The more *exotic* wizard [Teleport] spells ...

[Quiet Wizard]

For Wizards & Sorcerors, you tend to see a lot of buildcrafting and spell list suggestions that cover the more common-known and popular [Teleport] descriptor spells. Examples being - Dimension Door, Teleport, Benign Transposition, etc.

But there's a ton of other very, very interesting Conjuration [Teleport] spells out in 3.5 that look quite intriguing ... yet they rarely or never get any showcasing, reviews or playtest results. Granted, this grouping of spells is really just a bunch of "variations on a theme" where the power & performance level is usually on par with its graduated spell level assignment. But if you'll notice in the list below, there's some arguable overlap and redundancy. Possibly due to different designers working on different books and possibly unaware of pre-existing teleportation spells that mirror their own. Still, some of the more exotic and mechanically-innovated spells (Gemjump, Evacuation Rune, Translocation Trick) have some potentially powerful uses in niche circumstances.

So I'd love to hear some comparisons, feedback - and especially actual tabletop testimonials - on the following unconventional Wiz/Sorc Teleportation spells:

Dimension Hop (2nd - PHB2)
Dimension Leap (2nd - MoE)
Dimension Step (3rd - PHB2)
Regroup (3rd - PHB2)
Translocation Trick (4th)
Dimension Jumper (5th - CMage)
Dimension Shuffle (5th - PHB2)
Evacuation Rune (5th - CScound)
Greater Dimension Door (5th - SpC)
Gemjump (6th - SpC)

************

Note: There's a lot more. But I felt these teleportation spells above are a good start and have enough thematic similarities that they might be fun for comparison and contrast. Offensive teleportation spells like Lightning Leap, Firestride Exhalation & Trobriand's Baleful Teleport are kept out because their obvious wide variety of utility.

[TheNivMizzet]

Gemjump is a great spell, I've seen it put to great use by a friend who was a member of the Arcane Order and used it to teleport back to the university to fulfill the requirements. It also gives the character a get out of jail free card, and a place to hide if the party needs it.

[Sith_Happens]

Gemjump is a great spell, I've seen it put to great use by a friend who was a member of the Arcane Order and used it to teleport back to the university to fulfill the requirements. It also gives the character a get out of jail free card, and a place to hide if the party needs it.

The best part of Gemjump is that you don't have to be touching your friends to bring them along.

[Troacctid]

I'm a big fan of Dimension Leap, as it gives you almost all the functionality you want from Dimension Door in a lower-level spell slot. Plus, IIRC, it doesn't have the "No actions for the rest of the turn" clause, which can be useful.

[Threadnaught]

Frostfell Slide from Frostburn.

Stormwalk from Stormwrack.

City Stride from Races of Destiny.


They're all environment based Teleportation Spells. :smallbiggrin:

[Sith_Happens]

I'm a big fan of Dimension Leap, as it gives you almost all the functionality you want from Dimension Door in a lower-level spell slot.

Lower-level enough to Quicken with one charge from a Circlet of Rapid Casting, in fact. I've found that "teleport 100 feet" is by far one of the best things you can do with a swift action.:smallbiggrin:

[Quiet Wizard]

There's an interesting comparison to be to these 2 thematically-similar spells:

1. Regroup (3rd level)
2. Dimension Shuffle (5th)

There's extremely useful for the wizard who wants to play Chessmaster. Regroup tends to be more for the wizard who wants to save his friends bacon (by withdrawing them). Dimension Shuffle does the same, but allows for more offense options as well (by setting up his friends in perfect kill zones).

I think the 2 spell level difference is a fair value-to-cost differential.

[Goby]

I'm currently playing just such a chess master wizard, a transmuter/war weaver in a party of characters who worship Red Knight. I just purchased a rune staff with a number of those alternate teleport spells, because it's hard to memorize them all, but you never know when you might need them. Regroup, shuffle, step, and hop, which all fit the theme of the character.

Since I got the staff, we've been doing a lot of research and diplomacy, and now we're stuck in some anti magic, but once I have some game experience with those spells, I will post some thoughts.

[Darrin]

Some other spells to consider:

Firestride Exhalation (Dragon Magic, Sor/Wiz/WuJ 4). Area damage along with a short-range teleport.

Lightning Leap (Complete Mage, Sor/Wiz 5). Another spell that combines teleport with blasting damage.

[WhamBamSam]

Some other spells to consider:

Firestride Exhalation (Dragon Magic, Sor/Wiz/WuJ 4). Area damage along with a short-range teleport.

Lightning Leap (Complete Mage, Sor/Wiz 5). Another spell that combines teleport with blasting damage.He mentioned them in the grey text at the bottom of the OP, but I think he may have been overlooking some things with regard to Firestride Exhalation. The area damage is explicitly a breath weapon, so it works in conjunction with Metabreath feats, breath spells, and any other breath weapon options you might want to fool around with. By which I mostly mean Dispelling Breath and maybe Entangling Exhalation, but some of the others are interesting as well if you feel like really building around it.

[Quiet Wizard]

Correct, I did ask for those 2 direct damage + teleportation spells to be omitted.

Primarily because of the thematic similarities of the teleportation spells that I did list.

Thank you for everyone's input so far, though!

[lonewolf1210]

I know you said Wizard spells, but there is one wierd cleric only long range teleportation spell:
Door of Decay(Complete Champion)
For a lvl5 spell with the same range as Teleport(or even more if you worship Vecna, wee Jaas or similar) this spell has real potential. Yes, the restrictions must be managed and you can only teleport yourself, but Its about the best you get on that level as a cleric (without the travel domain).

[Lerondiel]

As someone that benefited as a Warblade flanking with a TWF Rogue, I can say how every party wishes they had a War Weaver to drop buffs and Dimension Leap them all into perfect position at the start of combat.

[Quiet Wizard]

I'd be very curious if any of you have actually pulled off casting Translocation Trick (SpC) in combat. It's one of those spells that you can't help but smile thinking about how terrific it would be to confuse the hell out of a gang of enemies. But the spell requires some thoughtful tactical considerations, detailed party talk (preferably in code or via Rary's Telepathic Bond) and the ideal composite of enemy roles for a given opposing group.

This spell really, really needs to be on the Beguiler spell list. Too bad it's not a legal choice for Beguiler's Advanced Learning selections ...

[Zaq]

Scramble True Position, from Tome of Magic, is a lot of fun. You have to be willing to invest in Truespeak, which is kind of a drag, but at least it doesn't require a personal truename (the way 90% of the Truespeak-using spells do). It's 1st level, which means it's really easy to put it in a wand or apply fun metamagic (like Sculpt). There's a Reflex save against falling prone after being teleported, but there's no save against the teleportation itself, which is neat.

I mean, yeah, investing in Truespeak kinda sucks, but you're a Wizard. You can afford to burn a feat on Truename Training, and you've got enough INT to spare a point per level to invest.