Best (ab)use of Summon Instrument?

[deuxhero]

I see this overlooked on guides because they only consider it for its musical playing abilities, ignoring how it summons a wide variety of large, relatively sturdy, physical objects well beyond the scope of prestidigitation's creation (The only restriction on what you can summon with this spell are 1: that it be handheld. 2:it be of a size you can hold in your hands.) that you are free to break, throw or whatever without lasting problems that last 1 min/level. What are the best methods for using this spell to its fullest?

Initial ideas: Summoning a drum and removing the drumhead makes a nice container, bows are nice narrow and straight prods and there's worse improvised weapon than a gi-tar (Kabong). If a totem spear is a musical instrument it makes an even better prod/weapon.


(the answers should all work in 3.5 too, but PF's unlimited cantrips really opens this one up)

[gorfnab]

For Pathfinder the feats Catch Off Guard, Throw Anything, and Improvised Weapon Mastery could be of some use when combined with the Summon Instrument cantrip.

[Anxe]

Summon a tuba and throw it into a square to make that square difficult terrain?

Summon a saw and cut down a tree.

[Gildedragon]

A small cannon!

[Sir Chuckles]

Grand Piano.

You know what to do with it.
*Requires a decent Strength score.

[Calimehter]

If you cast it multiple times, you could get enough instruments for a polka band and make just about any CR encounter run screaming in terror.

:smallbiggrin:

[Troacctid]

Need to do some laundry? Summon a washboard! :smalltongue:

Instruments can be used to pull dirty tricks--smash your drum over their head to blind them until they remove it, for example.

If you can increase your size somehow, then larger instruments can count as handheld. Also, the duration is minutes/level and the casting time is only one round, so you can cast it a bunch of times in a row and fill a room with tubas or something. Maybe you need to raise the water level in a well, for example, or create an impromptu drumkit staircase to climb out of a pit, or just create some difficult terrain in an area.

[Sir Chuckles]

I, personally, would count a dozen tubas as rough terrain.

[Gildedragon]

A cat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_organ)(or rather, a dozen cats)
One by itself is a one-note instrument, but functional, if strong enough you can have the entire arrangement on straps.

A concertina wire concertina

[TiaC]

A full wineglass.

[Arbane]

Summon gongs for cover?

[Alex12]

Step 1: Make a theremin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin)
Step 2: Reverse-engineer the theremin, and use that to kick-start a scientific revolution.

[Necroticplague]

Make sure the border of life and death are comfortably secured, preventing pesky resurections. (http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=4&p=001881)

[Snowbluff]

Summon a bunch of pianos on top of each other. Instant ladder.

I suggest comboing it with ant haul, so you carry very large instruments in 2 hands.

[malonkey1]

Summon Gene Simmons's bass. It's an axe, but it's a bass. You know what to do.

[Endarire]

Large or larger Bard using summon pipe organ.

Bonus points if you're a Hulking Hurler throwing it.

[Yanisa]

I had a player once with Preform (Oratory) and he asked me if he could use a soapbox as his instrument. Then I also allowed him to summon it as an instrument. And men that was a mistake, because since then there were boxes everywhere! From makeshift traps, to temporary boats and it even bribed a devil once.
Boxes are overpowered. :smalltongue: