Your favorite unusual spells

[Felon]

I also like Cloud of Knives out of the PHBII. It's unusual, and pretty decent. A bunch of knives hover around you, and you can shoot one off as a free action every round. Piddly damage, but hey, it's free!

 

[Felon]

Well, let's compare.

Vortex of Teeth: Medium range. 40'x20' cylinder with a 5' radius safe zone in the center. Only deals damage on the caster's initiative, so enemies always have at least one round to escape the area. Deals 13.5 damage on average.

Ice Storm: Long range. 40'x20' cylinder with no safe zone. Lasts for one full round, damaging anything that begins the round in its area or moves through its area. Gives a -4 penalty to Listen checks within its area. Makes its area effectively difficult terrain. Deals 17.5 damage on average.

Comparing the two side-by-side, with no other spell effects active, they seem pretty balanced to me. YMMV.

Well, "40x20' cylinder" is a little deceptive. Vortex of teeth has a 40 foot radius. Ice storm has a 20 foot radius. Along with the non-scaling damage, it's the fact that ice storm isn't even graced with a larger radius than a fireball that really damns it.

 

[Mark]

I think Unseen Servant is underrated.

I've always felt the same and am glad a current player has been utilizing it, though he does tend to try and get a bit more out of it than the parameters allow.

 

[Warren Okuma]

I think Unseen Servant is underrated. Very handy for the lazy wizard, triggering traps and picking up hoards of coins.

And opening up chests at range or dragging stuff looking for trip wires etc...

 

[Warren Okuma]

I posted this on dragonsfoot too so if you saw it there, sorry.
I am getting a little tired of the usual (1e) spells: magic missile, lightning bolt, fireball etc. I know, sacrilege!

Ask your DM to run a high level campaign or offer to run one every other week.

 

[Maldor]

Hmmmm. Compare with the 4th level spell 'Ice Storm' (does 3d6 cold and 2d6 physical damage in a 40ft cylinder, 20ft high, for 1 round)... and this does 3d8 force damage every round for several rounds. Remind me again about whether power creep has happened in supplements or not!

Thats what you compare it to no wounder you think there is power creep ice storm always sucked it should be third level and even then i most likely take fireball
good core 4th level is minor globe, stoneskin, evard's black tenticales

P.S. i'm a very bad speller
P.S.S. i also mimorized explosive runes this morning

 

[Zurai]

Well, "40x20' cylinder" is a little deceptive. Vortex of teeth has a 40 foot radius. Ice storm has a 20 foot radius. Along with the non-scaling damage, it's the fact that ice storm isn't even graced with a larger radius than a fireball that really damns it.

Whoops, you're right. That's what I get for skimming.

OK, in that light, I'm willing to give Vortex of Teeth the edge - but I'd still contest that it's "power creep" when Solid Fog, Evard's Black Tentacles, and Enervation are also 4th level.

 

[Felon]

Yep, there's a lot of nastier stuff at 4th-level, just not for evocation. As Maldor says, I wouldn't pick ice storm if it was a 3rd-level spell. That's why Channeled Pyroburst is such a blessing.

 

[llamatron2000]

Since people are talking about 4th level spells....here's my favorite from the spell compendium.

Defenestrating sphere.

Makes a little ball of wind that stays around for a few rounds. You can move it around each round as a move action to attack something to deal some damage. if the creature is smaller than large and fail a save, they get knocked down. If they're knocked down, they save again, to get knocked up to 80 feet in the air. Also: Here's the kicker. If there's a window around, they get launched OUT the goddamn window, too. Stylish as hell, and funny.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Crushing Fist of Spite from the Book of Vile Darkness.

The effect is a huge fist that pounds people into the ground once per round. Too bad it has some disease components and the stuff. Devinetly have to de-vilefy that spell and use it!!

Hygene is one of my faves.

For heaven's sake, please spell out the word. I read that as "Hygiene is one of my flaws"