The first time I used it, I created fake tattoos on three of our party to infiltrate a gang. DM had to check the spell's description to believe I could do it as "people usually just use the spell to clean stuff."
Hah, that's great -- much less commitment than sitting down for an actual tattoo! It's funny that your DM thought of it as a Cleaning spell first...wonder if their previous PCs were fastidious hypochondriacs or something.
I remember when i played a high elf warrior in 5e, i had prestidigitation (which is my favorite DnD spell), we met a goblin we wanted to scare into listening to us (player character). I went up to the goblin, grabbed his shirt and said something like -"I'll put a nasty curse upon you, if you don't listen to us..... bad stuff will happen!" Then i made obviously magical handwavey stuff along with magic sounding words and a weird "arcane" symbol appeared upon his armour. He was totally freaked out. Best spell in the game. In another game, i had the custom spell "Heat up to 2 small objects and keep them at a warm temperature" The other players were suitably cranky and jealous that i had warm socks in the snow covered mountantops.
Prestidigitation is an amazing spell, specially paired with the cartomancer feat allowing you to use prestidigitation to conceal verbal and somatic components Still a strong spell and a huge amount of utility if you're creative with it. My favorite use of prestidigitation was as a changeling bard as the party needed to sneak into the king's room. However it was heavily guarded mainly due to the king and his crown, so I disguised myself as an infamous thief and taunted the guards with a fake crown in my hand and ran out to an alley where I dismissed the crown and changed my clothes and appearance to an innocent bystander pointing the guards further down the street, all while the rest of the party had an easy time knocking out the few guards left behind and sneaking in.
My first ever use of Prestidigitation was to make a small red dot appear on the ground, then move it around and watch as my cat familiar chased it around. My character basically created laser pointers, and it was adorable
instant Hot Cocoa -> just cast it twice on any mug of water and you can very quickly raise people's spirits, or just keep yourself a bit warmer in cold climates.
@@arcanerecovery2567 I wonder if by the time you take your next turn, the object your heating would’ve cooled down by then. maybe you could use it to gradually increase the heat, I don’t know.
One of the funniest and creative ways i've ever witnessed prestidigitation he used when we were trying to infiltrate a military barracks. I crit failed my persuasion attempt (i was the face of the party, so that REALLY messed things up for us.) My best friend was looking through his spells to see if he could salvage it somehow. He slamms his book down and looks straight into the DMs eyes and with the straightest face ever says "I use prestidigitation and i shit the guard's pants." Everyone except the DM starts laughing so hard (neighbors knocked on our door asking us to quiet down. We apologized and gave him some beer for the trouble) and the DM started looking up the spell description. And it was found it could be done.
As a DM I would still require the appropriate skill check to make the correct key. Though another fun one is to give the rouge advantage on their lock picking checks by cleaning the lock(removing rust and any oil that has congealed), as a side benefit this will clean off poisons disabling a lot of traps inside of the locks.
@@Klomster88 If it's a simple lock it would just be a DC 10-15 untrained skill check. If it's complex it would be higher. If your not proficient it might be at disadvantage, and I would let any craft based skill check using something like this or the fabricate spell to work of int rather than dex.
@@TheMichaellathrop that's unexpectedly high DC for a simple lock. But then again i'm thinking SIMPLE lock. Like, one where the key is like a square peg. Those you could get open with a bent nail.
@@Klomster88 Depends on the complexity of the lock, the square peg example sounds like a lock so simple I have to question why the DM or the NPC who put it there in the first place even bothered with it. I usually don't see any skill test dc's lower than 10 before the DM just says OK don't bother rolling you do the thing. Also saying disadvantage for non proficient skills is way nicer than your not proficient you cant do it which is I believe rules as written for tool use skills.
@@TheMichaellathrop lots of furniture and small trinket chests have such locks. Also those common locked diaries often have similar locks. Oftentimes, medieval locks are just that simple, but rather chonky and thus needs something more sturdy than a simple nail to use as the key. And why bother? Well the simple act of seeing something locked does wonders with averting most would be thieves. "I'm gonna steal this bike" "Oh wait, it is locked, meh, can't be bothered." Even if most bicycle locks on the market today has been shown to be able to be broken with hand power alone. The simple fact it is locked protects the bike in this case.
The most overpowered spell in the game, it can do anything you want as long as it’s not useful. And by not useful, it’s super useful! You can handle basic hygiene, clean/dry and re-color clothing, create up to three campfires, create keys to unlock any lock as long as you’ve seen or handled the correct key, create any effect that isn’t already created by another spell. It’s that good.
If you're steadily sneaking through a base, you can make a small mirror to hold in your hand, then another one angled towards the next room to (pre)view it without peeking outside the door.
Im going to have my first game in a few weeks with my friends (also newbies). Your videos are gold. Really good to get creative. Also the coment section its pretty useful! People discussing about the rules, RAW, RAI. Excellent!
This is the #1 cantrip that I get that is non-combat related. I like to keep myself clean (or others). I had a character who was grossed out by the sight of blood, so he often used prestidigitation to prevent himself from continuously seeing it. I used the cantrip to help out at a tavern (combo with mending) in exchange for a free night or meal. I've also used it to disguise the party scent and send any pursuers elsewhere for us to get away.
Prestidigitation is the best! The minotaurs laughed at us until they found out that our iron rations somehow tasted just like raw, bloody meat. The whale, who would only give us a ride (Icewindale: Rime of the Frost Maiden) if we spent hours fishing for octopus to feed to him, gave us an immediate ride when we gave him owlbear meat that tasted just like octopus. The grey elf leader who was looking for an interesting trade provided goods and rations after we flavored his soup with our “special cheese-flavored powder”. Even a dragon will prefer something sweet and tasty over some sweaty dude in metal armor. It’s amazing how much good will can be fostered over a good meal.
I once got into a scuffle with two shark humanoids and their mob boss who was a cat with wings. I failed my stealth check to back out of the encounter and failed, resulting in me stepping on the cat's tail and pissing off one of his guards. He came over and lifted me up by my collar and pinned me against a wall, so I used prestidigitation to make the one holding me think his friend just called him a stupid dolphin. He got pissed off at his buddy, and the first one dropped me to start fighting his friend instead, and I was able to sneak away in the confusion. VERY useful.
I feel the need to point out that, if you need Subtle Spell, you need to spend one sorcery point per casting, making this cost significantly more than a cantrip. If you have it from the feat and aren't a sorcerer, it is 2x/day only.
I've never limited anyone to just the six bulletpoints. I've always taken those as a nonexhaustive list 9f examples. If players come up with cool, creative new variations, I wanna reward that, as long as it 8sn't something gamebreaking or beyond the spells level (ie comparable to the examples).
S-Tier! That's why I loathe it. I think the mere existence of prestidigitation shapes the world beyond recognition. Its absurd to think that it wouldn't change absolutely everything
At my table I allow people that are trying to hide their actions make sleight of hand check if they are trying to hide their somatic components of a spell
There are situations you'd want to not ditch the tinderbox for. If you or someone else has Control Flames or Pyrotechnics that allow you to do things to non-magical fire, Prestidigitation wont work RAW. That is because the SAC does specify what constitutes a magical game feature, and something being a spell (which cantrips are) does make it magical. Unfortunately, you can't even argue that the fire on the candle is a secondary effect of the spell (such as igniting flammable objects from Burning Hands) which otherwise are not part of the spell itself, since lighting the candle what the second bullet usage is primarily doing which makes it a primary effect of the spell. Thus if you need non-magical fire; Tinderbox is your friend, not Prestidigitation.
My artificer got the Cartomancer feat, but re flavoured as dwarven runes (he learned in a dwarven clan, he himself is a harengon) etched into his gloves instead of cards. With that he can cast prestedigitation just like with subtle spell xD
Here's a bit of a question I have... After watching Raine Whispers on Owl House, I thought of making a bard who could also change liquids through whistling just like them. Many replies to my idea suggested I either have my bard also be an Artificer subclass or use Prestidigitation through my magic. Another idea for a bard I have in mind is more of a chef than a musician. Their abilities involve healing, empowering, poisoning, transforming and/or giving people dreadful visions after they've consumed whatever food my character makes. How would Prestidigitation work with either one of my ideas
You can use it not only to warm your clothes, but your actual skin. The outer layer of your skin is dead skin cells, so you can warm that in cold environments. In fact just for flavor I have undead mage NPCs in arctic environments do this on their entire bodies to avoid getting stiff since their body doesn't generate its own heat. I also usually swap this spell in on mage NPC spell lists that exclude it because...it's just so useful in your day-to-day life, literally everybody who could learn it would.
warning for DMs about the soil part. That part alone will do more damage than you can ever think.To add or remove a thing is a broken power in it self even if it is limited. Please put theses limit on it or hell can bust loose with this spell. What ever they want to soil an item in. Must be with in 10 feet in a open jar or space. Now if you wondering why. "You soil clothes in water". This line can change a game so fast If you are in a places with no water. You now have endless water. It is freezing cold. Someone clothes becomes a death trap. Water is heavy (8.3 lbs per gal). That little forgotten rule of encumbrance. It becomes real scary. Now think if it was some thing like gun powers. Have a endless supple of it is bad.
Absolutely agree, the “soiling” feature should never generate a sufficient amount of any material to be give impactful benefits outside of the soiling itself.
@@dndlounge I'm against it generating any thing for that reason. That why i had that line. "What ever they want to soil an item in. Must be with in 10 feet in a open jar or space". With this soil just move stuff around. So you get no endless water or some thing. I don't want to have that X amount talk. So now they can only soil with what they have on them or in range.
I thought the soiled stuff only stayed soiled for an hour. Sure it's still horribad in freezing conditions. But to make your shirt "soiled" with water, then squeeze it out and get "infinite water", i'd say just two things. -'Sure, you get the soiled water from the shirt. You want to drink the soiled water?' 'Oh, you unsoil the soiled water, fair enough. And you drink it.......' An hour later. 'You don't have the summoned water anymore, that includes the one you drank. Enjoy still being thirsy.' Dousing people in water in freezing conditions is just smart use of the power. In combat it won't do much of a difference and out of combat the one you want to freeze/douse have to be within 10feet so not that broken either.
as a plot hook you can explore where the soiled material came from or where it went to when something was cleaned. Imagine everything that was soiled and an entity is trying to figure out where all of its mud has disappeared, or vice versa and now you have an entity that cant stop a room from getting filthy so now they hunt down your party member because they traced the magic back to them somehow.
@@Klomster88 Their no time limit to it but other parts say an hour. So it up to the DM on this. That why i said make this a house rule . "What ever they want to soil an item in. Must be with in 10 feet in a open jar or spaced" It pretty much let it be open to a lot of use but handicaps them into need an item. It keeps abuse in check too. So they can get crazy as they want with it but they better be ready to use it as they wish. SO ua-cam.com/video/zPUe7O3ODHQ/v-deo.htmlsi=K0SVcgjenwJ4PYsi&t=64
You could also create a makeshift fireball with Prestidigitation. Step 1. Have the fighter or barbarian throw a barrel of oil into a crowd of enemies. Step 2. Get within 10 feet of the nearest enemy that has oil on them. Step 3. Light the oil on or around them. Step 4. GTF back and watch the fireworks. Also, for the sensory affect, get an animal companion. Step 1. make something that's non-toxic, and can be ingested smell and taste like bacon. Step 2. use a fan to blow the bacon smell in a general direction. Step 3. do an animal handling check on any beast that comes sniffing for the bacon.
That guy who crossed me, well, for the cost of one sorcery point I shit his pants. I get three effects, sound, smell, and soiling, and I can ruin his day and social standing with just that.
Are you still making videos? I just found this channel and I'm really liking the vids but I just noticed that this video is 4 months old. I hope you keeping making stuff because it's amongst the best of UA-cam
I really appreciate that! I got a new job 4 months ago that’s left me with little energy for making videos/working on my blog, but I definitely plan on getting back into it once I’m settled in a bit more
"Make a Glass Orb to smash on the ground..." This makes me wonder, could you use Darkness and Prestidigitation to craft a Shadow Bomb or something? Since you can cover up the Darkness, until whatever is housing it is opened or broken open; hence a conjured Glass Orb would be far more coinvent if things go south.
The only time I really tried to use it for anything useful was "I want to flavor the guy that got eaten by the giant frog, so it spits him out". After spending a good 7 minutes talking with the DM about how I'd make that work, I eventually just settled on "Nevermind, Scorching ray it is" XD If we hadn't just killed the evil bard that was harassing our group, I would totally have used that "make him look like he had an embarrassing accident" idea though.
Instant writing on party members' faces, clothes, and kit. This is the must have cantrip of unrelenting pranksters. All-out prank wars have started between magic users in the party.
5:36 You don't need Subtle Spell to cheat at cards. You just spin your hands and say "whupah!" as you slam you royal flush down onto the table and laugh with bravado! This is totally normal behavior for playing a winning hand.
If I could choose one spell that is not too outlandish to be real in real life, it would definitely be prestidigitation. I admit, mage hand is a close second and sometimes I'd favor it, but prestidigitation would change the world drastically.
i wanna play a tiefling bard con-artist, and use the nonmagical part of this as a way to create a nonmagical trinket, but in box and sell as if its some kind of super rare thing, how would one go about this, is there a rule about how long said trinkets last or how many can be made?
WARNING! Several of the uses described here aren't RAW, your DM might just say NO. Also, the verbal and somatic components alert other people that you are casting a spell. Casting a spell might be considered a hostile action. Always ask your DM first.
if your opponent is wearing metal you can heat it up for damage. this goes further with a fighter’s action surge, create a ring on their finger (or if your dm allows it, around the brain stem of your opponent) as it is not stated to be directly in the palm of your hand and heat it up to the point of damage, the metal should be tungsten so that it doesn’t melt (unless you want that)
Let's see, this one should be easy... since it really is broken. The paraphrase... Cast - action Range - 10 ft Target - variable Verbal (noisy), Somatic (motiony) - Instant, harmless, effect... examples like sparks shower, wind puff, faint music, odd odor. - Instant, light or snuff flame... up to 'small campfire' in size. - Instant, clean or soil an object no larger than a cubic foot. - 1 hr, chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of non-living material. - 1 hr, make a small mark, symbol, or color appear on an object or surface. - 1 turn, 'fit in hand' (palmable) trinket or illusory image. Can have up to three non-instant active. Can dismiss (end early) an effect as an action. Format... Time - video comment My remarks... -- 0:50 - Tip, subtle spell works well for this. 1:18 - Uses for sensory effect. 1:20 - Distraction, draw attention of bystanders. 1:25 - Foul a room, to clear occupants. Oh no... I just realized it depends on interpretation. Is the casting 10ft range and effect range whatever you want... or is the effect range also 10ft? Is the shower of sparks so small that only those within 10ft notice? Is the released smell only noticed within 10ft of the caster? 1:30 - Approaching footsteps for attention, intimidation, or distraction. Again... can these be heard beyond 10ft from the caster? 1:35 - Boost a performance check. Well, I can tell you that the fireworks in that picture ain't happening. That effect is far more than 10ft from the caster. At best, the bard is maybe getting the potency of a few birthday cakes of sparklers sitting in a circle. But, I guess that could be impressive. 1:40 - Fart sounds/smells. For both, that is two castings... but makes sense... smell usually comes a bit after the sound. Still, what's the hear/smell range? 10ft? 1:43 - Pleasant smell to cover bad. Still limited effect range... 1:51 - Draw a crowd. For a big crowd, gonna take some time... 'cause 10ft. Eh... I guess Gandalf's fireworks are within a 10ft area that is all within 10ft of him when cast. 2:04 - Scent of [YT censoring] This can work... if you can convince them only a faint smell is around, which is why it is smelled within 10ft of the person/location. 2:08 - Sound effects. Um... this again depends on if the effect is permitted to exit 10ft of the caster. Sad bard on stage, no audience... but they make the sound of a roaring crowd that only they can hear since no one is within 10ft of them on the stage. I guess, throw them off by making them hear discordance... that only you and them can hear, because 10ft. 2:16 - Scent of smoke as disturbance or clear area If you catch the right people, who will make a commotion about it... and have position to be believed. 2:24 - Sound a signal. This one I will argue against the most. The range is 10ft... so that signal is only good for 10ft. Need a generous DM, that allows such things to carry beyond spell range... interpreting the range as 'target area' and not 'effect area'. 2:32 - Uses for flame stuffs. 2:34 - Darken the room. Mmm... need to get within 10ft of those 30/60ft light sources. If you are stealthy enough to get close enough to the lights... putting them out might draw unwanted attention for the next light you approach. 2:40 - Light things from afar. I guess an extra 10ft is an extra 10ft you wouldn't have using flint and steel. 2:48 - Ditch tinderbox. 2:53 - Be sneaky. Quickly snuff your own lights. GM would probably let you normally do it as an action anyway... but the flavor of using magic is fun. But yes, a GM that rules you can't easily put out your own torch within 6 seconds needs a player with prestidigitation. 3:04 - Cleaning/soiling Note... some GMs rule that for soiling you need access to the 'soil' to be used. So just applying dirt is usually fine, but applying a specific material a GM might require you to have the material available. 3:06 - Clean your gear. Yeah, should work on most - if not all - of your gear. Not so well on the person... but most GMs probably allow the 'magic showering' to pass. 3:15 - Embarrass someone. But... if your GM requires you supply the 'soil'... 3:24 - Clean a [YT censoring] trail. I guess 'dirt' is a bunch of objects. But GMs will probably be fine with 'clean the ground'. 3:29 - Make [] stains. Sounds like a plan... if the GM allows specifying the type of 'soiling'. 3:32 - False trail. For this to work, need to cover your own trail as well... or they'll know something is up. Actually, could use it to make your party look bigger to those trailing you. Party of 4, trail looks like party of 10... Another option is to create creature prints... so it looks like something dangerous is in the area. 3:39 - Up-sell a disguise. Add effects to disguise, based on 'the story' you are pushing. 3:43 - De-soil document, to be able to read it. Some DMs will rule that writing is 'soiling the paper'... so you might clear what you want to read with it. 3:47 - Soil a document/map. Good plan... especially if the DM rules prestidigitation clears writing/drawings. 3:53 - Remove [] and icons to interrupt a ritual. I think this should work... but if they have prestidigitation, they can use it to put it back... 3:57 - Cleaning. 4:04 - Chilling, Warming, Flavoring. 4:07 - Dry the wet. Mmm... that might be more 'cleaning'... because you are 'cleaning away the water from the clothing' or such. Still, same result. 4:12 - Heat cold food, cool hot food. 4:21 - Hide flavours. 4:32 - Cheat in a contest. 4:33 - Improve taste of unpleasant food. 4:38 - Disguise tastes (hide flavours). 4:43 - Disguise good tastes with bad. 4:52 - Disguise bad tastes with good. 4:57 - Counteract environmental conditions. Cooling in heat, heating in cold. One thing not really covered, is that it targets a volume of 1 cubic ft... but says nothing about what is done with it after. So you can't go wide with it in a restaurant. Why flavour one person's dish when you can share? Making stew for an army? Get multiple pots cooking with enough to feed everyone... then in the last few minutes of cooking take 1 cubic food of thickener (flour, corn starch, whatever) and strongly flavor it as desired. Then mix a bit into every pot so they are all flavoured without actual spices.
5:08 - Markings 5:11 - Leave messages. The druidic and thieves' cant of the party. 5:16 - Mark a trail. Just remember that each caster can only have three markings at a time. Um... the labyrinth would have to be small, or the entire party have prestidigitation. Still, standard party of 4 with 3 marks each, means 12 for handling the labyrinth. 5:25 - Fake seal, sigil, or symbol. 5:32 - Cheat at cards. Requires subtle spell. Also, requires knowing the card you are simulating won't be in someone else's hand. And ability to erase what the card actually is. The marking adds a mark... nothing about concealing existing marks. 5:39 - Alter clothing colours. Depends on GM... they might argue that steps on other spells, so not permitted. 5:44 - Fake moustache/beard. May look drawn on? Well yeah, it's a marking... not an illusion. 5:50 - Mark time. Know when an hour is past... for synchronization. Yes, but... Keep in mind that one casting, one object marked. One casting is 6 seconds... so just remember there is a 6 second delay for each additional item. If you are permitted to dismiss the effect without being in 10ft of it... then give an item to one party. When the party with the caster is ready, the caster uses an action to dismiss the marking. One team knows 'it's time' by deciding, and the other by the action spent to remove the marking. 6:00 - Fake glyph of warding or symbol. 6:07 - Send semaphore messages, via colour changing flags. Interesting... 6:16 - Creating trinket/illusory image This is the one I think is most hand waved with forgiveness. I still remember using prestidigitation to create the trinket 'flint and steel' to light a fire... fun times. 6:30 - Image of sought creature. Um... hand sized. Think 'conceal it in your hand' like an item made to disappear in a magic trick. So, the miniature used for your character might be the right size, or too big. Anyway, I don't think a wanted poster is in the intent of 'fit in your hand'. Not to mention it takes 6 seconds to cast, and ends at the end of next turn... so they can only look at it for 6 seconds before it goes poof in their face. Benny Hill music plays as you keep making more and they try to look it over in 6 seconds, then it poofs as you hand them another, and they start looking as it poofs, and you hand them another... 6:37 - Fake MacGuffin. Again... you've got 6 seconds to pull this off. Flash and stash. 6:44 - Room miniature. Still... 6 seconds, or a lot of Benny Hill music. 6:52 - Compass. This can work, but better be practiced at reading it within 6 seconds. 6:57 - Mirror for corners. At least a perception check only takes 6 seconds. 6:58 - Glass orb to smash for a scene. Actually... this makes more sense than using the instant effects for distractions and such. At least an object should act like an object... unless 'magic rationalization' means any effects from the spell is still constrained to 10ft range. After all, produce flame doesn't specify you can start a fire so you can't start a fire no matter how long you hold it against lamp oil, dry wood, gasoline, etc. Produce flame just 'looks like fire'... so maybe prestidigitation just 'looks like you have a trinket'. 7:04 - Duplicate signet ring. 7:06 - Replicate guard's badge. Then flash it like it's some poorly made replica that will disintegrate if viewed for more than 6 seconds. Nothing suspicious about that. 7:14 - Key. - Conclusion Is it good? Video : Yes, great. Me : If the effects of the spell are constrained to being within 10ft of the caster... then maybe. But under common interpretations, yes. Nothing more powerful than a spell with loose rules in a magic system with loose rules. I mean, just consider... would a throwing dart be considered a trinket? If a poster 'fits in the hand', then what about an arrow? Could you potato cannon using an explosion effect in a tube? You can make a puff of wind... so why not tapping on the shoulder?
you can warm one cubic foot of material for one hour.... it does not say that the material has to BE or REMAIN in a cubic shape for the entire duration... so sitting on a layer of warm and dry dirt made of a cubic foot of loose soil is quite nice while camping out. and before anyone says :buts that will be only a few mm layer of warm stuff, that won't keep you warm -> its a few mm of dirt that is held to a specific temperature by MAGIC. heat capacity and thermal conductivity fly out of the window when an object is set to a specific temp by magic
I tell my players that Prestidigitation can't be too complex. You can't make a specific key for a specific lock, and poison is more than just masking flavor. I've also seen the "trinket" part abused a lot. It has to fit in your hand. That doesn't mean you can hold the handle of it, it means it can't extend _beyond_ your hand. Otherwise you might as well conjure a sword.
Personal ruling on copying keys. I will allow an arcana check to make the duplicate. Just how even if a rouge knows what a key looks like it doesn't mean they can replicate it on the first try. Same for the casters.
At all tables I've played at we've allowed to choose within reason what we soil objects with Prestitidigitation. I'm wickedly fond of poop. Socks and masks are fun.
Depending on how generous your DM is, you can flavor your enemy's saliva to taste like rotten sewer sludge... for one hour. Near guaranteed failed constitution save, easily taking out an enemy for up to an hour. You might also be able to subtly change your character's face using multiple charges (up to three effects).
Megehand Legerdemain(fre magehand with buffs) and the Cartomancer(free Prestidigitation with buffs)feat are so perfect for each other. Add in the rogue's reliable talent and in three character features you have an incredible stage magician, a card hustler, and the most flexible of all possible magics.
It helps to have both a creative caster and a creative GM because this seemingly least of spells has many uses, doubly so if the players and GM's remember that most NPCs are rubes, in those ages, you know? GM's, or so it's my opinion, often fail to play to this part. Instead, we tend to gift theses 'medieval' and older so societies of people with far more wisdom, intelligence, and 'oh, it's just magic' mindsets. Mistakes, in my opinion of course.
For sure, I think in most settings the default expectation of most NPCs should be that PCs are just regular folks, with uncommon races and the carrying of arms being the only real stand-out features. But in more cosmopolitan settings, savvy onlookers might be more on the lookout for magical shenanigans. And even if backwaters, villagers talk -- once one sees you spellcasting, word is likely to get around and they might be a bit warier as a result. But yea, most folks are definitely rubes lol
1. My roguelock got a medal from two uses of Prestidigitation Setting a drug den on fire, then keeping that fire from spreading. 2. Prestidigitation+oil+ flying tiefling= 3 levels worth of experience from war crimes 3. Prestidigitation+ Awakened mind= a drunk who is questioning his sanity (everyone in the party was changing the flavor of his beer while I was talking at him in his head)
As a DM, it irritates me to no end when players try to abuse the wording of spells that are obviously designed to have an obvious purpose. Prestidigitation is designed to allow a caster to do quickly bypass some of the otherwise mundane aspects of life and add a little flair in at the same time. Using it continuously to make every game roll easier (or more difficult for the adversary) abuses both the wording and the fact it's a cantrip. In other words, many of these examples he gives, I would allow without any problem as they're exactly what the spell is supposed to do. Any the others I would nix in a heartbeat and not feel bad for an instant.
That’s a fair take, and I certainly don’t want to give DMs any additional headaches. But I’d push back a little and say that I never suggest that Prestidigitation makes every roll easier - only that in certain circumstances it might make certain rolls easier (Deception, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth). For it to really work for any of these (except maybe Performance), a caster would have to use Subtle Spell to get away with it, so the opportunity cost is higher than “just a cantrip.” I’m not up for abuse of wording either, but I think there’s no harm in allowing a utility cantrip to give a tangible benefit (like advantage on some checks) if the idea is cleverly conceived and suitable for the task at hand. The same way I wouldn’t consider it an abuse if a character used a grappling hook to get advantage on an athletics check to climb a sheer wall. It’s up to the DM, after all, if “circumstances influence a roll in one direction or the other and grant advantage or impose disadvantage as a result” (PHB 173). But it’s definitely a case-by-case (and DM-by-DM) thing, and I have no truck with players citing Reddit threads, UA-cam videos (even mine), etc. as a basis for arguing with the DM’s ruling.
It's also a ridiculous word. Don't get me wrong, I like words. But this is one that people struggle with consistently. Imagine if the verbal component, like in larping, was the spell name. But it's a firmly established D&D magic word. I'd still change it. Same with anthropomorphizing. WAY too much. Make it "anthromorphing." That's much better.
Here's some more with varying levels of cheesy assumptions: -seal an enemy's scabbard with pine tar. If you do it sneakily, follow it up with heat to instantly dry the adhesive so that the weapon cannot be drawn. -Soiling your mouth or someone else's with blood lets you easily scare the hell out of people. -If spicy is a flavor, you could weaponize that to make someone miserable and desperate very quickly. -create brief gemstones trinkets to show that you have something valuable, drop it in a small bag of pebbles and close it, using the implication of gems to bribe someone, but hiding the fact that it will disappear momentarily. Starting to get into pedantic dirtbag territory: -If you can choose what kind of muck you create by "soiling" something, you could create an infinite amount of anything that causes stains out of thin air like blood, flammable oil, ink, clay, or adhesives like pine tar. -"clean" away needed components of things, like mortar from bricks, ink from books, poisons/alcohol from drinks, etc. -If you wanted to be an absolute dirtbag, you could probably RAW create expensive material components for spells, especially for another party member who can use their action to immediately cast the spell with the item you conjured. The diamond or whatever you created will vanish in 6 seconds, but a friend can cast most spell with it faster than that. Gems are nonmagical trinkets that just happen to be good components. -Another dirtbag move would be to recolor a person's eyes to pure white. Pupils and irises use color to function, so making them solid should effectively blind someone. If the DM argues it can't be living material, change the eye-fluid to be opaque. Not as good as minor-illusioning a black box around their head but still pretty effective. Bonus points for shouting the verbal components for the blindness spell right before.
Interesting ideas! I don't have any problems with the top ones (I especially like the fake-out bribe), but I'd probably say no to all of the "dirtbag" ones as a DM. For me, it comes down to "does a higher-level spell do this thing?" If yes, then a cantrip shouldn't. For example, I definitely don't think you can create expensive material components for spells, because even the 5th-level Creation spell can't do that (www.dndbeyond.com/spells/creation) - "Using any material created by this spell as another spell's material component causes that spell to fail."
@@dndlounge I absolutely agree with you, which is why I made the dirtbag distinction. I just like finding what the logical extremes are. Self-control is key, since it can be tough on a DM to know what extremes are dangerous before they've already set a precedent. For example: if the DM rules that a creature would automatically disbelieve an illusion they've seen before, your warlock with misty visions can take that to mean that they can show illusions to the party beforehand so only enemies are affected. "Purple smoke isn't real, guys." Whoops! a silent image of purple smoke becomes an improved one-way darkness spell.
You absolutely cannot allow prestidigitation to target other creatures. It's not RAW, and it makes the spell way too powerful. Many of the rest of these act as tho prestidigitation is minor illusion or even more powerful. Also, the fact that an effect lasts for an hour does not mean it is reliable enough to keep time; personally, I would rule that the effect fades sooner the further the caster is from it. A compass, mirror, glass orb, signet ring, or key is not a trinket; those are fine craftwork.
Yes, you absolutely can. By your own flawed logic where in RAW does it say DM's need to be rule nazis based on how powerful they deem certain abilities would be if used creatively. You are the type of person to insert your own unneeded interpretation to ruin others fun and make DND a number cruncher simulator.
One of my favorite past uses: Creating floating subtitles while translating an NPCs words for the party.
woah, that's actually super cool!
The only spell that lets you look your DM in the eye when the BBEG is monologuing and say, "I piss his pants."
😂
I'm guilty of this so much.
Noted
I'm a simple caster; I see prestidigitation and I press like.
ew, caster
I love the idea of marking time or providing a synchronized signal.
It's one of my favorites...an Arcane Trickster in one of my past groups always used to do it when they'd go off on solo missions.
I got players doing that with the light spell.
The first time I used it, I created fake tattoos on three of our party to infiltrate a gang. DM had to check the spell's description to believe I could do it as "people usually just use the spell to clean stuff."
Hah, that's great -- much less commitment than sitting down for an actual tattoo! It's funny that your DM thought of it as a Cleaning spell first...wonder if their previous PCs were fastidious hypochondriacs or something.
@@dndlounge Or the DM was always sending them down into the sewers.
if you don't like the tattoo, or need to change it for any reason... easy peasy lemon squeezy
Kinda strange that people would only use it to clean stuff when all the other effects are less situational
I remember when i played a high elf warrior in 5e, i had prestidigitation (which is my favorite DnD spell), we met a goblin we wanted to scare into listening to us (player character).
I went up to the goblin, grabbed his shirt and said something like -"I'll put a nasty curse upon you, if you don't listen to us..... bad stuff will happen!"
Then i made obviously magical handwavey stuff along with magic sounding words and a weird "arcane" symbol appeared upon his armour.
He was totally freaked out.
Best spell in the game.
In another game, i had the custom spell "Heat up to 2 small objects and keep them at a warm temperature"
The other players were suitably cranky and jealous that i had warm socks in the snow covered mountantops.
Prestidigitation is an amazing spell, specially paired with the cartomancer feat allowing you to use prestidigitation to conceal verbal and somatic components
Still a strong spell and a huge amount of utility if you're creative with it. My favorite use of prestidigitation was as a changeling bard as the party needed to sneak into the king's room. However it was heavily guarded mainly due to the king and his crown, so I disguised myself as an infamous thief and taunted the guards with a fake crown in my hand and ran out to an alley where I dismissed the crown and changed my clothes and appearance to an innocent bystander pointing the guards further down the street, all while the rest of the party had an easy time knocking out the few guards left behind and sneaking in.
My first ever use of Prestidigitation was to make a small red dot appear on the ground, then move it around and watch as my cat familiar chased it around.
My character basically created laser pointers, and it was adorable
instant Hot Cocoa -> just cast it twice on any mug of water and you can very quickly raise people's spirits, or just keep yourself a bit warmer in cold climates.
Three times and it even looks like hot cocoa.
wait a sec... if I cast this on regular water I can make it warm, yes?
what if I then cast it again on the warm water, doe it then become hot water?
@@arcanerecovery2567 I wonder if by the time you take your next turn, the object your heating would’ve cooled down by then. maybe you could use it to gradually increase the heat, I don’t know.
@@josiahdachauer8731 the warming effect sticks for an hour and you can do it 3 times simultaneously
One of the funniest and creative ways i've ever witnessed prestidigitation he used when we were trying to infiltrate a military barracks. I crit failed my persuasion attempt (i was the face of the party, so that REALLY messed things up for us.)
My best friend was looking through his spells to see if he could salvage it somehow. He slamms his book down and looks straight into the DMs eyes and with the straightest face ever says "I use prestidigitation and i shit the guard's pants."
Everyone except the DM starts laughing so hard (neighbors knocked on our door asking us to quiet down. We apologized and gave him some beer for the trouble) and the DM started looking up the spell description. And it was found it could be done.
As a DM I would still require the appropriate skill check to make the correct key. Though another fun one is to give the rouge advantage on their lock picking checks by cleaning the lock(removing rust and any oil that has congealed), as a side benefit this will clean off poisons disabling a lot of traps inside of the locks.
If it's a simple lock i'd just allow it.
But complex locks are a whole different beast.
@@Klomster88 If it's a simple lock it would just be a DC 10-15 untrained skill check. If it's complex it would be higher. If your not proficient it might be at disadvantage, and I would let any craft based skill check using something like this or the fabricate spell to work of int rather than dex.
@@TheMichaellathrop that's unexpectedly high DC for a simple lock.
But then again i'm thinking SIMPLE lock. Like, one where the key is like a square peg.
Those you could get open with a bent nail.
@@Klomster88 Depends on the complexity of the lock, the square peg example sounds like a lock so simple I have to question why the DM or the NPC who put it there in the first place even bothered with it. I usually don't see any skill test dc's lower than 10 before the DM just says OK don't bother rolling you do the thing. Also saying disadvantage for non proficient skills is way nicer than your not proficient you cant do it which is I believe rules as written for tool use skills.
@@TheMichaellathrop lots of furniture and small trinket chests have such locks.
Also those common locked diaries often have similar locks.
Oftentimes, medieval locks are just that simple, but rather chonky and thus needs something more sturdy than a simple nail to use as the key.
And why bother? Well the simple act of seeing something locked does wonders with averting most would be thieves.
"I'm gonna steal this bike" "Oh wait, it is locked, meh, can't be bothered."
Even if most bicycle locks on the market today has been shown to be able to be broken with hand power alone. The simple fact it is locked protects the bike in this case.
I once used prestigitation to make smelling salts in order to wake up an unconscious teammate!
I tried to use it to soil windows before so that we had a hideout of sorts and didn't have to worry about being spied on while we took a long rest
The most overpowered spell in the game, it can do anything you want as long as it’s not useful. And by not useful, it’s super useful! You can handle basic hygiene, clean/dry and re-color clothing, create up to three campfires, create keys to unlock any lock as long as you’ve seen or handled the correct key, create any effect that isn’t already created by another spell. It’s that good.
way too powerful
Been waiting for this spell! I always love a good spell that lets player's imaginations run wild
My arcane trickster uses it to create a smoke bomb and disengage like Dr. Krieger from Archer; “SMOKE BOMB!” Puff of smoke + bright flash + loud pop
If you're steadily sneaking through a base, you can make a small mirror to hold in your hand, then another one angled towards the next room to (pre)view it without peeking outside the door.
Im going to have my first game in a few weeks with my friends (also newbies). Your videos are gold. Really good to get creative. Also the coment section its pretty useful! People discussing about the rules, RAW, RAI. Excellent!
(Corrected:) Prestidigitation is a simple spell that lets you do whatever you can convince the DM to allow.
This is the #1 cantrip that I get that is non-combat related.
I like to keep myself clean (or others). I had a character who was grossed out by the sight of blood, so he often used prestidigitation to prevent himself from continuously seeing it. I used the cantrip to help out at a tavern (combo with mending) in exchange for a free night or meal. I've also used it to disguise the party scent and send any pursuers elsewhere for us to get away.
Prestidigitation is the best! The minotaurs laughed at us until they found out that our iron rations somehow tasted just like raw, bloody meat. The whale, who would only give us a ride (Icewindale: Rime of the Frost Maiden) if we spent hours fishing for octopus to feed to him, gave us an immediate ride when we gave him owlbear meat that tasted just like octopus. The grey elf leader who was looking for an interesting trade provided goods and rations after we flavored his soup with our “special cheese-flavored powder”. Even a dragon will prefer something sweet and tasty over some sweaty dude in metal armor. It’s amazing how much good will can be fostered over a good meal.
I once got into a scuffle with two shark humanoids and their mob boss who was a cat with wings. I failed my stealth check to back out of the encounter and failed, resulting in me stepping on the cat's tail and pissing off one of his guards. He came over and lifted me up by my collar and pinned me against a wall, so I used prestidigitation to make the one holding me think his friend just called him a stupid dolphin. He got pissed off at his buddy, and the first one dropped me to start fighting his friend instead, and I was able to sneak away in the confusion. VERY useful.
All your inputs are very interesting. Great channel and great video
The first time I used prestidigitation, I made a rock look like a big gemstone, and used it to bribe a goblin into momentarily attacking its friend.
I feel the need to point out that, if you need Subtle Spell, you need to spend one sorcery point per casting, making this cost significantly more than a cantrip. If you have it from the feat and aren't a sorcerer, it is 2x/day only.
I've never limited anyone to just the six bulletpoints. I've always taken those as a nonexhaustive list 9f examples. If players come up with cool, creative new variations, I wanna reward that, as long as it 8sn't something gamebreaking or beyond the spells level (ie comparable to the examples).
what have your players done as examples?
Love prestidigitation. S-Tier!
S-Tier! That's why I loathe it. I think the mere existence of prestidigitation shapes the world beyond recognition. Its absurd to think that it wouldn't change absolutely everything
At my table I allow people that are trying to hide their actions make sleight of hand check if they are trying to hide their somatic components of a spell
There are situations you'd want to not ditch the tinderbox for. If you or someone else has Control Flames or Pyrotechnics that allow you to do things to non-magical fire, Prestidigitation wont work RAW. That is because the SAC does specify what constitutes a magical game feature, and something being a spell (which cantrips are) does make it magical.
Unfortunately, you can't even argue that the fire on the candle is a secondary effect of the spell (such as igniting flammable objects from Burning Hands) which otherwise are not part of the spell itself, since lighting the candle what the second bullet usage is primarily doing which makes it a primary effect of the spell. Thus if you need non-magical fire; Tinderbox is your friend, not Prestidigitation.
Great point!
My artificer got the Cartomancer feat, but re flavoured as dwarven runes (he learned in a dwarven clan, he himself is a harengon) etched into his gloves instead of cards. With that he can cast prestedigitation just like with subtle spell xD
Here's a bit of a question I have...
After watching Raine Whispers on Owl House, I thought of making a bard who could also change liquids through whistling just like them. Many replies to my idea suggested I either have my bard also be an Artificer subclass or use Prestidigitation through my magic.
Another idea for a bard I have in mind is more of a chef than a musician. Their abilities involve healing, empowering, poisoning, transforming and/or giving people dreadful visions after they've consumed whatever food my character makes.
How would Prestidigitation work with either one of my ideas
You can use it not only to warm your clothes, but your actual skin. The outer layer of your skin is dead skin cells, so you can warm that in cold environments. In fact just for flavor I have undead mage NPCs in arctic environments do this on their entire bodies to avoid getting stiff since their body doesn't generate its own heat. I also usually swap this spell in on mage NPC spell lists that exclude it because...it's just so useful in your day-to-day life, literally everybody who could learn it would.
warning for DMs about the soil part. That part alone will do more damage than you can ever think.To add or remove a thing is a broken power in it self even if it is limited.
Please put theses limit on it or hell can bust loose with this spell.
What ever they want to soil an item in. Must be with in 10 feet in a open jar or space.
Now if you wondering why. "You soil clothes in water". This line can change a game so fast
If you are in a places with no water. You now have endless water.
It is freezing cold. Someone clothes becomes a death trap.
Water is heavy (8.3 lbs per gal). That little forgotten rule of encumbrance. It becomes real scary.
Now think if it was some thing like gun powers. Have a endless supple of it is bad.
Absolutely agree, the “soiling” feature should never generate a sufficient amount of any material to be give impactful benefits outside of the soiling itself.
@@dndlounge I'm against it generating any thing for that reason. That why i had that line.
"What ever they want to soil an item in. Must be with in 10 feet in a open jar or space". With this soil just move stuff around. So you get no endless water or some thing. I don't want to have that X amount talk. So now they can only soil with what they have on them or in range.
I thought the soiled stuff only stayed soiled for an hour.
Sure it's still horribad in freezing conditions.
But to make your shirt "soiled" with water, then squeeze it out and get "infinite water", i'd say just two things. -'Sure, you get the soiled water from the shirt. You want to drink the soiled water?' 'Oh, you unsoil the soiled water, fair enough. And you drink it.......'
An hour later.
'You don't have the summoned water anymore, that includes the one you drank. Enjoy still being thirsy.'
Dousing people in water in freezing conditions is just smart use of the power. In combat it won't do much of a difference and out of combat the one you want to freeze/douse have to be within 10feet so not that broken either.
as a plot hook you can explore where the soiled material came from or where it went to when something was cleaned. Imagine everything that was soiled and an entity is trying to figure out where all of its mud has disappeared, or vice versa and now you have an entity that cant stop a room from getting filthy so now they hunt down your party member because they traced the magic back to them somehow.
@@Klomster88 Their no time limit to it but other parts say an hour. So it up to the DM on this. That why i said make this a house rule . "What ever they want to soil an item in. Must be with in 10 feet in a open jar or spaced" It pretty much let it be open to a lot of use but handicaps them into need an item. It keeps abuse in check too. So they can get crazy as they want with it but they better be ready to use it as they wish. SO
ua-cam.com/video/zPUe7O3ODHQ/v-deo.htmlsi=K0SVcgjenwJ4PYsi&t=64
You could also create a makeshift fireball with Prestidigitation. Step 1. Have the fighter or barbarian throw a barrel of oil into a crowd of enemies. Step 2. Get within 10 feet of the nearest enemy that has oil on them. Step 3. Light the oil on or around them. Step 4. GTF back and watch the fireworks.
Also, for the sensory affect, get an animal companion. Step 1. make something that's non-toxic, and can be ingested smell and taste like bacon. Step 2. use a fan to blow the bacon smell in a general direction. Step 3. do an animal handling check on any beast that comes sniffing for the bacon.
An oil barrel wouldnt explode though, it isn't gunpowder
That guy who crossed me, well, for the cost of one sorcery point I shit his pants. I get three effects, sound, smell, and soiling, and I can ruin his day and social standing with just that.
Are you still making videos? I just found this channel and I'm really liking the vids but I just noticed that this video is 4 months old. I hope you keeping making stuff because it's amongst the best of UA-cam
I really appreciate that! I got a new job 4 months ago that’s left me with little energy for making videos/working on my blog, but I definitely plan on getting back into it once I’m settled in a bit more
@@dndloungethis is GREAT news! Congratulations on your new job my dude. Glad you're still up for making more videos- these are so great.
Thank you! And for sure, looking forward to coming back :)
Great video, just commenting for the algorithm
great collection of ideas
"Make a Glass Orb to smash on the ground..." This makes me wonder, could you use Darkness and Prestidigitation to craft a Shadow Bomb or something? Since you can cover up the Darkness, until whatever is housing it is opened or broken open; hence a conjured Glass Orb would be far more coinvent if things go south.
My warlock pirate uses it to make it look like his beard is in fire (endeavor style) and took the name of Firebeard
The only time I really tried to use it for anything useful was "I want to flavor the guy that got eaten by the giant frog, so it spits him out".
After spending a good 7 minutes talking with the DM about how I'd make that work, I eventually just settled on "Nevermind, Scorching ray it is" XD
If we hadn't just killed the evil bard that was harassing our group, I would totally have used that "make him look like he had an embarrassing accident" idea though.
Prestidigitation is the Petty Spellcaster's best friend.
Instant writing on party members' faces, clothes, and kit. This is the must have cantrip of unrelenting pranksters. All-out prank wars have started between magic users in the party.
5:36 You don't need Subtle Spell to cheat at cards. You just spin your hands and say "whupah!" as you slam you royal flush down onto the table and laugh with bravado! This is totally normal behavior for playing a winning hand.
Use it to "clean" a potentially poisoned trap. Every trap, every time.
Thaumaturgy can have some good similar mechanical uses, such as opening a door from afar :)
do you think minor illusion or prestidigitation is better?
Tough one, but I think Prestidigitation has a slight edge for a greater variety of potential uses.
If I could choose one spell that is not too outlandish to be real in real life, it would definitely be prestidigitation. I admit, mage hand is a close second and sometimes I'd favor it, but prestidigitation would change the world drastically.
I'd be a little less self-centred and go for Lesser Restoration.
good for you@@RichWoods23
Good ol Prestadatashun
i wanna play a tiefling bard con-artist, and use the nonmagical part of this as a way to create a nonmagical trinket, but in box and sell as if its some kind of super rare thing, how would one go about this, is there a rule about how long said trinkets last or how many can be made?
Really depends on the DM. If they aren’t giving you challenges outside of social and fight scenes then it’s usefulness takes a dip
WARNING!
Several of the uses described here aren't RAW, your DM might just say NO.
Also, the verbal and somatic components alert other people that you are casting a spell. Casting a spell might be considered a hostile action.
Always ask your DM first.
if your opponent is wearing metal you can heat it up for damage.
this goes further with a fighter’s action surge, create a ring on their finger (or if your dm allows it, around the brain stem of your opponent) as it is not stated to be directly in the palm of your hand and heat it up to the point of damage, the metal should be tungsten so that it doesn’t melt (unless you want that)
Absolutely not even close to what's possible with the spell.
Let's see, this one should be easy... since it really is broken.
The paraphrase...
Cast - action
Range - 10 ft
Target - variable
Verbal (noisy), Somatic (motiony)
- Instant, harmless, effect... examples like sparks shower, wind puff, faint music, odd odor.
- Instant, light or snuff flame... up to 'small campfire' in size.
- Instant, clean or soil an object no larger than a cubic foot.
- 1 hr, chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of non-living material.
- 1 hr, make a small mark, symbol, or color appear on an object or surface.
- 1 turn, 'fit in hand' (palmable) trinket or illusory image.
Can have up to three non-instant active. Can dismiss (end early) an effect as an action.
Format...
Time - video comment
My remarks...
--
0:50 - Tip, subtle spell works well for this.
1:18 - Uses for sensory effect.
1:20 - Distraction, draw attention of bystanders.
1:25 - Foul a room, to clear occupants.
Oh no... I just realized it depends on interpretation. Is the casting 10ft range and effect range whatever you want... or is the effect range also 10ft?
Is the shower of sparks so small that only those within 10ft notice? Is the released smell only noticed within 10ft of the caster?
1:30 - Approaching footsteps for attention, intimidation, or distraction.
Again... can these be heard beyond 10ft from the caster?
1:35 - Boost a performance check.
Well, I can tell you that the fireworks in that picture ain't happening. That effect is far more than 10ft from the caster.
At best, the bard is maybe getting the potency of a few birthday cakes of sparklers sitting in a circle. But, I guess that could be impressive.
1:40 - Fart sounds/smells.
For both, that is two castings... but makes sense... smell usually comes a bit after the sound.
Still, what's the hear/smell range? 10ft?
1:43 - Pleasant smell to cover bad.
Still limited effect range...
1:51 - Draw a crowd.
For a big crowd, gonna take some time... 'cause 10ft.
Eh... I guess Gandalf's fireworks are within a 10ft area that is all within 10ft of him when cast.
2:04 - Scent of [YT censoring]
This can work... if you can convince them only a faint smell is around, which is why it is smelled within 10ft of the person/location.
2:08 - Sound effects.
Um... this again depends on if the effect is permitted to exit 10ft of the caster.
Sad bard on stage, no audience... but they make the sound of a roaring crowd that only they can hear since no one is within 10ft of them on the stage.
I guess, throw them off by making them hear discordance... that only you and them can hear, because 10ft.
2:16 - Scent of smoke as disturbance or clear area
If you catch the right people, who will make a commotion about it... and have position to be believed.
2:24 - Sound a signal.
This one I will argue against the most. The range is 10ft... so that signal is only good for 10ft.
Need a generous DM, that allows such things to carry beyond spell range... interpreting the range as 'target area' and not 'effect area'.
2:32 - Uses for flame stuffs.
2:34 - Darken the room.
Mmm... need to get within 10ft of those 30/60ft light sources.
If you are stealthy enough to get close enough to the lights... putting them out might draw unwanted attention for the next light you approach.
2:40 - Light things from afar.
I guess an extra 10ft is an extra 10ft you wouldn't have using flint and steel.
2:48 - Ditch tinderbox.
2:53 - Be sneaky. Quickly snuff your own lights.
GM would probably let you normally do it as an action anyway... but the flavor of using magic is fun.
But yes, a GM that rules you can't easily put out your own torch within 6 seconds needs a player with prestidigitation.
3:04 - Cleaning/soiling
Note... some GMs rule that for soiling you need access to the 'soil' to be used. So just applying dirt is usually fine, but applying a specific material a GM might require you to have the material available.
3:06 - Clean your gear.
Yeah, should work on most - if not all - of your gear. Not so well on the person... but most GMs probably allow the 'magic showering' to pass.
3:15 - Embarrass someone.
But... if your GM requires you supply the 'soil'...
3:24 - Clean a [YT censoring] trail.
I guess 'dirt' is a bunch of objects. But GMs will probably be fine with 'clean the ground'.
3:29 - Make [] stains.
Sounds like a plan... if the GM allows specifying the type of 'soiling'.
3:32 - False trail.
For this to work, need to cover your own trail as well... or they'll know something is up.
Actually, could use it to make your party look bigger to those trailing you. Party of 4, trail looks like party of 10...
Another option is to create creature prints... so it looks like something dangerous is in the area.
3:39 - Up-sell a disguise.
Add effects to disguise, based on 'the story' you are pushing.
3:43 - De-soil document, to be able to read it.
Some DMs will rule that writing is 'soiling the paper'... so you might clear what you want to read with it.
3:47 - Soil a document/map.
Good plan... especially if the DM rules prestidigitation clears writing/drawings.
3:53 - Remove [] and icons to interrupt a ritual.
I think this should work... but if they have prestidigitation, they can use it to put it back...
3:57 - Cleaning.
4:04 - Chilling, Warming, Flavoring.
4:07 - Dry the wet.
Mmm... that might be more 'cleaning'... because you are 'cleaning away the water from the clothing' or such. Still, same result.
4:12 - Heat cold food, cool hot food.
4:21 - Hide flavours.
4:32 - Cheat in a contest.
4:33 - Improve taste of unpleasant food.
4:38 - Disguise tastes (hide flavours).
4:43 - Disguise good tastes with bad.
4:52 - Disguise bad tastes with good.
4:57 - Counteract environmental conditions. Cooling in heat, heating in cold.
One thing not really covered, is that it targets a volume of 1 cubic ft... but says nothing about what is done with it after.
So you can't go wide with it in a restaurant. Why flavour one person's dish when you can share?
Making stew for an army? Get multiple pots cooking with enough to feed everyone... then in the last few minutes of cooking take 1 cubic food of thickener (flour, corn starch, whatever) and strongly flavor it as desired. Then mix a bit into every pot so they are all flavoured without actual spices.
5:08 - Markings
5:11 - Leave messages.
The druidic and thieves' cant of the party.
5:16 - Mark a trail.
Just remember that each caster can only have three markings at a time.
Um... the labyrinth would have to be small, or the entire party have prestidigitation. Still, standard party of 4 with 3 marks each, means 12 for handling the labyrinth.
5:25 - Fake seal, sigil, or symbol.
5:32 - Cheat at cards. Requires subtle spell.
Also, requires knowing the card you are simulating won't be in someone else's hand. And ability to erase what the card actually is. The marking adds a mark... nothing about concealing existing marks.
5:39 - Alter clothing colours.
Depends on GM... they might argue that steps on other spells, so not permitted.
5:44 - Fake moustache/beard.
May look drawn on? Well yeah, it's a marking... not an illusion.
5:50 - Mark time. Know when an hour is past... for synchronization.
Yes, but...
Keep in mind that one casting, one object marked. One casting is 6 seconds... so just remember there is a 6 second delay for each additional item.
If you are permitted to dismiss the effect without being in 10ft of it... then give an item to one party. When the party with the caster is ready, the caster uses an action to dismiss the marking. One team knows 'it's time' by deciding, and the other by the action spent to remove the marking.
6:00 - Fake glyph of warding or symbol.
6:07 - Send semaphore messages, via colour changing flags.
Interesting...
6:16 - Creating trinket/illusory image
This is the one I think is most hand waved with forgiveness.
I still remember using prestidigitation to create the trinket 'flint and steel' to light a fire... fun times.
6:30 - Image of sought creature.
Um... hand sized. Think 'conceal it in your hand' like an item made to disappear in a magic trick. So, the miniature used for your character might be the right size, or too big.
Anyway, I don't think a wanted poster is in the intent of 'fit in your hand'. Not to mention it takes 6 seconds to cast, and ends at the end of next turn... so they can only look at it for 6 seconds before it goes poof in their face. Benny Hill music plays as you keep making more and they try to look it over in 6 seconds, then it poofs as you hand them another, and they start looking as it poofs, and you hand them another...
6:37 - Fake MacGuffin.
Again... you've got 6 seconds to pull this off. Flash and stash.
6:44 - Room miniature.
Still... 6 seconds, or a lot of Benny Hill music.
6:52 - Compass.
This can work, but better be practiced at reading it within 6 seconds.
6:57 - Mirror for corners.
At least a perception check only takes 6 seconds.
6:58 - Glass orb to smash for a scene.
Actually... this makes more sense than using the instant effects for distractions and such. At least an object should act like an object... unless 'magic rationalization' means any effects from the spell is still constrained to 10ft range. After all, produce flame doesn't specify you can start a fire so you can't start a fire no matter how long you hold it against lamp oil, dry wood, gasoline, etc. Produce flame just 'looks like fire'... so maybe prestidigitation just 'looks like you have a trinket'.
7:04 - Duplicate signet ring.
7:06 - Replicate guard's badge.
Then flash it like it's some poorly made replica that will disintegrate if viewed for more than 6 seconds. Nothing suspicious about that.
7:14 - Key.
- Conclusion
Is it good?
Video : Yes, great.
Me : If the effects of the spell are constrained to being within 10ft of the caster... then maybe.
But under common interpretations, yes. Nothing more powerful than a spell with loose rules in a magic system with loose rules. I mean, just consider... would a throwing dart be considered a trinket? If a poster 'fits in the hand', then what about an arrow? Could you potato cannon using an explosion effect in a tube? You can make a puff of wind... so why not tapping on the shoulder?
you can warm one cubic foot of material for one hour....
it does not say that the material has to BE or REMAIN in a cubic shape for the entire duration...
so sitting on a layer of warm and dry dirt made of a cubic foot of loose soil is quite nice while camping out.
and before anyone says :buts that will be only a few mm layer of warm stuff, that won't keep you warm
-> its a few mm of dirt that is held to a specific temperature by MAGIC. heat capacity and thermal conductivity fly out of the window when an object is set to a specific temp by magic
I tell my players that Prestidigitation can't be too complex. You can't make a specific key for a specific lock, and poison is more than just masking flavor. I've also seen the "trinket" part abused a lot. It has to fit in your hand. That doesn't mean you can hold the handle of it, it means it can't extend _beyond_ your hand. Otherwise you might as well conjure a sword.
1:39 dog gonit the fart got me. Fine, have a Like, you've earnt it hahaha
I like to use it to summon bright lights right in the eyes of an enemy so the paladin can go for opportunity attack
Personal ruling on copying keys. I will allow an arcana check to make the duplicate. Just how even if a rouge knows what a key looks like it doesn't mean they can replicate it on the first try. Same for the casters.
Oh idea here. Make a demonic pact sign someone else's name use prestidigitation to make it look like you singed your own name
It can also lift very light stuff in 3.5e
Will this keep my coffee hot until the last sip? If so, the I desperately want this
At all tables I've played at we've allowed to choose within reason what we soil objects with Prestitidigitation.
I'm wickedly fond of poop. Socks and masks are fun.
Depending on how generous your DM is, you can flavor your enemy's saliva to taste like rotten sewer sludge... for one hour. Near guaranteed failed constitution save, easily taking out an enemy for up to an hour. You might also be able to subtly change your character's face using multiple charges (up to three effects).
Prestidigitation is awesome, but my imagination doesn't like working sometimes.
Megehand Legerdemain(fre magehand with buffs) and the Cartomancer(free Prestidigitation with buffs)feat are so perfect for each other. Add in the rogue's reliable talent and in three character features you have an incredible stage magician, a card hustler, and the most flexible of all possible magics.
my limitations for this spell knows no bounds (bad imagination and trouble making up something that makes sense/would be useful for real) xD
Conjure an egg to throw at someone.
My warlock doesn't pay for hardly anything. He uses prestidigitation to produce counterfeit currency and quickly leaves after the transaction 😅
Presto was always a good spell
It helps to have both a creative caster and a creative GM because this seemingly least of spells has many uses, doubly so if the players and GM's remember that most NPCs are rubes, in those ages, you know? GM's, or so it's my opinion, often fail to play to this part. Instead, we tend to gift theses 'medieval' and older so societies of people with far more wisdom, intelligence, and 'oh, it's just magic' mindsets. Mistakes, in my opinion of course.
For sure, I think in most settings the default expectation of most NPCs should be that PCs are just regular folks, with uncommon races and the carrying of arms being the only real stand-out features. But in more cosmopolitan settings, savvy onlookers might be more on the lookout for magical shenanigans. And even if backwaters, villagers talk -- once one sees you spellcasting, word is likely to get around and they might be a bit warier as a result. But yea, most folks are definitely rubes lol
High magic!
Need to break out of jail without breaking out summon a bomb. Summon tools to make tools. It’s practically limitless.
1. My roguelock got a medal from two uses of Prestidigitation
Setting a drug den on fire, then keeping that fire from spreading.
2. Prestidigitation+oil+ flying tiefling= 3 levels worth of experience from war crimes
3. Prestidigitation+ Awakened mind= a drunk who is questioning his sanity (everyone in the party was changing the flavor of his beer while I was talking at him in his head)
As a DM, it irritates me to no end when players try to abuse the wording of spells that are obviously designed to have an obvious purpose. Prestidigitation is designed to allow a caster to do quickly bypass some of the otherwise mundane aspects of life and add a little flair in at the same time. Using it continuously to make every game roll easier (or more difficult for the adversary) abuses both the wording and the fact it's a cantrip.
In other words, many of these examples he gives, I would allow without any problem as they're exactly what the spell is supposed to do. Any the others I would nix in a heartbeat and not feel bad for an instant.
That’s a fair take, and I certainly don’t want to give DMs any additional headaches. But I’d push back a little and say that I never suggest that Prestidigitation makes every roll easier - only that in certain circumstances it might make certain rolls easier (Deception, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth). For it to really work for any of these (except maybe Performance), a caster would have to use Subtle Spell to get away with it, so the opportunity cost is higher than “just a cantrip.”
I’m not up for abuse of wording either, but I think there’s no harm in allowing a utility cantrip to give a tangible benefit (like advantage on some checks) if the idea is cleverly conceived and suitable for the task at hand. The same way I wouldn’t consider it an abuse if a character used a grappling hook to get advantage on an athletics check to climb a sheer wall. It’s up to the DM, after all, if “circumstances influence a roll in one direction or the other and grant advantage or impose disadvantage as a result” (PHB 173).
But it’s definitely a case-by-case (and DM-by-DM) thing, and I have no truck with players citing Reddit threads, UA-cam videos (even mine), etc. as a basis for arguing with the DM’s ruling.
I can't pronounce it, so I call it prestation.
Presentation?
@@hweidigiv basically.
So, could you use prestidigitation to hide the smell or rotting corpses? Or to hide the smell from being a necromancer? 😂
It's also a ridiculous word. Don't get me wrong, I like words. But this is one that people struggle with consistently. Imagine if the verbal component, like in larping, was the spell name. But it's a firmly established D&D magic word. I'd still change it. Same with anthropomorphizing. WAY too much. Make it "anthromorphing." That's much better.
Being annoying is the way to go ❤.
Here's some more with varying levels of cheesy assumptions:
-seal an enemy's scabbard with pine tar. If you do it sneakily, follow it up with heat to instantly dry the adhesive so that the weapon cannot be drawn.
-Soiling your mouth or someone else's with blood lets you easily scare the hell out of people.
-If spicy is a flavor, you could weaponize that to make someone miserable and desperate very quickly.
-create brief gemstones trinkets to show that you have something valuable, drop it in a small bag of pebbles and close it, using the implication of gems to bribe someone, but hiding the fact that it will disappear momentarily.
Starting to get into pedantic dirtbag territory:
-If you can choose what kind of muck you create by "soiling" something, you could create an infinite amount of anything that causes stains out of thin air like blood, flammable oil, ink, clay, or adhesives like pine tar.
-"clean" away needed components of things, like mortar from bricks, ink from books, poisons/alcohol from drinks, etc.
-If you wanted to be an absolute dirtbag, you could probably RAW create expensive material components for spells, especially for another party member who can use their action to immediately cast the spell with the item you conjured. The diamond or whatever you created will vanish in 6 seconds, but a friend can cast most spell with it faster than that. Gems are nonmagical trinkets that just happen to be good components.
-Another dirtbag move would be to recolor a person's eyes to pure white. Pupils and irises use color to function, so making them solid should effectively blind someone. If the DM argues it can't be living material, change the eye-fluid to be opaque. Not as good as minor-illusioning a black box around their head but still pretty effective. Bonus points for shouting the verbal components for the blindness spell right before.
Interesting ideas! I don't have any problems with the top ones (I especially like the fake-out bribe), but I'd probably say no to all of the "dirtbag" ones as a DM. For me, it comes down to "does a higher-level spell do this thing?" If yes, then a cantrip shouldn't.
For example, I definitely don't think you can create expensive material components for spells, because even the 5th-level Creation spell can't do that (www.dndbeyond.com/spells/creation) - "Using any material created by this spell as another spell's material component causes that spell to fail."
@@dndlounge I absolutely agree with you, which is why I made the dirtbag distinction. I just like finding what the logical extremes are. Self-control is key, since it can be tough on a DM to know what extremes are dangerous before they've already set a precedent. For example: if the DM rules that a creature would automatically disbelieve an illusion they've seen before, your warlock with misty visions can take that to mean that they can show illusions to the party beforehand so only enemies are affected. "Purple smoke isn't real, guys." Whoops! a silent image of purple smoke becomes an improved one-way darkness spell.
You absolutely cannot allow prestidigitation to target other creatures. It's not RAW, and it makes the spell way too powerful. Many of the rest of these act as tho prestidigitation is minor illusion or even more powerful. Also, the fact that an effect lasts for an hour does not mean it is reliable enough to keep time; personally, I would rule that the effect fades sooner the further the caster is from it. A compass, mirror, glass orb, signet ring, or key is not a trinket; those are fine craftwork.
Yes, you absolutely can. By your own flawed logic where in RAW does it say DM's need to be rule nazis based on how powerful they deem certain abilities would be if used creatively. You are the type of person to insert your own unneeded interpretation to ruin others fun and make DND a number cruncher simulator.
FTA
Dude sounded soooo bored narrating this video...
Clearly you don't know how to use it.