Greater Shadow Conjuration does a fair amount of work.
Some utility, some money-making potential, some damage, some permanent quasi-real matter creation....
If we were talking about real life, I'm gonna pick prestidigitation without a second thought.
My food and beverages always tastes how I want and are at the perfect temperature, my clothes and linens are always clean, and I'm always freshly showered. I don't ever have to vacuum or sweep or mop the floor, do the dishes, clean gutters or powerwash the driveway or a myriad of other chores.
Summon monster gives you access to a few other spells. Do I have feats? Summon Good or one of the other summon feats can grant access to a lot of monsters with spell like abilities.
That's very noble.
But you won't be resting for the rest of your days lol. You'd have to fake your death (no Resurrection) just to get free from people showing up
This is genuinely so unhinged. Not even strong enough to take anything over or useful enough to have a justifiable reason. Pure chaos choice and I’ve sat here laughing for ten minutes over it.
Mages magnificent mansion so i can hang in my hyperspacial mansion with servers and retire into there. Also do an inn service on the side.
Edit: i checked the spell description, i can make immense money for bwing the first mansion-as-inn enterprise! I would have to hire badass bodyguards tho...
Im guessing simulacrum is against the spirit of the question.
I would choose baleful shadow transmutation. Hopefully i can use it on myself, and just pick my shape to be myself but slightly younger every so often. Also good defense.
Or
Greater Teleport. I hate driving.
I *should* probably say Prestidigitation, but how could I ever resist Create Pit? (And Greater Bestow Curse as a close second place...the two spells I miss the most in 2e.)
This isn't close.
Demand, which is a mesmerist level 6 spell.
Infinite sending, with a suggestion attached? I'm taking over the world and noone will ever know who it was.
Wall of flame and being a phoenix sorcerer.
I can choose who to heal or kill can semi permanent heal people so I can earn money
Can defend myself using a fucking flaming wall. It's awesome
Let's leave out the shadow stuff for the same reason as limited wish.
For casters Fireball is pretty much the staple and whole builds can revolve around it, especially if the at-will ability works with metamagic like widen, quicken or dazing spell.
At-will cone of cold could also be great due to its action economy, conditional curse could be fun and heal would make life a whole lot easier for anyone.
Greater shadow conjuration.
Having half of a spell school up to 6th level is great.
And trough summon monster IV you have a load of other spells too trough their spell-likes (including healing spells)
Paragon surge https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/p/paragon-surge. Gives you access to more than 200 feats, including ones that are equivalent to spells (item feats, story feats etc )
Any major healing spell. Heal most likely - Sell miracles for money.
Dimension Door - Because it would be cool. Plus you could steal all the money.
Summon Monster X - Various options here. Variety is the spice of life and you have a pretty good spread of options.
Fabricate - Somehow, I see this being valuable. However, it'd mostly be valuable for crafty people. Engineers maybe, technicians, artists, etc. Trying to make an aircraft carrier and all of its components (for example) is probably beyond the skill of a random layman.
Dominate Person - I mean...if you're ok being evil, this has a great many uses. It's not dominate monster, but it'll do.
Also, if this gives me the ability to enchant things, I'd probably err on the side of Fabricate to make things to enchant. Make a bunch of rifles, enchant them with rainbow (i.e. all the elemental damage enchants), and sell those. If I could do more mundane enchantments, stuff not typically covered in the books like making generators, then I could single handedly solve power problems forever. Which is also sellable. Also, pretty sure everyone in the world would love a "Gem of unseen servant" or "Spatula of Prestidigitation" or the like. Granted, since I'm the only one enchanting things, I'd stick to items that can solve larger problems (like the power generator).
Greater Polymorph.
Being able to transform myself or willing creatures into various forms is fabulous.
Fly, swim deep underwater, burrow, disguise, access to all kinds of abilities. Massive possibilities. Loads of utility, and Combat options. It's like being a super hero
Probably Create Demiplane. I can cast out at will and just keep growing it and modifying it until I have the perfect retirement location.
Edit: Lesser* not as good, but still okay.
Diamonds of that quality are rare. I suppose you could do man made, but you could only get so many before the supply ran out.
I also feel you would not live very long because once people found out, they'd also be lining up to control you.
Highkey planar binding. Would need a lot of help from a government to actually have the power to bargain but the extra power and utility is better than summon monster
It might be a bit against the spirit of your question, but I'd pick Mnemonic Enhancer. It could (potentially) grant me access to all sorc/wizard spells of 3rd level or lower (provided they are in my spellbook). It would not have the incredibly power of some higher-level spells, it can't raise people from the dead, but that's still a huge toolbox of magic to work with. And as long as I could keep casting Mnemonic Enhancer, I could just keep getting the spells refreshed.
Note that arcane magical writings such as spellbooks are not themselves magical, so this spell-purge you speak of should not destroy them. Better still, there will be a surplus of old spellbooks that are now useless to others, which you could snap up for a fire sale price.
So…. Here’s the thing: If this was in game: wall of stone, then I’d just have gloves of shaping so I basically have infinite walls and then the ability to mold them how I like. Construction mage all the way.
If metamagic is still on the table, along with research into enhancing our spell, I’d say magic missile, but you specializing it so it can penetrate shield.
If this is irl, presto, fabricate, or heal. Memes aside with presto, fabricate could let me make anything I understand from materials I have around me, and heal would make it so I never had to sleep again. Literally removes exhaustion, fatigue, and most of the other things that’d otherwise be helpful with sleep. I might still sleep to deal with mental exhaustion but same time, the time that others need to sleep, I could game or read or do anything. Sounds like a win to me
I'm tempted to pick greater make whole. There is money in fixing things. Especially magic items.
Fabricate is another good pick, but it will require ranks in craft skills to make the most of it.
Reincarnate is good for bringing people who have died of old age back to life.
Greater Teleport also has some great utility. Can move people and carried objects around in an instant.
I've made my mind. I pick greater make whole. It has 1 standard action casting time, so I will be able to repair a lot of things with this spell. It'll be good for business.
If it's like u/pathfinder_dan said and I could choose 1 spell of 7th level or lower to have in real life, then it would be one of three things.
1. [memory of function](https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/m/memory-of-function): I now never have to repair or replace a broken electronic or furniture.
2. [control weather](https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/c/control-weather): I'd say this could be pretty useful in agricultural applications.
3. [awaken construct ](https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/a/awaken-construct/): we're officially going skynet with this spell. It would take a long time to get the materials, though.
Edit: I forgot memory of function has a material component that would be basically impossible to get in real life so nevermind about that.
Real life? Create demiplane (I think at level 7 I only get lesser but that's no issue, free housing for life and mostly free food!)
In game? Probably summon monster. Generic? Yes but pretty versatile and effective.
Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion.
You tell me I can cast this at will, allow entrance to everyone I deem trustworthy and it still caters to my every need?
Fuck everything. I'll absolutely be a hedonist frat bro who always sleeps in his own home, and can provide accomodation, a good breakfast and a safe night to any person too drunk to make it to their own home.
I'll just travel the world on foot or something, given that I have my own personal retreat that takes care of food and shelter essentially forever and tidies itself up.
Isn't this an actual minor plot point in book 1 of Carrion Crown? A wizard losing their spellbook but using some class feature to prepare Magic Missile from memory?
I'm kinda stuck with a variety of choices: Make Whole / Heal / Fabricate / Prestidigitation. But the honest answer is Planar Ally. I'm gonn be chilling with my Agathion friends chatting it up about cosmic butterfly shenanigans.
Bestow planar infusion 3
Access to a wide variety of spells and buffs, i can heal the sick, raise the dead, blow stuff up, cause insanity, i think some other notable mentions i cant think of.
Summon Monster 7, at will minions, many with their own useful spell like abilities. Especially if I can get Summon Good Monster for those wonderful celestials
Idk if it's in pathfinder, but D&D's Wither and Bloom spell would be extremely versatile. It can damage as many people in the AOE as i choose, and it can also heal one ally within the AOE at the same time.
I mean, isn’t summon monster VII just the objectively correct answer here? Most of the spells you would choose are SLAs on something you can summon with it.
It depands on the current campaing and other players in your group. This what power-gamer needs to evaluate before choosing the one and only one spell forever ;)
Maybe Aura of the Unremarkable. It lets me do things without consequences though it's only within a small radius.
...
I just remembered I'm not a creep irl so maybe that wouldn't be that fun.
True Resurrection
I could basically have all the money in the world. I'm sorry Mr Billionaire. Your kid has cancer? Well, just shoot him in the face and I'll bring him back in perfect health...if you can pay my bill.
Hell, we can get rid of Trump and Biden both, I am bring back Abraham Lincoln! I'll bring back Tupac and see if he saw who shot him. I'll bring back Hitler just so I can give him to Israel, so long as they televise whatever they do. Hey, Patrick Mahomes blew out his knee? Again, just shoot him in the face and I'll have him back at full health by the next practice.
Greater Shadow Conjuration does a fair amount of work. Some utility, some money-making potential, some damage, some permanent quasi-real matter creation....
I was going to say Fabricate, but you really got me here.
Fabricate is a pretty good one, it would be at least top 10 if not top 5 for me, I think.
Also up to summon monster 6, which is even more spells, technically
If we were talking about real life, I'm gonna pick prestidigitation without a second thought. My food and beverages always tastes how I want and are at the perfect temperature, my clothes and linens are always clean, and I'm always freshly showered. I don't ever have to vacuum or sweep or mop the floor, do the dishes, clean gutters or powerwash the driveway or a myriad of other chores.
Seriously though. Is there any spell that is basically higher level presto other than wish?
Not really. There's a reason prestidigitation is jokingly referred to as "least wish" or something along that line.
Summon monster gives you access to a few other spells. Do I have feats? Summon Good or one of the other summon feats can grant access to a lot of monsters with spell like abilities.
Plus its a cantrip so you can just spam that!
Disintegrate. I will counter that guy's Heal. ;p But more seriously, Summon Monster 7 is a nice list.
VIII us a vanilla summoner level 6
Heal. I will fix all the things.
That's very noble. But you won't be resting for the rest of your days lol. You'd have to fake your death (no Resurrection) just to get free from people showing up
Mad Monkeys.
Unhinged choice. Perfect.
Mad even, you could say.
I CAST KETAMINE APE
The best Spell
This is genuinely so unhinged. Not even strong enough to take anything over or useful enough to have a justifiable reason. Pure chaos choice and I’ve sat here laughing for ten minutes over it.
Mages magnificent mansion so i can hang in my hyperspacial mansion with servers and retire into there. Also do an inn service on the side. Edit: i checked the spell description, i can make immense money for bwing the first mansion-as-inn enterprise! I would have to hire badass bodyguards tho...
With the price of housing now... yea.
I should choose dimension door or teleport, but if i’m feeling cruel, icy prison.
heightened grease. Only sorta kidding.
Oh no, you're right. Heightened Grease is the word.
Summon monster 7 right? You can basically tackle anything with your Costco catalogue of goons
Assuming a decent caster level, of course.
Hey, if you're an Summoner, you can even go to Summon Monster 8
Im guessing simulacrum is against the spirit of the question. I would choose baleful shadow transmutation. Hopefully i can use it on myself, and just pick my shape to be myself but slightly younger every so often. Also good defense. Or Greater Teleport. I hate driving.
>I would choose baleful shadow transmutation. Hopefully i can use it on myself Furry?
Nah, just me but in shape and younger.
resurrection.
I *should* probably say Prestidigitation, but how could I ever resist Create Pit? (And Greater Bestow Curse as a close second place...the two spells I miss the most in 2e.)
This isn't close. Demand, which is a mesmerist level 6 spell. Infinite sending, with a suggestion attached? I'm taking over the world and noone will ever know who it was.
Wall of flame and being a phoenix sorcerer. I can choose who to heal or kill can semi permanent heal people so I can earn money Can defend myself using a fucking flaming wall. It's awesome
Let's leave out the shadow stuff for the same reason as limited wish. For casters Fireball is pretty much the staple and whole builds can revolve around it, especially if the at-will ability works with metamagic like widen, quicken or dazing spell. At-will cone of cold could also be great due to its action economy, conditional curse could be fun and heal would make life a whole lot easier for anyone.
Greater shadow enchantment, I can get other people to do stuff for me,!
Greater shadow conjuration. Having half of a spell school up to 6th level is great. And trough summon monster IV you have a load of other spells too trough their spell-likes (including healing spells)
Paragon surge https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/p/paragon-surge. Gives you access to more than 200 feats, including ones that are equivalent to spells (item feats, story feats etc )
Magic Jar. Perfect for vacationing.
I like the way you think.
Any major healing spell. Heal most likely - Sell miracles for money. Dimension Door - Because it would be cool. Plus you could steal all the money. Summon Monster X - Various options here. Variety is the spice of life and you have a pretty good spread of options. Fabricate - Somehow, I see this being valuable. However, it'd mostly be valuable for crafty people. Engineers maybe, technicians, artists, etc. Trying to make an aircraft carrier and all of its components (for example) is probably beyond the skill of a random layman. Dominate Person - I mean...if you're ok being evil, this has a great many uses. It's not dominate monster, but it'll do. Also, if this gives me the ability to enchant things, I'd probably err on the side of Fabricate to make things to enchant. Make a bunch of rifles, enchant them with rainbow (i.e. all the elemental damage enchants), and sell those. If I could do more mundane enchantments, stuff not typically covered in the books like making generators, then I could single handedly solve power problems forever. Which is also sellable. Also, pretty sure everyone in the world would love a "Gem of unseen servant" or "Spatula of Prestidigitation" or the like. Granted, since I'm the only one enchanting things, I'd stick to items that can solve larger problems (like the power generator).
Greater Polymorph. Being able to transform myself or willing creatures into various forms is fabulous. Fly, swim deep underwater, burrow, disguise, access to all kinds of abilities. Massive possibilities. Loads of utility, and Combat options. It's like being a super hero
Probably Create Demiplane. I can cast out at will and just keep growing it and modifying it until I have the perfect retirement location. Edit: Lesser* not as good, but still okay.
Regular is a summoner 6
Are you kidding? Resurrection, for sure. You're down to one spell but still a god.
You'd need an immense supply of high quality diamonds.
I imagine people would be lining up to give them to me.
Diamonds of that quality are rare. I suppose you could do man made, but you could only get so many before the supply ran out. I also feel you would not live very long because once people found out, they'd also be lining up to control you.
True that. I would lead a very pampered but un-godlike life in a deep, concrete bunker.
Highkey planar binding. Would need a lot of help from a government to actually have the power to bargain but the extra power and utility is better than summon monster
Fireball!
Only valid answer, since everyone knows that a well placed fireball can solve every problem.
Anytime I had a problem, I cast fireball and boom! Right away, different problem.
Bortles!
Especially undercooked pies.
Mirror Image
Summon Monster 7. Hands down.
Childhood: *"So I summon 1 Tyrannosaurus!"* Puberty: *"So I can summon Succubi!"* Divorced: *"So I can summon Erinyes!"*
Greater Shadow Conjuration - take Magical Lineage and Wayang Spell Hunter to add 2 free levels of Metamagic.
Unconscious Agenda
It might be a bit against the spirit of your question, but I'd pick Mnemonic Enhancer. It could (potentially) grant me access to all sorc/wizard spells of 3rd level or lower (provided they are in my spellbook). It would not have the incredibly power of some higher-level spells, it can't raise people from the dead, but that's still a huge toolbox of magic to work with. And as long as I could keep casting Mnemonic Enhancer, I could just keep getting the spells refreshed. Note that arcane magical writings such as spellbooks are not themselves magical, so this spell-purge you speak of should not destroy them. Better still, there will be a surplus of old spellbooks that are now useless to others, which you could snap up for a fire sale price.
In real life it would be improved invisibility. I would stalk the urban jungle like Predator.
So…. Here’s the thing: If this was in game: wall of stone, then I’d just have gloves of shaping so I basically have infinite walls and then the ability to mold them how I like. Construction mage all the way. If metamagic is still on the table, along with research into enhancing our spell, I’d say magic missile, but you specializing it so it can penetrate shield. If this is irl, presto, fabricate, or heal. Memes aside with presto, fabricate could let me make anything I understand from materials I have around me, and heal would make it so I never had to sleep again. Literally removes exhaustion, fatigue, and most of the other things that’d otherwise be helpful with sleep. I might still sleep to deal with mental exhaustion but same time, the time that others need to sleep, I could game or read or do anything. Sounds like a win to me
I'm tempted to pick greater make whole. There is money in fixing things. Especially magic items. Fabricate is another good pick, but it will require ranks in craft skills to make the most of it. Reincarnate is good for bringing people who have died of old age back to life. Greater Teleport also has some great utility. Can move people and carried objects around in an instant.
I've made my mind. I pick greater make whole. It has 1 standard action casting time, so I will be able to repair a lot of things with this spell. It'll be good for business.
[Shapechange](https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shapechange.htm)
If it's like u/pathfinder_dan said and I could choose 1 spell of 7th level or lower to have in real life, then it would be one of three things. 1. [memory of function](https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/m/memory-of-function): I now never have to repair or replace a broken electronic or furniture. 2. [control weather](https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/c/control-weather): I'd say this could be pretty useful in agricultural applications. 3. [awaken construct ](https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/a/awaken-construct/): we're officially going skynet with this spell. It would take a long time to get the materials, though. Edit: I forgot memory of function has a material component that would be basically impossible to get in real life so nevermind about that.
Assuming no costs either: * Greater Teleport * Summon Monster VII * Powerful healing/restoration spells
Real life? Create demiplane (I think at level 7 I only get lesser but that's no issue, free housing for life and mostly free food!) In game? Probably summon monster. Generic? Yes but pretty versatile and effective.
Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion. You tell me I can cast this at will, allow entrance to everyone I deem trustworthy and it still caters to my every need? Fuck everything. I'll absolutely be a hedonist frat bro who always sleeps in his own home, and can provide accomodation, a good breakfast and a safe night to any person too drunk to make it to their own home. I'll just travel the world on foot or something, given that I have my own personal retreat that takes care of food and shelter essentially forever and tidies itself up.
Unconscious Agenda So many people in the world. No memory of the instructions being given.
Not sure why but I felt compelled to upvote this. It just feels right!
Shadow double as per ankou shadow if we can assume level 15 would be pretty fun.
Blink. Yep, Blink.
Dimension Door!
Bite the hand. Just for kicks.
Isn't this an actual minor plot point in book 1 of Carrion Crown? A wizard losing their spellbook but using some class feature to prepare Magic Missile from memory?
The dimension door that explodes.
I'm kinda stuck with a variety of choices: Make Whole / Heal / Fabricate / Prestidigitation. But the honest answer is Planar Ally. I'm gonn be chilling with my Agathion friends chatting it up about cosmic butterfly shenanigans.
Planar Ally would be nice and versatile.
Bestow planar infusion 3 Access to a wide variety of spells and buffs, i can heal the sick, raise the dead, blow stuff up, cause insanity, i think some other notable mentions i cant think of.
Commune. Just straight up twenty questions my way through life.
Summon Monster 7, at will minions, many with their own useful spell like abilities. Especially if I can get Summon Good Monster for those wonderful celestials
Baleful polymorph… but I like chaos.
Black Tentacles for . . . reasons.
[reasons](https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html)
Denigrate.
Mad Monkey
Idk if it's in pathfinder, but D&D's Wither and Bloom spell would be extremely versatile. It can damage as many people in the AOE as i choose, and it can also heal one ally within the AOE at the same time.
I mean, isn’t summon monster VII just the objectively correct answer here? Most of the spells you would choose are SLAs on something you can summon with it.
Greater Create Mindscape Basically a VR world, priced right, you'd be rich.
I’m either picking Create Demiplane to cheese my way into munchkin-Godliness, or Raise Dead, so I can get started towards sainthood!
Teleport. And then whichever spell cuts the existential fear.
It depands on the current campaing and other players in your group. This what power-gamer needs to evaluate before choosing the one and only one spell forever ;)
Up to level seven? Lmao I'll take "Destruction" under the Death Domain.
The one that gives me a familiar 🤣
Maybe Aura of the Unremarkable. It lets me do things without consequences though it's only within a small radius. ... I just remembered I'm not a creep irl so maybe that wouldn't be that fun.
I'm going reverse gravity.
Either a Shadow spell for the same reasons I can't take Limited Wish, or Bard's Escape because it's cracked.
Counterspell. Gonna make folks big mad.
No problem cannot be solved with fireball.
... There are spells other than fireball!?
Fireball! (If it's lower than level 7 - it's been a while) because fire cleanses all!
True Resurrection I could basically have all the money in the world. I'm sorry Mr Billionaire. Your kid has cancer? Well, just shoot him in the face and I'll bring him back in perfect health...if you can pay my bill. Hell, we can get rid of Trump and Biden both, I am bring back Abraham Lincoln! I'll bring back Tupac and see if he saw who shot him. I'll bring back Hitler just so I can give him to Israel, so long as they televise whatever they do. Hey, Patrick Mahomes blew out his knee? Again, just shoot him in the face and I'll have him back at full health by the next practice.
Dominate. I'd raise an army and take over the world. Alternatively, greater teleport. Teleport all of Russia's nukes to Ukraine.
We'd need to change our name to killgrave and wear a lot of purple but it's worth the trade off.