Mundane Utility

[legomaster00156]

Can you come up with ways to utilize combat-oriented spells for mundane uses? I am not talking about spells intended for utility like Magnificent Mansion or Unseen Servant, but spells that really are for combat: Fireball, Black Tentacles, Mage's Sword, etc.

[Aleolus]

Well, Burning Hands would probably work to cook up a nice sized deer really quick

[Draconium]

Maybe you could use Lightning Bolt to power a primitive generator?

[Uncle Pine]

Is demolition considered mundane utility? Fireball (and many more spells) can be used for that.

Snowcasting Nonlethal Black Tentacles can give a party an unexpected twist. Just be sure that everyone involved knows what he's getting into.

Mage's Sword can be used to chop particularly sturdy cucumbers, I guess.

[DrMotives]

Doesn't fireball have an inability to set things on fire? So it could be used to perfectly brown some meat without actually burning the outside.

[Flickerdart]

Well, Burning Hands would probably work to cook up a nice sized deer really quick
That's not really how cooking works. A high intensity burst of flame will char the outside and leave the inside as raw as it started out.

[Draconium]

That's not really how cooking works. A high intensity burst of flame will char the outside and leave the inside as raw as it started out.

Unless you're just using it to light the initial fire... But I don't think that's what he meant anyways.

[Uncle Pine]

Doesn't fireball have an inability to set things on fire? So it could be used to perfectly brown some meat without actually burning the outside.

That's not the case:

The fireball sets fire to combustibles and damages objects in the area. It can melt metals with low melting points, such as lead, gold, copper, silver, and bronze. If the damage caused to an interposing barrier shatters or breaks through it, the fireball may continue beyond the barrier if the area permits; otherwise it stops at the barrier just as any other spell effect does.

But since the explosion itself explicitly creates almost no pressure, there's probably a way to use fireballs in some sort of scientific experiments?

[Kelb_Panthera]

Permanent wall of fire plus steam turbine equals infinite supply of mechanical energy.

[SangoProduction]

Shocking grasp - incredible comedy when shaking someone's hand. (also potentially lethal, woot)

Acid Cloud - screw picking locks, just eat away the entire door.

Flaming Sphere - as above

Gust of Wind - Kite flying has never been so fun

Sleet Storm - a great way to cool down on a hot day

Stinking Cloud - great prank, no long-lasting smell either

Flame Arrow - easy way to start a fire??

Shout - make your parents buy that toy you always wanted

[Arbane]

In a game I was in a while back, some rookie mage used Shocking Grasp to go 'dynamite-fishing'.

Can cold spells freeze water thoroughly enough to walk on?

[Kelb_Panthera]

In a game I was in a while back, some rookie mage used Shocking Grasp to go 'dynamite-fishing'.

Can cold spells freeze water thoroughly enough to walk on?

Maybe. There are rules regarding thawing ice with fire damage in frostburn. I can't see any good reason not to reverse that in freezing it. Every 10 pts of cold damage creates 1 cubic foot of ice if you go with this.

[ben-zayb]

Contact-free movement of objects is pretty invaluable and versatile, so that's a thing for Telekinesis.

[Troacctid]

Vigilant Slumber is normally used to prevent you from being ambushed in the night, but it's also a flawless alarm clock if you tell it to "Wake me at 6 AM", and it wakes you up fully alert, so no need for coffee.

[SangoProduction]

Vigilant Slumber is normally used to prevent you from being ambushed in the night, but it's also a flawless alarm clock if you tell it to "Wake me at 6 AM", and it wakes you up fully alert, so no need for coffee.

Of what time zone? :smallcool:
Seriously though, I'd kill for something like that for real. lol.