[3.5] Hypothetical Item: 1/day 3rd Level Or Lower Spell

[Thurbane]

Purely hypothetical question: if you could have an unslotted magic item, CL 6, that can cast a single spell from any of the standard casting lists (Sor/Wiz, Clr or Drd) of 3rd level or less, 1/day, what would you select?

Official 3.5 only, no PF. No Bard or other lists, only the ones I listed. Sorcerer only or Wizard only spells are acceptable. The spell must be 3rd level or lower on one of the above lists though: no picking from lists where the same spells is lower level - if the spells is 4th or higher on the above lists, it's ineligible.

No metamagic applied to the spell. Spell is as is. Doesn't matter if the spell has expensive material component or focus costs, or XP cost, that's all covered by the item.

This hypothetical item is a gift, so you don't need to worry about how much it costs.

What spell do you pick?

Sorry, should have specified - this is for an ingame PC, not for what you would want IRL. That was very unclear, my bad.

Cheers - T

[flappeercraft]

Without thinking about it too hard I think I would probably go for Wings of Cover. A 1/day just ignore an attack seems handy to have as a safeguard. Plus it also doesn't scale with CL anyway, CL doesn't matter with WoC, so its not like it'll devalue over time like most other spells.

[Yahzi Coyote]

Remove Disease (always, everywhere).

Plant Growth (if you live in a medieval society).

Any other spell is just a 1 round combat bonus. These two spells affect whole cities.

[Seward]

Remove Disease (always, everywhere).

Plant Growth (if you live in a medieval society).

Any other spell is just a 1 round combat bonus. These two spells affect whole cities.

My wife was disabled at 30 from a disease. Several relatives over the years lost to disease. I'm with remove disease. If you had it every day you could make sure nobody you cared about was damaged seriously before you could fix it Insanely good for real life.

Plant growth for a farmer though, that's a good one. If you starve, disease isn't what kills you.

Now if you are a workaholic or just don't have enough time, lesser restoration restores fatigue. So for college students or doctors doing residency....I can see that.

For a typical adventurer? They can eat and afford clerics. So...Phantom Steed. 120' move speed and can hustle as a construct and not get fatigued, so 6 hours of overland movement with 4x the speed of a light warhorse. If it was CL8, Rope Trick might be the choice, as a safe place to sleep is always useful. If your transport is covered, Shrink Item is pretty good. 6 day duration 12 cubic feet of adventurer crap in a chest (or awkward things like that polearm you like to smuggle into parties). Can carry 6 different items. I could see that being useful even into epic levels.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Either remove disease or bestow curse. The latter is because it can do damned near anything in line with a 3rd level spell or below (or 4th, since it's a 4th level sor/wiz spell), including positive curses, since curses don't have to be negative. As an example, note that bestow curse can alter one's physical gender, as per supplementary materials, which could be very helpful for people with gender dysmorphia, even if most people wouldn't like to be gender-swapped. It could also increase or reduce one's age category, leading to biological immortality...

[Maat Mons]

I guess Identify would be nice if you don't have a party member capable of utilizing an Artificer's Monocle. Explosive Runes can be stockpiled. Animate Dead gives you all the torchbearers, packmules, and trapspringers you'll ever need.

Knock and Endure Elements are handy, but are already available as pre-published items. So I probably wouldn't pick them.

[Fizban]

Xp cost ignored? Alter Fortune, PHB2. Force any subject in Close range to reroll any die roll as an immediate action, no save, no SR. Normally costs 200xp.

[pabelfly]

Haste would be my initial pick. An extra attack, plus all of the other bonuses would really suit any sort of mundane or martial character.

[Gorthawar]

How about heart of water? 6 hours of swim speed + water breathing and + 5 on escape artist and the all important freedom of movement 1/day as swift action when discharging it.

[Particle_Man]

Summon Monster III. Because bears are cool.

[Gavinfoxx]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aG4P3dU6WP3pq8mW9l1qztFeNfqQHyI22oJe09i8KWw/edit

Fabricate. ;)

[Seward]

[url]
Fabricate. ;)

Fabricate is a fantastic spell, especially if you have some crafting skills.

But it is a level 5 spell, so beyond the scope of this item.

[Gavinfoxx]

Fabricate is a fantastic spell, especially if you have some crafting skills.

But it is a level 5 spell, so beyond the scope of this item.

Except it isn't. It's a level 3 Trapsmith spell. It is a level 3 spell, AND is also on the standard casting lists.

[Thurbane]

Except it isn't. It's a level 3 Trapsmith spell. It is a level 3 spell, AND is also on the standard casting lists.

It's not level 3 for Sor/Wiz, Clr or Drd, so not eligible.

I thought I'd made that clear.


The spell must be 3rd level or lower on one of the above lists though: no picking from lists where the same spells is lower level - if the spells is 4th or higher on the above lists, it's ineligible.

It's funny, no matter how many clauses you try to build into the OP, someone always tries to bend the intent. :smallbiggrin:

[Seward]

Summon Monster III. Because bears are cool.

I always used that spell for elemental scouts. Well, never found a use for fire, unless the party druid wanted a mobile fire source for pyrotchnics. But the others are great if you speak their languages. Earthglide or really good flight or swim speeds on something 100% expendible (if it does not return that is still information)

If you speak Abyssal, the Dretch's immunities and resistances make it a pretty good trapspringer too. "go in there and touch everything you can".

[mabriss lethe]

I'd go for Heroics from Spell Compendium.

1/day you get a fighter feat of your choice for at least the duration of an encounter, and there are a lot of useful feats that wind up on the fighter list including Martial Study and Martial Stance from ToB.

[Maat Mons]

Some other spells that I noted when skimming Spell Compendium: Favorable Sacrifice, Mass Resist Energy, Greater Mage Armor, Mass Mage Armor.

In particular Favorable Sacrifice is pretty rad if you don't have to worry about the 10,000 gp cost per casting. Resistance 20 to each of the 5 energy types for 6 hours.

[JeminiZero]

Animate Dead gives you all the torchbearers, packmules, and trapspringers you'll ever need.

Yeah, assuming the item covers costly material components, Animate Dead is a strong choice. Although with possible downside of society going against you for using undead.