Arcane Spells that require nothing but thought... 3.5

[D4rkh0rus]

Like the title says, are there spells that require nothing but thought but are decent? I'm talking about spells hat one could cast while shapeshifted into a gelatinous cube. Don't ask.

[DarkSonic1337]

Eschew Materials to get rid of inexpensive material components
Silent Spell eliminates verbal components (if you're a prepared caster I recommend just buying a rod of silent spell)
Still spell eliminates somatic components (same as above)

How often will you be this cube and are you willing to invest in any of the above resources?

[OldTrees1]

Still Silent Eschewed Material Spells?

Maybe become an Incantrix 8 in order to get both Still and Silent on your spells for free.

[D4rkh0rus]

Forgot to add. Without using ANY metamagic.

[XmonkTad]

No metamagic makes that a lot harder. I'm not sure how far you want that to extend but if it's not metamagic then you need to turn it into a spell-like ability. Innate spell is the terrible way to do that, but archmage lets you do it. Pick something like shadow conjuration that can be used for a lot of things.

[Maginomicon]

There's one or two ways to get the benefit of silent spell without using that feat. Do that and use a verbal-component-only spell and you've converted it into a "purely mental action" (see the D&D 3.5 FAQ for more information about what that means).

Furthermore, technically, Eschew Materials isn't metamagic.

Other than that, other than SLAs and Su abilities (such as those provided by Reserve Feats), there's nothing much you can do.

[Zanos]

Play a psion? :smallyuk:

The Dweomerkeeper's PrC supernatural spell class feature will let you remove all components from a spell, including verbal, somatic, and material.

I can't even think of any spells that don't have verbal OR somatic components.

[jedipilot24]

I second the above opinion; play a Psion.

[OldTrees1]

I found no good spells that inherently lack V, S and M components.

[Devils_Advocate]

I'm pretty sure that every spell has some sort of component. Being able to cast a spell as a purely mental action is definitely the exception, going against how spells normally work.

I checked a spell searching tool (http://www.imarvintpa.com/DnDLive/FindSpell.php)* and got 20 results, but each of the three I checked were simply miscategorized as having no components. You can check the rest yourself if you like, but I'd bet that every one of them is an error.

*Just check "Verbal" and "Somatic" in the "Does not have these components" field.


I second the above opinion; play a Psion.
That would be one of the miscategorized spells. It specifically functions like dimension door except as noted; that includes having a verbal component, natch.

EDIT: Ninnnnnnnnjaaaaaaaaa! *shakes fist*

What I quoted was a suggestion of greater dimension door, but I guess that jedipilot24 realized the mistake.

[Jack_Simth]

Forgot to add. Without using ANY metamagic.

If you were just out one option for components? Sure. Two? Maybe. Trying to avoid Verbal, Somatic, Material, and focus components, without any feat or PrC special ability, as a Wizard? Sorry, I think you're up the proverbial flowing body of water while lacking a wooden impeller.

[Devils_Advocate]

There doesn't seem to be any spell for any class that even lacks both verbal and somatic components.

[bekeleven]

There's one or two ways to get the benefit of silent spell without using that feat. Do that and use a verbal-component-only spell and you've converted it into a "purely mental action" (see the D&D 3.5 FAQ for more information about what that means).

If you're looking for what spell to convert using a single metamagic feat?

Make it Whispercast from Lords of Madness. Swift, V, next cast spell level 5- has no Verbal or Somatic, material components need not be in hand.

[Snowbluff]

Killer Gnomes. Not sure if it counts, because it's free for them.

[Bakkan]

This has to be one of the most obscure pieces of D&D knowledge I have.

I Present for your Consideration: Glorious Master of the Elements, from Dragon Magic, page 67. For 5 rounds, this 7th level Sorcerer/Wizard spell lets you make ranged touch attacks as standard actions that deal 1d6 per 2 levels of your choice of acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage (or 1d8/2 levels if you are dragonblooded) to a creature within 60 feet. Striking the same creature more than once gives you a bonus to the damage against him. Its components line reads

Components: None

It's a pretty bad spell if you're not persisting it, and even then it has little use, but it exists.

[chaos_redefined]

That does raise a good point. Find some 24-hour spells, and cast them before you turn into an ooze or whatever.

[nedz]

Eschew Materials is not a Metamagic feat.

Take it, and dip Mindbender for telepathy.

Cast Suggestion.

[Chronos]

Suggestion still has a verbal component, even if you're casting it through a telepathic link.

Good find on Glorious Master of the Elements, though, Bakkan.

[D4rkh0rus]

So, so far there is only 1 spell. Whoa.

[XmonkTad]

Would it be possible to use non-verbal spell (PlH 40)? It specifically says "This feat is most beneficial to races incapable of speech in the traditional sense" which I think includes oozes. It is also not metamagic. This would let you use any spell with verbal only components by gurgling or whatever.

[ryu]

So, so far there is only 1 spell. Whoa.

Craft contingent spell. Suddenly all spells are mental.

[Dalebert]

So, so far there is only 1 spell. Whoa.

You're honestly shocked? I'm shocked that even one was found. Spells are kind of defined by those things. Doing magic without them doesn't even sound like a spell. It sounds like an SLA, Su, or psionics.

[eastmabl]

It's a bard spell, so it's barely arcane, but Glibness meets your requirements.

Given you're presently a piece of jello, I don't know who you'd bluff - but there it is.

[TuggyNE]

It's a bard spell, so it's barely arcane, but Glibness meets your requirements.

Actually, it doesn't. The spell has Somatic components, and all bards that cast it must use Verbal components as well, because bard.

[Ravens_cry]

Dimension door comes close, only being verbal. Which makes sense, it's meant as a 'Get out of Dodge' spell.

[Phelix-Mu]

There are, IIRC, a couple external, non-feat ways to remove or alter components.

The one I am most familiar with is a level in Runesmith PrC, which turns somatic components into runes that can be carried on the person of the caster.

Maybe there are other PrC that alter spellcasting in a similar way, or one that gives all spells somatic components that Runesmith can then turn into runes.

Also, Nonverbal Spellcasting is a feat, but not metamagic. I think that might be useful. So is um...there's one from Frostburn, I think, for nonhumanoids casting spells. Or maybe I'm remembering that wrong.

[nedz]

Actually, it doesn't. The spell has Somatic components, and all bards that cast it must use Verbal components as well, because bard.

It does appear on other spell lists, which should sidestep the Bard must sing problem.

Vigilante 3
Beguiler 3
Urban Druid 3

[TuggyNE]

It does appear on other spell lists, which should sidestep the Bard must sing problem.

Vigilante 3
Beguiler 3
Urban Druid 3


Right, but the S component would still be there, barring some other means of removing or disguising it. (Do beguilers have a way to disguise somatic?)

[Phelix-Mu]

Right, but the S component would still be there, barring some other means of removing or disguising it. (Do beguilers have a way to disguise somatic?)

Runesmith! Now the somatic turns into a rune component, which is just some item with writing on it (or even writing on the caster itself, I think). That's much easier, and requires no action aside from thought. Could be a problem if there is actual polymorphing involved, though.

Although actually benefiting from glibness would run counter to the OP's intent, I think.

[nedz]

Right, but the S component would still be there, barring some other means of removing or disguising it. (Do beguilers have a way to disguise somatic?)

Well there's the Concealed Spellcasting skill-trick, but anyone could take that. It is based off Sleight of Hand though, which Beguilers do get.

They also get Silent Spell at 5th, FWIW, and Still Spell at 10th.

The Mindbender Dip would allow you to deliver the Lie Truth without talking.

[Dimers]

Actually, there are a surprising number of spells in BoED with no listed components at all -- which might mean four or five wizard-castable, including sanctified spells. Lessee ...

According to dndtools.eu, the BoED non-VSM list is this:

Aspect of the Deity
Aspect of the Deity, Greater
Brilliant Emanation
Channel Greater Celestial
Divine Inspiration
Heavenly Lightning Storm
Inquisition Enchantment
Luminous Armor
Luminous Armor, Greater
Restore Soul's Treasure
Telepathy Tap
Unearthly Beauty


And of those, wizards can use all but the Aspects, lightning storm and uneartly beauty. The others are sanctified spells, which can be prepped and cast regardless of alignment or class. They might cost you some ability damage, though.

[Icewraith]

spells hat one could cast while shapeshifted into a gelatinous cube

Just double checking here, but whatever method you have of shapeshifting into a gelatinous cube does allow you to retain your spellcasting ability? Many polymorph-type effects specifically do not.

Edit: Or by shapeshift, do you mean Shapechange as in the spell?