Permanency

[Kurotowa]

Definitely, wizard, since this sort of complex magic is their deal. I could maybe see sorcerer since they have metamagic and this is sort of a "super extended spell." Strangely, the bard has a lot of permanentish spells on their list (teleportation circle, programmed illusion, guards and wards, symbol) so I could see them getting it, although it doesn't feel especially bardly.

Wizard, obviously. This is entirely their jam. The problem with Sorcerer is that they've got such a tight number of spells known. That makes it hard to both spare a slot for Permanency and harder to have enough other spells to combine with it for the pick to be worthwhile. You're right that it doesn't feel particularly Bardic. What about Warlocks? I can see them having the same problem of limited spell selection as Sorcerers, but it's not out of the question.

Here's another question. Can you only apply Permanency to your own spell effects, or can you team up with someone else? Because if it's the latter than you have to deal with Cleric spells being possible targets, including Enhance Ability. Permanent advantage on your main attribute? That's a pretty hefty effect.

 

[Dessert Nomad]

One odd effect: You can make a conjuration spell go non concentration and last all day at the cost of having gems on you and one sixth level spell slot. While having an all-day elemental or wolf pack is not game breaking, you are letting a shepard druid (or other summoner, but they come to mind) have two sets of summons at once, since you can summon one, make it 'permanent' removing the concentration, then summon a second one.

 

[Dessert Nomad]

Here's another question. Can you only apply Permanency to your own spell effects, or can you team up with someone else? Because if it's the latter than you have to deal with Cleric spells being possible targets, including Enhance Ability. Permanent advantage on your main attribute? That's a pretty hefty effect.

As written it's any spell effect that you can see. With druid spells, you could get 5 person longstrider (Which is probably a bit of a price break over items), pass without trace (by my interpretation only for the caster), Freedom of movement, stoneskin at absurd cost, Find the Path (so you'd always know how to get to a particular place), wind walk, and any 'conjure X' spell.

Getting two sets of summons like I mentioned before would be handy, and would be a reasonable 'one day' use of the spell that wouldn't consume the component. Wind Walk looks to me to be the most interesting one, you can give up to 10 people the ability to, at any time, spend 1 minute to turn into gaseous form with a fly speed of 300'. That seems like a good permanent 'fast travel that isn't teleport' for a group.

 

[77IM]

I think that sorcerers and warlocks both sometimes get spells on their list that they aren't really expected to learn, but are able to cast off of scrolls, because they are on their spell list. But when I look at the warlock spell list, there aren't very many spells with long-term effects to begin with.

As written, you can apply Permanency to any spell effect that qualifies, even one cast by another character. In theory you could target a spell effect created by an enemy but I can't really think of how that could be used to any real advantage. But yeah, I like the idea of a cleric and wizard working together to make a permanent silence or blade barrier or whatever.

Enhance ability is definitely one of the questionable spells. Permanent advantage on an ability check is pretty great. It costs about as much as a manual of +2 to an ability score up to a max of 22, but it takes a year to cast and eats one of your attunement slots (the manual does not require attunement). Of course advantage is usually better than an ability increase, except that the ability increase also applies to attacks and saves.

The other point of comparison is cloak of elvenkind, eyes of the eagle, rod of alertness, which require attunement, and sentinel shield, which does not. All of those give advantage on fairly important skill checks, but they're uncommon, which means they should be cheap and easy to find.

Soooo... I'm not sure. I'm wondering if it would be better to strip out the parts about targeting a character, and just focus on spells that target an object or area. That's where most of the world-building and fun story elements come in, mostly in the form of weird dungeons and magically guarded vaults.

 

[Coroc]

Permanency is one of the few flaws I found with 5E. In former editions some lesser spells like continual light or such could be done relatively easy. To craft magic weapons or armor someone needed e.g. Permanency and enchant weapon, but permanency was a level 8 spell as far as I can remember.
5e has some spells which can be made permanent by repeated casting but that's much effort for e.g? A+1 sword.

 

[5ekyu]

I tend to go with additional flavors of "cast every day same place for a year permanent" options myself and ritual with added cost per day.

 

[Dessert Nomad]

Enhance ability is definitely one of the questionable spells. Permanent advantage on an ability check is pretty great. It costs about as much as a manual of +2 to an ability score up to a max of 22, but it takes a year to cast and eats one of your attunement slots (the manual does not require attunement). Of course advantage is usually better than an ability increase, except that the ability increase also applies to attacks and saves.

For comparison, if you use a 9th level slot each day, you can get "can’t be surprised and has advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. Additionally, other creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against the target for the duration." for eight hours.

 

[aco175]

To make something actually permanent requires casting for a whole year, or 365 astral diamonds, or 3.65 million GP. Looks like I need a Kickstarter disguised as a 22 minute action adventure.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

To make something actually permanent requires casting for a whole year, or 365 astral diamonds, or 3.65 million GP. Looks like I need a Kickstarter disguised as a 22 minute action adventure.

You only need to spend the diamond on the last casting, where you make it permanent. The previous castings use the standard rules for expensive material components, where it isn't consumed unless specified.

 

[Dessert Nomad]

Oh, here's a question: could you make hero's feast permanent? The feast has to be consumed in an hour and disappears, but the effects last for 24 hours naturally. You'd have to spend 365,000 gold to cast hero's feast every day, but assuming you've got that money would it work?