What spells do you enjoy?
- Thread starter mmadsen
- Start date
I've always been fond of the Sleep spell. It's a staple of myth and legend, and within the game it's pretty powerful, but it has to be used wisely. If you catch one or two guys with it, they're out of the fight. If you're not so sneaky, and you try to use it against too many enemies at once, your victims get woken immediately by their comrades.
I just don't like the extremely arbitrary hit-die limits. Doesn't the Fort Save handle that? If the spell's too powerful, give Save bonuses for resisting in combat, etc.
Anyway, to tie a few thoughts together, I really like the Swarm Form visual, and I'd love to see a mass polymorph that could turn the town guards into a flock of birds -- but that had some easy/sensible counter, like waking up victims of Sleep.
I just don't like the extremely arbitrary hit-die limits. Doesn't the Fort Save handle that? If the spell's too powerful, give Save bonuses for resisting in combat, etc.
Anyway, to tie a few thoughts together, I really like the Swarm Form visual, and I'd love to see a mass polymorph that could turn the town guards into a flock of birds -- but that had some easy/sensible counter, like waking up victims of Sleep.
Psychotic Jim
First Post
I have always favored the Necromancy school (just the non-combat spells though). I particularly like Clone, Animate Dead, and Gentle Repose..
These spells are just so good at portraying the "mad scientist" type character who likes to mess around with what he should not
Animate Dead and all its variants are useful for making insane (or "exccentric") necromancers who animate the dead for weird purposes, like if a necromancer is so delusional he believes the undead he creates are really brought back to life.
Necromancer: Say, Aunt Edna, you sure are quiet tonight.
Zombie: Uuugghhh...
Necromancer: You sure tell the funniest stories...
You can portray these necromancers as evil, humorous, or tragic.
I like Clone because it always gives the players fear that the necromancer they killed will just come backfrom the deep sleep once again.
For similar reasons, I like Create Crawling Claw, Bogun, Unseen Servant, Simulacrum, Minor and Major Creation[/I] , because they allow you to create things instead of destroying them.
I also like Continual Flame as the spell that lets you create the easiest magical item.
These spells are just so good at portraying the "mad scientist" type character who likes to mess around with what he should not
Animate Dead and all its variants are useful for making insane (or "exccentric") necromancers who animate the dead for weird purposes, like if a necromancer is so delusional he believes the undead he creates are really brought back to life.
Necromancer: Say, Aunt Edna, you sure are quiet tonight.
Zombie: Uuugghhh...
Necromancer: You sure tell the funniest stories...
You can portray these necromancers as evil, humorous, or tragic.
I like Clone because it always gives the players fear that the necromancer they killed will just come backfrom the deep sleep once again.
For similar reasons, I like Create Crawling Claw, Bogun, Unseen Servant, Simulacrum, Minor and Major Creation[/I] , because they allow you to create things instead of destroying them.
I also like Continual Flame as the spell that lets you create the easiest magical item.
In another thread, Jovah pointed out a great spell: Mark of Justice. The idea's simple enough, but it has all the elements of a great spell; it's a contingent curse. If you break the rules set for you by the spellcaster, you're cursed.
I don't see why it has to be a 5th-level Cleric spell, but that's another story.
I don't see why it has to be a 5th-level Cleric spell, but that's another story.
Malin Genie
First Post
I love Mage Hand. Incredibly versatile, and yet only a cantrip. And one nasty tactic I discovered: combined with a Ranseur - Ready a Mage Hand, Disarm AoO your charging opponent then whisk his longsword away.
It seems that most players enjoy spells primarily from a powergaming perspective -- whatever has the most bang per buck. What spells do you use because you can "afford" them, and what spells do you use even though you have "better" options?
Most everyone takes Shield and Magic Missile, for instance, but they're not exactly "fun" spells. Would you take them if they were third level?
