Best Arcane Spells

[AvatarVecna]

I'm looking for all kinds of wonderful spells, even if it requires metamagic to work with them. From powerful combat combos to versatile utility spells, what are the must-haves for your high-level arcane caster.

[Extra Anchovies]

Persistent Dazing Geyser. Shuts down huge groups of enemies for as long as you concentrate plus 1 round per CL plus 4 more rounds. Aquatic Bloodline Sorcerers can put both of those metamagic feats on it without Spell Perfection, but Spell Perfection is still worth it for this monster.

[Snowbluff]

Level
1: People like Grease, I prefer ray of enfeeblement. Hail of Stone.
2: Glitterdust or Invisibility. Wings of Cover.
3: Dispel Magic. Fly.
4: Celerity. Wings of Flurry. Greater Invis. Friendly Fire. Greater Mirror Image.
5: ... have I ever cast a fifth level spell? Oh, Flesh to Ice. Overland Flight.
6: Greater Dispel Magic. AMF (is it 6 or 8 for arcane?). Disintegrate.
7: Simulacrum.
8: Polymorph Any Object. Mindblank. Superior Invis.
9: Wish. Shapechange. Gate. Fimbulwinter. Ice Assassin. Mind Rape.

[bjoern]

Level 2: Alter Self.

In my opinion it is superior to Fly and its a level lower with a longer duration. And its versatile should you need a swim speed, climb speed, natural armor, various skill bonuses.

One of my favorite go to spells.

EDIT--pathfinder......disregard.

[stack]

Level
1: People like Grease, I prefer ray of enfeeblement. Hail of Stone.
2: Glitterdust or Invisibility. Wings of Cover.
3: Dispel Magic. Fly.
4: Celerity. Wings of Flurry. Greater Invis. Friendly Fire. Greater Mirror Image.
5: ... have I ever cast a fifth level spell? Oh, Flesh to Ice. Overland Flight.
6: Greater Dispel Magic. AMF (is it 6 or 8 for arcane?). Disintegrate.
7: Simulacrum.
8: Polymorph Any Object. Mindblank. Superior Invis.
9: Wish. Shapechange. Gate. Fimbulwinter. Ice Assassin. Mind Rape.

Pathfinder tag.

[Snowbluff]

Pathfinder tag.

Okay, so ignore... 9 of those. :smalltongue:

Hey guys, who thinks we should make a Sorc/Wizard spell list guide? IIRC, Treantmonk's is down.

[Gemini476]

Is Emergency Force Sphere still a good spell or did it get hit by some nerf while I wasn't looking?

[(Un)Inspired]

Contingency. What kind of arcane caster can't take action when ever they want?

[CGNefarious]

Emergency Force Sphere is one of my favorite spells.

I'm also a big fan of Icy Prison for a fourth level slot. At worst you waste the BBEG's entire turn as he attempts to escape. At best you take him out of the fight while you take care of his minions.

And of course Prestidigitation is awesome, though not very useful in combat. Mage hand can be useful at times too.

I can't vouch for any higher level spells, as I've never played about tenth level.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Emergency Force Sphere is as broken as Wings of Cover if not more, and available to more classes.

Paragon Surge used as intended is a better, self-only Heroics. Used optimally, it lets spont. casters call upon their entire list at will.

Stone Call is a solid low level area spell. Does no-save, no-SR damage and creates diff. terrain in a 40 ft radius (!) and only 2nd level. Best choice for Dazing Spell aside from reflex save -based spells.

Burning Disarm is 1st level and is good primarily because you WANT them to make the saving throw.

Grease got buffed to a 1 min/level duration.

Anticipate Peril is basically PF's version of Nerveskitter.

For those tapping ultimate cosmic power to...be yet another beat stick... Monstrous Physique II lets you turn into a 6-armed Calikang among other things.

A lot of very powerful 3E spells like Haste, Color Spray, Pyrotechnics, Baleful Polymorph, Suggestion, etc... are completely unchanged as well.

[nedz]

The answer depends upon the caster, but I'm very partial to

Colour Spray, Silent Image
Minor Image
Major Image
Shadow Conjuration
Mirage Arcana, Shadow Evocation
Disintegrate
Shadow Conjuration, Greater
Shadow Evocation, Greater
Shades

[Zanos]

Okay, so ignore... 9 of those. :smalltongue:

Hey guys, who thinks we should make a Sorc/Wizard spell list guide? IIRC, Treantmonk's is down.
I had it bookmarked.
Conjuration (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1184126)
Transmutation(CantripN) (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1174396)
Divination(Tsuyoshi) (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1152481)
Abjuration (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1162461)
Evocation (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1152046)
Illusion (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1204901)
Necromancy (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1169811)

I didn't both saving the Enchantment one because it was based on an incorrect assumption and had like five spells in it anyway.

[Kurald Galain]

Burning Disarm is 1st level and is good primarily because you WANT them to make the saving throw.
As the spell is written, an enemy that makes the save may drop his weapon; doesn't say he has to.


I would suggest,
(1) Fallback Strategy, Vanish, Color Spray, Mage Armor, Dazzling Blade
(2) Glitterdust, Euphoric Cloud, Mirror Image, Web
(3) Displacement, Haste, Slow, Dispel Magic