Spells that any performer should have?

[zeek0]

I am planning on playing a sorcerer who (before going on proper adventures) has been a bit of a travelling storyteller. He goes around reciting poetry, telling odes, and relating epics.

I have the idea that he would use spells such as Ghost Sounds, Silent Image, or Mirage Arcana in order to augment his storytelling. He's not presenting a movie, he's just providing enough material to stir the imagination.

Anyhow, continuing with the theme, I'd like him to use magic in his tales. Perhaps he gives out flowers [created with Minor Creation] to a pretty audience member, or use a different spell to flicker the candles at a key moment in a horror story?

Anyhow, what spells do you all know that a magical performer could use creatively in order to captivate an audience?

Thanks!

[Slipperychicken]

Prestidigitation. All of it. Create cool little visual effects like flames, sparkles, cheap tiny items, He could even use it to create tiny, obviously-fake flowers.

As for flowers, why not just use Sleight of Hand to pull real flowers out of his sleeve? Or to do any number of other "magic tricks" to enhance his routine.

[Gemini476]

Wall of Salt seems somewhat appropriate. Much like in real life, D&D performers don't make a whole lot of money.

More seriously, what system are you in and what level are you? Knowing how many spell slots you have (or free cantrips, if in Pathfinder) is pretty useful.

[Doc_Maynot]

Sonorous Hum. That way you can have a silent image or other Duration: Concentration spell going on at the same time as other ones.

[zeek0]

More seriously, what system are you in and what level are you? Knowing how many spell slots you have (or free cantrips, if in Pathfinder) is pretty useful.

I'm in 3.5, and at the moment I'm just having some good fun planning the character out.

At first I was having trouble imagining what someone would do in order to perform a show that involved magic. After all - magic is not some new thing, and it moderately expected. The fun of RL magic shows is that you don't know how they did that, but in D&D you know how it was done - magic.

But then I realized that magic could be used as a tool to illustrate stories or to augment the performance in order to give it more life. Hence my exploration of the different ways that magic could be used in this way.

Thanks for all your replies! I'm taking them all under consideration.

[zeek0]

Another note: I plan to have him have the Silent Spell feat purely for roleplaying reasons (after all, it is jilting to have a good storyline interrupted by some arcane words). For a similar reason, I don't think that Sonorous Hum would be a good choice.

[Jeff the Green]

Another note: I plan to have him have the Silent Spell feat purely for roleplaying reasons (after all, it is jilting to have a good storyline interrupted by some arcane words). For a similar reason, I don't think that Sonorous Hum would be a good choice.

Or just invest in Sleight of Hand to disguise your casting as storytelling.

[Slipperychicken]

Or just invest in Sleight of Hand to disguise your casting as storytelling.

You could also be a Bard, and use Perform(Oratory) to cast spells through your tales, seamlessly integrating magic into the storytelling.

And to be honest, I don't know why I didn't think of Bard before: "Storytelling/Performing magician" is basically their main shtick. Even historical bards were storytellers for the most part.

[Dr. Azkur]

Your character concept is THE quintessential bard, but I rather like the idea of a focused sorcerer with the hobby of storytelling.

On topic: with Prestidigitation, Silent Image and Ghost Sound you should be more than set forever, unless you're impishly evil/deeply mean, in which case you also need Sonic Snap to end stories with screamers :smallamused: . Remember that Versatile Spellcaster and Heighten Spell are the Sorcerer's best friends.

[zeek0]

Thanks to everybody for the replies. I appreciate it.

I think that I will stick with Sorcerer mostly because I like the place he has in a given party. Also, I plan to use the Battle Sorcerer UA variant on this character [yes, I've been warned against it, but I don't care too much about effectiveness]. After a few levels of Sorcerer I'll be investing heavily in the Swiftblade PrC (which I fell in love with).

Also, I've been exploring the idea of a disconnect between a character's class and profession: the Cleric who works as a blacksmith so that he can rediscover his faith through creativity and hard work, the Rogue who works in a shop because he promised his sister to 'go straight', or the Ranger who is a guide - for the urban underbelly of the metropolis. I think that by creating a disconnect between the class and the profession, interesting stories can be discovered and told.

Thanks all!

[Graypairofsocks]

Your character concept is THE quintessential bard, but I rather like the idea of a focused sorcerer with the hobby of storytelling.

I think a Sublime Chord bard could possibly work as both.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Pyrotechnics?

[Dr. Azkur]

i think that i will stick with sorcerer mostly because i like the place he has in a given party. Also, i plan to use the battle sorcerer ua variant on this character [yes, i've been warned against it, but i don't care too much about effectiveness]. After a few levels of sorcerer i'll be investing heavily in the swiftblade prc (which i fell in love with).

Don't forget to add stalwart sorcerer!