faverote spells from 1-9 (any class)

[adecoy95]

i have seen a thread like this before in other forums, but i thought i would make one here.

what is your faverote spell of levels 1-9? ill start this off

1st nerveskitter - +5 to your initiative every fight! woohoo!
2nd wraithstrike - if you are into meele and you can cast 2nd level arcane spells, no other spell quite compares
3rd unluck - reroll everything on a failed will save? sweet
4th animate dead - so many uses, suffice it to say its a really fun spell
5th darkbolt - 1 will save per 2 caster levels with damage to boot? very nice
6th antilife shell - keep your enemys at bay all day!
7th project image - an illusion that can cast spells for you? never die again!
8th - ottos irresistable dance - no save spell that causes you to dance <3
9th - gate, the uses for this spell is outstanding, gate in a force dragon and tell it to slay the evil creatures over there, and sit back and do nothing while they die horrible deaths.

[Amphetryon]

1. Haste - Trapsmith. Mmmm, gouda.

[Eldariel]

...any class? Honestly? I couldn't write this list even for Wizard-spells without honorary mentions. So I'll write of only Wizard-spells with honorary mentions.

1. Benign Transposition - It's just awesome to make two people trade places. Even better to do it with a level 1 spell; someone's grappling you? Trade places with the Barbarian or Animal Companion! Someone needs to close in on an enemy? Send your Familiar and trade their spots! Need retreat? Well, keep around some harmless animals and trade spots with e.g. a rat. Besides, screwing with space is always awesome.

Honorary Mention ('cause I had to). Grease - Stylish, simple, if not cleanest possible solution to...everything. Some mean guy is waving a weapon at you? Grease it! Someone is grappling you? Grease yourself! Someone is moving? Grease the ground! There's very little that can't be solved with sufficient application of fat. Besides, it's one of the best-scaling level 1 spells in the game.

2. Pyrotechnics - Blinds people, creates nauseous vapors, etc. Tons of fun; a good reason to always carry a source of fire with you! Who says playing with fire gets you burned?

Honorary Mention #1. Lesser Celerity - Unlike its bigger brothers, this one isn't broken, but just awesome! Someone's gonna hit you? Be somewhere else! Need to catch up on someone? Just be there instead! Being elsewhere than your opponents think you are is a great tactical tool and tons of fun to boot.

Honorary Mention #2. Sonorous Hum - So yeah, I have tons of spells I need to keep up with Concentration. So I'm a cunning Wizard; what do I do? Well, I come up with a spell that concentrates for me, of course! This is flavorful and awesome.

3. Battlemagic Perception - You're a countermagic specialist in a fight with a Lich 4 levels higher. Due to your specialization, you have little trouble countering spell after spell frustrating the Lich to no end. Further, you have managed to dispel his Arcane Sight and many other Wards, meaning you're about to be able to crush him. And then, he has the opening; you have spent your immediate action, he still has his Swift Action and he has eaten through your Contingencies; eat Searing Twin Orb of Admixtured Fire channeled through Empowerment!

As a Free Action, I discharge my Battlemagic Perception, counter the Orb and my Mastery of Counterspelling sends it rolling straight back at the Lich's face! His moment of complete victory turned to moment of utter defeat. Oh, and this can even enable you to counter spell-likes with some tricks.

Honorary Mention #1. Phantom Steed - My favorite means of flight; by high levels, you fly as fast as Great Wyrms! Besides, mounts are cool, especially if they're free, expendable, fast and infinitely loyal.

Honorary Mention #2. Blink - Ok, so it's not the most practical spell ever, but it has its uses and most of all, I just love the idea of dodging blows by just simply being on the Ethereal Plane when they try and hit you. And gets you through walls and all that. It's quite good, though obviously you want the Greater version.

4. Greater Mirror Image - Someone gonna hit me? Well, take your pick on the "Me"s! Oh, and there's a new one every round. GL!

Honorary Mention #1. Defenestrating Sphere - I remember Logic Ninja's infatuation with this spell. While I don't agree with his assessment as it being the Best Spell Ever, it certainly is craploads of fun and quite efficient against mediums.

Honorary Mention #2. Solid Fog - Yeah, whatever you are, you will stay. Great for splitting people around and stopping attacks and whatever. Also, the iconic controller spell. Definitely up there in my favorites.

5. Streamers - Whatever you do, wherever you are, you will be hit. Lots and lots of fun...as long as they aren't being used against you. What pestersome things.

Honorary Mention #1. Telekinesis - If you can't come up with fun uses for this spell, you simply aren't trying hard enough.

Honorary Mention #2. Teleport - Remember how I dislike being where enemy thinks I am? Yeah.

6. Eyes of the Oracle - Persist this and you are walking around with a constant readied action that doesn't actually take an action on your part. What more could you ask for?

Honorary Mention #1. Disintegrate - Swiss Army Knife of magic, this is anything from a lockpick to a gigantic drill. Hell, Beholders dig their homes with these; how cool is that?! Oh, and they vaporize undead. Yeah, I like Disintegrate.

Honorary Mention #2. Imbue Familiar with Spell Ability - To everyone who keeps complaining how their familiars aren't doing enough, this is the answer. One that doesn't involve Improved Familiar or UMD at any rate.

Honorary Mention #3. Contingency - Yeah, the ultimate in "Not being where opponent thinks you are" and a great action-screw. Overall, one of the best spells ever. Too bad it's an Evocation.

7. Reverse Gravity - Oh c'mon, I can't be the only one who loves seeing people fall up straight into your Prismatic Wall or such! Screws people without flight, screws people whose flight has been dispelled and most importantly, is craptons of fun!

Honorary Mention #1. Bite of the Werebear - RAWR! I have the right to bear arms!

8. Maze - As above, this one is just too obvious. "Hey, let's fight later, have fun in the maze!" Then you can make a death trap or whatever. Point being, sending people to extradimensional mazes with no save is just cool.

Honorary Mention #1. Otto's Irresistible Dance - For reasons already mentioned; c'mon, you win fights by forcing your opponents to dance! Oh, and no save. Though mind-affecting and all that; not that good but just awesome.

9. Time Stop - I'm in ur space screwing with ur time!

Honorary Mention #1. Teleport through Time - I'm in ur space screwing with ur time! Sure, that's totally busted but oh-so-lovely!

Honorary Mention #2. Maw of Chaos - Space is in ur game screwing with u! Well, ok, that doesn't really sit. Still, CL-damage without cap, save each round vs. being stuck there, etc. No-save damage, save-or-be-screwed, multitarget and an abjuration. That alone gets that here. Rawr!


Of course I'd want to include more; oh, I so love spells (only prob is, they're a bit good..). But with my set limits, I cannot with good conscience do that. Though Wings of Flurry and Cover and Arcane Fusion from Sorc-list are awesome without even going to Cleric and Druid-lists. Or Wu Jen's Giant Size.

[Draz74]

2nd wraithstrike - if you are into meele and you can cast 2nd level arcane spells, no other spell quite compares

Heroics might.

For example, Heroics (Martial Study (Emerald Razor)) gets you many of the same benefits of Wraithstrike. All attacks for one round vs. one standard action attack per encounter ... which one is better? Definitely situational.

But oh, wait, that's before you consider the hundreds of other good effects that Heroics can have.

Honorable mention for Level 2: Scintillating Scales. Not so useful to most PCs, but boy is it fun for dragons!

[Mongoose87]

Greeeeeeeeease! Cast it on the soles of their shoes!

[sofawall]

Honorary Mention #2. Yeah, whatever you are, you will stay. Great for splitting people around and stopping attacks and whatever. Also, the iconic controller spell. Definitely up there in my favorites.

I assume that is Solid Fog?

[Myou]

What book is Streamers in? I forgot, and google had nothing.

[Eldariel]

I assume that is Solid Fog?

I didn't see need to name the spell; it's too obvious (good catch)

What book is Streamers in? I forgot, and google had nothing.

Shining South

[Optimystik]

For level 2 I have to say Wings of Cover. It's not many spells that let you say no to Disjunction.

[Greyfell]

Iron thunder horn (spell compendium): bard 1, sorc/wiz 2

cone attack that makes enemies relfex save or fall down. Nice battlefield control and slow down.


Cone of Euphoria (Dragon's of Faerun): Bard 3, druid 4, sorc/wiz 4

Gain a Faerie Dragon's breath weapon of Euphoria Gas. Will saves in a cone affect or dazed for multiple rounds. In a system where getting ahead in actions is king, this can steal multiple actions multiple times.

[Math_Mage]

Iron thunder horn (spell compendium): bard 1, sorc/wiz 2

cone attack that makes enemies relfex save or fall down. Nice battlefield control and slow down.

In a world where Grease is king, this SR: Yes no-duration non-scaling higher-level spell is the shady uncle nobody talks about. It is *almost* strictly worse. I guess that's like saying [insert 4th-level Transmutation spell here] loses to Polymorph, though.

[Eldariel]

Damn! I totally forgot one very important Honorary Mention on 5:
Contact Other Plane! Some people will tell you it's possible to prepare the wrong Divination. That's often the case, but this one is always the right one and gets you the info you want provided you are good at wording it.

[Soonerdj]

1.True Strike - The BEST buff for BSFs if they have Power Attack, this lets them full power attack for big numbers at high levels or guarantee a hit in the lower levels. It also isn't bad for AR spells.

2.Invisibility - Not being seen = not being killed 90% of the time. Who doesn't like being sneaky?

3.Alter Fortune - Immediate Action and 200xp to make any die just rolled subject to immediate reroll. Once again 200xp is a small price to pay to reroll that one or that dudes crit or any other roll around you. Fighter needs to hit and only misses on a 1 and rolls it. Cast Alter Fortune to correct that. I'm sure he will appreciate it.

4. Celerity - Immediate action to cast, grant yourself 1 standard action at the price of being dazed until you next turn ends. Worth it totally. Big nasty about to hit you? Celerity + Invisibility. About to take damage from a AoE? Celerity + Dimension Door to GTFO of Dodge. Will save you lifetm

5. Arcane Fusion - Because casting a 4th and a 1st level spell in one standard action is awesome. Can't hit their touch AC? Then cast True Strike + Orb of Force. Unless they have a 25+ touch AC or are immune to Force damage this will hit.

6. True Sight to never be fooled or Contingency to never be surprised. Each has their benefits.

7. Arcane Spellsurge - Reduce the casting time of all your spells by one notch. Standard become swift, Full round become standard, This stacks with Metamagic. You can figure the rest out.

8. Greater Arcane Fusion - Like Arcane Fusion but higher level spells :P

9. Mordenkainen's Disjunction - No Ray Deflection or other fun buffs for your enemies. Only you are allowed to have those.

[Eldariel]

1.True Strike - The BEST buff for BSFs if they have Power Attack, this lets them full power attack for big numbers at high levels or guarantee a hit in the lower levels. It also isn't bad for AR spells.

Pst. Personal.

[Soonerdj]

Pst. Personal.

Still on the Assassin list, but I guess your right. I doubt it is as useful on wands.

[Vizzerdrix]

No love for 0s?

Caltrops and Launch Bolt ^_^

[Masaioh]

1. Grease
2. Glitterdust
3. Lightning Bolt
4. Dimension Door
5. Permenancy
6. Disintegrate
7. Finger of Death
8. Prismatic Wall/Horrid Wilting
9. Mindrape

[Eldariel]

Still on the Assassin list, but I guess your right. I doubt it is as useful on wands.

Mostly, it's very useless for buffing the BSF. It is an extremely useful spell for Gishes (particularly Archers with Manyshot) and the like though, as well as Orbizards trying to Orb the living out of some Touch AC-optimized effers. Just pointed out that the stated use of "Buff BSF" doesn't really work. Unless you abuse few tricks anyways, but it's really more trouble than it's worth since it only applies on one attack.

[Soonerdj]

Mostly, it's very useless for buffing the BSF. It is an extremely useful spell for Gishes (particularly Archers with Manyshot) and the like though, as well as Orbizards trying to Orb the living out of some Touch AC-optimized effers. Just pointed out that the stated use of "Buff BSF" doesn't really work. Unless you abuse few tricks anyways, but it's really more trouble than it's worth since it only applies on one attack.

Yeah my bad, I'm running a game with a Ninja/Assassin//Warrior who is doing around 60 damage a round with his Swift True Strike and 2 Handed weapon and Greater Invis (Darn Sorc and him cooperating).

[absolmorph]

No love for 0s?

Caltrops and Launch Bolt ^_^

Chained Launch Bolt = <3

[Optimystik]

No love for 0s?

Caltrops and Launch Bolt ^_^

PRESTIDIGITATION

Oh, and stick

[Octopus Jack]

My list probably wont be the best but they're still my favourites:
1- mage armour
2- hold person
3- displacement
4- bestow curse
5- Stoneskin
6- chain lightning (oh no! Evocation!)
7- word of chaos
8- prismatic wall
9- weird

[El Dorado]

just finished playing a bard, so I'm going with these:

1. inspirational boost. a staple in the force multiplier's bag of tricks.
2. glitterdust. DM hated this one. party rogue loved it. nuff said.
3. haste. lots of melee in my group.
4. freedom of movement. grapple my buddy, I don't think so. . .
5. persistent image. fun at parties!

[Vizzerdrix]

Chained Launch Bolt = <3

YES! I've gotten to use that once. It was awesome. It was a bunch of splitting collision bolts too. pewpewpew!

[absolmorph]

YES! I've gotten to use that once. It was awesome. It was a bunch of splitting collision bolts too. pewpewpew!

YES! What size were they?
-gonna make a build specifically to use this-

[KellKheraptis]

For level 2 I have to say Wings of Cover. It's not many spells that let you say no to Disjunction.

And AMF for that matter.

[Vizzerdrix]

YES! What size were they?
-gonna make a build specifically to use this-

Only normal sized bolts. The area I was fighting in was too tight for bigger ones. If I remember the topic correctly, you have to use reach spell too to get chain to function with Launch Bolt.

Side note: Divine Power or a something else is also needed to make hitting easier.

[Myou]

And AMF for that matter.

How does that work? AMF is an area spell with a duration in rounds so Wings of Cover does nothing.

[Eldariel]

How does that work? AMF is an area spell with a duration in rounds so Wings of Cover does nothing.

AMF is an emanation that's blocked by losing line of effect, something Total Cover provides.

[Myou]

AMF is an emanation that's blocked by losing line of effect, something Total Cover provides.

Yeah, I know that, but WoC is instantanious. Once it's over the AMF affects you normally. You waste your immediate action for nothing.