From: l2wang@napier.uwaterloo.ca (  Lei Wang  )
Subject: Re: New uses for old spells
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 09:01:16 GMT

> From:         "Teilnehmer am TeXkurs fuer Naturwissenschaftler"
>               <tkurs-34@ORVILLE.ZDV.UNI-MAINZ.DE>

> Hi there, time is short so here they are:
> 
> 1) Take the 9th-Level Spell Chain Contingency (Tome of Magic), and place it
> as Major Missile,Fireball etc...(3 Spells <= 8th Level), on a bunny and
> 3 others on a mouse. As trigger choose you saying the words "Bunny" and "Funny"

  Other trigger spells also have cause for abuse.  The DM is the last barrier
against such abuse.
  (A clown does a stupid trick, and you say, "that's not funny")

> 3) Boldly try to cast "Remove Traps". It worked with our DM. During the whole
> session he didn't notice, that this Spell doesn't exist. No more problems
> with those nasty traps, no thief wants to disarm.
> (Pretend it's a second Level clerical Spell)

  Won't work on Most DMs.  Even incompetent ones would ask to look at the
description of the spell.

> 4) A guide to outlife elves: Get yourself killed. Then, when you're dead, get
> your body oiled with "Oil of Timelessness". Now you need to get resurected.
> From now on every year is like a day for your character. Let's say your
> character has still 50 more years normal lifetime, that's 50*365=18250 years.
> You can waste some of the time csting "Gates" or "Wishes" (Years don't matter
> much to you)

  Oil of Timelessness only works on dead material.  As soon as you become alive,
the magic of the Oil does not apply any longer.  The erroding effects of time
on things is much different from the effects of aging as in a living creature.

> 7) Perhaps your DM allows a "Wizard Lock" cast on an opponents mouth.

  They would get a save, perhaps with a bonus.

> 8) You don't get a save against a "Passwall" opening up on the ground below you.
>    And if you're not fast enough in getting out again it might end up, with the
>    opposing mage canceling his spell, and thereby entombing you alive.

  They would get a dex check perhaps to avoid falling in, and even if they
do, 'dispelling the passwall ejects those in the passage'.

> 10) The Spell "Evard's Black Tentacles" has a duration of 1 hour/level.
>     It requires a save on every hit (there are 1d4+1/Level).
>     It's absolutely deadly if your opponent is alone in there.
>     He takes 1d4 damage on any successful hit if he makes his S.Thr.
>     The Tentacle is then destroyed. If he doesn't make his save he takes
>     3d4 Points of damage per tentacle per round until the spell ends
>     or the tentacle(s) get destroyed.

  Only a few of the tentacles will be able to reach any single creature(
depending on size).

> 11) Spell turning is quite helpfull if you know someone is going to cast
>     Geas/Quest on you. (spell turning turns 100% of the spells)

  Geas/Quest are cast very carefully, and spell turning is very obvious
a magical ability.  Geas has no save, but the person must be under its
own volition.  Where does the 100% come from?
  
> 12) Use "Animal Summoning" to summon Polar Bears. Now cast "Animal Growth"
>     on them. You'll have 16+8 Hit Dice Monsters doing 2-20/2-20/4-24 points
>     of damage. At this moment they are 28'+ tall. Now cast "Enlarge" on your
>     bears. At 10th Level this gives an increase of 100%. You now have cute
>     48 feet tall bears doing 100% more damage that before (that is
>     4-40/4-40/4-24). Now slip in a "Haste" and perhaps a "Stoneskin",
>     and watch dragons flee in terror.
>     P.S.: Would be great for 'Funny Bunny'
>     P.P.S.: You can do that with Giant Space Hamsters, too! (SMILE)

  Polar bears are only 5' tall at the shoulders.  Enlarge and Animal 
Growth would make it 20' tall.  
  Other things to consider:  You'll have to be in the Tundra to be able
to summon Polar Bears.  You'll have to be at least 11/10 as priest/wizard.
It also takes 1 sixth level, 1 fifth level, 1 first level, and three rounds
plus the time it takes the bears to come to you.  A dragon caught unawares
would just fly up a bit and breath.  Stoneskin doesn't protect against 
that.  The dragon might have stoneskin too.  :)
  
> 13) Monks with permanent "Vampiric Touches" or "Shocking Grasps" are deadly.

  Single or multiple charge spells are never permanent.

> 14) Try casting "Grease" one someones swordhilt before he draws his weapon.

  Grease is cast on a flat horizontal surface.  Casting it on someone else's
swordhilt would not only grant them a save, but at a bonus.  Why hasn't he
drawn his sword while you are casting spells at him?
  
> 15) Summoned Monsters are great trap-checkers.

  One would become rapidly evil doing this.
 
> 17) There is no save against feign dead, and it works on others too.
>     Just shake hands with the guy you want killed, and he'll drop
>     'dead'. Now pay for his (burning) furneral.

  Feign death has no save, but it requires the recipient to be willing.

> 18) Use "Summon Swarm" to simulate "Creeping Death"

  Not much of a simulation.
  
> 19) Do you have a Dark Elf charackter? Now you won't have problems with
>     sunlight anymore. Just cut glasses out of steel. Then cast Glassteel
>     (one way window version) on them. Followed by "Gaze Reflection" and
>     "Peramanency". Now you have cool mirrored shades.

  A Con point for a pair of sunglasses?  Glassteel does not keep out light,
in any case.  People wouldn't be able to see the Elf's eyes, but that's
about it.
  
> 20) You can use "Insatiable Thirst" to save someone from drowning.

  The Insatiable Thirst makes the person wanting to drink endlessly, but
he still needs air to survive.  Try holding your nose and drinking two cans
of Coke without taking a breath.

> 21) If you are a wizard, that is specialized in punching use
>     "Fist of Stone" "Claws of The Umber Hulk" and "Shocking Grasp"
>      together for 2 attacks doing 2d6+6 point of damage.

  Wizard specialized in punching?  If he could specialize, he could 
attack as a fighter doing about the same amount of damage, with a magical
sword.

-- 
l2wang@napier.UWaterloo.ca
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