# What 8th-level spells should any Wizard have?



## dcollins (Jul 10, 2004)

Here's a poll I'm using to generate a "baseline" core Wizard's spell list. You can pick as many selections as you like.

Say you have a Wizard of 20th level -- adventuring, PC or NPC, non-specialized, non-multiclassed, core rules only. He or she can prepare around 4 spells of 8th-level. What spells should he or she prepare in those slots?

You can pick as many selections as you'd like -- I would suggest 4 or 5.


----------



## EvilGM (Jul 10, 2004)

Clone - Long live the wizard!
Discern Location - This spell flat out rocks
Horrid Wilting - non-elemental damage
Maze - no save!
Mind Blank - like Discern Location, this spell rocks
Polymorph Any Object - versatility

Ok, that's six, but c'mon you can buy scrolls to scribe into your book (and you should).

Depending on your group, you may end up just using all your 8th-level slots for Mind Blank, but usually I'd load Horrid Wilting, Maze, Mind Blank, Poly.


----------



## Herpes Cineplex (Jul 10, 2004)

I can only dream of some day playing in a game where 8th level spells are actually available to us.  That, I'm sure, makes my opinion in this poll slightly suspect, but oh well, you never said we needed to have solid experience to back up our opinions, right?  

That said, Mind Blank is the most obvious choice and I'll be surprised if it doesn't make nearly everyone's top three.  It's a spell that every wizard is jonesing for at lower levels; they look at spells and think "whoa, that would suck if I got hit with it...hey, Mind Blank prevents it, that's what I'd better be aiming for."  

I also gave the nod to Discern Location, because divination magic is so damn cool.  Getting months' worth of gathered information and intrigue settled with a single spell is always going to be a good idea.

And the rest of my choices aren't going to be quite so clear-cut.  I figure a damage spell is a good idea, and I like Horrid Wilting the best of the lot.  Sunburst and Polar Ray have some things to recommend them, but I'm going with the Fort save for half damage (eat it, improved evasion guys), the long range, and the easy targeting.  That might just be personal preference.

Irresistable Dance is nice because it actually lives up to its name.  No save, just 2-5 rounds of funny dancing goodness.  Parties love getting free rounds to beat on the BBEG, and getting to see him dance around while they do it is really a lovely thing.

And my fifth-tier slot I threw at Prismatic Wall.  I think wall spells are kind of neat, and here's a nasty, nasty wall spell.  Lots of fun can be had here.


You might be saying "No Polymorph Any Object?  But that's such a powerful and abusable spell!"  And I'd have to agree, except that my personal preference is to not have to work so hard to make a spell be useful.  Flipping around through the rulebooks and the monster manuals sorting out the details of a polymorph suck up a lot of time and make me really unhappy; something I learned when my 3.0 wizard actually found a book with Polymorph Self in it.  It's a spell that's almost as much of a headache for the player as it is for the GM, so I deliberately and maliciously left it off my list.  For people who enjoy the complications of polymorphing and can actually use it during play without stopping the game dead in its tracks, more power to you, but I'd say that people who can do that are not the typical players of wizards with 8th level spells, so I wouldn't put the spell on a typical wizard's list.

--
playing a wizard requires enough extra work without having to plan out polymorphs
ryan


----------



## Thanee (Jul 10, 2004)

Mind Blank and Polymorph any Object are the obviously good ones.
Moment of Prescience is also high on the list, as is Greater Planar Binding.
Maze and/or Otto's Irresistible Dance can be used to great effect as well.
Other than that, Horrid Wilting is a nasty damage dealing spell (fort save, no element, d8s, 25 dice cap, selectible targets).

Bye
Thanee


----------



## Oscar carramiñana (Jul 10, 2004)

Clone,  inmortality
Horrid wilting,  non elem damage based on fort
Mind blank, Prot from spells wards vs anything.
Maze, Otto irresistible dance No save
Polymorf any object versatility


----------



## Faerl'Elghinn (Jul 11, 2004)

Horrid Wilting.  Polymorph any object.  Mind Blank is very cool, but also very conditional, which is why I didn't select it.  The only wizard I play with access to spells of this level is also a vampire, which overlaps most of its benefits anyway, so I've never had any use for it.  

At high levels, _Horrid Wilting_ is just so brutal- even with the nerf.

The main reason _Polymorph any Object_ is so absolutely indispensible is that it's quite useful for changing weapon types and sizes for found magical weapons in the middle of an adventure.  "You find a _+5 Vorpal Dagger_."  "What?  You mean that _+5 Vorpal Greatsword_ over there?  I pick it up and swing it at the DM..."  "Your sword disappears."  "Ok, I pick up a rock and turn it into a Greatsword.  Then I slap it with a _Greater Magic Weapon_.  Who wants some?"


----------



## dcollins (Jul 12, 2004)

Ordered results after 50 votes -- those within 50% of top in boldface. 

*
35	Mind Blank
26	Horrid Wilting
23	Polymorph Any Object
18	Irresistable Dance*
15	Maze
15	Protection from Spells
14	Summon Monster VIII
13	Discern Location
12	Clone
10	Charm Monster, Mass
9	Prismatic Wall
8	Power Word Stun
7	Moment of Prescience
6	Planar Binding, Greater
6	Polar Ray
5	Clenched Fist
5	Dimensional Lock
5	Iron Body
5	Shadow Evocation, Greater
5	Symbol of Insanity
5	Trap the Soul
4	Prying Eyes, Greater
4	Telekinetic Sphere
4	Temporal Stasis
3	Incendiary Cloud
3	Sunburst
3	Symbol of Death
2	Antipathy
2	Create Greater Undead
2	Screen
2	Shout, Greater
1	Binding
1	Demand
1	Scintillating Pattern
1	Sympathy


----------



## Felix (Jul 12, 2004)

Clone... Like Rocky, your wizard won't stay down! He keeps coming back for more!

Discern Location... One of the big problems with high-level play is lack of direction. This spell helps you find exactly where you need to go, once you know what you're looking for, of course.

Mind Blank... Because nobody wants their wizard _Feebleminded_, or _Dominated_, or _Insane_. Especially the rest of the party.


----------



## Ferret (Jul 12, 2004)

I'm surprised few people chose antipathy, cast it in say the woods and a certain monster doesn't bother you. Simple.


----------



## Majere (Jul 12, 2004)

Suprized how many people took clone. I p[refer a true resurrection myself 

Majere


----------

