Surprisingly Useful Spells

[Steel_Wind]

I suppose it's not a "surprise" per se, but a simple 2nd level spell, web can cause more unavoidable, unsaveable havoc in a battle than any other spell (entangle comes close).

It's a favorite of mine because my players are highly tactical and a web spell throws everything into chaos. There is no real "save" for web. It's just degrees of how scrooooed you are.

There are some who think web is too useful a spell. Jim Pinto points out in World's Largest Dungeon that web is a phenomenally powerful spell underground and is inherently unbalancing. Whether you agree with Jim or not, not one single monster in the WLD has it.

 

[Wild Gazebo]

Mend.

 

[scruffygrognard]

Glitterdust...

Not only can this level 2 spell make invisible or hiding opponents in a 10' radius visible, it also has a good chance of temporarily blinding them (visible or not).

I love that spell!

 

[Hellefire]

I clicked on the thread just to add grease, and lo and behold there it is.

What a shock

Aaron

 

[Nyarlathotep]

I suppose it's not a "surprise" per se, but a simple 2nd level spell, web can cause more unavoidable, unsaveable havoc in a battle than any other spell (entangle comes close).

It's a favorite of mine because my players are highly tactical and a web spell throws everything into chaos. There is no real "save" for web. It's just degrees of how scrooooed you are.

There are some who think web is too useful a spell. Jim Pinto points out in World's Largest Dungeon that web is a phenomenally powerful spell underground and is inherently unbalancing. Whether you agree with Jim or not, not one single monster in the WLD has it.

Except Boyikt the Kobold Wizard in Region A (In spellbook, not prepared - Room 68ish, I believe). Although I do beleive that is supposed to be a typo.

 

[BlackSilver]

Shrink Item

Hold up in a dungeon all night long with a large rock placed just right outside the door, no one can come in or out unless they have Stone Shape or can get through rock by some other means.

One of my Players claims that Hold Person has the verbal component of "hold still," followed by (if the save fails) "while I slit your throat." It annoys me, but he has a lot of fun so....

 

[Sigurd]

Vanish 2nd Ed.

In second edition I used to love the spell 'Vanish' because if you reversed it it took a huge volume of air out of the target zone and replaced it with etheral material that became solid rock. Because it was area affecting saves were really bad.

Broken but cool.

S

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Mount, very good for movement at low levels with a nice long duration (unlike expeditious retreat). There are lots of times your regular mount will be killed or you can't bring it with you or simply do not have one. This spell is what you need to get out of those kind of tight situations (and get out of their really really fast).

 

[dren]

The message spell. In my last campaign, in every game, almost every encounter the conjurer cast the spell for privacy and planning.

 

[Sejs]

Prestidigitation.

Dancing Lights.

Unseen Servant.

Mending.