looking for a 1st level spell that fits this criteria

[bjoern]

I'm looking for a spell that can utilize an advantage that being placed on a wand gives: not provoking an attack of opportunity. I've been focusing on spells that can get me out of trouble should I find myself in it. There are lots of great 1st level spells, some are even worth being a spell known. But sometimes being able to use a wand of benign transposition and not provoking an AoO is better than knowing it.

Assume the following
1. Wand will always be considered held
2. Already have nerveskitter and benign transposition utilized this way. I need one more good combat utility spell.

So far the best I've come up with are shield and feather fall. Anything better?

[RolandDeschain]

I'm looking for a spell that can utilize an advantage that being placed on a wand gives: not provoking an attack of opportunity. I've been focusing on spells that can get me out of trouble should I find myself in it. There are lots of great 1st level spells, some are even worth being a spell known. But sometimes being able to use a wand of benign transposition and not provoking an AoO is better than knowing it.

Assume the following
1. Wand will always be considered held
2. Already have nerveskitter and benign transposition utilized this way. I need one more good combat utility spell.

So far the best I've come up with are shield and feather fall. Anything better?

Seems like Color Spray is what you're looking for. If you've got some defensive type wands already, it's always good to have an offensive one as well. The range on Color Spray is such that it almost always puts you in harm's way, especially for AoO so if you negate that by using a wand you should be in great shape. The fact that anything over 5 hit dice is still stunned for a round means that it retains its usefulness as well.

EDIT: Ooops didn't see the "utility spell" part of your post. Color Spray probably doesn't fit that description.

[Quiet Wizard]

* Wand of Silent Image *

It's the Wand that scales fabulously well and still has significant utility into the higher levels of play (you could care less about the low save - it's the Interaction Rules that make high level enemies waste their actions).

Plus, Silent Image can royally shut down even golems and incorporeal undead if used the right way and in the right circumstances.

Utility-wise, Silent Image can signal, create barriers & boundaries, force chokepoints, amplify your party's numbers, confuse enemy perception, diminish their vision, you name it.

[Extra Anchovies]

* Wand of Silent Image *

It's the Wand that scales fabulously well and still has significant utility into the higher levels of play (you could care less about the low save - it's the Interaction Rules that make high level enemies waste their actions).

Plus, Silent Image can royally shut down even golems and incorporeal undead if used the right way and in the right circumstances.

Utility-wise, Silent Image can signal, create barriers & boundaries, force chokepoints, amplify your party's numbers, confuse enemy perception, diminish their vision, you name it.

It also can be immensely useful in situations where enemies have no reason to interact with the image, and the image you place is static. For example, if you're running down a set of corridors that your pursuers are unfamiliar with, you can take a side passage and then cast a silent image of a wall where your corridor's branch was. Since there's still another route open, the pursuers will assume that's the way you went, and none will think to disbelieve a particular segment of wall.

[bjoern]

It doesn't have to be utility in the traditional sense. I probably should have just said useful.
For example I find myself adjacent to an enemy who managed to close the distance. I can now use my wand of benign transposition to get the heck out of there without provoking.
I'm walking along (with wand in hand remember) and fall into a pit. I can use wand of feather fall to prevent a premature d4 HD demise.
Color spray could be handy. Were at level 7 so it could possibly just get me 1 round. But it is AOE so if a couple guys come at me then getting just 1 round at a time is a welcome thing :)


Regarding silent image
I have access to the spell 1/day now. I'm not sure if using it while adjacent to an enemy would help me much.

[RolandDeschain]

Other ideas:

Gish - Critical Strike and/or Fist of Stone
General Utility - Blockade
Rogue/Sneak - Dead End

Crit Strike and Blockade are also swift action wands I believe

[Fax Celestis]

CL2 winged watcher is a favorite of mine. Turns you into a bird with fly 80' (average) for two rounds, activates as a swift action.

Disguise self, ebon eyes (see in magical darkness), armor lock (armored opponent must Fort or have speed reduced to 10', lose Dex to AC), benign transposition (switch places with a buddy), and rot of ages (target must Fort or be sickened for 2 rounds; regardless of save, still treats all creatures as having concealment for 2 rounds) all have their merits.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Swift Invisibility, Bard 1, Spell Compendium. A wand of it would have a minimum caster level of two, since that's when bards get 1st level spells, but it's probably the best thing you'll get. Swift action, turn invisible for one round, while invisible nothing can AoO you unless it can somehow see you, per Total Concealment.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Obscuring Mist. More useful against enemies with reach since they can't AoO you unless they're standing right next to you (and even then you still get concealment).
I'm also seconding Blockade. There's so many uses for a swift action barricade that a wand of this would be worth it at twice the cost.

[Zirconia]

Plus, Silent Image can royally shut down even golems and incorporeal undead if used the right way and in the right circumstances.

I'm curious how you would use this to shut down incorporeal undead, since they could go through a real or illusionary wall, for example?

[dextercorvia]

Swift Invisibility, Bard 1, Spell Compendium. A wand of it would have a minimum caster level of two, since that's when bards get 1st level spells, but it's probably the best thing you'll get. Swift action, turn invisible for one round, while invisible nothing can AoO you unless it can somehow see you, per Total Concealment.

If Bards get it as a level 1 spell, then so do Archivists, so you can get it it as a CL 1 Wand.

[sideswipe]

If Bards get it as a level 1 spell, then so do Archivists, so you can get it it as a CL 1 Wand.

unless you are referring to divine bard, archivists only get all divine spells. and bards are arcane.

[dextercorvia]

unless you are referring to divine bard, archivists only get all divine spells. and bards are arcane.

It's so nice how you answered your own question. Also, they can get any spell from a divine scroll. All spells can be created as divine scrolls by a clever use of two creators working together.

[Immabozo]

I believe the answer you are looking for is, I think casting to avoid AoO is a feat and all you have to do is make a DC 15 concentration check. I could be wrong

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

Grease, perhaps. That it can really only be fully countered with ranks in Balance is quite nice.

[bjoern]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I'm really just looking for a third level 1 wand that is handy in combat.
I already have benign transposition and nerveskitter.
I have grease as a spell known and I have a way to turn invisible already. I like color spray and blockade.
I completely forgot about combat casting. If I remember correctly, isn't it better to go skill focus :concentration though?

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

How about expeditious retreat? That's not a bad get-out-of-combat spell. For things useful for stuff other than running away, dawnburst is a no-save invis reveal. Mount gives you a mount, obviously, and you can use it basically in the same way as blockade.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I'm really just looking for a third level 1 wand that is handy in combat.
I already have benign transposition and nerveskitter.
I have grease as a spell known and I have a way to turn invisible already. I like color spray and blockade.
I completely forgot about combat casting. If I remember correctly, isn't it better to go skill focus :concentration though?

I'll normally pick Wings of Cover (if you're a Sorcerer or have UMD) or Command Undead for a third wand, partially charged if necessary.

Usually just a 5-ft. step before you cast is enough to avoid an AoO, if that's what you're going for. Skill Focus: Concentration is indeed almost always better than Combat Casting, unless you need the latter for a prerequisite (Abjurant Champion).

You can get a (+1) Mithral Buckler, which has no arcane spell failure chance and has no drawback for nonproficiency, with another wand chamber in it for a fourth wand that always counts as being held.

[bjoern]

I'll normally pick Wings of Cover (if you're a Sorcerer or have UMD) or Command Undead for a third wand, partially charged if necessary.

Usually just a 5-ft. step before you cast is enough to avoid an AoO, if that's what you're going for. Skill Focus: Concentration is indeed almost always better than Combat Casting, unless you need the latter for a prerequisite (Abjurant Champion).

You can get a (+1) Mithral Buckler, which has no arcane spell failure chance and has no drawback for nonproficiency, with another wand chamber in it for a fourth wand that always counts as being held.

I actually picked up wings of cover as a spell known since I may have the chance to utilize the dragon blooded part of the spell. Once I get more cash a +1 mithral buckler is on my list but right now I'm broke. I'm trying to think of clever ways to use blockade other than just play ring around the rosy and denying them a full attach. And off course if I find myself in a 5' hallway to seal it off.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I actually picked up wings of cover as a spell known since I may have the chance to utilize the dragon blooded part of the spell. Once I get more cash a +1 mithral buckler is on my list but right now I'm broke. I'm trying to think of clever ways to use blockade other than just play ring around the rosy and denying them a full attach. And off course if I find myself in a 5' hallway to seal it off.

It can grant cover for making ranged attacks. A medium creature with Str 20 or a large creature with Str 15 (or a medium quadruped with Str 18 such as a Riding Dog with either Warbeast or Magebred) can push or drag it, so you could shove it off a ledge (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#fallingObjects) or into a hole. You could climb on top of it to reach a higher ledge.

[bjoern]

It can grant cover for making ranged attacks. A medium creature with Str 20 or a large creature with Str 15 (or a medium quadruped with Str 18 such as a Riding Dog with either Warbeast or Magebred) can push or drag it, so you could shove it off a ledge (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#fallingObjects) or into a hole. You could climb on top of it to reach a higher ledge.

Ooooo I like it. Too bad it has to be cast upon solid ground. Although I know why they did it ;)

I wonder if there is a way around that.....?

[Bakkan]

I completely forgot about combat casting. If I remember correctly, isn't it better to go skill focus :concentration though?


Skill Focus: Concentration is indeed almost always better than Combat Casting, unless you need the latter for a prerequisite (Abjurant Champion).

As long as you don't care about prerequisites, Shape Soulmeld (Vitality Belt) is superior to both.

[sideswipe]

It's so nice how you answered your own question. Also, they can get any spell from a divine scroll. All spells can be created as divine scrolls by a clever use of two creators working together.

yeh i answered it because i knew the answer. but just like most things in unearthed arcana, its a variant rule. not an ACF. which gives a little less credibility to it, but none the less works. its, as would be said in iron chef, distasteful.

[With a box]

I don't think wand of nerveskitter or feather fall are funtional. You have to use move action for grab it and at the time you can use move action, you might be already screwed

[bjoern]

I don't think wand of nerveskitter or feather fall are funtional. You have to use move action for grab it and at the time you can use move action, you might be already screwed

In my original post I said I was carrying it.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I don't think wand of nerveskitter or feather fall are funtional. You have to use move action for grab it and at the time you can use move action, you might be already screwed

They're undoubtedly in wand chambers on his primary weapon, which is most likely an elvencraft longbow. That can function as both a quarterstaff (double weapon) and a longbow, you need to buy masterwork for it three times, so you can put three wand chambers in it. As long as you're holding that item, you're also considered to be holding all three wands it contains.

[bjoern]

They're undoubtedly in wand chambers on his primary weapon, which is most likely an elvencraft longbow. That can function as both a quarterstaff (double weapon) and a longbow, you need to buy masterwork for it three times, so you can put three wand chambers in it. As long as you're holding that item, you're also considered to be holding all three wands it contains.

Which if you think about it.....where does that third wand chamber go? The string? Does it go on the wood part somewhere? If so, why couldn't a quarter staff have 3?
Ahem, anyway
First rule of D&D is don't try to rationalize D&D

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Which if you think about it.....where does that third wand chamber go? The string? Does it go on the wood part somewhere? If so, why couldn't a quarter staff have 3?
Ahem, anyway
First rule of D&D is don't try to rationalize D&D

You hold a bow at the middle of the wood, so that's where the bow's wand chamber is at. You hold a quarterstaff a quarter of the distance from the end, so that's where the quarterstaff's two wand chambers are located. A quarterstaff doesn't normally have a handle or grip at the middle, so it wouldn't normally be able to have a wand chamber at the middle. I guess you could make a custom quarterstaff that's nothing but places to grip it, no striking surfaces at all, and put that many wand chambers in it...

[bjoern]

You hold a bow at the middle of the wood, so that's where the bow's wand chamber is at. You hold a quarterstaff a quarter of the distance from the end, so that's where the quarterstaff's two wand chambers are located. A quarterstaff doesn't normally have a handle or grip at the middle, so it wouldn't normally be able to have a wand chamber at the middle. I guess you could make a custom quarterstaff that's nothing but places to grip it, no striking surfaces at all, and put that many wand chambers in it...

So if it matters where on the weapon you hold it.....do you count as "holding" or "wielding" all three weapons of a triple weapon at once?

Doh! Broke the first rule again

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

So if it matters where on the weapon you hold it.....do you count as "holding" or "wielding" all three weapons of a triple weapon at once?

Doh! Broke the first rule again

You don't have to specify, just like facing. As long as you're holding an elvencraft bow, you can use it as a bow, and you can use it as a melee weapon in the same round such as when making AoOs. With facing it's assumed that your character is constantly moving and looking in every direction. With an elvencraft bow I guess it's assumed that you're constantly juggling it around and ready to use it any which way at any time!

[sleepyphoenixx]

Which if you think about it.....where does that third wand chamber go? The string? Does it go on the wood part somewhere? If so, why couldn't a quarter staff have 3?
Ahem, anyway
First rule of D&D is don't try to rationalize D&D

If you want to go that way bows probably shouldn't have any wand chambers since hollowing out your bowstaff is a good way to get it to snap when you try to shoot it.
Compromising your weapons structure that way is a pretty bad idea in general, considering the forces they have to endure in combat.

Also, a wand is "typically 6-12 inches long". I can see that fitting into the hilt of a greatsword, if you get a short wand. I doubt many daggers have a 6 inch hilt though. :smalltongue: