What's a Caster Without Spells To Do?

[RUMBLETiGER]

Classic scenario: You're a full caster (Other than Druid, they've got plenty else!), and you've used up your spells for the day, but the day isn't over. What can you do to prepare for this situations?

-Have a few wands on hand.
-Take a Reserve Feat and keep that 1 spell to fuel it.
-Rely on your other party members (Gasp!)
-...?

Please, I'd love to hear how you guys have handled this situation. What's a caster without spells to do to continue getting thru the adventuring day? I'm also looking for some clearly non-magic options for the dreaded Anti Magic fields and the like.

 

[The Human Target]

What I did was not have a lot of fun at low levels, spend a lot of time tracking wands/scrolls/staffs at higher levels, and then switch over to 4e.

 

[Nagol]

There are a variety of strategies for character development and play. A lot of them depend on the table more than the game system

1) Develop a secondary attack line. In one campaign, one of the two Wizards was an elf with a very high Dex. Elves have automatic proficiency with short bow and with the high and later boosted Dex, it was her go-to when spells didn't fit need. There are a lot of options to continue as an (almost) full caster but improve BAB and armour capacity.

2) Make sure you won't run out of spells. A couple of wands, a few scrolls, and especially handfuls of Pearls of Power are your friend. Take Craft Wondrous Item at 3rd level and start throwing off a 1st level pearl for 1 day, 500 gp and 40 xp. One of the Wizards ended the campaign with a couple of dozen varied level pearls. You can share them with the clerics after a particularly nasty fight too.

3) Fall back on your non-combat strengths as a know-it-all. The party won't mind carrying you a bit if you solve the riddle, root out the imposter, discover the hidden abjuration and notie that one of the walls was actually created from a Wall of Stone spell.
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n) Be a Richard. As one of the primary spellcasters, your abilities will be necessary later on to locate the destination, travel to the destination, identify enemies/friends/obstacles/treasures, and survive the environment around the destination. Insist on setting the adventuring speed to your needs.

 

[howandwhy99]

Everything else you bring to the table beyond casting spells. You can even still use magic, just use it in item form.

What's a fighter to do without arms or armor for the rest of the day? Or a thief without lockpicks or quiet clothing? or a cleric without a holy symbol or access to divine spells?

You can still explore your business. You're just limited at the moment.

 

[TwoSix]

... and you've used up your spells for the day, but the day isn't over.

Does not compute. How else do you know that the day is over?

 

[billd91]

Classic scenario: You're a full caster (Other than Druid, they've got plenty else!), and you've used up your spells for the day, but the day isn't over. What can you do to prepare for this situations?

Same thing I do with any character when my primary weapon won't do - I use my backup. When it comes to being out of spells, I whip out the crossbow and start shooting if I don't have some kind of offensive wand as backup. The end result is - I always have something to do even if I'm out of spells for the situation.

 

[Greenfield]

I think this is why Wizards get Scribe Scroll as a default feat.

I've been known to spend a feat, early on, on Martial Weapon - Longbow. At lower levels, when OOM is more common, I'm only a point or so behind the Fighter's attack bonus, and I may have a better Dex to make up for it.

I also take Craft - Alchemy as a common practice, so I can stock up on alchemical items. They're particularly useful when dealing with things that have SR. It's an option open only to spell casters, so why not take advantage of it.

If all else fails, presuming I have a survivable AC, my spell caster will often join the melee, if only to provide "Aid Another" on an attack, or a flank.

 

[Jacob Marley]

In addition to what others have said: At low levels, as a wizard, I often look to employ hirelings or purchase guard dogs to handle in-combat situations, and save my spell slots for general exploration. As I get higher in level hirelings tend to become less useful but, by this time, I usually have enough spell slots and items so running out of things to is rarely a problem.

What I did was not have a lot of fun at low levels, spend a lot of time tracking wands/scrolls/staffs at higher levels, and then switch over to 4e.

What an incredibly useless post! This constant trolling by posters on ENWorld of editions they don't like is getting really tiring.

 

[The Human Target]

Hey, its what I did.

And I played 3e a lot and almost exclusively played vancian casters and enjoyed myself.

So take a deep breath.

 

[Elf Witch]

I had a DM who loved to make mages run out of spells. It was a blast. What I did was use my bow being an elf I got that free. I used a lot of alchemy items tanglefoot bags, thunderstones, acid and I made most of these myself.

We used to joke that when my character pulled out her rapier the situation was dire but I just had the best luck with the thing and rolled a lot of crits on it.

You can also aid others flank and help the wounded who are down by getting them out of danger and getting a healing potion down their throats or at least stabilize them.

Just because you are out of spells does not make useless you just might not be as effective as you are with spells. It is a time to be creative.