D&D 5E Spells that have disappeared...

[Quickleaf]

Glitterdust, my favorite 3e spell since it qas an AOE that ignored Magic Resistance, eliminated invisibility, and gave a -40 stealth penalty. I shut down many encounters, especially golem encounters, with one well-placed Glitterdust.

Those were the days.

I came for the sticks to snakes and chaos hammer, but I stayed for the glitterdust.

I've tried to convert glitterdust, but it's a super tricky spell to both (a) maintain the original low-level flavor and (b) adapt to 5e mechanics given it basically combines faerie fire (1st) and blindness (2nd) upcast at ~5th level.

My experience was that either I need to tone it down to keep it 2nd level or I need to be OK with making it a ~5th level spell.

 

[Thunderfoot]

What disappeared is prismatic sphere, but it got folded into prismatic wall (which got bumped up from 8th level to 9th level spell) as an option.

Overall, I like the consolidation of spells that 5e did (like these spells, as well as with Bigby's hand and cure wounds).

Yeah, not the same spell. Lol...

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Permanency in 5e would be interesting. How would it work with concentration? What happens when someone casts it with Invisibility? What about Dispel Magic? It could be managed, but I think it would be so high-level that you'd almost be better off just folding it into Wish.

I don't remember any of us as players having access to the spell but myself as a DM I used it a lot behind the scenes for many reasons and effects. After reading the 5E core books almost 8 years ago and realizing this spell had been removed I questioned the design intent.

I can't recall ever seeing it but has there ever officially been something to replace this spell or explain how permanent magical effects are achieved in 5E?

 

[Cruentus]

Did anyone mention Enchant an Item? That was also a spell in 1e that was critical, as far as I can remember, in being able to make magic items.

And Permanency cost the caster 1 point of CON per casting. And they were high level spells. So it wasn't like wizards back in 1e would be very likely to make their own items. That does raise the question - who did? Where did all those permanent items come from that every character had piles of?

I'm digging up my 1e DMG to see how much detail there was in creating magic items - I remember it being lengthy (months) and costly (tens of thousands of GP), not to mention finding the raw materials and components for spells to be added to items. So much crunch. Love it.

 

[Rabulias]

Glitterdust, my favorite 3e spell since it qas an AOE that ignored Magic Resistance, eliminated invisibility, and gave a -40 stealth penalty. I shut down many encounters, especially golem encounters, with one well-placed Glitterdust.

GLITHERDUST!

I've tried to convert glitterdust, but it's a super tricky spell to both (a) maintain the original low-level flavor and (b) adapt to 5e mechanics given it basically combines faerie fire (1st) and blindness (2nd) upcast at ~5th level.

My experience was that either I need to tone it down to keep it 2nd level or I need to be OK with making it a ~5th level spell.

I found glitterdust to be very powerful as a 2nd level spell in 3.5e, so I understand why it was dropped in 5e, though as a 5th level spell with a save every round vs the blindness, it sounds balanced.

I am reminded of a magic item from earlier editions that has disappeared: dust of appearance. It required glitterdust to create it in 3.x, and it was similar in effect (without the blindness, though). Maybe glitterdust can return as a magic item? as a fancier name for dust of appearance?

 

[R_J_K75]

Permanency in 5e would be interesting. How would it work with concentration? What happens when someone casts it with Invisibility? What about Dispel Magic? It could be managed, but I think it would be so high-level that you'd almost be better off just folding it into Wish.

I see your point on concentration, you can't concentrate or cast two spells that require concentration. So, it'd probably be a ritual or need two casters maybe? But for the sake of argument, let's say a permanent reverse gravity spell is placed on a pit trap. A person falls in and takes damage, the reverse gravity spell kicks in and slams them into the ceiling, then deactivates and drops them back into the pit, or something thereof. The mechanics of how the spell works aren't important for now other than the reverse gravity spell is permanent, (Is reverse gravity even in 5E? LOL). I would say the reverse gravity spell could easily be dispelled as normal or any other spell for that matter, for the duration of the dispel spell, afterwards the permanent spell would resume working. Thats my opinion without giving it too much thought.

 

[R_J_K75]

Are you thinking of slingstars?

I have to look later but possibly.

 

[Stormonu]

Didn't the 2E FR City of Splendors boxed set have suped up MM spell for the watch mages? ICR the name or effect off hand. Have to look it up later tonight after our d20/5E Modern game.

I think it was called “Magic Machinegun”, or at least it was our nickname for the number of missiles it threw out.

 

[Rabulias]

I think it was called “Magic Machinegun”, or at least it was our nickname for the number of missiles it threw out.

Probably not slingstar then; slingstar put out a max of 4 missiles at 10th level. Each one did 1d6+(1/level, up to 10) points of damage, and they were fired on separate rounds. A nice upgrade over magic missile.

 

[R_J_K75]

Are you thinking of slingstars?

I think it was called “Magic Machinegun”, or at least it was our nickname for the number of missiles it threw out.

Delayed Magic Missile is the one I was thinking of.