The Silly Sorcerer (Or the Silly Spell List)

[KaptainKrunch]

So I've got a character concept I want to try, and I need your help. I reading that "Spontaneous vs. Prepared Casters" thread, and one of the things that kept coming up is 1. "You don't need to know every spell in the game to be useful." and 2. "Wizards have a lot of spells they haven't cast by the end of the day that they memorized for that special situation."

One of the things I enjoy about Wizards is when you've cast all of your staple spells, you're running out of gas, and all you have left are silly things that you memorize for some reason (Okay maybe that's just me.) But I think the most fun I have as a wizard is jamming that Square Block into the Circular Hole with what makes me feel like creative genius. Suddenly Mad Monkeys has far more applications than just dealing damage and disarming people, or maybe I'm asking the DM about the environment to try and apply Sculpt Stone to the situation.

Now STOP RIGHT THERE! I didn't make this thread to discuss those two points - go to the other thread for that. Read the rest of this post before you hit that reply button!

What I want to make is a Sorcerer who has nothing but silly spells. You won't see Grease or Glitterdust on his list. No Fireball with Daze for him. I want to see if I can still be useful making hilarious applications for spells that might seem like they were made for a specific purpose at first glance.

The question is, are there a lot of spells that are like that? That's what I want to find out.

I've already got Mad Monkeys on there - while that's one of the spells I'd consider top notch anyway it definitely fits the silly bill.

And most of all, I need Strangling Hair and a Handlebar Mustache.

As usual 3rd level is really easy to pick out, what about the rest?

Sorcs get about 4 spells known per spell level (5 at 1st and 2nd, and 3 at 5th - 9th.) Let's see if we can fill the whole list.

[Analysis]

Honestly? Grease and Glitterdust are really, stupidly, silly spells. I never use them, for this reason, because they are so silly. They feel like stage magic of Vegas, of Charlie Chaplin - not of fantasy wizardry. Apparently people who have tried long and hard to optimize have found they are often very useful in practice, but that doesn't change the fact you are conjuring a slippery patch of grease or blowing a cloud of glammy glitter. In my eyes, at least. :)

[KaptainKrunch]

Analysis wrote:

Honestly? Grease and Glitterdust are really, stupidly, silly spells. I never use them, for this reason, because they are so silly. They feel like stage magic of Vegas, of Charlie Chaplin - not of fantasy wizardry. Apparently people who have tried long and hard to optimize have found they are often very useful in practice, but that doesn't change the fact you are conjuring a slippery patch of grease or blowing a cloud of glammy glitter. In my eyes, at least. :)

Heh, yeah, I thought that I as I created the post actually.

But they're really GOOD silly spells :P Maybe I'll keep them anyway.

[Rashagar]

I love this idea.

Mount can probably be used in at least as many silly ways as mad monkeys.
Stumble Gap for the slapstick humour?
Memory Lapse for the same slapstick humour again?
Hydraulic Push is a spell I always love to be silly with.
Silent Image is fairly standard for creating silly solutions.

I find Unnatural Lust to be one of the most ridiculous spells ever.
Pyrotechnics to add some dramatics to your performance.
Fun could be had with Levitating objects?
Hideous Laughter so that at least someone else finds you funny?
Honourable mentions to Fire Sneeze, Shatter, and Determine Depth (you'd really have to work to find this useful).

[Viscount K]

This idea is fantastic. I think I've tried to do it before, sort of, although I never formalized it in my head, I was just amusing myself. I say we call it the Humormancer, and proceed to break games.

While probably not a viable option, my favorite spell ever was a 3.5 spell: Entice Gift. Speaks for itself, really - it makes an opponent run to you and hand you whatever they're holding. Like, say, their weapon.

Now then, for actual Pathfinder choices.

First, come cantrips. Prestidigitation is great, obviously, but Arcane Mark has great potential for humor if you cast it a lot. Mark everything and everyone around you with your sigil.

If you ask me, any of the Prismatic spells are hilarious. Behold, the power of rainbows!

Any and all illusions, properly applied, have potential for hilarity.

And now, for actual spells. I quit after 5th level for the moment, but I'll see about others later. These are my favorites so far.

Bungle (1). The opposite of True Strike. 'nuff said.

Lock Gaze (1) is great, if you then proceed to make faces or do something else repulsive/ridiculous. Particularly interesting if you manage to combine it with Curse of Disgust, below.

Reckless Infatuation (3) and Unadulterated Loathing (3) are both really amusing.

Anthropomorphic Animal (3) makes its own case for humor.

Hostile Levitation (3). Floating barbarians are always comedy.

Terrible Remorse (4) is quite a good one, that can be played for laughs.

Curse of Disgust (5) is great, if you throw it on the right object.

Feeblemind (5). Just awesome. Powerful wizard? Nope, now you're stupid. And arcane casters even get penalties to their saving throws!

Smug Narcissism (5) makes the target "overwhelmed by its own importance, talents, and attractiveness".

Possess Object (5) can make for great moments. "The chair's out to get me!" Plus, it technically makes your body immune to poisons, diseases, etc., so you can even use it as an escape. Just go be a teapot while you wait out that Black Lotus.

[Shadowdweller]

Of all the bizarre possibilities, this thread somehow got me thinking of making a bard with the Summon Instrument cantrip to be used with either (or both of) the Throw Anything and/or Catch Off Guard feats.

[Corlindale]

Reminds me of a newbie player's sorceror in an old game. He had chosen three spells known at first level (due to a houserule). The first was Mount. The second was Feather Fall. We never did find out what the third was, but it must have been even less useful considering he never cast it once :-)

He did manage to use Mount both to con Merchants with a "horse-sale" and to provide distraction in combat. There was also a deep pit in the first dungeon where Feather Fall became quite useful.

[Justin Rocket]

Minor Creation (to create all the pies and cakes you'll be throwing). Bigby's Hand spells to throw them (imagine getting a pie in the face, said pie being six feet in diameter).

Mage Hand to move chairs and tie shoelaces.

Silence (for miming)

Acid Arrow (special effect, pie in the face)

Stinking Cloud (whoopee cushion)

Grease

Dominate

Curse

[Furthermore]

Add to all of these the illusions spells to add a volume of hijinx to your list limited only by your imagination and a will save.

For Hydraulic Push and Acid Arrow, you need one of those lapel flowers you can invite people to sniff.

[pennywit]

Create Demiplane. Surely you can create a world of cartoon physics.

Waves of Ecstasy. Yes, it's useful. But still funny.

[Kydeem de'Morcaine]

I think Eruptive Pustules needs to be on the list.

All the ones that mess with you emotions. Making you want to care for or hate someone or something.

Many of the illusions can be.

Alter/disguise self.

Some of the transformations like beast form and monstrous physique.

[Justin Rocket]

however you achieve it, you need to be able to summon shadow creatures/puppets

[Lamontius]

uh if casting Grease and Irresistable Dance together is wrong
then I do not want to be right