Faking it

[HeapThaumaturgist]

My wife's favorite character of all time was a low-level gnome rogue named Fanelin Fayne ... The Greatest Wizard In This, Or Any Other Realm.

She'd take a round out to say: "I cast True Strike." at the table and pantomime doing a spell over his crossbow ... then if she missed the next round say: "Tricksy ... THEY'VE GOT MAGIC RESISTANCE!"

Sleight of Hand checks, etc. It was hilarious, really. Sort of a fourth-wall comedy bit.

--fje

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Hat of Disguise sounds like a must.

Any other magic items or other sneaky tricks?

 

[TarionzCousin]

It's called a Hat of Disguise. Very useful, especially at low levels.

Prestidigitation does a myriad of tricky things--like making a small flame appear on your fingertips, heat or cool liquids or metals, or transform one "fine" object into another "fine" object (both must weigh less than eight ounces). Tome and Blood devoted nearly a full page to this spell.

So I would recommend a Wondrous Item of Prestidigitiation. Very flexible, as far as special effects items.

 

[STARP_Social_Officer]

Give your weapon a name. Doesn't matter if it's a run-of-the-mill longsword or a piece of a tree you've turned into a club - if it's called Bloodbane, Ancestral Weapon of the Jarok Clan, Slayer of Chiefs it's going to sound cool. They don't have to know you made the whole thing up - that's what magic aura and Bluff checks are for.
Works for armour, too. If you call your shield the "Shield of Das" it's going to sound impressive. Nobody need know "Das" is the village smith who welded a few bits of sheet metal together.

 

[schporto]

Flaming longsword? Bah lots of folks have those. Walking around with your clothes on fire, and acting like its perfectly normal? Now there's something you don't see everyday. Same thing, just cast it on the cloak. As for prestidigitation, I'm thinking it works well for the subtle stuff. The paladin or bard who is about to give a speech gets a gust of wind to flourish his cloak, and his clothes are clean, and armor is shiny.
Although a nice prestidigitation on a drawn item so that it always raises or lowers the temperature might be nice. Draw the sword, it lowers the temp a few degrees. "Feel that? That's the cold of your grave calling you...." or something much more dramatic.
-cpd

 

[Markn]

Nystul's Aura on a lot of your stuff will make you look powerful to some people.

 

[painandgreed]

In a heavily houseruled 1E game I was in, the magic-user bought lots of Str and Con using the point buy system and made some good roles so he was exceptionally big and tall. Then he sewed copper peices into the inside of this cloak, so when he walked it clinked like mail armor. It was all done at lower level so he looked more intimidating when walking the streets by himself because all people could see was a huge man wrapped in a cloak who was obviously wearing mail under it.

 

[Slife]

Stolen from the WOTC boards

Situation: the PCs just can't get the enemy out of their strong-position.

PCs:"You're completely besieged... will you surrender".
Enemies: "Never!".
PCs: "We'll have to use force..."
Enemies: "Hahahahah...!"

So the wizard in the group casts Ghost Sound, to generate a faint crackling sound. He then casts Dancing Lights to produce a faint arcing of sparks between his fingers. Both spells much weaker than they could have been, but still visible/audible by the enemy. The DM ponders, makes a succesful morale check for the defenders, thus:

Enemies: "Think you can fool us with your petty magic!"

Then the wizard casts Lightning Bolt on the weakest part of the building, blows it away, as well as the henchman standing behind it.

Remaining enemies: (... silence ..)
PCs: "You're completely besieged... and you've seen nothing yet. Will you surrender"
Enemies: "(hesitatingly)Er... we... we'll withstand such spells. Will still won't surrender."
LeadPC: "Okay then... you were warned... (to wizard, but able to be heard by the enemy)... okay, ramp it up to half power."

So the wizard casts Ghost Sound and Dancing Lights again, but this time as loud and as strong as possible. Sparks and arcs crackle and hiss, as if preparing the ultimate spell of electrical fury. The DM makes a revised morale check for the defenders...

Enemies: "(shreeking)Waaaiit!!! We could parley... if you'll let us go unharmed... etc., etc.

Epilogue... the wizard only had one Lightning Bolt; there could be no followup... brilliant bluff though.

 

[Darklone]

Rituals&Relics 1 had a nice magic sword that had mage armor on the wielder with the illusion of a platemail when it was wielded. Nice picture to have a unit of battlemages draw their swords....