Fun Tricks with Useless Spells

[eris404]

One of my favorites is using mend as a basic aid for forgery.

Have a King's Writ?

Gently scratch out the [date, name, monetary value, property, legal term, or message]...

cast mend and watch the paper reform into a nice clean printable surface...

write in the more 'appropriate' variable...

present brand new official writ to the proper authorities.

Oh, you are bad! That is completely awesome.

 

[Gez]

Dancing Lights as a form of long-range communication, tactical signalling, and tagging.

I love Dancing Lights.

Dancing lights is awesome against enemies that don't know a lot about magic, you can try to frighten them with its "ghostly apparition" use. Of course, it's all roleplay -- they won't be magically scared. Still, it can be great against superstitious creatures.

In the same category, ghost sound used to make your enemies believe reinforcements for you are on the way. A gnome character of mine scared goblins off by creating the sound of a dwarven charge.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Arcane Mark can probably be used to do the same scam that was used in Paper Moon. PC #1 pays for something cheap with a large coin marked with the spell. When the merchant is busy, PC#2 pays for something with a small coin (unmarked) and complains LOUDLY about incorrect change, claiming to have paid with a coin in the denomination PC1 used. PC#2 points out the existence of an Arcane Mark upon the coin..."proof" that incorrect change was given.

While this could be done without Arcane Mark, its easier. Since the mark can be made invisibly, there is no chance the merchant will spot the mark, until it is revealed.

Mage Hand is nasty in a casino or gambling parlour...if you don't get caught...best if done with an accomplice who isn't being watched like a hawk.

Summon Instrument? Good for creating improvised weapons- "OOPS! Bar Brawl! Summon....TUBA!!!

Druids- cover your eyes: Animal Messenger is a great way to get a quick meal when you've run out of food...HEY! It beats being the D&D Donner Party!

BTW: I love that mending/forgery thing...I have a NE Ftr/Thief I'm playing in a dormant campaign...if it gets revived, I may just have to take some mage/sorc levels...

To further expand on that, it should be good for resealing documents with wax seals, or peace bonds on weapons...

 

[IronWolf]

I like to use Dancing Lights or Ghost Sound to throw a party off sometimes. Sometimes just a wasted round can be worth it.

A meticulous bard in one of my campaigns in the past used to use Prestidigitation to clean himself up all the time. Usually after returning from some adventure and before stepping into the bar or inn in order to look presentable. I think that is a rather common use though.

 

[Ace]

I use Grease I don't know how useless it is but I can't remember another player using in a game I played in.

I use it to slow things running at me or chasing to allow me to get away. I used it once to stop a theif that stole from a merchant. Grease at his feet he goes down merchant catches him. I go to jail for using magic in a place that doesn't like magic users.

We consider Grease to be quite powerfull after seeing it used to knock about 6 scro off a ships plank and keep them from invading a village

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I've used unseen servant to remove the bar from the opposite side of a door.

I love the mending idea for forgery. If my wizard/rogue ever gets played again, I will be sure to keep that one in mind.

 

[domino]

I would mention, that were I the DM, I'd say (ahead of time, mind you,) that mending would mend all the damage to the paper, including erasing the words. So, it wouldn't work. Your DM may, of course, allow it.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

I would mention, that were I the DM, I'd say (ahead of time, mind you,) that mending would mend all the damage to the paper, including erasing the words. So, it wouldn't work. Your DM may, of course, allow it.

Interestingly, I might not allow it to work, either, but by opposite reasoning: I think mending would restore the writing. If you mend an illuminated book, it doesn't erase it, does it?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I think that would depend on how you remove the ink, don't you?

If the ink is soaked off or removed with a thinner of some kind, THEN the paper is slightly damaged because of the damage from the liquid and scraping...the repair would fix the tears and warping from the liquid, not replace the ink.

I would think that restoring ink to a damaged page would require 2 uses of mending.

 

[jmucchiello]

I would mention, that were I the DM, I'd say (ahead of time, mind you,) that mending would mend all the damage to the paper, including erasing the words. So, it wouldn't work. Your DM may, of course, allow it.

The player using mending could say he is targetting the wax seal with the spell and thus only the seal should mend.