[3.5] Spells do it better

[A.A.King]

Which skills are best done by spells? I'm particulary interested in the rogue-like skills. Wonder just how much of an expert you can pretend to be by knowing just the right spells

Out of the top of my hand I can just think of this:

Skill - Spell
Open Lock - Knock

[HammeredWharf]

Climb - Spider Climb, flight
Balance - flight
Bluff - Glibness
Escape Artist - swift action teleportation
Heal - healing spells

Generally, though, the spells don't function well or at all in certain circumstances. For example, Knock is weak against lots of locks. Spider Climb doesn't let you catch yourself while falling. Teleportation doesn't free you of manacles. Et cetera.

[lsfreak]

Charm person, suggestion, dominate, and especially mindrape can substitute Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and potentially Gather Info.

[HunterOfJello]

Disable Device (magical) - Dispel Magic
Disable Device (move past without triggering) - Any short range teleport
Search (magic) - Detect Magic
Appraise - Appraising Touch (+10)
Use Rope - Animate Rope

Decipher Script - Comprehend Languages
Search (secret doors) - Detect Secret Doors
Handle Animal - Dominate Animal
Move Silently - Silence
Hide - Invisibility
Speak Language - Tongues
Swim - Swim (the SC spell)

[Zweisteine]

Various divinations a (or a ninth level psionic power) can be substitutes knowledge skills, as well as Gather Information.

Mind control spells replace diplomacy (and bluff, though that kind of defeats the point). Mind control can also replace any other skill by controlling someone who can use whatever skill you want.

Flight replaces climb, jump, and balance.

Short-range teleportation replaces escape artist, climb, and tumble (only swift teleportation replaces tumble, though).

If you don't just want to replace the check (i.e. if large bonuses are okay), you have a lot more.
Wieldskill gives a +10 bonus and treats you as trained.
Guidance of the Avatar (https://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20010504a) gives a +20 bonus (but doesn't stack with wieldskill).
Divine insight gives you a bonus of 5+CL.
Various low-level spells give small (mostly +1 or +2) bonuses to skills.

[SPoilaaja]

To name a few:
Disguise - Disguise self, Alter self, Polymorph
Calm emotions - Diplomacying to end aggression
Wish / Miracle - Anything
Freedom of movement - Escape artist, Balance
Divinations - Survival(tracking)
Find traps - Searching traps
Detect thoughts - Sense motive
Create food and water - Survival (foraging for food)

[A.A.King]

A lot of nice once already, though some are a bonus to the skill not a total replacement. Glibness, though a great bonus, isn't the same as "suggestion" where you remove the need for the actual skill altogether.

There are some other spell that might not actually be better then the original skill

I understand how Detect Secret Doors beats one Search check but unlike with Knock you don't know when to use it. So I would say search is overall better because it can be used ad infinitum. Search just needs too many different checks (when it has to be used) to be able to be replaced by a spell (unless that spell did every check).

[Kraken]

Persisted instant search. Free action search checks with a +2 insight bonus thrown in.

[MirddinEmris]

Open Lock - Warp Wood / Rusting Grasp

[HammeredWharf]

A lot of nice once already, though some are a bonus to the skill not a total replacement. Glibness, though a great bonus, isn't the same as "suggestion" where you remove the need for the actual skill altogether.

A +30 bonus is better than what your skill monkey will get for a long time and is more reliable than a mind-affecting enchantment spell that offers a will save. Suggestion is great, but it's not really a replacement for bluff.

[Kelb_Panthera]

To name a few:...

Find traps - Searching traps


No. This gives a very small bonus to search and trapfinding. It's nowhere near enough to replace a skilled rogue or scout.

[Mithril Leaf]

No. This gives a very small bonus to search and trapfinding. It's nowhere near enough to replace a skilled rogue or scout.

Summon monster I on the other hand...