Prestidigitation

[Alucard2099]

What is the greatest thing you have ever done with Prestidigitation ?
Mine would have to be;

I was playing a wizard, and an orc was sitting in front of a cave. I created glowing foot prints that walked past him and he followed. My rogue friend then killed him in one shot.

[Hyena]

I once made wine taste like it was poisoned. Think about that for a moment.

[Alucard2099]

I once made wine taste like it was poisoned. Think about that for a moment.

hahaha. Classic!

[Lightlawbliss]

we found out the entrance to a room was guarded by a trap that blasted an area if anything went through a space not walking on the ground. We lured the guards a few rooms down to this door and I made a pebble float in the space. Turns out the trap was a rocks fall everyone dies... that missed us and hit the guards.

[Socksy]

I like to use it as a gas mask, creating either small amounts of oxygen in my lungs or a bubble of clean air around my head.

[(Un)Inspired]

I haven't personally done this, but prestidigitation can make a character immune to the effects of lava...

Anyone up for some scuba?

[Lord Vukodlak]

I haven't personally done this, but prestidigitation can make a character immune to the effects of lava...

Anyone up for some scuba?

No it can't

[(Un)Inspired]

No it can't

Yes (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20010707) it can (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#lavaEffects)

[Doc_Maynot]

The issue stems from it making an object resistant to fire, not a creature.

[Afgncaap5]

My favorite thing I ever did was trading someone a "Rare Spice" that I would make myself in exchange for a valuable item of some sort. I told them it wouldn't have preservatives, and would only last an hour or so. So I enchanted some pepper to taste awesome and gave it to him, and the guy was satisfied.

I thought that I was cheating him at the time, but... honestly, apart from "rare" being a debatable word, I think what I told him was pretty accurate.

[Lord Vukodlak]

The issue stems from it making an object resistant to fire, not a creature.

More to the point the idea that any amount of fire resistance provides immunity to lava is ridiculous. The intention is that immunity and resistance to fire work equally against lava people just twist the poor wording to there own end.

The rules compendium revises the paragraph making it absolutely clear. That lava is fire damage and that a creature immune fire could still suffocate. Fire resistance isn't even mentioned but as its labeled as fire damage its effects go without saying.

[(Un)Inspired]

More to the point the idea that any amount of fire resistance provides immunity to lava is ridiculous. The intention is that immunity and resistance to fire work equally against lava people just twist the poor wording to there own end.

The rules compendium revises the paragraph making it absolutely clear. That lava is fire damage and that a creature immune fire could still suffocate. Fire resistance isn't even mentioned but as its labeled as fire damage its effects go without saying.

You're totally right about the Rules Compendium changing the ruling on fire resistance granting immunity to lava. I never knew that that designers actually went about fixing that. Pretty cool. Shame I can't scuba dive with a 0th level spell anymore.

[Alucard2099]

Yes (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20010707) it can (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#lavaEffects)

Prestidigitation
Universal
Level: Brd 0, Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 10 ft.
Target, Effect, or Area: See text
Duration: 1 hour
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: No
Prestidigitations are minor tricks that
novice spellcasters use for practice. Once
cast, a prestidigitation spell enables you to
perform simple magical effects for 1 hour.
The effects are minor and have severe limitations.
A prestidigitation can slowly lift 1
pound of material. It can color, clean, or
soil items in a 1-foot cube each round. It
can chill, warm, or flavor 1 pound of nonliving
material. It cannot deal damage or
affect the concentration of spellcasters.
Prestidigitation can create small objects, but
they look crude and artificial. The
materials created by a prestidigitation spell
are extremely fragile, and they cannot be
used as tools, weapons, or spell components.
Finally, a prestidigitation lacks the
power to duplicate any other spell effects.
Any actual change to an object (beyond
just moving, cleaning, or soiling it) persists
only 1 hour.
Characters typically use prestidigitation
spells to impress common folk, amuse
children, and brighten dreary lives. Common
tricks with prestidigitations include
producing tinklings of ethereal music,
brightening faded flowers, creating glowing
balls that float over your hand, generating
puffs of wind to flicker candles,
spicing up aromas and flavors of bland
food, and making little whirlwinds to
sweep dust under rugs.



Just so we are all clear.

[Rubik]

I once made wine taste like it was poisoned. Think about that for a moment.So, you made it taste like alcohol? I could do that without any spell at all.

[khachaturian]

Finally, a prestidigitation lacks the
power to duplicate any other spell effects.



that is a pretty major limitation. the glowing footprints sounds like silent image.

the gas mask idea fails on so many levels. you are essentially duplicating the effect of a 9000GP item. while i truly despise the idea of incorporating real-life science into d&d, i think that a dm would be perfectly justified in saying, "fine, you have plenty of oxygen. but you are not ventilating and you just died from hypercarbic respiratory failure. roll a new character"

[KillianHawkeye]

We had an adventure on a mountain where there was a bunch of dead magic zones scattered around everywhere, so we used prestidigitation to paint a bunch of arrows and parts of our clothes bright orange so we could easily tell where magic was working and where it wasn't.

[Barstro]

that is a pretty major limitation. the glowing footprints sounds like silent image.

That interpretation (not that I totally disagree) means that Prestidigitation cannot do ANY DAMN THING. After all, there's Wish.

It really should say something like; "can only do up to 1/([spell level]x3) of the maximum effect of any other spell and there is an automatic involuntary saving throw of (something). After all, why should a cantrip put executive chefs out of business?

[Socksy]

that is a pretty major limitation. the glowing footprints sounds like silent image.

the gas mask idea fails on so many levels. you are essentially duplicating the effect of a 9000GP item. while i truly despise the idea of incorporating real-life science into d&d, i think that a dm would be perfectly justified in saying, "fine, you have plenty of oxygen. but you are not ventilating and you just died from hypercarbic respiratory failure. roll a new character"

There is exactly nothing wrong with recolouring small sections of the ground using the spell

And I can create oxygen. I'll breathe out, and not have to breathe in as the spell fills my lungs for me. My oxygen will look crude and artificial, though. What a shame.

[Segev]

There is exactly nothing wrong with recolouring small sections of the ground using the spell

And I can create oxygen. I'll breathe out, and not have to breathe in as the spell fills my lungs for me. My oxygen will look crude and artificial, though. What a shame.

Neither "air" nor "oxygen" is "a small object." And it cannot duplicate the effect of higher-level spells, such as Deep Breath, which is in the Spell Compendium.

I don't see anything that says it can create air. You could move the air in your lungs around a bit, if you wanted, though.

[Deophaun]

There is exactly nothing wrong with recolouring small sections of the ground using the spell
Recoloring? No, nothing wrong with it. Although you're going to be moving very slowly to color your footprints, as you get a single 1-foot cube a round, as opposed to a 1-foot box or 10 1/10th-foot cubes.

But the glowing? That's out.


And I can create oxygen.
This is not a part of the spell. You can create objects: spheres, cubes, (non-functional) hammers, tops, sheets, etc. You have zero input as to what these objects are made out of, which is clear by the spell distinguishing between objects and materials.

I'd assume you could choose the color, though.

[TuggyNE]

That interpretation (not that I totally disagree) means that Prestidigitation cannot do ANY DAMN THING. After all, there's Wish.

Nah. Wish, besides all the spell emulation, has the ability to "produce greater effects than these". Prestidigitation can't "[d]uplicate any wizard or sorcerer spell of 8th level or lower", certainly (even though it can of course produce the effects of one single 0th-level Sor/Wiz spell), and it can't produce greater effects either. So there's no problem.

[Rubik]

Nah. Wish, besides all the spell emulation, has the ability to "produce greater effects than these". Prestidigitation can't "[d]uplicate any wizard or sorcerer spell of 8th level or lower", certainly (even though it can of course produce the effects of one single 0th-level Sor/Wiz spell), and it can't produce greater effects either. So there's no problem.Oddly enough, if any spell can produce the effects of Prestidigitation (ie, Wish), then Prestidigitation can't produce those effects, by the wording of Prestidigitation itself.

[TuggyNE]

Oddly enough, if any spell can produce the effects of Prestidigitation (ie, Wish), then Prestidigitation can't produce those effects, by the wording of Prestidigitation itself.

That's exactly what I was addressing. :smallconfused:

Wish has the effect of duplicating the effect of a spell from a set that can include prestidigitation. Prestidigitation does not have that effect at all; rather, it has its own list of effects, none of which include duplicating any other spell.

[Rubik]

That's exactly what I was addressing. :smallconfused:

Wish has the effect of duplicating the effect of a spell from a set that can include prestidigitation. Prestidigitation does not have that effect at all; rather, it has its own list of effects, none of which include duplicating any other spell.But if Wish can do what Prestidigitation can do, then Prestidigitation can't do what its own text says it can, and all because of that one clause.

[NotAnAardvark]

That's exactly what I was addressing. :smallconfused:

Wish has the effect of duplicating the effect of a spell from a set that can include prestidigitation. Prestidigitation does not have that effect at all; rather, it has its own list of effects, none of which include duplicating any other spell.

You're missing that Wish (and lesser wish) can create minor effects ad-hoc.

Here's an example: Wish can create nonmagical items worth 25000 Gold or less.

Prestidigitation specifies that it can create crude, small objects. Given that this would fall under the former category, prestidigitation, according to its own wording, shouldn't be able to do this.

It goes beyond that that's just one very explicit example

[Lord Vukodlak]

I turned someone's hat red.... I was in Thay by the way.

[Kane0]

Hmm, greatest thing...

Well I regularly use it to flavor my food and make my cloak billow in an imaginary breeze, but the best use in my group comes from its inability to be used.

You see we have a houserule that if you cannot pronounce the spell/ability/effect, you can't do it. Hence, a couple of us can't cast prestidigitation without a half dozen tries.

Oh, and I also like to use it for illustrating my wacky plans and adding useless, extravagant effects to my speeches. A little bit of showmanship adds a lot of color to a session.

[rmnimoc]

I love least wish. Whether it is to stay perfectly clean and appear to be unaffected, to stay cool on a hot day, or to stay warm on a cold day, this spell is awesome. All time best use? We were invited to a feast with a king. The feast was cooked by the viceroy. The viceroy was shaping up to be the BBEG, and he planned to poison us. I used prestidigitation to: create a small fake bone inside the King's food, flavor the food with a small barely noticible aftertaste, and levitate the artificial bone in the poison tester's stomach. Between the odd aftertaste and the weird feeling in his stomach it took all of 6 rounds before the viceroy was dead. No one ever suspected the swashbuckler with the constant prestidigitation item to be behind it.

[Rubik]

I love least wish. Whether it is to stay perfectly clean and appear to be unaffected, to stay cool on a hot day, or to stay warm on a cold day, this spell is awesome. All time best use? We were invited to a feast with a king. The feast was cooked by the viceroy. The viceroy was shaping up to be the BBEG, and he planned to poison us. I used prestidigitation to: create a small fake bone inside the King's food, flavor the food with a small barely noticible aftertaste, and levitate the artificial bone in the poison tester's stomach. Between the odd aftertaste and the weird feeling in his stomach it took all of 6 rounds before the viceroy was dead. No one ever suspected the swashbuckler with the constant prestidigitation item to be behind it.Why didn't someone just cast Detect Poison?

[rmnimoc]

Why didn't someone just cast Detect Poison?

The only things with magic in that campaign were outsiders. We were level 8, and I only got the item from a wish from a pit fiend I'd unintentionally helped promote. If it was possible to use the item for it, I did. Including making things taste like they already tasted just to confuse my party. Also, arbitrarily dirtying by party whenever they annoyed me. And making my clothes blow in directions inconsistent with the wind to make people thing I somehow had legit magic.

[Seclora]

I built an engine.


Warming/cooling nonliving matter(We used Mercury) in order to alter internal pressure, thus moving cylinders. It's a basic combustion engine, but without any of the fuel.

[TuggyNE]

I built an engine.


Warming/cooling nonliving matter(We used Mercury) in order to alter internal pressure, thus moving cylinders. It's a basic combustion engine, but without any of the fuel.

It's a heat engine, like a Stirling, but not an internal/external combustion engine.

[Erik Vale]

That's pretty cool, assuming it actually works I could see that as a way to cheaply make mass transportation [1000gp for always on presdigitation item, material costs which are likely cheaper]. Would it be as powerful as a combustion engine though?
Of course, you could probably improve it by making it empowered, changing it to 2000+ because you could heat/cool by 60F/15C[I think, conversion may be off].

[Phelix-Mu]

Hmm. Just had an interesting idea on how to make an artificial heat source for a demiplane or other sunless environment without turning the place into an oven. Hmm.

[Seclora]

It's a heat engine, like a Stirling, but not an internal/external combustion engine.

I knew there had to be a term for that! Thank you!
And now I'm going to go search Stirling.


DM is forcing us to make them out of adamantine, which increases the cost tenfold. But Biker Mages was worth it.

[Lightlawbliss]

I summon 1 cylinder heat motor bike. I now ride the slowest mount in the game and look d** cool while doing it. Mission successful!!!

[Segev]

Not Prestidigitation, and possibly technically not a valid use of the spell, but I got away with it in game and the effects were so very worth it:

X-Crawl is D&D set in an alternate modern earth where the North American Empire is modeled after ancient Rome and the eponymous X-Crawl is the most popular sports/reality TV show in the empire. Teams are sponsored like NASCAR drivers and go through constructed dungeons to slaughter monsters, risk their lives against traps, engage in themed and sponsored activities, and ultimately try to be the fastest through the dungeon...with as many members surviving as possible.

Dungeon Jockies (DJs) are NPCs who actually design, run, and announce these Crawls. They have varying personalities; some play at being friendly towards the party, while others are openly antagonistic. Think the announcers in Hunger Games if they also were the Game Makers.

Our party had just gotten through a heck of a Crawl with all sorts of dirty tricks by the DJ. "DJ Sunshine" he called himself, and he had a sunny, friendly veneer over the most sarcastic, snyde, and underhanded bullying you could find in the most horrid of high school dramas.

After we fought our way through and came out victorious, he mocked our cleric - a frat boy worshipper of Dionysus - to his face with an insult so thinly veiled as friendly jocularity that nobody could miss it. The Frat Boy kicked him in the nuts. The DJ had the biggest crap-eating grin on his face as the fact that he was wearing a plate-mail codpiece could be audibly heard.

I was playing a bard, and had already had Mage Hand cast. I looked at the GM right after he described the sound, and said, "So, I can create 5 lbs. of force anywhere in range, right?" This was ruled, at least this once, to include "inside the codpiece."

The DJ's grin went from smarmy jerkface to sick-pit-in-the-stomach-that-all-guys-recognize in one second flat, and the Frat Boy became famous for kicking him so hard he felt it through plate mail.