"FUN" Spells+Utility Spells

[Hal0Badger]

Okay, I am making a 14 level character, and I don't want this character to be combat focused, since party already covered that area. I want to build something shines out of combat. Character concept will be a cocky bastard (literally) who values information about almost anything.

Since I will not be focused on the combat, I need suggestions about utility spells. Up to this point, I played only combative clerics or blaster sorcerers for casters, so I am quite inexperienced about utility spells.

And for the combat, I need some "fun" and "unusual" ideas. As examples; I got these:

Dimension Door to sky, Feather Fall combo: yelling "You all need some St Cuthbert " with a pose of Christ The Redeemer statue (the one at the Brazil). This way, I can throw some medium-long range spells against non-flying opponents.

Another one is "Tiny Hut" as a defensive spell, since the opponent cannot see through it, while you can see the outside. Casting invisibility and walking outside, would make the enemy think you are still there.

As you can see, I don't have many ideas, so I can use some help here.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Your Dimension Door + Feather Fall combo doesn't work unless you cast Feather Fall first. Dimension Door clearly states, "After using this spell, you can’t take any other actions until your next turn." So you would fall to the ground before you would have an opportunity to cast Feather Fall if you planned on casting it afterward. Also, Overland Flight would be a much better choice for something like this.

If you want a character who uses magic for utility, the Beguiler class in PH2 would be a much better choice for you. Most utility spells are highly situational, so you would be better off with a spontaneous class like that one. If you want dual-progression, a Beguiler 1/ Wizard 4/ Ultimate Magus is quite good (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?278050-3-5-Ultimate-Magus-Build#7).

[Hal0Badger]

Your Dimension Door + Feather Fall combo doesn't work unless you cast Feather Fall first. Dimension Door clearly states, "After using this spell, you can’t take any other actions until your next turn." So you would fall to the ground before you would have an opportunity to cast Feather Fall if you planned on casting it afterward. Also, Overland Flight would be a much better choice for something like this.

If you want a character who uses magic for utility, the Beguiler class in PH2 would be a much better choice for you. Most utility spells are highly situational, so you would be better off with a spontaneous class like that one. If you want dual-progression, a Beguiler 1/ Wizard 4/ Ultimate Magus is quite good (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?278050-3-5-Ultimate-Magus-Build#7).

I am not going to change the character build.

You are right about dimension door I guess, but I can work it around with my DM, interraction of immediate action and Dimension Door, or casting Feather Fall as swift.

Speaking for combat, I want unusual spells or spell-combos though, not the best choice of spell.
For utility, I can use whatever you can suggest.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The problem with this type of character is that the type of spells you want to use are very situational, so with this build you'll most likely end each day with over half your spells unused, and you're bound to run into situations where you don't actually have the spell you need prepared.

The reason I recommended Beguiler is because it spontaneously casts from a spell list that's basically tailored to exactly what you want this character to do, plus it has a class skill list and enough skill points to give your character even more options for noncombat situations. No need worrying that a situational spell you prepared will go unused, and if you find yourself in a situation that any spell on your list can solve, you'll be able to cast it. You can even pick up Arcane Disciple to get access to certain divine spells.

However, if you insist on going this route, I'll recommend some highly versatile spells for you, considering an Archivist can learn spells from any divine list (http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1023251):

1st: Grease and/or Ice Slick (Frostburn), Silent Image, Expeditious Retreat, Unseen Servant, Snowsight (Frostburn), Endure Elements.
2nd: Obscuring Snow (Frostburn), Healing Lorecall, Knight's Move, Dark Way, Swift Fly.
3rd: Daylight, Dispel Magic, Mass Resist Energy.
All levels: Summon Monster/Undead/Nature's Ally, Wall of X, party buffs.

[Hal0Badger]

Idea of the character is, someone who "researches and learns" spells, and he wants to expend his knowledge all over the spells. Your build suggestion is solid, but not what I want to do as a character. Spells don't need to be super effective, they just need to be interesting and unique for combat. Out of combat, well utility spells what I aim to do.

Thanks for the spell suggestions. Obscuring snow and snow-sight goes together I guess, right? And I will definetely use unseen servant, may even use a mass version of that :P.

Do you have any feat suggestions? I was going to take that feat changes your primary att. for bonus spells, and making archivist completely INT based. Summon Elemental (reserve) is another thing I want to use, but after those 2 feats I don't have a build in my hand to be honest. Maybe Nymph's kiss.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Snowsight and Obscuring Snow both last an hour/level. You can get the other party members to all pitch in 2,000 gp each for 1st level Pearls of Power and to go in thirds on Lesser Rods of Extend, so you only spend one 1st level spell slot to cast Extended Snowsight on the whole party. Obscuring Snow moves with you, and it's on the Cleric and Sorcerer/Wizard lists, so anyone who can cast it can have it up all day and the whole party can see through it. It's not very economical to have it on in town, but when adventuring it's a severe hindrance to your opponents.

You'll want to take Practiced Spellcaster twice, for each of those classes. Invisible Spell in Cityscape can be useful, for example if you have Invisible Obscuring Snow then anything with See Invisibility or True Seeing will be blinded by it, but everyone else can just ignore it, it makes summoned creatures permanently invisible, etc. Uncanny Forethought in Exemplars of Evil will allow you to leave a few Wizard slots empty each day, and you can spontaneously cast any spell you know from one of those slots as a full-round action, thought it requires the Spell Mastery feat.

[Twurps]

Not very powerfull, (and some of this might even be questionable by RAW,) but 'baleful transposition' makes for some fun options.

-Use disguise/alter self/etc and switch places with one of the participants of a secret meeting without the others noticing. (Bonus point if the one being swapped ends up in a 'mirrored' room filled with your disguised partymembers).
-fly up in the air, lasso an opponent and switch places.
-ready a BT to go off once your charged.
etc.

[Demidos]

Definitely chain the snowsight.

[BowStreetRunner]

Shadow Walk (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shadowWalk.htm) plus Find the Path (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/findThePath.htm) can be a very useful method to move the party around.