Interesting Spell List

[pfooti]

Okay, there's already plenty of posts where people write about all the spells they absolutely love and how they break the game and how those other spells are total turkeys. People write handbooks, they write reviews, etc. There's also some good threads about weak and weird spells you make good.

This is a slightly different thread. Here are the rules:

• You have to have actually used the spell in a game, preferably in a few games.
• The spell probably shouldn't be "obviously awesome". I mean, everyone knows about the no-brainer spells, I guess.
• One spell per post, please. If the thread takes off, I'll make a few organizing entries in this post that will help people navigate the list.
• Stay away from spells with significant rules debates, or that only become really interesting when you do something "sneaky".

[pfooti]

Conviction, Mass, Clr3

From the Spell Compendium, this spell is a really good cleric buff. When you pick it up, it will buff your party with +2 to all their saves for 10 minutes per level. This gets better as your CL goes up, eventually to +5 to all saves. The duration means that by midgame (level 10+) this is effectively all-day in certain campaigns. Finally, this is NOT a resistance bonus, so it stacks with cloaks of resistance.

[Shadeseraph]

Detect thoughts counts? I really, really love that spell, even if it isn't useful in optimization theory. Early on, it can solve a lot of intrigues/diplomacy.

[Alastar]

Hallow/Unhallow and forbidance

Nothing says fuck you like a hallowed  church that gives death ward with some forbidance on it.  Hello mister evil lich wizard, bye bye mister evil lich wizard.

[Risada]

Righteous Wrath of the Faithful
Cleric 5

When more bonuses to attack/damage are needed... plus it's an AoE spell.

[AfterCrescent]

Speak With Animals 

[Shadeseraph]

Amber Sarcophagus

A spell that almost no one knows because of its school and the book he is in.

Evocation, Book of Exalted Deeds. Ranged touch attack, no save throw, Ends fight and puts enemy in coma for CL days.

[Dead_Weasel]

Amber Sarcophagus

A spell that almost no one knows because of its school and the book he is in.

Evocation, Book of Exalted Deeds. Ranged touch attack, no save throw, Ends fight and puts enemy in coma for CL days.

O_o

I have said it before and I will say it again: time hop. But this spell... intrigues me.

[Squash Monster]

Transposition Trick

The two targets switch positions and appearances.  Great way to cause a whole lot of confusion, and works as a much more aggressive version of Baleful Transposition.  For example, your gang of bandits can start arguing in the presence of a party you wish to mug, with everybody getting angry at your BSF.  Your wizard Transposition Tricks their wizard with the BSF and the argument gets so bad as to become a fight.  Once your "fighter" is down, you pick a fight with the other party and their "wizard" starts killing their archer.

[Risada]

Ferocity of the Sanguine Rage
Sorcerer/Wizard 3, Assassin 4

1/2 CL as damage bonus on your attacks and you can expend the effect to activate a True Strike effect...
For all your gishy needs 

[Radijs]

Benign Transposition from the Spell Compendium

Its simply said, bloody useful. Switch position of any of your two party members on the battlefield. I've seen the conjurer in my game pull the severely injured fighter away from harm, replaced by one of his expendable summons.

[Caelic]

Ferocity of the Sanguine Rage
Sorcerer/Wizard 3, Assassin 4

Where can this be found?

[Risada]

Ferocity of the Sanguine Rage
Sorcerer/Wizard 3, Assassin 4

Where can this be found?

Dragon Magic

[ninjarabbit]

Righteous Fury

It's one of the few spells a paladin can persist and DMM persisting this spell turns you pally into more of a monster

[Ubernoob]

Girralon's blessing (SC) Wiz 3
Double the rogue's damage and give +2 to hit?  Yes please.  It's a real winner on my wizard (heading for ur theurge).  Haste on the newly added BSF is also good, but we know that.

[CannibalSmith]

Stone Shape
Our group must have abused this spell more than anyone else in the world. From making holes to places we were not meant to access to trapping baddies who were supposed to get away. For example, insta-killing an aboleth at 6th level:

It went unbelievably well thanks to Stone Shape. I wildshaped into a small octopus and used an array of sneaking spells and Stone Shape to make secret passages (wormholes ) in his lair. Eventually I stoneshaped a several ton boulder off cave ceiling and dropped it on him. Splat. We will never know if he was mage.

[tarbrush]

Mindrape. (BoVD)

It solves all your problems.  And everyone elses too.
Although it is admittedly kinda 3e

[Risada]

Targeting Ray
Sorcerer/Wizard 3

Enemy hit by this provides all your allies +1/3 CL on attack rolls. Nice when you have a party full of melee guys or to help your summons hit better.

On a side note, anyone knows about a cleric spell that grants damage reduction to various targets, or a debuff that reduces damage dealt?

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Vision of Glory Clr1/Pal1 (spell compedium I think)
Target gets your charisma bonus to any single saving throw. 

This is good, but not great, until you get to the flavor text and combine it with a metamagic.

"You  touch  your  ally,  and  her  eyes mist  over momentarily. You know  she  is  seeing  an image  of  her  deity,  imploring  her  to  battle in his name."

Add in invisible spell, and stand in front of the target.  You are now the vision they see that gives them the strength to endure.  Great for starting a cult.

[Surreal]

Another one from BoED: Lastai's Caress. It's a level 2 no save that reduces your evil opponent to shaken/frightened/nauseated/cowering (random each round). You can also make non-evil creatures love you... for 1 round/level. Go tiger.