Irregular Use of Cantrips

[Omgspace]

I've been trying to think of ways where I can play a wizard through the first couple levels without him resorting to standing in the back with a crossbow during combat, and without having enough gold to purchase a wand. That being said I've been wondering if certain cantrips can be used in combat effectively.

Like using mage hand to:
Throw dirt in someones eyes
drop a net on someone
throw a cloth over someones head(Use spark to light it on fire first.)
etc...

Or use prestidigitation to make a small object appear that blocks his vision.

Would any of that work in PFS? Or do you have some ideas for PFS legal uses for cantrips in combat that is better than just shooting a light crossbow?

[BretI]

Mage Hand can carry 5 lbs.

Every item in the "Special Substances and Items" section of CRB pg 158 is under 5 lbs.

Drop acid, alchemist fire, and thunderstones.

I'm not sure you would be able to target well enough for a tanglefoot bag, but if splash damage is enough for you the others would work.

[Ipslore the Red]

Is there any particular reason why you would use mage hand to throw things instead of throwing it yourself? If you were scooping up lava or acid, I might see a reason, but other than that, it doesn't sound all that useful.

[RainyDayNinja]

CRB, Magic chapter wrote:

If you are affected by a spell while attempting to cast a spell of your own, you must make a concentration check or lose the spell you are casting. If the spell affecting you deals damage, the DC is 10 + the damage taken + the level of the spell you're casting.

If the spell interferes with you or distracts you in some other way, the DC is the spell's saving throw DC + the level of the spell you're casting. For a spell with no saving throw, it's the DC that the spell's saving throw would have if a save were allowed (10 + spell level + caster's ability score).

If you're facing a spellcaster, you could try a readied flare/acid splash/ray of frost/message/create water to force a concentration check when they try to cast. Message should work best (although you could make a case that it would only distract from spells with Verbal components), because it's not stopped by a save or SR, and it has medium range.

[DeathMvp]

If you are a Evocation wiz you get to add 1/2 your wiz level to your damage spells. This means you can put the crossbow way and still shoot Ray for Frost for 1d3+1 at level 1 all day long in additon to your 3+int Mod Force missles. By level 6 you are doing the same max damage as your Crossbow (if small using a light one), it is a touch attack and higher min damage but it has a shorter range.

[Omgspace]

Ipslore the Red wrote:

Is there any particular reason why you would use mage hand to throw things instead of throwing it yourself? If you were scooping up lava or acid, I might see a reason, but other than that, it doesn't sound all that useful.

Well in the case of throwing dirt I'm trying to use mage hand to do the Combat Maneuver: Dirty Trick. Using mage hand would prevent the Attack of Opportunity from not having Improved Dirty Trick feat.

I was also thinking I could hold up a large piece of cloth using mage hand like a curtain to block LoS to grant concealment. or using the 1 hour Unseen Servant to hold up the cloth and try to stay between me and the archer on the other side.

[SlimGauge]

Omgspace wrote:

I was also thinking I could hold up a large piece of cloth using mage hand like a curtain to block LoS to grant concealment. or using the 1 hour Unseen Servant to hold up the cloth and try to stay between me and the archer on the other side.

The downside of this is that LoS is usually reciprocal. That is, if they can't see you due to the curtain, you can't see them either. And, as it'd have to be a fairly small curtain, it's a good bet that you're in the square behind it. Fireball ! Or just accept the 50% miss chance and shoot an arrow right through it.

I'm not saying it's not worth doing at all, just don't expect it to be super-effective.