Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Bluebrush 10-25-03, 07:19 PM	What would be good spells for a first level character to take if the player is relatively inexperienced at D&D? I know newbies should generally stick to fightery classes, but the fighter/cleric/rogue positions are already covered in the party.
Eco-Mono 10-25-03, 07:54 PM	Magic Missile - Staple first-level spell. Good to know. Shield - IMMENSELY useful if you end up closing with enemy; the cover it provides gives +7 AC. Sleep - This is a save-or-die effect at the very early levels, since the fighter can administer a coup-de-grace (auto-critical) to sleeping opponents. Not as useful later on though.
BlaineTog 10-25-03, 08:34 PM	Oh boy! low level spells! My favorite (no, seriously. Level-0 spells rock my world ;) ) OK: some staple cantrips (0-level spells) Detect Magic, Detect Poison: These can quite literaly save the party's hide. Good to cast when entering a suspicios room, or when you find potions/food Mage Hand: Slightly less usefull, but it still has its uses. If you get jailed, and the jailer is stupid enough to leave the keys n the same room as you, you are so out of there! Light: a staple until you get enough spare cash to buy a Continual Flame torch. Even then, it can have its uses (if you lose the torch, for instance) Prestigitation: This spell has a longer write-up in the Tome and Blood splatbook, but it's basically open-ended. Any minor (and i mean REALLY minor) trick you can convince your DM of can be done by this cantrip. Read Magic: Very useful spell, especially if you don't have too many ranks in Knowlegde: Aracana. Mending: Useful during long dungeon hauls, polish swords, fix rips in clothing, the whole shebang of minor repairs. Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound: Good for distracting those omnipresent less-than-intelligent gaurds. Resistence: Gives a +1 to all saving throws, can be a livesaver, especially at lower levels whe nthe DCs are low, but so are your saves. Ray of Frost: A nice damage-dealing spell. Daze: Especially at lower levels when enemies are weak and few (and the Sorcerer doesn't have any really good damage spells yet), this can be used to keep the Fighters in the party totally safe as the chop away at the enemies. There are others, but I don't like them as much. I like catrips becuase they are flexible. They give you options when you wouldn't have any. Plus, they are GREAT for role-playing; use Prestigitation to spice up your party's rations, AND give them a nice little laser show. use Ray of Frost of a small pool or water and Voila! Ice cubes for your drinks! Buddy annoying you? Daze and then pants him for a laugh (outside of battle, of course).
murte 10-25-03, 09:00 PM	Don't forget the all too powerful Ray of Enfeeblement. Knocking 6 pints off any creature's strength is a good thing. By 10th level this baby still keeps on ticking. Especially when you begin to empower it, then maximize it, and finally empower maximize it. Ranged touch attack with NO save.
Luminous Crayon 10-25-03, 09:37 PM	Color Spray gives Sleep a run for its proverbial money at low levels, and blows it out of the water at higher ones. Even against foes Sleep can't touch, Color Spray kills AC dead, gives the party rogue an opening for sneak attacks, makes the target drop everything in his hands, and costs him a round's worth of actions. Charm Person, Grease, and Silent Image can all be useful if your new player has loads of creativity, but may well be too much for a beginner to keep track of. Read Magic, Detect Magic, and Prestidigitation are good, all-around cantrips. Ray of Frost/Acid Splash are good in a fight. Message is useful, and often overlooked.
Endarire 10-26-03, 03:54 PM	In 3.5, acid splash, mage hand, resistance, and prestidigitation are the cantrips to use. Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Charm Person, Ray of Enfeeblement, Color Spray, and Grease are the L1 spells to have. -EE
BlaineTog 10-26-03, 05:33 PM	My DM alloed me to take a Corrolax (From MM II) as a familiar, which has Color Spray as a Spell-like ability once per round. :D Oh yeah, I can also teach it little phrases w/o the Handle Animals Check. Very fun little bird :angel:
GoodTeletubby 10-26-03, 05:47 PM	go for sorcerer, and as you first level feat, take eschew materials, it gives you the ultimate flexability in when you can cast your spells, even if you're stuck in some room, or a jail, as mentioned above, without you spell component pouch or access to your supplies or at later levels, taking the blood magus prestige class and sacraficing hit points in exchange for material components but that's a bit advanced for someone who's just starting off if you're going sorcerer, i'd say the spells to go with are lvl 0: prestidigitation, ray of frost/acid orb your choice, detect magic, and maybe dancing lights lvl 1: grease: the most underestimated spell ever, grease you're opponent's weapon, he can't hold onto it, grease the ground, he can't stand, and so on and color spray, area of effect debilitation of enemies is a great thing and at some point also pick up feather fall, it could very well save your life
Endarire 10-27-03, 12:21 AM	Only take Blood Magus and Eschew if your DM plans to have you play naked often. Spellcasting Prodigy, Educated/Cosmopolitan, and Improved Initiative are much better feats. -EE