Spells like prestidigitation and shadow conjuration get a lot of love for their versatility. When you're a spontaneous caster, you need that versatility to help make up for your limited spells known. So as an exercise in better casting: what are some other spells that are useful in many different kinds of combat / non-combat situations?
I prefer a restricted spell list myself, and had a lot of fun squeezing use out of my rogue's single 1st-level SLA: Expeditious Retreat. Move between foes quickly, retreat quickly, pursue quickly, jump far, be the first at the dinner table etc..
When you're a spontaneous caster, you need that versatility to help make up for your limited spells known.
To some extent, yes - but since there are more players at the table, it's fine if you cover just a fraction of the problems. It's problematic enough when players of prepared casters try to cover everything, not need to join them...
In one game we were barely level 3, had almost no gear and were trapped on a freezing mountain with only frozen meat to eat. We carved it up thin and cast Heat Metal on our one breastplate to fry the meat.
We used a couple of Burning Hands to set off an avalanche to bury pursuers once. Dimensional Folding to the depths of the ocean to have a ton of high pressure water clean out an area of trash (both euphemistic and actual). This was banned soon after.
Using Commune and a map to zero in on locations we needed to find (later banned).
Shrink Item, boulders, and string to create massive portable bombs, etc. (later banned). Also usable to create portable assembly components for doors, bridges, etc.
Love me some Dungeons and Discourse. :)
I also love those examples. The heat metal thing in particular strikes as a clever use.
How did the bannings come about? Do clever ideas come up, get abused, and then get the ban hammer? Or is it a preemptive "I'll allow that once" kind of situation?
Shadow conjuration is a pretty well known one, if somewhat controversial at times.
Shadow conjuration is a pretty well known one, if somewhat controversial at times.
I shy away from it on account of the complexity. What makes it controversial? The inherent rules weirdness of illusion magic?
Shadow conjuration is a pretty well known one, if somewhat controversial at times.I shy away from it on account of the complexity. What makes it controversial? The inherent rules weirdness of illusion magic?
Pretty much, with the added bonus that it's shadow magic, so we start asking fun questions like "Can you choose to believe your own shadow abundant ammunition, and if not what happens?" or "How does shadow wall of mist affect you and your party?".
Pretty much, with the added bonus that it's shadow magic, so we start asking fun questions like "Can you choose to believe your own shadow abundant ammunition, and if not what happens?" or "How does shadow wall of mist affect you and your party?".Shadow conjuration is a pretty well known one, if somewhat controversial at times.I shy away from it on account of the complexity. What makes it controversial? The inherent rules weirdness of illusion magic?
Abundant Ammunition is an interesting one, but by RAW you are always allowed to intentionally fail a saving throw. Thus you would be able to use the arrows freely. Now, your enemies would also get saving throws for -80% damage with the arrows.
Wall of Mist is a more interesting one, but basically it would work like any other illusionary wall. Shadow Conjuration clearly states that you get a will save if you interact with the result, so in order to get that saving throw you would need to interact with the Wall of Mist as a standard action. Thus you'd handle it the same way your table handles any other illusions.
KBrewers guide to Shadow conjuration discusses this.
Yeah, I'm aware of the arguments, and I'm aware of the arguments about the arguments. : )
Yeah, shadow conjuration can get to hair pulling:
Shadow Conjuration > Draconic Ally
"Treat this servant as a pseudodragon with all of the abilities granted by one of the following spells: form of the alien dragon I, form of the dragon I, or form of the exotic dragon I."
Pseudodragon has blindsense 60'. Does it or does it not warn you about the invisible guy sneaking up on you...You know it's at least 20% real; he ?hasn't? interacted with it yet...
Oh dear. I seem to have gone cross-eyed. :/
Dont forget Least Wish. Good for nearly any use from very low level.
Silent Image also has a lot of uses, if your GM allows it.
Disguise Self/Alter Self is great for social situations.
/cevah