Author Topic: Parchment Swarm spell + scroll combo!  (Read 3085 times)

Offline Craiconn

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Parchment Swarm spell + scroll combo!
« on: February 01, 2019, 04:48:10 PM »
The Parchment Swarm spell from PF's Occult Adventures is clearly a spell made for creative combinations.  Specifically, with low-level scrolls as an add-on.

Do any of you have any good suggestions as to which 1st level spell scrolls (from *any* class) would combo nicely with the magical slashing damage component of Parchment Swarm?  Pathfinder or 3.5 spells (plus good 3PP spells) are all welcome.

I thought Grease would be situationally helpful ... also Deja Vu would be a good 2 round add-on. 




Offline Nanashi

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Re: Parchment Swarm spell + scroll combo!
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2019, 05:23:29 PM »
Sadly it can use mundane parchment, so False Focus likely won't work.

This looks like it doesn't care about the original spell's target line (ignore "personal" at least. Will likely still fail if it's meant to be cast on inanimate objects.), range or casting time (remember PF nerfed scrolls to use the the spell's casting time, not the scroll's.) and the scroll doesn't need to be on your list. I'm sure there's some personal only 1st level spell (since from the reading only first level spells work for this) with horrible drawbacks to pair this with. Reminds me of a dirty trick for Alchemist to force Skinsend upon a target.

Edit: Searching for 1st level personal spells finds me Polypurpose Panacea. One option for it is this
Quote
Sleep: You enter a pleasant and restful sleep for at least 1 hour unless wakened.
I think that's a winner. Possibly by default since I don't see anything else with a negative effect. The spell search doesn't cover newer stuff though (Hybrid classes are there but occult and unchained are not).
« Last Edit: February 01, 2019, 05:38:21 PM by Nanashi »

Offline Nytemare3701

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Re: Parchment Swarm spell + scroll combo!
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2019, 07:39:59 PM »
If you are fine with taking a little damage, this looks like a good way to toss a single target buff spell on a 20ft radius area.

Offline Nanashi

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Re: Parchment Swarm spell + scroll combo!
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2019, 08:24:35 PM »
RAW (and possibly RAI, breaking action economy with high level spells is powerful enough even Paizo's writers don't hand it out like candy) the spell only allows applying first level spells to the target. All second level or higher does is boost the area.

Offline Nytemare3701

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Re: Parchment Swarm spell + scroll combo!
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2019, 10:33:46 PM »
RAW (and possibly RAI, breaking action economy with high level spells is powerful enough even Paizo's writers don't hand it out like candy) the spell only allows applying first level spells to the target. All second level or higher does is boost the area.

I see. Unless you completely shattered RAI by getting a spell on there that is both level 1 and 2 simultaneously (I don't know if there are any schrodinger's spells left in 3.X), that probably won't work.

Offline Craiconn

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Re: Parchment Swarm spell + scroll combo!
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2019, 07:13:01 PM »
Hi.  OP here.  Thanks for your replies.

Yeah, my intent of the thread is to find some really super-ideal 1st level "rider" spells that provide a little extra offensive oomph to the target of the Parchment Swarm.  I do agree that the author's wording of the scroll add-on is a little sloppy.  But I thought it would be cool to have a mage have a half-dozen 1st level offensive scrolls quickly available for combo'ing against specific targets with specific weaknesses.  Damage add-ons would be mostly pointless - so I'm looking for 1st level spells that have a bad condition-granting effect.  Remember, you can use 1st level scrolls from ANY class, which broadens the possibilities.

As mentioned above, Deja Vu has promise.  So does Grease.  So does 3.5 Spell Compendium's Net of Shadows versus certain foes.

Thanks for your help!

Offline Power

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Re: Parchment Swarm spell + scroll combo!
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2019, 12:36:02 AM »
If you can get a high DC on the scroll (Scrollmaster Wizard 10 or Cyphermage PrC 1 with Insightful Scroll cypher lore), you can debuff enemies more handily. Memory Lapse makes an abusable combination. It allows you to suddenly attack a person with Parchment Swarm and immediately make them forget that you assaulted them.

There's also another stunt in this spell in that you can use it to bestow self-targeting scrolls on people, a bit like the Syringe Spear or Poisoner's Gloves elixir stunts.
« Last Edit: January 06, 2020, 11:11:07 AM by Power »

Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: Parchment Swarm spell + scroll combo!
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2019, 05:00:58 PM »

... As mentioned above, Deja Vu has promise ...

Uh, which Deja Vu in particular?


:tongue
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Offline Craiconn

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Re: Parchment Swarm spell + scroll combo!
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2019, 11:07:04 PM »
I hyperlinked to it in the OP.

Offline Nytemare3701

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Re: Parchment Swarm spell + scroll combo!
« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2019, 11:10:34 PM »
I hyperlinked to it in the OP.

It's a joke. Deja Vu shows up twice in the sourcebook.