"Prestidigitation lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects." With that in mind, what are some things it used to be able to do, but can do longer do, since it duplicates another spell or what did you use it for before finding out it's technically illegal?
I'll go first;
You used to be able to use it for distractions, and still can, so long as you don't use it to rustle bushes. You could lift and drop a pebble on the bush or just make it "clean" a 1ft square below the bush, making a rustling with the expelled leaves and twigs. But....
Underbrush Decoy (druid 1, ranger 1, shaman 1)
You cause a plant to rustle noisily, distracting nearby creatures.
I also nominate this spell as a "worst spell in the world" candidate, since it does the same thing as ghost sound, but way worse.
Also had a bard with Improved Dirty Trick that would magic up a pocket full of sand for blinding enemies. It might be legal to throw in enemies eyes, as long as they aren't spellcasters.
"Prestidigitation lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects." With that in mind, what are some things it used to be able to do, but can do longer do, since it duplicates another spell or what did you use it for before finding out it's technically illegal?
I'll go first;
You used to be able to use it for distractions, and still can, so long as you don't use it to rustle bushes. You could lift and drop a pebble on the bush or just make it "clean" a 1ft square below the bush, making a rustling with the expelled leaves and twigs. But....Underbrush Decoy (druid 1, ranger 1, shaman 1)
You cause a plant to rustle noisily, distracting nearby creatures.I also nominate this spell as a "worst spell in the world" candidate, since it does the same thing as ghost sound, but way worse.
Also had a bard with Improved Dirty Trick that would magic up a pocket full of sand for blinding enemies. It might be legal to throw in enemies eyes, as long as they aren't spellcasters.
It's a swift action rather than a standard, it doesn't offer a save to observers, and it substitutes in CL and casting stat for bluffing. The real reason it's the worst spell because if they can see you in the first place (i.e. when the spell is useful), then they observe you casting and you lose the spell's benefits.
What prestidigitation says is "Prestidigitation lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects" so it can't do exactly what another spell does. That doesn't mean it can't "rustle bushes". What it can't do is allow a bluff check, using caster level + wis, vs everyone within 30' as a swift action when it's used to "rustle bushes".
What you might have missed on Underbrush Decoy is the swift action bluff check to hide. This allows you to be standing in the open, move, roll stealth to hide and attack [plus sneak attack if you have it and make stealth]. it's far from useless.
So Prestidigitation might be able to shake a bush but it might take a standard action, use your normal bluff check and might only affect a single creature. [that doesn't duplicate Underbrush Decoy]
Secondly, Underbrush Decoy is far superior to ghost sound in terms of action economy and effect [auto skill check based on level + casting stat to distract vs will save and NO skill check to distraction].
It's a swift action rather than a standard, it doesn't offer a save to observers, and it substitutes in CL and casting stat for bluffing. The real reason it's the worst spell because if they can see you in the first place (i.e. when the spell is useful), then they observe you casting and you lose the spell's benefits."Prestidigitation lacks the power to duplicate any other spell effects." With that in mind, what are some things it used to be able to do, but can do longer do, since it duplicates another spell or what did you use it for before finding out it's technically illegal?
I'll go first;
You used to be able to use it for distractions, and still can, so long as you don't use it to rustle bushes. You could lift and drop a pebble on the bush or just make it "clean" a 1ft square below the bush, making a rustling with the expelled leaves and twigs. But....Underbrush Decoy (druid 1, ranger 1, shaman 1)
You cause a plant to rustle noisily, distracting nearby creatures.I also nominate this spell as a "worst spell in the world" candidate, since it does the same thing as ghost sound, but way worse.
Also had a bard with Improved Dirty Trick that would magic up a pocket full of sand for blinding enemies. It might be legal to throw in enemies eyes, as long as they aren't spellcasters.
Yes, the sentence "Creatures might not be distracted if they detect you casting the spell or otherwise anticipate your subterfuge" can throw a wrench into things depending on how your Dm rules. IMO the best tactic is to 'bluff' them into thinking you're casting another type of spell, like healing, so they aren't expecting the actual spell effect: for instance making a point to touch yourself or a companion can throw off people into thinking it's a touch spell.
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Since Miracle (and similar core spells) can do anything that a 0-level spell could reasonably do, Prestidigitation has never been able to do anything. Everyone who has ever used Prestidigitation to any effect has broken RAW.
I miss the AD&D color cantrip, with a duration of 24h, my drow mage/assassin character used it a couple times daily to be able to pass off as a surface elf
I miss the AD&D color cantrip, with a duration of 24h, my drow mage/assassin character used it a couple times daily to be able to pass off as a surface elf
Check out Chameleon Scales. It's pretty close. ;)
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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1e cantrips were the best. You could stich people's sleeves to the side of their shirt for combat hampering, you had a chance to get a (Save of Die!) venomous spider. You could use color on dragons to fool people who took the color-coding too seriously.
You were way better off as a creative 1e magic-user taking 4 cantrips rather than 1 first level spell.
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Since Miracle (and similar core spells) can do anything that a 0-level spell could reasonably do, Prestidigitation has never been able to do anything. Everyone who has ever used Prestidigitation to any effect has broken RAW.
You heard the man, all units inbound! *flashes RAWPD badge* You're all under arrest! We have the thread figuratively surrounded!