Best way to use cantrips at high levels [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best way to use cantrips at high levels [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Michale
11-20-06, 09:46 PM After reading the "mage handy" thread I thought about some of the different ways to use cantrips. I was wondering if anyone has any more uses for the cantrips. Also I would like to know if my ways are correct by the RAW.

1. acid splash/prestidigitation fire down the throat or into the eye for high pain, little actual damage?
2. Would a point blank(2-3") flare have any effect different from normal?
3. If you supplied it with a sharp object, could magehand pierce the eyelid of a sleeping creature (by lifting and dropping the eye or just poking it)?
JLaurHughes
11-20-06, 10:07 PM 1. acid splash/prestidigitation fire down the throat or into the eye for high pain, little actual damage?
2. Would a point blank(2-3") flare have any effect different from normal?
3. If you supplied it with a sharp object, could magehand pierce the eyelid of a sleeping creature (by lifting and dropping the eye or just poking it)?

1. With the right Metamagic Feat, like Twin spell from Complete Arcane, the Acid splash/prestidigitation can work I think.
2. With a concentration check in combat, casting on the defensive, a caster can cause a flare to pop up directly in front of their attacker. So I think this will work.
3. Depending on the sharp object, as long as it is under 5lbs. in weight, a mage hand could definitely be directed to drop the sharp object into the eye of a sleeping enemy. This effectively provides a -2 on ranged attacks I would think since the opponent would have only one good eye.

Here is a combo I can think of with cantrips:

4. Message, instead of the target being a friendly face, use the message to cast confusion on a target enemy with a nonsensical rhyme.
runestar
11-20-06, 10:24 PM Best way is to sac them to arcane fire...;)
Mitchell
11-20-06, 10:42 PM 1) There are no hit locations. Anyway, if you could put an acid splash down something's throat, then why not shoot a fireball down it?
2) No extra effect. Spells do what they do with no regards to where the target is unless otherwise noted. A fireball does the same damage to something in it's center as it does to something on it's outer edge, and doesn't do anything at all to something just outside of that range.
3) Again, you are dealing with called shots. Now, if you are basically asking if a mage hand can deliver a CDG, then that is something the DM will have to decide. It seems like it could to me, but the 5 lb limit would change the dynamics quite a bit (it has a strength of approximately 1, and damage would be adjusted accordingly, for one example).
IceFractal
11-20-06, 11:53 PM Use them with the various Fell feats - Acid Splash is pretty potent when it also gives them a negative level and -4 to Strength. Of course then they aren't really cantrips anymore, just low level.

Also, with Craft Contingent Spell, you can give your contingencies some extra flexibility at very little cost. For instance:
Crafted Contingency: If I'm dying, Mending on this ribbon.
Crafted Contingency: If I'm immobilized with enemies around, Mending on this ribbon.
Crafted Contingency: If I snap my fingers and say "Away", Mending on this ribbon.
Crafted Contingency: If someone just cast Disjunction at me, Mending on this ribbon.
Normal Contingency: If this torn ribbon is mended, Teleport me to my tower.
And this costs you 200 gp instead of several thousand gp.

Prestidigitation, however, is always fun, even at 20th level. And Open/Close could be used to trigger stuff.
unusualsuspect
11-20-06, 11:58 PM Acid Splash could also gain Sneak Attack damage under the right circumstances...
SephDragoon
11-21-06, 12:04 AM Arcane Mark and Detect Magic are a fun combo. I one time had a dagger of mine arcane marked and let the theif we were fighting pick it up. He wasn't happy when I used detect magic to find him from the mark on the dagger :P.
Ryuu_Tenshi
11-21-06, 12:05 AM No, the best use that I've found for cantrips/low level spells is this:
My psion is an insanely silly person. He figured out how to use Psionic Minor Creation to make alchoholic beverages (DM's ruling). The best part about this is that, within 6 hours, the alchohol dissapears entirely from your system (again, DM's ruleing) since Psi Minor Creation wears off. Our wizard then used prestidigitation to flavor all the batches with whatever exotic flavours you like. So we were selling fine wine, brandy, perfect scotch, whisky that could burn your throat out... all with no hangover. Ever. Gaurenteed.
We made 25 gp a day with this ****.
*e* which is more than most people make, btw, esp in such a small town. hey, man, it's an accomplishment. this was at almost 7th level, so not "high level" but we're probably going to be running this "service" for a while.
Yorath_theWolf
11-21-06, 12:08 AM Launch Item + Alchemical Items(tangle foot bags, thunderstones, alchemical flasks, etc) is always fun.

Prestidigitation is just to usefull a spell to not use. if I rember right there's a list somewhere in the CO boards about what all this nifty lil spell can accomplish.

Caltrops multiple castings of this pretty much means whoever's chaseing you pretty much stop.

sort of starting to add metamagic to a couple of cantrips, well I can't think of what else to do with em saddly.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Michale 11-20-06, 09:46 PM	After reading the "mage handy" thread I thought about some of the different ways to use cantrips. I was wondering if anyone has any more uses for the cantrips. Also I would like to know if my ways are correct by the RAW. 1. acid splash/prestidigitation fire down the throat or into the eye for high pain, little actual damage? 2. Would a point blank(2-3") flare have any effect different from normal? 3. If you supplied it with a sharp object, could magehand pierce the eyelid of a sleeping creature (by lifting and dropping the eye or just poking it)?
JLaurHughes 11-20-06, 10:07 PM	1. acid splash/prestidigitation fire down the throat or into the eye for high pain, little actual damage? 2. Would a point blank(2-3") flare have any effect different from normal? 3. If you supplied it with a sharp object, could magehand pierce the eyelid of a sleeping creature (by lifting and dropping the eye or just poking it)? 1. With the right Metamagic Feat, like Twin spell from Complete Arcane, the Acid splash/prestidigitation can work I think. 2. With a concentration check in combat, casting on the defensive, a caster can cause a flare to pop up directly in front of their attacker. So I think this will work. 3. Depending on the sharp object, as long as it is under 5lbs. in weight, a mage hand could definitely be directed to drop the sharp object into the eye of a sleeping enemy. This effectively provides a -2 on ranged attacks I would think since the opponent would have only one good eye. Here is a combo I can think of with cantrips: 4. Message, instead of the target being a friendly face, use the message to cast confusion on a target enemy with a nonsensical rhyme.
runestar 11-20-06, 10:24 PM	Best way is to sac them to arcane fire...;)
Mitchell 11-20-06, 10:42 PM	1) There are no hit locations. Anyway, if you could put an acid splash down something's throat, then why not shoot a fireball down it? 2) No extra effect. Spells do what they do with no regards to where the target is unless otherwise noted. A fireball does the same damage to something in it's center as it does to something on it's outer edge, and doesn't do anything at all to something just outside of that range. 3) Again, you are dealing with called shots. Now, if you are basically asking if a mage hand can deliver a CDG, then that is something the DM will have to decide. It seems like it could to me, but the 5 lb limit would change the dynamics quite a bit (it has a strength of approximately 1, and damage would be adjusted accordingly, for one example).
IceFractal 11-20-06, 11:53 PM	Use them with the various Fell feats - Acid Splash is pretty potent when it also gives them a negative level and -4 to Strength. Of course then they aren't really cantrips anymore, just low level. Also, with Craft Contingent Spell, you can give your contingencies some extra flexibility at very little cost. For instance: Crafted Contingency: If I'm dying, Mending on this ribbon. Crafted Contingency: If I'm immobilized with enemies around, Mending on this ribbon. Crafted Contingency: If I snap my fingers and say "Away", Mending on this ribbon. Crafted Contingency: If someone just cast Disjunction at me, Mending on this ribbon. Normal Contingency: If this torn ribbon is mended, Teleport me to my tower. And this costs you 200 gp instead of several thousand gp. Prestidigitation, however, is always fun, even at 20th level. And Open/Close could be used to trigger stuff.
unusualsuspect 11-20-06, 11:58 PM	Acid Splash could also gain Sneak Attack damage under the right circumstances...
SephDragoon 11-21-06, 12:04 AM	Arcane Mark and Detect Magic are a fun combo. I one time had a dagger of mine arcane marked and let the theif we were fighting pick it up. He wasn't happy when I used detect magic to find him from the mark on the dagger :P.
Ryuu_Tenshi 11-21-06, 12:05 AM	No, the best use that I've found for cantrips/low level spells is this: My psion is an insanely silly person. He figured out how to use Psionic Minor Creation to make alchoholic beverages (DM's ruling). The best part about this is that, within 6 hours, the alchohol dissapears entirely from your system (again, DM's ruleing) since Psi Minor Creation wears off. Our wizard then used prestidigitation to flavor all the batches with whatever exotic flavours you like. So we were selling fine wine, brandy, perfect scotch, whisky that could burn your throat out... all with no hangover. Ever. Gaurenteed. We made 25 gp a day with this ***. e* which is more than most people make, btw, esp in such a small town. hey, man, it's an accomplishment. this was at almost 7th level, so not "high level" but we're probably going to be running this "service" for a while.
Yorath_theWolf 11-21-06, 12:08 AM	Launch Item + Alchemical Items(tangle foot bags, thunderstones, alchemical flasks, etc) is always fun. Prestidigitation is just to usefull a spell to not use. if I rember right there's a list somewhere in the CO boards about what all this nifty lil spell can accomplish. Caltrops multiple castings of this pretty much means whoever's chaseing you pretty much stop. sort of starting to add metamagic to a couple of cantrips, well I can't think of what else to do with em saddly.