Arcane Fusion and craft contingent spell

[Tom Riddle]

Need some help with some cheese. Can i use Greater Arcane Fusion to help bypass the rule for being able to have only 1 contingency spell up by RAW

Thanks In Advance

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I'm pretty sure that Contingency: Arcane Fusion would allow you to choose the spells cast via Arcane Fusion at the time it's triggered. This should also get around the limitation of only putting spells that affect yourself on a Contingency, since Arcane Fusion itself is personal-range.

Craft Contingent Spell doesn't have the limitation of only one at a time that the spell Contingency has, and it doesn't count toward that limitation of the spell Contingency. Complete Arcane page 139:
"At any one time, a creature can bear a number of contingent spells equal to its Hit Dice. Attempts to apply additional contingent spells beyond this limit simply fail."

[Segev]

...this is scarily brilliant, and probably is a good thing that it really only works for Sorcerers. Not just because arcane fusion is sorcerer-only, but because it only lets you cast sorcerer spells you know. Then again, most of the Wizard list entirely overlaps with the Sorcerer list...would a wizard who had his sorcerer buddy Craft a Contingent greater arcane fusion be able to cast any sor/wiz spells of 7-or-less and 4-or-less level that he has in any of his spellbooks?

[Anthrowhale]

Contingency only works up to level 6 effects, so at most Arcane Fusion can be used.

In the past, I've seen people use Contingency[Celerity] for a decided-what-you-want-later.

[Pippin]

Contingency only works up to level 6 effects, so at most Arcane Fusion can be used.
It's Craft Contingent Spell that people are talking about.


In the past, I've seen people use Contingency[Celerity] for a decided-what-you-want-later.
This. I don't think there's anything better, except maybe Time Stop.

[Anthrowhale]

Arcane Fusion is not necessarily something that 'affects your person' while Celerity certainly does leaving a DM some leeway to argue against Arcane Fusion even though it's a personal spell.

Maybe something like a blistering energy substitution[fire] snow cast Arcane Fusion would make this definitely work?

[Segev]

In the past, I've seen people use Contingency[Celerity] for a decided-what-you-want-later.

The advantage of Contingent (Greater) Arcane Fusion is that it doesn't cost you any spell slots at the time. Contingent Celerity gives you the immediate standard action, but costs you whatever spell slots you spend in that time (and also Dazes you on your next round). With (greater) arcane fusion, you immediately choose two spells to cast, without spending any spell slots, and can act normally on your next turn. Moreover, not being Dazed, you can use an Immediate action to cast celerity if you need to before your next turn, still!

[Anthrowhale]

The advantage of Contingent (Greater) Arcane Fusion is that it doesn't cost you any spell slots at the time. Contingent Celerity gives you the immediate standard action, but costs you whatever spell slots you spend in that time (and also Dazes you on your next round). With (greater) arcane fusion, you immediately choose two spells to cast, without spending any spell slots, and can act normally on your next turn. Moreover, not being Dazed, you can use an Immediate action to cast celerity if you need to before your next turn, still!

Yeah, I understand. Also, on more thought, it seems Arcane Fusion does "affect[s] your person" in the sense that it gives you the capability to cast two other spells.

[MisterKaws]

...this is scarily brilliant, and probably is a good thing that it really only works for Sorcerers. Not just because arcane fusion is sorcerer-only, but because it only lets you cast sorcerer spells you know. Then again, most of the Wizard list entirely overlaps with the Sorcerer list...would a wizard who had his sorcerer buddy Craft a Contingent greater arcane fusion be able to cast any sor/wiz spells of 7-or-less and 4-or-less level that he has in any of his spellbooks?

Or maybe a weirdo Ultimate Magus. Or one of those obscure classes that let Wizards get spells they're not supposed to.

[Anthrowhale]

I was curious about whether you need to predefine the effects of Arcane Fusion, so I looked in the SRD and RC. It's a little confused, but the most direct statement I found is:

You make all pertinent decisions about a spell (range, target, area, effect, version, and so forth) when the spell comes into effect."

which supports late binding of effect specification along with:

You can place another spell upon your person so that it comes into effect under some condition you dictate...

A few more observations:

Presumably, Contingency[Arcane Fusion] is wasted under any condition where you can't direct the spell (unconscious, petrified, etc...) so presumably you want to choose your trigger conditions to trigger before such effects.
The wording of Contingency has dependency on spell level, so presumably a Repeat Twin Arcane Fusion is raw legal. Whether that's RAI is less clear, but I don't see a contradiction in the FAQ.
It's to bad your familiar does not know sorcerer spells for a share spells double header, and it appears that Imbue Familiar with Spell Ability doesn't actually fix this.
This makes Contingency a great spell for sorcerers because for every combat you can spend 10 minutes out of combat before hand to get an extra spell cast in combat at any time.
I'm still slightly vague on the optimal trigger conditions for easy but purposeful use. Triggering on nerveskitter is tempting given it's "even when flat-footed" clause. The only disadvantage I see is that you may not be able to perceive the enemy to effectively counter. On the other hand, maybe that's a good time to use an escape spell.