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Just wondering what uncommon/unusual applications of spells you've all found.
For example, while decompose corpse and restore corse seem to be tailored for creating skeletons and zombies, they can also be used to create edible game in the wild and to restore a victim to the time of death for forensic inquiry.
Prestidigitation has lots of fun applications, like creating a 3D hologram-like map for strategic planning.
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Dunno how "unusual" a case this is, but I've got a grand scheme for using Sculpt Corpse to fake the deaths of my party members. Of course, a simple divination can bypass the trick, but it'd be useful for a diversion.
The Restore Corpse trick for unlimited wild game needs to be combined with Purify Food and Drink , since the meat created by the restore is "slightly rotten and unsuitable for consumption," or something to that effect.
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Prestidigitation isn't good enough for a 3D hologram-like map; unless you are talking about a couple of vague splotches. The spell doesn't allow you to create specific and elaborate complex visual shapes. You need silent image to make a usable map that contains some degree of accuracy.
But, consider using message (along with a credible bluff check) to convince people that a god is speaking to them.
Charm Person to allow you to teleport bad guys where you want them.
Summon monster and Planar ally spells have a host of uses, from blocking up the battlefield to creating temporary healers to using the creatures for their skills and knowledges.
Lesser Restoration can be used to forego sleeping and sleeping penalties.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Ooo, remembered one a GM did to us.
mage hand to hold a candle over the silver wyrmling who was coated in oil. If we broke his concentration the candle would drop.
"About 6 inches from your face."
*blows out candle* (we called it a Con check. I made it.)
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I tried a Dancing Lights (vaguely humanoid form) to lure unknown critters from their likely hiding place.
Didn't work; they were there, but they were undead, and not fooled (life sense).
Could use Ghost Sound like a loud-speaker.
Also, I have made a grapple check to grab hold of an enemies armor, then teleported 10 feet behind our fighter. Took the armor with me and left the poor schmuck to face our melee guys in his skivvies.
Clever... but do the rules allow that?
It works, but the armor would get a Will Save (and since it's attended, it would save with the wearer's bonus).
But, consider using message (along with a credible bluff check) to convince people that a god is speaking to them.
Not quite pretending to be a god, but a witch of mine almost got another character to pick up the big shiny gem...
That was a fun one-shot.
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Thanks for the feedack. In regard to the hologram-map, the spell says you can make crude objects. Essentially, we used it to make a crude, fragile, transparent map of a place. You flick it and it shatters. Not really a hologram, as it's physical, but fun nonetheless for a 0 level spell in a non-combat situation.
Grease spell for aiding in pushing heavy stones, maybe?
Fog cloud and invisibility for mimicking a vampire's gaseous form?
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Stone to flesh to feed a bunch of starving refuges.
Fire trap on restraints to make them dangerous to remove with out permission.
Dimension Door and heavy item = bombs away just remember to keep a feather fall handy or fly already cast.
I like the stone to flesh for food trick. It's also good for creating bodies for necromancers to animate. Statues become zombies. :)
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Fake an important person's death by casting stone to flesh on a statue of him.
Cast Flesh to Stone to preserve somebody dying of disease or poison.
Cast Baleful Polymorph on an ally to give him a last ditch tactic to escape.
Cast Anthropormorphic Animal on enemy animal companions to debuff them (removes natural attacks, etc).
Use Arcane Mark to mark bad guys so your party can identify them later if disguised. Also, use Arcane Mark to send secret messages by putting it on animals (horses, mice, etc). "Come here", "Do not trust", "Flee".
Cast Enlarge Person on enemies to make it harder to fit into tight spaces in which you flee.
Cast expeditious retreat in combination with somebody who has Spring Attack for great hit and run action.
Cast Shrink Item on something dangerous (like a fire) and toss it at your enemies offensively.
Use Exploding Runes as an assassination weapon by sending a message to the enemy leader.
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I've used Arcane Mark to convince a mercenary that I made a bargain with that he would be cursed if he broke his oath. I made the Mark flare visibly as we sealed the deal, and then used Bluff to do the convincing. He never betrayed us once.
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Party members in a tree. Shooring things.
Bad guys think to start chopping down the tree.
Inquisitor casts Sanctuary on tree.
bad guys cannot bring themselves to harm tree.
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The party I was DMing was once fighting a group of druids and had killed a few of them. A lower level one cast faerie fire on the barbarian and told the rest of the party if they didn't leave the magic would cause him to implode. They left.
stone to flesh is also pretty nice if you want to remove the hardness of a stone wall
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I recently had some fun with a potion of gaseous form and a shark.
Our bard used dancing lights and her silly high bluff to trap a vampire.
Our part is going to eventually used Stone to flesh to drop a few tons of stone shaped like a certain male appendage onto a certain dwarven bridge. Those guys messed with the wrong mercenary company.
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Levitate + Summon Monster I (Eagle) for a poor man's version of Fly.
Levitate + Summon Monster I (Eagle) for a poor man's version of Fly.
This is amazingly smart. lol.
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Obscuring Mist on yourself while enemy is a decent space away, Create Pit right behind you. Leap backwards over pit, taunting bad guy. He moves to attack, falls, arguably with no save.
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CSI:Bard
1) Use Share Memory on eyewitnesses to a crime
2) use Major Image to reconstruct a composite scene for analysis.
3) Make pun while removing Eyes of the Eagle
...
4) YEEAAAAHHHHHH!
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Alchemist, the Infusion Discovery, and Skinsend assassination.
Either force someone to drink it, or spike a drink with it, and watch the confusion on your target's face turn to horror as it is ripped from his body. WHile his body is helpless, coup de grace. There is no save applicable for Skinsend, as it is a personal spell. There is also no SR applicable, so you could, theoretically at least, affect devil, demons, and the like.
Once the body is dead clean up the Str 3 skin, or let it die on its own when the duration runs out.
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Summon instrument and Catch off Guard.
Shrink item on large stone, then use a sling and dismiss the spell.
Shrink item on a feast, feed to enemy, then dismiss.
Polymorph any object a pc into arrow, spell ends, grapple enemy.
Animate objects on barrels of blackpowder for suicide bombers.
Animate objects with restore and sculpt corpse on fallen foe for ton's of fun.
Prestidigitation to soil everything.
Polymorph any Object your favorite huge critter into a something amusing Eg blue whale into field mouse. Mammal animal .... release into BBEG compound, wait for spell to end.
One of my favorites is to use your illusionist at some point to disarm every trap in the horribly over-trapped corridor. He wanders in, steps on pressure plate, and chaos ensues. Now he is bleeding at the far end of the hall, but all the traps are triggered. Party runs down to save you. Needless to say, you are hiding behind a barrel in the safe room, and now the party is doing what your illusion did just moments ago.
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Shrink item - greatest spell ever!
Bonfire landmines - shrink bonfire, place on ground, step back 5 feet, taunt foes into melee, release spell
Boulder/anvil fun - shrink item, cast fly, position accordingly and drop on foe (also great for sinking small boats)
Traps - shrink anvil, stick to cieling with glue, lead foe into position, release spell
Escape Insurance - Keep a 10x10 wooden wall on hand, place in desired exit while exploring dungeon. If forced to flee, release as you exit for a clean getaway
Locked doors? No problem - shrink door.
Low strength party? No problem - massive supply chest - who needs a bag of holding?
I always carry a supply of doors, bridges, barrels of misc goods (water, food, acid) etc
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Shrink item - greatest spell ever!
Bonfire landmines - shrink bonfire, place on ground, step back 5 feet, taunt foes into melee, release spell
Boulder/anvil fun - shrink item, cast fly, position accordingly and drop on foe (also great for sinking small boats)
Traps - shrink anvil, stick to cieling with glue, lead foe into position, release spell
Escape Insurance - Keep a 10x10 wooden wall on hand, place in desired exit while exploring dungeon. If forced to flee, release as you exit for a clean getaway
Locked doors? No problem - shrink door.
Low strength party? No problem - massive supply chest - who needs a bag of holding?
I always carry a supply of doors, bridges, barrels of misc goods (water, food, acid) etc
For that matter, make a humongous arrow that when shrunk will be reduced to the size of a normal arrow. Pass it to your archer friend. Once it gets sunk into an enemy, dismiss the spell.
Our party cleric had prepped a few extra water walk spells. When we were attacked by a sea serpent he cast one on himself and one on it. It failed it's save. That poor thing didn't know what to think.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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I've used Arcane Mark to convince a mercenary that I made a bargain with that he would be cursed if he broke his oath. I made the Mark flare visibly as we sealed the deal, and then used Bluff to do the convincing. He never betrayed us once.
Thanks for reminding me! I did this once in 2e with a tiefling blade. Delivered chill touch by a kiss. "Mmmmm, I just tasted your soul. Cross us and I'll know. And then I'll come back for the rest."
Shrink Item (non-cloth form) + Mending
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When you cleric dies having the wizard cast Limited Wish to res him.
Heroism, Greater + a Wand spamming Moment of Greatness
Poor Man's Clayvoiance:
Witness + Summon Monster I
Use Fireball as battlefield control instead of attack. Remember it catches flammable objects on fire. If you are in a wooden building, that's everything!
Ask your GM if acid bypasses the hardness of metal. If so, the next time you are captured, Acid Splash is your get out of jail free card.
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Cast Air Bubble on a water breathing monster. Cheaper than Suffocation!
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Our party was once starving in the wilderness, no food and and the one person with survival kept failing their rolls. I had the great idea to have everyone get downstream from me in the river then I cast color spray into the water. Fish floated up to the surface and the part grabbed them as the current took the fish towards them.
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Ask your GM if acid bypasses the hardness of metal. If so, the next time you are captured, Acid Splash is your get out of jail free card.
for that matter, if the whole acid trick works, use acid splash to break open locks on chests and such without damaging its contents (especially potions, since most acids can't eat through glass).
If you have the 10 minutes for it, Secure Shelter makes an AWESOME roadblock/gate bar. Has the durability of a stone building, and if you place it right, people have to break 2 'stone' walls to get through it. Or climb over it, whatever. Great for ambushes.
Not sure if someone did it or no, but I overheard someone tried to use Shocking Grasp as a defibrillator. I don't think it worked.
Today during battle the party shaman used Mending to sew a foe's pants together so that he couldn't walk properly. I found this so funny that I had him decide that he had to take his pants off in order to move around (he had sandals as footwear which made this viable) and taking the pants off was a full round action that provoked an attack of opportunity.
I may have a lot more enemies in dresses, kilts or loincloths in the future.
Not sure if someone did it or no, but I overheard someone tried to use Shocking Grasp as a defibrillator. I don't think it worked.
Somehow I doubt that person knows how a defibrillator works.
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Once you have somebody trapped in an aqueous orb, hit them with a hideous laughter spell.
Most creatures die real quick.
RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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I love this. It has been added to the list of relevant links on the spell guide.
By the way, the trick with skinsend could also work with touch injection.
Not unusual, but certainly forgotten in most games I play is the spell sacred bond coupled with cure spells.
Event Coordinator - Dragon's Lair Comics & Fantasy®
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One of my favorites was the use of prestidigitation to attach circus music to a rogue's person just before he went invisible.
The party tracked him through the sewer by following the music. So much for the DM's dramatic moment.
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I love this. It has been added to the list of relevant links on the spell guide.
By the way, the trick with skinsend could also work with touch injection.
Not unusual, but certainly forgotten in most games I play is the spell sacred bond coupled with cure spells.
I figured that out later, but never got around to posting it here. IMO, it's a pretty potent combo, however you slice it.
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RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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One of my favorites was the use of prestidigitation to attach circus music to a rogue's person just before he went invisible.
The party tracked him through the sewer by following the music. So much for the DM's dramatic moment.
I am not sure you could do that with that spell. In fact, after reading the spell I would nix that one at my table. Now, if one of your party members or an animal companion had the scent ability you could attempt to make them smell unique enough to allow a minor bonus to tracking by scent, which would have ended up having the same effect.