature-bending*).
Yeah, it's pretty nice, and also rather incongruous. Druids also get unicorn heart (CM, 121), which is basically seventh level dimension door, with the same duration type as the heart of X line (hours/level, expend as a swift for the door), but that's not a particularly good spell (I might actually be underestimating it though. Swift action dimension door that's available all day could actually come in handy). However, the best tactical teleportation option for druids is definitely exalted wild shape for blink dog form, which is probably better than what other casters are doing in that area. It's not natively available though.

[bekeleven]

Yeah, it's pretty nice, and also rather incongruous. Druids also get unicorn heart (CM, 121), which is basically seventh level dimension door, with the same duration type as the heart of X line (hours/level, expend as a swift for the door), but that's not a particularly good spell (I might actually be underestimating it though. Swift action dimension door that's available all day could actually come in handy). However, the best tactical teleportation option for druids is definitely exalted wild shape for blink dog form, which is probably better than what other casters are doing in that area. It's not natively available though.

Best part of Unicorn heart is that you can DDoor with someone else as a touch attack. One of the only teleport spells to leave off "willing."

[Arael666]

To me is cantrips... I mean, can you get more novel like than prestidigitation? Detect magic? Mage Hand? Dancing Lights? Mending? Message?

All those spells are vastly used, if not overused, in any book/game. You just cannot be taken serious if you call youself a wizard but can't even create light, repair a simple broken glass or levitate something.