How do you use Prestidigitation ?

[Bloodsparrow]

There was a Dragon article back in the day all about how to use prestidigitation.....I think it was called the little wish. Aptly name since it can do just about anything not covered by the other 0 level spells and even cover some of them too, just not quite as well. If you can think of a very minor magic effect Presto. can probably accomplish it. It is my favorite spell bar none.

I like Prestidigitation, it's a very flexible spell.

And I believe I have a copy at home of "Little Wish". If I remember correctly, "Little Wish" is what "Cantrip" means in some language or other... According to the article. Or that might have been the article in Dragon about having "Cantrips" as a skill. (So, using that article and those rules, I made a rogue who could cast four 0 level spells a day. The idea being that, she was the daughter of a cook at a Mage School. and picked up a few things from students who wanted between meal snacks.)

I have a list of 1ed Cantrips somewhere, a friend gave it to me to show what sorts of things Prestidigitation would cover. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[reapersaurus]

This is the indispensible article about Prestidigitation: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/dx20010707a

No mage should be without it - it should be in everyone's gaming content.

 

[BSF]

It is a great spell. It is also one of those that is a bit subject to discretion. Some DM's might give you more leeway than others. Other than that, it is really open to the player's imagination. There have already been many suggestions that are good.

I know Djeta plays a Bard/Sorceror, so think of the little things that can be done if you are a performer. Heck, collecting up all your tips is a nice use. Clean clothes even though you just came in off the road. Combed hair. Wind blown hair as you walk into the tavern, even though there isn't a breeze. That sparkle in the eye, or on the perfectly white teeth. For a Cha based character, I can see a lot of opportunity to always present yourself in a positive manner.

You can also use it as a distraction. You should be able tap somebody on the shoulder. Instead of gathering coins, gather together a huge pile of leaves. All that rustling should draw the attention of the guard. And what will the guard think when all those leaves begin to form into a pile?

There are all sorts of possibilities with this little spell.

 

[Malicene]

Best use one of my players did was adjusting his scent so a few orcs would not track him, this is much like the perfume above.

As soon as you change your scent with another, but you can't "suppress" your scent with it (check Pass without trace).

but you can smell like an orc (or worse )

 

[Clueless]

You can turn a coin to dust with it...
Essentially useless right? Unless it's a silver coin, and you're being followed by a werewolf. A little bit of silver dust in his eyes and no more following.
(Yes, happened in a game.)

 

[Damon Griffin]

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for creative uses of it? I want to try and actually use this one a bit more.

Temporary repairs. I was running a 3rd level bard. The theatre where she was performing caught fire and it was quickly determined that the very expensive plumbing that had been installed for this very purpose wasn't pumping any water onto the blaze. Why? The pipes are supposed to bring in water from the river adjacent to the building, but a recent spell of dry weather had dropped the water level below the level of the intake pipe. Solution? Create a temporary extension to the pipe, a sort of hardened clay "sleeve" that made the pipe an extra foot or two longer, bringing it down to river level and allowing the pumps to work. Strictly a temporary patch, but one that kept the theatre from burning completely to the ground.