What spells do you enjoy?

[mmadsen]

I'm sure everyone has their favorite spells they choose for their spellcasting character, generally for their effectiveness, but what spells do you just plain enjoy? Which ones feel "magical' to you? Which ones do you tend to give NPC spellcasters?

I know I cringe whenever an adventure loads up an evil Wizard with Magic Missiles. I immediately change his spell list to include something more interesting than magic darts that don't miss.

 

[Lord Ravinous]

I'd have to go with Feeblemind followed my a nice and jucie Bestow Curse . I just enjoy the drooling expression of a 12ft. tall Ogre in a catatonic state

 

[hong]

Fireball!

Accept no substitutes.

 

[Uller]

I'd have to go with Feeblemind followed my a nice and jucie Bestow Curse . I just enjoy the drooling expression of a 12ft. tall Ogre in a catatonic state

Yes. Bestow Curse is a fun RP spell. My cleric of Moradin convinced a Dwarf Thane that Moradin was not pleased with him occupying some human lands and exacting unfair tribute from them by casting Bestow Curse and causing his beard to fall out...Every other Dwarf in sight suddenly chose to treat my companions and me with the utmost respect and curtisy...

Another favorite of mine is Sound Burst. Sure, it only does d8 damage, but it's a Will save and can disrupt a group of weak willed fighter/fodder-types just long enough for your side to get the upper hand. In our last game, a River Troll had our Bard grappled and under water. She was going to be dead next round. I yelled "Depth Charge!" and cast Sound Burst centered right on top of them. Fortunately, she made her save(I figured she would) and the Troll failed. She escaped just long enough to get off a fear spell...

 

[FullTinCan]

Grease + Slow [baby]

Its not a single spell, but two spells.

Grease + Slow: First you slow them, then you grease them. Watch as they spend their partial action attempting to stand up, only to force a saving throw the next round. Hee hee

 

[F5]

I can't get by without my illusion spells. The ability to create the image of anything I can resonably imagine gets me (and eveyone around me) into WAY too much trouble. After the incident with the illusionary 20' green-and-purple orc taunting a rampaging giant ape into chasing it instead of levelling the village the ape was headed towards, to this day my DM shudders if I say "Maybe I'll play an illusionist next..."

 

[Vanye]

Well, I enjoyed....

Melf's Minute Meteors, but they yanked it. I keep meaning to re-adding it, but I only recently found my 2nd Ed PH....

Currently, I like Color Spray. Lots of bang for the buck, regardless of caster level and victim level...
Summon Swarm has always been a good one, too.

 

[Zappo]

Well, I admit I kinda like Innate Quickened Persistant Time Stop spells, but failing that...

I love Summon Monsters, particularly when you apply a Persistant Spell metamagic to them. They are very fun and versatile. Why bother with illusions when you can have the real thing?

 

[Quickbeam]

I too love Bestow Curse, for all of the reasons listed above.

I also enjoy Hold Person for low level fun; Polymorph Other and Geas/Quest for pure enjoyment; and Harm for massive damage purposes.

 

[Omegium]

One spell I have never used, but which I liked from the start, is Gestalt, from BOEMII. That spell just has something. It's funny, usable, and very different from other spells.
Besides that: Polymorph self is always useful, Illusions can be cool. Invisibility is a must have spell, and blindsight (MOF) is just plain overpowered, but otherwise extremely good.