spells, got to love them.

[EZ_Soulstealler]

Ok so whats your favorite spell? list its effects also since that whats makes you love them.

for me its

random action
roll a 1d3 (1d6/2 round up) for tagets actions- lasts 1 round per caster level -reroll every time the target gets a turn to find its action that round.
1 it does nothing
2 runs away from caster at max moment rate
3 attacks closest thing to it

[Elerion]

Depends ... if I am playing and look for sheer usefulness and power, Magic Missile (Number of missiles = level/3. Damage per missile 1d4. Interrupts spellcasting and is frighteningly fast)

For versatility and fun ideas, I love Grease. It summons super-slippery grease to where the caster wishes it. Whether you use it for making monsters fall over, getting the barbarian through the doors in halfling houses, or sliding down a slope on a shield, it's a complete blast.

When I'm DM'ing, nothing even comes close to Limited Wish. It allows the player to make a wish, but if he words himself badly (or I simply don't think he should get his wish fulfilled), it can go horribly awry. For example, the wish "I wish I could stay this happy for the rest of my life" may result in immediate death, or "I wish for a horde of summoned monsters to assist me in my battle" may result in 30 bunnies appearing out of nowhere to attack the opponents.

[Glip the Gnome]

Wall of Force and Wall of Iron

Wall of Force summons a big indestructable wall (or sphere) proportional to your level which is transparent and Wall of Iron just brings a big iron wall proportional to your level.

You can do so much awesome things with those spells.


Other than that -
Cantrip is extremely fun to mess around with and any of the higher Phantasmal forces (illusion spells) are a blast too. Glip the Gnome
Best Smelling Admin: The Safehouse
Overlord of Doom: The Scurvy Dog Buffet
Where are my pants?

[EZ_Zoogie]

Cantrip r0x0rz j00.

[EZ_Telurinon]

Favorite Spells?

Haste - Free Partial Action each round. Since casting a spell is a partial action (usually) this leads to a LOT of spells being tossed about.

Minor Image - Illusions. 'Nuff said.

Polymorph Other - Ribbit!

Wall of Stone, Wall of Iron, Fabricate - In 3rd Edition, the walls are nondispelable and permanent. One Wizard with these spells and appropriate craft skills can destroy a regions economy in no time! Cheap and nearly endless supplies of Pure Iron? You betcha! Telurinon Aelvenborne, 50th Rogue of Black IsleMangore Orcsplitter, 39th Warrior of Black IsleDewin gan'Bran, 24th Wizard of black Isle
Skating away on the thin ice of a new day.

[EZ_Grinkle]

Elerion is right - magic missile is the most unbalancing spell ever put into DnD.

L1, never misses, no save, 1d4+1 (is that right?), extra missile every 3 levels, 1 seg cast time.

After about L3 or 4, when stuff turns immune to sleep, mm was about the only 1st level spell I'd ever keep memorized!

[EZ_Bruenorrdorfo]

I like to cast.... Magic Missile!


Actually, I've always been a Melf's Acid Arrow dude. I got a pack of premade acid darts on my last campaign

[Trolo]

Magic Missile! Woot!

And Invisibility. Houseless Rake of 52 Jests
Safehouse, Ring Warden of The Rathe
Trolo takes a swig of lutefisk and flips out like a ninja.

[EZ_Kintire]

Lord of the Trees

Rego Herbam 25 I think. Animates and controls a tree.

To normal warriors its invincible. Hit it with a sword? I don't think so. No central nervous system, doesnt feel pain, made of solid wood. Sap still running, so it burns very badly, you will NOT get time to cut it down and it has many many branched to hit you with. One or two of these can take down an army.

Summon Yog Sothoth.

With eyes closed. Then flee. Risky, but can produce fine results.

Contact Hound of Tindalos. A creature which, when it notices someone will relentlessly pursue the person through time and space and brutally kill them

Needless to say, you do NOT cast this yourself. Leave it in a book you think is at risk of being stolen. Title the spell 'Call Loyal Defender' or 'Summon Source of Knowledge' or similar.

[Trolo]

Ooh, Kintire is summoning Ents.

Fun!

[ShadowCross]

AM: Perdo Mentem. Muto Terram


SR: Improved Invis


D&D: hm, too many, depends on the class

ShadowCross Bladesong
-Teir'dal Assassin, Antonious Bayle


- Saracen Infiltrator, Albion, Guinevere
- Kobold Rogue, Midgard, Morgan le Fay
- Vaes Bladesong, Briton Tracker, Albion, Guinevere

Safehouse Moderator
The Most Holy One, ShadowCross, First Saviour of the Muffins
Lord Dominar and High Priest of the html help Inquisition

[DarthEnder]

Well, in Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade, magic isn't limited to set spell type, you are allowed to "cast" any effect within your power level.

I have a mage who is in command of a mercenary company, and I like to sit in my tent, and conjure a globe shaped scrying point over the battle field and have the view surround me, and I stand in the center. It's like my own little Membari holographic command room thingy to lead the battle with. It really wows the subordinates too.

[EZ_Kehvrynne]

I prefer "thinking rogue's" spells like Item, Rope Trick, Audible Glamour, Change Self, and Sleep. Much more elegant than messy stuff like Magic Missile or Fireball. I once overcame a chance encounter with a minotaur with judicious use of Audible Glamour. The entire party was at best Level 3, and were foolish enough to close for melee.

Kehvrynne Quickblade, Professional Damsel of Distress
No matter how subtle the wizard, a dirk between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.

[EZ_Kintire]

'in Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade, magic isn't limited to set spell type, you are allowed to "cast" any effect within your power level.'

Which tends to lead to all mages being the same.
Also, it involves playing the world of darkness system.

[EZ_Kethaal]

2nd Ed. D&D: Vanish.

I had a cleric / wizard character (odd campaign, don't ask) that had a 20 ton block of granite Vanished. It would usually appear over enemy's heads at the most convienent of times.

[Koru]

Hm, no one's mentioned my favorites yet. Dunno if they changed them in 3rd ed. But in any event, Continual Light/Darkness. Sounds like an odd choice I know but there's just been so damned many times I've thought to myself "Screw a vorpal sword, what we really need right now is a little light so at least we'll know exactly what is about to eat us". Or in the case of a blind-fighting specialist rogue "What I really need right now is a lot less light".

I tend to like more subtle spells more, like cantrip, rope trick, silence. They're just a lot more fun. Everybody sees the fireball coming, I like to disappoint those everybody.

[EZ_Saluthyus]

Stoneskin from 2nd edition. For 1d8 + half level(I think) you negate all damage from physical attacks. And it's only 4th level.

*naked wizard running around*
I'm INVINCIBLE!!

Saluthyus

[Jeters]

probably either reverse gravity or the psionic ability to create a puddle of grease.

Reverse gravity + Bag of Tricks:

pull out some furry balls, have a sorcerer reverse gravity on them. lift them a few hundred feet into the air.

say the magic word.
*POOF*
rhinocerous's rain from the sky.

or Puddle of Grease (girl in my last campaign had this as her main weapon)

make a puddle of grease under your opponent--he has to beat your role + caster level or he falls, and has to do that every turn.

now, set the grease on fire. a monk with flaming fists, or something, will do.


watch the fun.

[EZ_Kethaal]

Against stoneskin: lead with a handful of thrown stones.

Another fun one is prismatic anything. You know your enemy has to fail one of those saving throws...

[Gnmish Gearbinder]

3rd Edition - Jump

Adds plus 30 to your jump rolls.

I'm a spring heeled jack. ;P Gnmish Gearbinder
Gnomish Rogue of Bristlebane - Ring Warden - Sullon Zek

"Shut up, you mouth breathing bottle baby before I go back in time and give your father a condom" - Tweety - Lum the Mad

[EZ_Reinerfore]

Withdraw

I can use this at the beginning of a tough fight and buff and heal myself. (I dueled my friend's fighter with a ton more hp and whatnot and overall better gear [except for my Avenger] and owned him by stepping out to buff)

[EZ_Matheren]

chain lightning!


Math

[EZ_Turlo]

The creations of Turlina Lomon (Turlo's mother in tabletop)...

Turlina's Dancing Lockpicks
Turlina's Prismatic Blade
Turlina's Improved Pristmatic Blade

Oh, there are tons...but these rock...for rogue/mages. Turlo Lomon
56 Blackguard of Drinal
Officer of Raised By ProphecyProfile Equipment

[EZ_Kintire]

Chain Lightening does have a certain traditional charm. More modern mages prefer Abi Dalzim's Horrid Wilting for its foe selecting qualities.

And its Thwackload of damage of course.

[DarthEnder]

Melf's Minute Meteors!

Best...spell...EVER

[Glip the Gnome]

If you want to go with pure destructiveness, Delayed Blast Fireball is simply the coolest. Magic time bombs freaking rock.

[EZ_Zulian]

Quote: Chain Lightening does have a certain traditional charm. More modern mages prefer Abi Dalzim's Horrid Wilting for its foe selecting qualities.

And its Thwackload of damage of course.
It's also great for getting rid of pruned fingers when you've been swimming for too long! "Age and wisdom don't always go together, I've found. ... Some people just become stupid with more authority." -- Terry Pratchett

[EZ_Qutsemnie]

dunno 3rd edition. 2nd edition i played over the table and thought i knew well. took a break got into baldurs gate and explored just how broke d and d was...

most underrated spell:
horror... 3 casters line up with horror odds are in a player with 9 for saves vs spells is running. and its AE.... name level characters fleeing in terror from 3 3rd level casters by the dozen (just as an image not as a use)! i mean lets say your fighting a group of 6 characters with a 5!!! for save versus spells. they have a 75% chance of saving the first horror. they only have a 56% chance of saving against both however. and finally to save against all 3 they only have a 42 % chance. so here we have very very strong characters 6 of them such that they have a 5 sv spells yet 3 to 4 of them will run on the first wave of 3 blast of a 2nd level spell. nifty. i abused this spell in bladurs gate.

It gets worse when used with that 4th level spell that lets you load up two 2nd level spells as casting time 1 abilities. sigh that was 6 horrors! of those starting 6 odds are only 1 of them will stand and fight. the other 5 are effectively out of it unless that one that saved on luck can do something to counteract horror. and this was with a save versus spells of 5!!! a really awesome save number.

i agree about magic missle. generally stoneskin prior to the encounter + mirror image either on condition of sighting enemy or cast first round. after that three casters again can do brutal things with magic missle. i went with that or chain casting horror depending on if there was one guy that had to die or many people that had to die.

haste was strong to but it was never represented right in baldurs gate 2. it had an age component that kept it from being abused in the 2nd edition rule. so i still stand with horror.

also note that clerics of certain gods could:
1) change their str to 25
2) hit for max damage every time
3) give themselves the thaco of a warrior.
by stacking spells all at once... woot. that was fun and broke too. such a cleric had to be dispelled. but good luck cause i hit you with 6 horrors at casting time of 1. laugh

yar that can come back at you. one of the funniest things in Baldurs gate 2 was taking on those casters that tried to take you in for using magic. thats where i got all this stuff from. those guys dont break any rules. so you can go at them just like they go at you. and its a puzzle but its solvable and fun. going melee will never do it though =)

though melee + haste + other thaco buffage was by far the easiest way to play the game it wasnt the most powerful way to go.



generally though good dms prevent spell abuse. using the same technique in many encounters is boring anyhow. but baldurs gate 2 was an interesting simulator. bet they learned somethings about d&D and made some positive changes. D&D has a history of reacting well to that sort of thing.

[EZ_Audrie]

In one of our game, we have a blade singer (blade dancer?). A blade dancer can cast a spell (from a certain list) as a free action if he does a full attack action.

Among these spells is true strike...

Comes the great powerful demon with his +5 vorpal keen sword, blade dancer gets initiative, gets in close quarter, makes a full attack action. He then cast true strike has a free action and says: "I make a disarm!".

Now THAT is an original way of using true strike... Makes for a sure disarm... So that is why it is one of my favorite spell.

Note: You could use true strike in a previous round, then move in close combat and make a single attack at +20 (that attck could be a disarm).

2nd note: Get improve disarm, prevent these annpying attack of opportunity!

[EZ_Heartsong Steelsoul]

Divine Power and Flamestrike.

Heartsong Steelsoul
aka Indrani Rivak, cleric of Red Knight, the goddess of strategy.

[EZ_Swipey]

Phantasmal Force, or any other illusion spell. Because they lend themselves to being used imaginatively.

[EZ_Maloscat]

Anything from the Bigby's line

Especially B&#$^-slap, when combined with a Polymorph Other - female, for comedy value. d10 damage for crashing through walls on the way to the kitchen, compelled to cook a dinner large enough to feed 1d6 people...

Strange thing, this kept happening to a psionicist in our party....

Annoying little bugger.

- Malo
Level 54 Barbarian Bartender
Leader, Raven, Fennin Ro