Spells From the Bottom of the Barrel

May 6th, 2015

I’m a big fan of cantrips, not so much because they’re powerful, but because they aren’t. Prestidigitation is probably my favorite spell. It’s the same reason that I love to comb through the mundane equipment every time I make a 1st-level character: because coming up with creative and unusual ways to turn these sorts of non-combat spells and objects (and let’s face it, there are very few cantrips that are even usable in combat, let alone worth using) into effective tools and weapons that can actually get things done is exciting, for me at least. I think the ability to take this “junk” (whether physical junk, like bells, twine, and candles, or magical junk, like prestidigitation and unseen servant) and turn it into something useful is a great example of the main advantage that tabletop games have over computer games.

So, I’m always on the lookout for fun and exciting ideas for new cantrips, and that’s exactly what I have for you today.

FORCE GLOVES
School abjuration [force]; Level cleric/oracle 0, magus 0, shaman 0, sorcerer/wizard 0, summoner 0, witch 0
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 min./level

You sheathe your hands in barriers of pure force, which act as protective gauntlets, allowing you to handle objects safely. The force gloves protect your hands from the effects of contact poisons, any energy damage from handling acid-coated, electrified, intensely hot, or intensely cold objects, poison needle traps which target the hands or forearms, and most other harmful effects that occur when an object is picked up or held. At the GM’s discretion, this spell may or may not protect you from the effects of cursed objects whose curses trigger when they are picked up or handled. If the force gloves do not prevent such a curse outright, they always provide at least a +2 circumstance bonus on any saving throw made to resist the curse’s effects, if one is allowed. This bonus applies only to the first saving throw made to resist the curse, and not to subsequent saving throws.

HEATED WEAPON
School evocation [fire]; Level antipaladin 1, bard 0, bloodrager 1, cleric/oracle 0, inquisitor 0, magus 0, paladin 1, ranger 1, shaman 0, sorcerer/wizard 0
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range touch
Target metal melee weapon touched
Duration 1 round plus 1 round per 2 levels
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless, object); Spell Resistance yes (harmless, object)

You imbue the target with an intense heat, which causes it to inflict 1 point of fire damage with each successful hit. This does not stack with any fire damage that the weapon already inflicts (such as if it has the flaming special ability).

INVISIBLE LIGHT
School illusion (glamer); Level antipaladin 1, bard 0, cleric/oracle 0, druid 0, inquisitor 0, ranger 1, shaman 0, sorcerer/wizard 0, summoner 0, witch 0
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a black veil)
Range touch
Target light source touched
Duration 10 minutes
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless, object); Spell Resistance yes (harmless, object)

You twist and warp the light radiating from the object so that it bends back after a certain point, making the light source impossible to see from further away. This spell has no effect on the affected object’s ability to change the light level in the area surrounding it, but makes any light created by the light source impossible to see beyond that distance (for example, a candle increases the light level in a 5-foot radius, so the light from a candle affected by this spell would be visible to creatures within 5 feet of it, and undetectable to anyone further away. Similarly, a torch sheds normal light in a 20-foot radius and increases the light level for 20 feet beyond that. The light from a torch affected by this spell would be visible to creatures within 40 feet of the torch, and invisible to creatures further away).

This spell does not make creatures or objects invisible in any way, so if the light level in the area is dim or brighter without the affected object, anyone carrying the light source may still be visible (similarly, creatures with darkvision will still be able to see what is going on in the area, even if they can’t perceive the light cast by the target).

SUMMON MINOR TOOL
School conjuration (summoning); Level bard 0, cleric/oracle 0, druid 0, inquisitor 0, magus 0, shaman 0, sorcerer/wizard 0, summoner 0, witch 0
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S
Range 0 ft.
Effect one summoned tool or kit
Duration 10 minutes or 8 hours; see text
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

You conjure a simple kit or tool. This spell can be used to summon any one of the following: a set of artisan’s tools, a climber’s kit, a healer’s kit, a set of thieves’ tools, or a small tent complete with a bedroll and blanket. If the spell is used to summon the tent, it lasts for 8 hours. Otherwise, the spell’s duration is 10 minutes. None of the tools or kits summoned by this spell are masterwork.