Stormonu
NeoGrognard
In the long history of D&D, there have been oodles and oodles of spells. Many of the successfully created spells over the lifetime of D&D have focused on their direct or indirect usefulness in combat. However, a dwindling number of spells have expressed usefulness beyond the field of combat.
Some of these spells are so specialized that players (and DMs) would scoff at anyone who took them for use in an adventuring party as "a waste". In fact, a good many folks often enjoy finding combat uses for such spells, just to prove how devious they are. This is not that thread.
However, aside from the adventuring world, these spells may have a place as a bit of color or have usefulness to NPC's.
What I'd love to see is a list of these spells, and perhaps how they might be used for color or by NPCs. But please, leave it to the twisted imagination of players (and DMs) how these spells might be used for combat - these should be spells that have no *apparent* use in a combat situation.
Likewise, since I'm hoping to cross editions, please leave the game mechanics out (or put them in sblock's for your favorite edition, please). The idea is that these should be useful in ANY version of D&D.
Examples:
(The Classic) Magic Mouth: This spell imbues an inanimate object with the ability to speak a predetermined phrase. Useful in urban areas for providing directions, acting as permanent city criers or for announcing guests to an establishment.
Interrogator's Mouth: This spell imbues an inanimate object with the ability to intelligently question an individual that approaches it, and relays the answers to the caster. A useful spell when coupled with Wizard Lock for spellcasters to learn about those attempting to penetrate their abode - or an interesting way to protect a treasure vault against theft.
Minor Animate Item: This spell allows you to animate one or multiple tiny items (such as the pieces on a chessboard) to act as you command. Useful for diversions such as boardgames, or when you'd rather the fine china cleaned itself so you could have the afternoon off.
Gift Horse: This spell allows you to create a cheap simulacrum of a non-magical item that vanishes after 24 hours or upon first use. This is obviously the spell of a scoundrel, often used to cheat an individual out of coin or to fool another into thinking the caster possesses an item of quality they could not possibly afford.
Sandals: This spell creates a pair of rugged footwear made of force. The footwear has no weight and does not impair movement. Despite its name, the sandals can appear as any sort of footwear the wearer desires. This spell can replace mangled or destroyed footwear, or even reinforce existing footwear against harm.
Radiant Cloak: This spell allows the wearer's cloak to disguise their clothing, making it appear like any sort of garment they desire. It does not conceal or alter the wearer's features, only their garments. If the cloak is removed or opened, the illusion vanishes. This is, of course, an excellent disguise spell, allowing even a pauper to appear appropriately attired for the king's ball, or for a knight to conceal his arms when visiting a potentially hostile meeting.
Ready Assistant: This spell is cast on a container. When an individual speaks or thinks of an item within the container and opens it, that item is present at the top and seems to move to the individual's hand as if "handed" to them, thus negating time to search or rummage through the container for the needed item. A useful spell for the unorganized and/or lazy.
Some of these spells are so specialized that players (and DMs) would scoff at anyone who took them for use in an adventuring party as "a waste". In fact, a good many folks often enjoy finding combat uses for such spells, just to prove how devious they are. This is not that thread.
However, aside from the adventuring world, these spells may have a place as a bit of color or have usefulness to NPC's.
What I'd love to see is a list of these spells, and perhaps how they might be used for color or by NPCs. But please, leave it to the twisted imagination of players (and DMs) how these spells might be used for combat - these should be spells that have no *apparent* use in a combat situation.
Likewise, since I'm hoping to cross editions, please leave the game mechanics out (or put them in sblock's for your favorite edition, please). The idea is that these should be useful in ANY version of D&D.
Examples:
(The Classic) Magic Mouth: This spell imbues an inanimate object with the ability to speak a predetermined phrase. Useful in urban areas for providing directions, acting as permanent city criers or for announcing guests to an establishment.
Interrogator's Mouth: This spell imbues an inanimate object with the ability to intelligently question an individual that approaches it, and relays the answers to the caster. A useful spell when coupled with Wizard Lock for spellcasters to learn about those attempting to penetrate their abode - or an interesting way to protect a treasure vault against theft.
Minor Animate Item: This spell allows you to animate one or multiple tiny items (such as the pieces on a chessboard) to act as you command. Useful for diversions such as boardgames, or when you'd rather the fine china cleaned itself so you could have the afternoon off.
Gift Horse: This spell allows you to create a cheap simulacrum of a non-magical item that vanishes after 24 hours or upon first use. This is obviously the spell of a scoundrel, often used to cheat an individual out of coin or to fool another into thinking the caster possesses an item of quality they could not possibly afford.
Sandals: This spell creates a pair of rugged footwear made of force. The footwear has no weight and does not impair movement. Despite its name, the sandals can appear as any sort of footwear the wearer desires. This spell can replace mangled or destroyed footwear, or even reinforce existing footwear against harm.
Radiant Cloak: This spell allows the wearer's cloak to disguise their clothing, making it appear like any sort of garment they desire. It does not conceal or alter the wearer's features, only their garments. If the cloak is removed or opened, the illusion vanishes. This is, of course, an excellent disguise spell, allowing even a pauper to appear appropriately attired for the king's ball, or for a knight to conceal his arms when visiting a potentially hostile meeting.
Ready Assistant: This spell is cast on a container. When an individual speaks or thinks of an item within the container and opens it, that item is present at the top and seems to move to the individual's hand as if "handed" to them, thus negating time to search or rummage through the container for the needed item. A useful spell for the unorganized and/or lazy.
