Old School Spells

[the Jester]

Anyone else have some ideas for cool spells fallen by the wayside?

Alter reality, tempus fugit, phantasmagoria, firewater, precipitation, cloudburst...

 

[Plane Sailing]

Sleep

It used to be THE staple 1st level spell - take out 4d4 goblins (or even an ogre) with a single spell with no save.

 

[darkelfo]

What about the Chromatic Orb spell from the 2e Wizard's Handbook? First level spell that increased in power and effect depending upon caster lvl. At higher lvls it included a death magic ability, if I recally correctly.

Seemed pretty nifty, until you considered that the caster lvl "limitation" really meant that each of the wizard's first lvl spells could be a death magic save-or-die attack.

TSR once lauded the Chromatic Orb as a great, creative spell. Wonder why they axed it in 3e? ;P

 

[the Jester]

What about the Chromatic Orb spell from the 2e Wizard's Handbook? First level spell that increased in power and effect depending upon caster lvl. At higher lvls it included a death magic ability, if I recally correctly.

Seemed pretty nifty, until you considered that the caster lvl "limitation" really meant that each of the wizard's first lvl spells could be a death magic save-or-die attack.

Well, it was worse than that, really. Once you hit 12th level (iirc) and could throw the black orb of death, even if your enemy made their save they were paralyzed. Save AND die, in essence... from a 1st-level spell.

 

[Shadeus]

Well, it was worse than that, really. Once you hit 12th level (iirc) and could throw the black orb of death, even if your enemy made their save they were paralyzed. Save AND die, in essence... from a 1st-level spell.

Yeah, good ole unearthed arcana. Where is the cacaedemon spell these days?

 

[Aquarius Alodar]

Enlarge/Reduce in 2e was just a simple matter of a spell and its reverse. I get my copy of the 3e PHB and it's: "WTF? OMG.......nerf!"

 

[Grazzt]

Alter reality, tempus fugit, phantasmagoria, firewater, precipitation, cloudburst...

Ya know, Eldritch Sorcery (coming out from Necromancer Games in July this year) has several of the spells you mentioned in it...converted from the 1e rules. I know, because I converted them whilst co-writing the book.

(Sorry for the plug...just seemed on topic since ya mentioned old school spells )

 

[moritheil]

Ya know, Eldritch Sorcery (coming out from Necromancer Games in July this year) has several of the spells you mentioned in it...converted from the 1e rules. I know, because I converted them whilst co-writing the book.

(Sorry for the plug...just seemed on topic since ya mentioned old school spells )

Ooh, nifty.

Darkelfo, I'm not really sure what level I would put Chromatic Orb at, but now that you mention it, I do remember our wizard lamenting the loss of that spell. I do like the flavor, and the idea that an imperious archmage will kill a lowly beginning adventurer with a mere first level spell . . . but as was mentioned, there could be balance issues. Particularly when a party goes up against multiple enemy archmages.

Jester - Tempus fugit! Hah, does anyone remember the trick with Tempus fugit and dancing weapons?

 

[the Jester]

No first level spell should instantly kill a creature, imho, short of Fine or Diminutive vermind under 1 HD or something.

I've thought about bringing back a higher-level sort of chromatic orb, or else remaking it substantially as a 1st-level spell. But haven't yet done so, meh.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Good ridance to 2nd ed stoneskin. I had to nerf it after much abuse.
How about the real Fireball 33, 10x10 cubes of flame spreading out from a single point? Would 5th do it?
the rebounding lighting bolt? - okay so I had a vampire mage masscare a paladin in a 10x10 room - the mist floated away laughing.
I miss clouburst and precipiation - just something druids and nature priests should be able to do.

I hadn't considered the chromatic orb - ooooh. a thought.
take a good look at the Orb spells is CA - the reason they are conjuration!!
nvrmnd - they were Evocation/Alteration in both first and 2nd ed. But the effects/ blinding, nausea, etc are remarkably similar.