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View Full Version : Player Help Utility/fun spells for Additional Magic Secrets



Bundin
2019-01-02, 11:58 AM
Situation:
Lore Bard 5 / Warlock 2

My character is a Yuan-ti Pureblood who has been trained as a spy. As an emotionless Bard, he tried relying on music to keep up his cover, but that's not working out that well. His Courtier background does give him an 'in' when there's nobilitybureaucracies around, so that's something. He was supposed to return home with an ancient tome detailing a ritual to empower Sseth, but that book doesn't seem to exist. However, he's grown fond of his place in non-YT society: one where Suggestion works wonders on lesser minds, where a silver tongue can open many doors to power (expertise on Deception), and where meat shields... I mean valued party members do most of the killing for you. Keeps the cloak clean, you know. It definitely beats being a virtual outcast back home because of lack of snakey features. Since he is a selfish coward, being picked on at home is not an option anymore.

The two Warlock levels were taken because we mostly play oneshots or very short premade adventures, with another player DMming a few sessions to spread the load of preparation. These two levels (yes, the cheesy hexblade 2 dip) give me Shield, a shield, medium armor and a properly damaging cantrip, which come in handy because the oneshots/short adventures tend to be mostly combat. Painful combat with sharp and nasty pointy things. A bargain with some weird voice in a longsword is easy right? Ditch the sword if it gets uppity and you're home free! Right? Sure!

The next levels will all be Bard again, so next up is Additional Magic Secrets: two level 3 or lower spells from any list. However, I feel that the character is pretty much done already, when it comes to available spells. The Warlock levels add Shield, Hex, and EB, the Bard allows some disables and messing with minds (Hypnotic Pattern, Dissonant Whispers, Phantasmal Force), being YT adds Suggestion once a day, and the Mac Fuirmidh Cittern gives more 1/day spells to keep the coward happy with Invisibility, Fly, and Prot. from Evil/Good.

So now I have to choose 2 more level 0-3 spells from any class, but I have no idea what. AoE damage is the sorc's department and I don't want to steal his thunder so that's out. Single target, I have enough options to mess with creatures, so that leaves utility / weird / fun.

Any suggestions besides Counterspell (which I should take because useful, but is so very very bland...)

Edit: addition - If anyone has a better idea than 'longsword' as hex-warrior weapon, I'm open to suggestions. It can't be 2 handed, and since I'm already wearing a shield, I won't be doing OAs with it anyway, but more flavour = good!

Vogie
2019-01-02, 12:06 PM
If you like telekinesis, my favorite combination is Cordon of Arrows and Catapult. Arrows that fire themselves and flying rocks? Sign me up!

Man_Over_Game
2019-01-02, 12:07 PM
Anything from the Ranger/Paladin spell lists. Many of their spells are unique and hard to get without extra levels into those classes (they don't get level 3 spells until level 9, for example).

A few that come to mind:

Find Steed
Crusader's Mantle
Aura of Vitality
Conjure Barrage
Beast Sense
Speak with Plants

Bundin
2019-01-02, 05:42 PM
hmm... I'm not looking for the most powerful, but for the most flavourful/fun. Hunger of Hadar could be interesting though, as my Bardlock is in denial of his patron having power over him. He didn't research his patron at all, didn't question him, just grabbed the power as he fears Yuan-ti retribution for deserting them.

I think I'll have him slowly realise what kind of patron he ended up with. It's not the Raven Queen who empowered the weapon that granted his power, but a tiny spec of stardust of Hadar (think 4e Star Pact, see this pdf (http://www.wizards.com/files/366_Warlocks.pdf)), embedded in the pommel. He already has Arms of Hadar (not casted it yet, which is good, more surprises for himself).

That leaves 1 more spell to select, something creepy, or maybe something that he hopes can be used to hide...

Man_Over_Game
2019-01-02, 05:55 PM
hmm... I'm not looking for the most powerful, but for the most flavourful/fun. Hunger of Hadar could be interesting though, as my Bardlock is in denial of his patron having power over him. He didn't research his patron at all, didn't question him, just grabbed the power as he fears Yuan-ti retribution for deserting them.

I think I'll have him slowly realise what kind of patron he ended up with. It's not the Raven Queen who empowered the weapon that granted his power, but a tiny spec of stardust of Hadar (think 4e Star Pact, see this pdf (http://www.wizards.com/files/366_Warlocks.pdf)), embedded in the pommel. He already has Arms of Hadar (not casted it yet, which is good, more surprises for himself).

That leaves 1 more spell to select, something creepy, or maybe something that he hopes can be used to hide...

A few that come to mind:

Invisibility
Summon Lesser Demons
Thunder Step
Gaseous Form
Detect Thoughts
Clairvoyance
Alter Self

Guy Lombard-O
2019-01-02, 08:39 PM
I took misty step myself, because it's great for combat-averse sorts like you and my own bard, uses a reaction (which we don't have tons of uses for), and isn't high enough level to burn off those super-valuable Hypnotic Pattern spell slots.