As long as I can Shapechange into D&D monsters, it is by far the best option. Because for almost every other power you might want, you could shapechange into something that has it as a supernatural power, and shapechange grants such powers. So I could change into something that can teleport, change into something that can heal, change into something that can dominate person or nearly anything else I want to do. So it’s a clever run around the whole one-power-only thing.
If I can’t turn into D&D monsters and could only shapechange into real creatures, then it would be far inferior. In that case, I’d probably have to go with the ability to cast contingent reincarnate. Since reincarnate always gives you a healthy new young adult body, it’s effectively immortality for anyone I want to give it to, including myself.
Are we talking specific objects and low level spells? Because my memory of high level MU and Cleric spells from AD&D included traveling the Astral Plane, Limited Wish and Wish, create magical objects, raising the dead, gating demons, and so on. Plus psionic powers. Though some of the material components might be hard to get in the (our) real world
The ability to heal - from cure light wounds, disease, serious wounds, or even resurrection - would oblige me to have no rest, and also be a target of worldwide hounding. But how could I not?
Cure minor wounds. My 5-year-old is always dinging herself up, and I’d love to be able to do more than soother her and remind her that her body will eventually heal itself. Daddy kisses aren’t as good as Mommy kisses for fixing owies, so I’d like an effective response.
Psionics! Forgot about those. Also, Bosda, good to see another Car Wars aficionado, I won a few tournaments back in the day;I loved the Chassis and Crossbow expansion pack and we had a lot of fun once GURPS came out.
IIRC, in AD&D one could only get psionic abilities by having INT 18. So by getting upgraded for psi abilities, I’d automatically get a stat boost - albeit a modest one - at the same time. What’s not to like?
Amazingly, yes. It seems. May have more to do with the searcher than the bag, however. Because in my hands it’s more like a cursed bag of holding: I never find anything I’m looking for. :mad:
The DM in me remembers that a bag of holding requires spending a full round looking around in the bag to find the thing you’re looking for. A handy haversack, on the other hand, allows you to retrieve an object (virtually) instantly - but has a lower maximum capacity.
Still, a “round” in D&D is only six seconds, so that’s not so bad.
The only power I can think I’d want for myself is “Create Water,” but that’s because I live in California, and being able to create 10 gallons of water (or make it rain in a 30-ft radius) sounds really nice right now.
You can only cast a limited number of spells per day, so you can’t cure every case of untreatable cancer or whatever. You’d have to come up with some kind of rationing system. And you’ll get rest because you need it to replenish the spell slots.
Resurrection and Raise Dead have high costs involving diamonds worth thousands of gold pieces. I’m not sure what a gold piece is worth in dollars, but if it’s an ounce of gold, for example, each casting will cost millions. That’ll keep all but the richest away.
Probably fine. Holding on, anyway. I think I’ll be posting here more often, though probably not as often as I used to.
I even found my lost object! (With a different sort of “spell”. It’s kinda a funny story. I was missing a bag of beads I needed to complete a necklace, and I was really worried about it. So I finally decided to give prayer a shot. “Please God, let me find my lost jewelry equipment.” So I came to work that day, and unexpectedly came across… a different piece of jewelry equipment I’d lost at the same time. The next day I was more specific: “Please God, let me find that bag of assorted blue beads I’d lost.” And I came to work, and unexpectedly came across my missing beads).
I’ve been an atheist for several years now, but I still find myself muttering “Tony, Tony, look around, something’s lost that must be found” when I can’t find something.
- at the same time. What’s not to like?