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I looked at the spell description for Permanence, and I was kind of disappointed in the small list of spells it says it applies to. As far as spells you can make permanent on yourself, only Detect Magic and Enlarge Person seemed worth bothering with. Invisibility on items is sort of useful, but on the whole, none of the spells I'd really want to make permanent are there.
Luckily, the spell also contains an extra reminder of Rule Zero. So I got to thinking-- out of all the spells in Pathfinder, which ones would be the most fun, the most powerful, or the most headache-inducing when comboed with Permanency? Here's my ideas.
Magic Weapon: The material cost of Permanency is probably fairly close to what you'd pay for an equivalent magic weapon, but there's something satisfying about adding a bonus onto the old reliable blade you've been using since your first adventure instead of trading it in at the pawn shop for a new one. If I did it, I'd immediately name the weapon.
Secure Shelter: Congratulations, you just magicked up a house for yourself. I can imagine at least one wizard getting to the point where he could cast this and Permanency, going out to find a quiet, pretty spot of land, and just retiring in his brand new cottage.
Unseen Servant: Permanent invisible butler. Yes please.
Rage: Just imagine it. You're now raging every minute of every day for the rest of your life. A cleric of Gorum would consider it an honor. Now imagine sitting down to the dinner table with this guy. I'm not sure if you can cast spells while raging, but I suppose if these are last two spells you'll ever cast, you could pick a worse way to end your spellcasting career.
Rope Trick: I'd have one in my house. The one I magicked up for myself. ;)
Any other ideas?
For my gnome alchemist (bomber build), I cast reduce person before every combat for the bonus to hit and AC. Doesn't effect speed or bomb damage so there are no drawbacks to my build. I'm eventually looking to make it permanent because I'm also the party scout, so it would be helpful to have it on all the time.
For my gnome alchemist .........there are no drawbacks to my build.
Except at about 18 inches tall your scout can't reach doorknobs without flying...
How about Arcane Sight? 120 foot detection of magical auras automatically that doesn't require concentration? Totally worth it.
Or Tongues? The ability to understand/speak any language?
Or Comprehend Languages? Now you can read any language.
Darkvision? If you don't have it from your race, it's very useful.
Making Spectral Hands (or whatever the name of that spell that reloads your gun for you from Ultimate Combat is called) is probably a must for a character playing a Two-Weapon Firearm specialist. Another reason why I think that only a Wizard can pull it off successfully for now; though I'd like to see a Weapon Special ability in Ultimate Equipment that does something like that ....
How about Shapechange? It's every wizard's dream come true... and completely broken!
For everyday practicality I'd have tongues/comp languages as soon as possible.
Imagine being fully fluent in every language on the planet. You'd be a god at the UN.
permanent flaming sphere would be fun. It's be a decorative heat source for your secure shelter.
Personally I'd make Mages Mansion permanent inside a small room of my massive mundane mansion. Trap the hell out of the mansion just for fun, but keep everything remotely valuable in the Mages mansion portal. It's a completely secure panic room/safe. Just to keep it very secret I'd put it inside the guest room closet or something equally mundane.
Permanent prestidigitation/mending for that "everclean aura." Mud wouldn't stick to you and any tears would fix themselves. You'd be like regenerative walking Teflon.
Also use permanent prestidigitation to have just the right shade of hair/teeth/skintone etc. It's be like always being done up by a professional makeup artist.
perm Alter self. never work out and always have the body you want at any given moment. "you know I'd look better with long hair" *poof long hair* "You know a 6 pack isnt quite impressive enough, let me see how I look with an 8 pack." *poof 8 pack* "I wonder what it's like to be (Insert nationality and/or gender of choice)." *Poof nationality and/or gender of choice."
Shapechange would be the natural evolution of this ability. "I wonder what it's like to be a red dragon." *poof red dragon*
If Weapon of Energy made it over from 3.5e that was always a good weapon booster to make permanent especially if you had meta-magic you could pump up the base spell with before making it permanent.
There was a 3rd level 3.5 spell called Servant Horde. Essentially you summoned 2D6+ level unseen servants.
I'd love to have that permanently around my house. Give them each individual instructions "whenever I place a dish in the sink wash it." "Mow the lawn every saturday" Etc.
A few I’d like to have that wouldn’t break the game… Endure Elements, Grease, Shield, Pass without Trace, Greensight, Speak with Animals, Speak with plants… that’s all for now :)
Permanent Arcane Sight is an amazing utility.
I favor Permanency for things which aren't attached directly to my PC -- especially when the game features a permanent base of operations of some sort which can be enhanced with Passwall, Mage's Magnificent Mansion, and so on.
If I had to pick some personal spells to make permanent, though, I'd look at Greater Age Resistance and Youthful Appearance from Ultimate Magic. Very nice to live your entire life without getting old -- you'd still die at the end of course, but avoiding the aches, pains, and wrinkles of old age would be totally worth it.
not if you hit level 20! ;-)
Permanent Arcane Sight is an amazing utility.My Wizard has this and has been so, so useful. I'd permanency Greater Arcane Sight if I could.
Yes, please!
My old DM used to let players permanency True Sight. Largely because he hated illusions and thought they were "cheap".
I don't think I'd allow a permanencied Shapechange. All the effects that can be permanencied are static, as in you can't willfully change around bits of the spell after it's been premanencied. Based on that, I'd allow a permanent polymorph, it'd just be confined to one form.
Same deal with the alter self. I could see you permanently altering your physique, but not being able to change it at will.
Anyways, I'd like a permanent Detect Thoughts. Be a rather fun one.
Obviously, PERMANENT TRUE STRIKE !!!
Seriously, I'd love to perm all the +4 ability spells.
For my gnome alchemist .........there are no drawbacks to my build.Except at about 18 inches tall your scout can't reach doorknobs without flying...
I hadn't thought of that. Don't tell my DM!
For our psionics/ghostwalked campaign (we had a ghost playing - with modified rules, to balance - and no 'calling') our DM let us make our ectoplasmic creations permanent; as long as we rolled it like, it was skill based item creation. :) That was fun.
Notably, because the ghost had ectoplasm shape - so if we wanted pretty much anything mundane - we just had to whole up somewhere, dodge the night creepies, and we(/he) could make it.
Ballista anyone? *Assembly required* (actually the most useful thing, was this meant we could always /make/ a solid ladder - good for all sorts of things; but discard-able, so therefore not awkward nor extra weight.)
Magic Weapon: The material cost of Permanency is probably fairly close to what you'd pay for an equivalent magic weapon, but there's something satisfying about adding a bonus onto the old reliable blade you've been using since your first adventure instead of trading it in at the pawn shop for a new one. If I did it, I'd immediately name the weapon.
Craft Magic Weapons. It's a feat.
Share Memory. Ironwood. Detect/Seek Thoughts. Speak with Animals. Ghost Wolf. Grease. Jump. Ventriloquism.
And if there was a way to make it into some sort of implement that could be directed as I chose with an ever-present area of effect: Waves of Ecstasy.
:D
And if there was a way to make it into some sort of implement that could be directed as I chose with an ever-present area of effect: Waves of Ecstasy.
:D
That is just wrong. Hehe. ;)