Powerfully Situational 3rd level spells?

[zeek0]

Looking for your expert knowledge...:

I plan on creating a Sorcerer/Swiftblade, so I'll plan on casting the Haste spell often. I'll need other 3rd level spells, but I needn't choose to learn any that I plan on using often.

So, what situational 3rd level spells exist (that are particularly good for their situation*)? First on my list is Dispel Magic, but I need more ideas.

Thanks!

*edit for clarity

[holywhippet]

Don't you mean you won't need to learn any spell that you don't plan to use often?

It depends a bit on what books you have available, but if you go by the SRD list:

Abjur

Dispel Magic: Somewhat situational
Explosive Runes: Situational
Magic Circle against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law: Often useful
Nondetection M: Situational
Protection from Energy: Somewhat situational

Conj

Phantom Steed: Situational
Sepia Snake Sigil M: Situational
Sleet Storm: Situational
Stinking Cloud: Often useful
Summon Monster III: Often useful

Div

Arcane Sight: Situational
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance: Situational
Tongues: Situational

Ench

Deep Slumber: Often useful
Heroism: Often useful
Hold Person: Often useful
Rage: Often useful
Suggestion: Often useful

Evoc

Daylight: Situational
Fireball: Often useful
Lightning Bolt: Often useful
Tiny Hut: Situational
Wind Wall: Often useful

Illus

Displacement: Often useful
Illusory Script M: Situational
Invisibility Sphere: Often useful
Major Image: Situational

Necro

Gentle Repose: Situational
Halt Undead: Somewhat situational
Ray of Exhaustion: Often useful
Vampiric Touch: Often useful

Trans

Blink: Often useful
Flame Arrow: Often useful
Fly: Often useful
Gaseous Form: Situational
Haste: Often useful
Keen Edge: Often useful
Magic Weapon, Greater: Often useful
Secret Page: Situational
Shrink Item: Situational
Slow: Often useful
Water Breathing: Situational

[(Un)Inspired]

Don't you mean you won't need to learn any spell that you don't plan to use often?

It depends a bit on what books you have available, but if you go by the SRD list:

Abjur

Dispel Magic: Somewhat situational
Explosive Runes: Situational
Magic Circle against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law: Often useful
Nondetection M: Situational
Protection from Energy: Somewhat situational

Conj

Phantom Steed: Situational
Sepia Snake Sigil M: Situational
Sleet Storm: Situational
Stinking Cloud: Often useful
Summon Monster III: Often useful

Div

Arcane Sight: Situational
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance: Situational
Tongues: Situational

Ench

Deep Slumber: Often useful
Heroism: Often useful
Hold Person: Often useful
Rage: Often useful
Suggestion: Often useful

Evoc

Daylight: Situational
Fireball: Often useful
Lightning Bolt: Often useful
Tiny Hut: Situational
Wind Wall: Often useful

Illus

Displacement: Often useful
Illusory Script M: Situational
Invisibility Sphere: Often useful
Major Image: Situational

Necro

Gentle Repose: Situational
Halt Undead: Somewhat situational
Ray of Exhaustion: Often useful
Vampiric Touch: Often useful

Trans

Blink: Often useful
Flame Arrow: Often useful
Fly: Often useful
Gaseous Form: Situational
Haste: Often useful
Keen Edge: Often useful
Magic Weapon, Greater: Often useful
Secret Page: Situational
Shrink Item: Situational
Slow: Often useful
Water Breathing: Situational
You'd call the Rage spell useful??? It stops you from being able to cast spells

[Rubik]

You'd call the Rage spell useful??? It stops you from being able to cast spellsNote that the target is a creature, rather than you, and the duration is Concentration + 1 rd/lvl, meaning once you stop concentrating, the duration continues on. In fact, if you Extend it, you get 2 rnds/lvl + twice the number of rounds you concentrated on the effect. Concentrate for 2 hours? Well, you gain another 2 hours in addition to the rounds tacked on at the end.

[Silva Stormrage]

You'd call the Rage spell useful??? It stops you from being able to cast spells

You don't have to cast it on yourself…? :smallconfused:

[Deophaun]

Now, it's a second level spell, but I'm very fond of dragoneye rune. I've used it to crack campaigns wide open before. Especially useful if someone in your party has a great Slight of Hand check, as you can essentially slip a GPS tracker on anyone or anything you come across.

[zeek0]

This seems to be getting off topic (and rather facetious Holywhippet). I was wondering if you all knew any spells that are not used often, but are powerful in the right situation.

Thanks! (esp. to Deophaun)

[(Un)Inspired]

You don't have to cast it on yourself…? :smallconfused:

ahhhh the fog lifts from my mind and I see its use.

[holywhippet]

This seems to be getting off topic (and rather facetious Holywhippet). I was wondering if you all knew any spells that are not used often, but are powerful in the right situation.

Thanks! (esp. to Deophaun)

Well then, explosive runes. You wouldn't use it that often really, but since multiple castings can chain trigger you could sneak some into a message to a target and watch them blow themselves to pieces (from a safe distance).

[HunterOfJello]

Blacklight (SC) - a darkness spell that finally creates actual pitch black darkness (that only you can see through!)
Shatterfloor (SC) - situational and amazing
Bands of Steel (SC) - shuts down a medium or smaller creature no matter what
Invisibility Sphere
Melf's Unicorn Arrow (PHB2) - I killed a pokemon trainer with this one by knocking him out of the arena

[Silva Stormrage]

ahhhh the fog lifts from my mind and I see its use.

Glad to help :smalltongue: We all make stupid mistakes like that XD

[Rubik]

Well then, explosive runes. You wouldn't use it that often really, but since multiple castings can chain trigger you could sneak some into a message to a target and watch them blow themselves to pieces (from a safe distance).I enjoy binding books full of large runes I cast in my spare time and using a minimum-CL Dispel to blow them all up. Use it as a book bomb.

Also, when you expect pursuit, tear pages out and tape them up where your pursuers are likely to see them. It'll slow them way down to not be able to see where they're going; if they don't slow down, their whole day will be runed.

[Story]

Regal Procession (aka Wall of Horse) is a hilarious, but situational spell. Don't forget that you can do things besides ride the horses. You can use it to block up the battlefield or as counterweights for a catapult*. The crazier the shenanigans, the better.

* I don't think there's any RAW rules for this, but it'd probably be allowed.

[DarkSonic1337]

In fact, if you Extend it, you get 2 rnds/lvl + twice the number of rounds you concentrated on the effect. Concentrate for 2 hours? Well, you gain another 2 hours in addition to the rounds tacked on at the end.

Wait is that actually a thing? Can I like concentrate on a extended spell for a week and then have it up for another week?

[Story]

Nope, it doesn't work that way.


Extend Spell [Metamagic]
Benefit
An extended spell lasts twice as long as normal. A spell with a duration of concentration, instantaneous, or permanent is not affected by this feat. An extended spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level.

[Rubik]

Nope, it doesn't work that way.Ah, but that's why I specified "concentration + 1 round/lvl," since that's outside what the rules call out. (ie, it's not "concentration." It's "concentration + 1 round/lvl.")

[Bakeru]

Ah, but that's why I specified "concentration + 1 round/lvl," since that's outside what the rules call out. (ie, it's not "concentration." It's "concentration + 1 round/lvl.")That's definitely one of those "silly adherence to RAW"-things, and you deserve any and all books that start flying in your direction because of this.

[Story]

Talk about dysfunctional RAW.

[Fax Celestis]

Thematically appropriate for a Swiftblade would be mass snake's swiftness, allowing them to share their speed for a brief moment.