Good divination spells?

[Jiggy]

My fighter/wizard just hit Wizard 5, getting his first crack at adding two free 3rd-level spells to his spellbook. Since his specialty school is divination, one of the two has to be a divination spell.

I was cool with 1st-level spells, as true strike and comprehend languages are both handy. Likewise, see invisibility is a fine choice for a 2nd-level spell. But I'm really stuck on my first 3rd-level divination spell.

Suggestions? This is a PFS character, if it matters.

[nosig]

From the CRB, Arcane Sight is good, and I like Tongues - though I normally carry that one on a scroll.

Depending on the Judge Clairvoyance can be very useful - it can give you the ability to brief the rest of the team about what's thru door X or what's just ahead. Remember you can cast the sensor really high in the air (hundreds of feet), to give you an overhead view of the area you are moving into (scouting ahead is good). when casting it into a room you can't see, be sure to cast it above head level (see below why). OH! and give it time to work. Tell the judge you are going to just observe for the duration of the spell... see if the Monsters move around and if they get boored waiting for the PCs to brake in the door.

Most of these are dependant on Judge though. I've hit judges who HATE diviners - you get next to no information. (Casting of Clairvoyance just happened to place the sensor in a desk drawer, and later in a box... sigh).

In the APG I like Seek Thoughts...

Good luck!
(my latest Diviner is a Rogue 1, Diviner 4 just about to hit your issue - what 3rd level spell to add....)

[Alitan]

Fan of Arcane Sight. And for utility Tongues is hard to beat.

[The Chort]

For my diviner, I took anticipate peril for my 1st level spell and detect thoughts for my 2nd level spell. For my 3rd... detect thoughts again. I chose 2 non-divination spells at wizard 5. The options didn't impress me enough to sacrifice the utility of having the 2 non-divination 3rd level spells, so I just prepared detect thoughts in a 3rd level slot.

Completely unhelpful: At some point I'm going to do spell research to "create my own spell" Actually, just importing from 3.5 the best divination spell: Unluck. (A save or suck spell. 1 target, 1 round/level; every time they roll a d20, instead roll twice and take the worse result. )

If only Unluck were legal. >_<

[Jiggy]

The Chort wrote:

I chose 2 non-divination spells at wizard 5. The options didn't impress me enough to sacrifice the utility of having the 2 non-divination 3rd level spells, so I just prepared detect thoughts in a 3rd level slot.

PRD: Magic wrote:

Spells Gained at a New Level: Wizards perform a certain amount of spell research between adventures. Each time a character attains a new wizard level, he gains two spells of his choice to add to his spellbook. The two free spells must be of spell levels he can cast. If he has chosen to specialize in a school of magic, one of the two free spells must be from his specialty school.

It's frustratingly not in the Classes chapter, but there it is. Picking two non-specialty school spells is illegal.

[The Chort]

Jiggy wrote:

The Chort wrote:

I chose 2 non-divination spells at wizard 5. The options didn't impress me enough to sacrifice the utility of having the 2 non-divination 3rd level spells, so I just prepared detect thoughts in a 3rd level slot.

PRD: Magic wrote:

Spells Gained at a New Level: Wizards perform a certain amount of spell research between adventures. Each time a character attains a new wizard level, he gains two spells of his choice to add to his spellbook. The two free spells must be of spell levels he can cast. If he has chosen to specialize in a school of magic, one of the two free spells must be from his specialty school.

It's frustratingly not in the Classes chapter, but there it is. Picking two non-specialty school spells is illegal.

Wait, so I have to choose a divination spell EVERY level? So at 5th level and 6th level, I'm supposed to take a divination spell both times?

...for all wizards for that matter; 1 spell has to be from your specialty school every level? Is that enforced in PFS?

[Jiggy]

It's a rule, so that's how it works in PFS. Not that every single character gets audited at every game, but still.

On the other hand, I imagine most wizards pick schools they actually want spells from, so it's not an issue. ;)

[nosig]

you can still PREPARE Detect Thoughts as the third level school spell though, if you really like it.

[The Chort]

Jiggy wrote:

It's a rule, so that's how it works in PFS. Not that every single character gets audited at every game, but still.

On the other hand, I imagine most wizards pick schools they actually want spells from, so it's not an issue. ;)

I'm working with a homebrew trait that gives me 3 free spells per level instead of two, and I have another wizard in the party that also gets 3 free spells per level, and we coordinate our spells gained and I'm STILL blanching at the restriction of 1 divination spell every level. (and 1 illusion every level for him)

That's a rule only a Conjurer could love; I think that's the only one would probably pick a specialization spell every level anyway. Schools like Divination and Illusion schools are chock full of redundant spells, so I'm glad we haven't used this rule...

Good luck with your diviner in PFS, not sure I'd ever try a diviner in that format, unless scrolls and spellbooks are common loot in those games. >_>

...can't believe I've never seen that rule. O_O

[Jiggy]

The Chort wrote:

Good luck with your diviner in PFS, not sure I'd ever try a diviner in that format, unless scrolls and spellbooks are common loot in those games. >_>

Fortunately, item access isn't too big an issue - the Organized Play campaign is centered around Absalom, where you could buy just about anything. So really all it does is make me pay for more of my spells than I otherwise would.

On the other hand, I'm really enjoying by school powers! :D

Quote:

...can't believe I've never seen that rule. O_O

Given that it's not even in the same chapter as the wizard class, it's easy to miss. :/

[Quori]

It is easy to miss if you haven't played it before.

The Diviners power is really good. I think I would choose Clairvoyance as it would suit my style a bit more (being cautious).

Diviner is not my style though.

[MisterSlanky]

Arcane Sight is a good choice, and I've seen Blood Biography used to a very powerful effect in PFS. You can also do some pretty powerful tactics with Clairaudience/Clairvoyance.

[Jiggy]

Telling me they're all great choices doesn't help me make up my mind! You're supposed to tell me that one of them is great and the rest suck!

;)

[spalding]

If you want to play with the dice you can always harrow.

Provides bonuses on several checks lasts for days per level and is easy to come up with a suitable thing to harrow for. If you are looking at still spell to cast in armor it's also something you can cast before you get dressed for the day so to speak.

[Jiggy]

Abraham spalding wrote:

If you want to play with the dice you can always harrow.

Provides bonuses on several checks lasts for days per level and is easy to come up with a suitable thing to harrow for. If you are looking at still spell to cast in armor it's also something you can cast before you get dressed for the day so to speak.

That's... interesting.

[Jiggy]

Bump for more suggestions, if anyone has them.

[Vendle]

Blood Biography can be useful, though I prefer Arcane Sight as well.

Locate Weakness is garbage for a 3rd level spell; for a few minutes you can reroll your base damage IF you score a critical hit? Pass.

[Malag]

I know that that first level spell, Anticipate Peril is it? , which gives -4 init and -4 on reflex saves can be combined maybe with some reflex based spells. But you already thought of that most likely.

Really, most of divination best spells were already said in the topic.