Many posters have said that Fabricate has "unlimited" uses.
Has anyone ever heard even just half-a-dozen examples used in actual games that made a difference in the story rather than just being role playing color? If so, what were they?
Besides the things which are listed in the spell's description (namely turning some nearby trees into a non-improvised quality bridge in just 10 minutes time - which is very useful for crossing ravines or bodies of water full of dangers), I've seen the spell get a few good uses that made a difference to the story.
In one campaign, it helped the party build (and rebuild) airships faster than they otherwise would be able to, which was significantly helpful towards their intermingled goals of inventing an entirely non-magical airship, deceiving the empire they were funded by into thinking slow-moving dirigible blimps were that absolute best that could be achieved, and getting their own vastly superior airship assembled and fully operational (and hidden elsewhere) before imperial agents came back for another quarterly progress report.
In another, it (and other spells, like stone shape) helped the party establish a fortified stronghold.
Of course, those were in prior editions where the spell was a little more potent in its potential effects, but for the most part they would still work in 5th edition, they'd just take more numerous castings of the spell for things like turning trees into lumber.
When we got into places where we could summon beasts of burden we fabricated carts and tack.
In swamps we fashioned swamp shoes and sledges to spread out body weight so we were less likely to get mired.
This all had a massive effect as we never had to keep any of this survival gear. We simply fabricated it with left over slots the night before and ditched the mode of transportation when it became inconvenient.
Basically it changed our route through the jungles to a more direct route and it changed encounters as we could avoid swarms of undead and large beasts like t-rex'es by being on the water.
Also by being on a boat or in a cart delicate casters could rest while the rest of the party was still driving towards our goals.
We also fabricated barricades at one point when we decided a place was a good place to set up a multi-day camp.
All this being said I really wish this spell had the option to be cast as a ritual with expensive re usable components rather than being just a 4th level spell.
The most game breaking idea I can think of for fabricate is probably just using it to keep a necromancers skeletons in arrows and armor. Which granted is a lot of DPR but it's really dull if all your doing all game is swarm management.
-In a fight there was a baddie behind a thick wall of ice that was surrounded by difficult terrain. Instead of marching my skeletons around it, I used fabricate to turn a large chunk of the ice wall into water so that my skeletons had a direct line of sight to shoot.
-Fabricate was nice to create spare wheels/axles for our wagon when needed.
-For the spell 'Soul Cage' you need a silver cage worth 100g, so I took 1000 silver coins and used fabricate because I wasn't near any towns at the time and had just learned the spell. (Whether coin currency can be used as 'raw' material is up to DM interpretation)
-Used Fabricate to create fancy clothes (could probably do disguises as well), so long as your DM does not interpret that any advanced tailoring skills are needed.
-Fabricate to create a bridge out of logs to cross a river.
I'm sure there's a whole load more, the in combat uses are minimal, but out of combat the spell really shines.
In the current campaign my Forge Cleric is in I used Fabricate to quickly make Full Plate barding for the horses pulling our wagon as well as for our Ranger's bear.
Only real limitation I can see with Fabricate is your tool proficiencies, when it comes to the more specialized creations, and figuring out the cost of raw materials.
If the party is paranoid (or in really dangerous areas) they can have a small fortification at all times. It could also be used (open to interpretation) as a way to get through an existing wall.
As a DM I'd consider waving the proficiency requirement when it comes to fabricating weapons, if only to allow cool things like this to happen:
She turned away from Sorin and walked down off the outcropping. She stopped in front of young woman with the cold, hard eyes.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Lian," said the girl.
"Can you use a sword?"
Lian nodded. She was unarmed.
Nahiri reached out to a nearby stone and let an old spell awaken inside her, a spell she had learned when she was still mortal, and still young. There was metal in stone, and this stone was every stone. She plunged her hand into the living rock, which melted and foamed around her milk-white hand.
Some of the refugees gasped. Sorin frowned. The girl just watched.
Nahiri called to the metal in the stone, and felt her hand close around the hilt of a sword. She pulled, and an elegant blade slid free of the molten rock. She held it up for a moment, letting it shine in the setting sun, drawing away the heat of its forging until it was cool to the touch. She offered it to Lian.
"This is your world," she said. "This stone, this earth, is yours to fight for. If you don't think you can rely on us, then don't."
Lian took the sword, tested its weight and its balance.
"We're all going to die, aren't we?" she said, quietly.
"I don't know," said Nahiri. "But if you are, you can at least die fighting."
It could be used in a lot of creative ways, like to make trenches or blocking a doorway, turn a wall into a climbing rock (or stairs), pin a dragon by the wings with stone harpoons that sprouted from the ground, make improvised weapons out of literally anything.
Its a bit kinda like alchemy from Full Metal Alchemist (without the circles)
My wizard is one level of fighter. He uses fabricate to make weapons fold into his armor for stealthy storage. It's a 5 foot cube so a sword and shield can fit in that box. My Character is basically Ironman in Mark 50 armor.
In 3rd edition wizards had high int, so they could a lot of proficiencies. All the ones I took were manufacting ones. That made it key. I made weapons out of adamantine we found.
Then there was the silver hoard. We found a literal TON of silver. Embed in the wall. My DM thought we could not take it, after all we were 10th level and it was not worth the trouble he thought.
We pulled it all out of there. On carts made of SILVER.
In 5th edition, take two levels of Cleric (Knowledge) to get the ability to take any skill for ten minutes. Use it, immediately followed by Fabricate.
The wizard wakes up in the morning and puts his hand on his armor. The plate armor glows and shapes around him like a second skin. With one word his party knows he's ready for anything.
I love fabricate, but I think some of these suggestions overlook the 10min casting time.
The wizard wakes up in the morning and after prepping his daily spells, puts his hand on his armor. The plate armor glows and shapes around him like a second skin. With one word his party knows he's ready for anything.
I love fabricate, but I think some of these suggestions overlook the 10min casting time.
The wizard wakes up in the morning and after prepping his daily spells, puts his hand on his armor. The plate armor glows and shapes around him like a second skin. With one word his party knows he's ready for anything.
"I am Iron Mage!"
Anyone want to know how to play iron man in DnD (or Dr Doom your pick) it's the following.
Adventure league legal you'll need Xanithars Guide for this build.
Variant Human
Guild Artisin Background
Blacksmith Tools
Feat: Heavy Armor Master
1 level fighter: grab some plate when you get the money and take Defensive fighting style
The rest wizard: Pick a class, I'd go War Magic but if you don't want Xanithars Guild pick something else. you do you.
If you want to play a more iron man look at artificer, I don't own the book yet.
Many posters have said that Fabricate has "unlimited" uses.
Has anyone ever heard even just half-a-dozen examples used in actual games that made a difference in the story rather than just being role playing color? If so, what were they?
In tomb of annihilation, effectively fabrication has made it so we always have the equipment we need when we need it, as raw materials are plentiful.
As the jungles of chult are a survival exercise not having to carry mundane equipment has made things way easier, stealthier and faster.
Between fabricate, mend and good-berry our mundane survival is pretty much assured, we just have to deal with the exceptional threats.
Besides the things which are listed in the spell's description (namely turning some nearby trees into a non-improvised quality bridge in just 10 minutes time - which is very useful for crossing ravines or bodies of water full of dangers), I've seen the spell get a few good uses that made a difference to the story.
In one campaign, it helped the party build (and rebuild) airships faster than they otherwise would be able to, which was significantly helpful towards their intermingled goals of inventing an entirely non-magical airship, deceiving the empire they were funded by into thinking slow-moving dirigible blimps were that absolute best that could be achieved, and getting their own vastly superior airship assembled and fully operational (and hidden elsewhere) before imperial agents came back for another quarterly progress report.
In another, it (and other spells, like stone shape) helped the party establish a fortified stronghold.
Of course, those were in prior editions where the spell was a little more potent in its potential effects, but for the most part they would still work in 5th edition, they'd just take more numerous castings of the spell for things like turning trees into lumber.
What items did the party make as opposed to carry? (i.e. what is worth making using a high level spell slot versus carrying)
How did those items change the story or encounter?
Particularly canoes, oars, sails.
When we got into places where we could summon beasts of burden we fabricated carts and tack.
In swamps we fashioned swamp shoes and sledges to spread out body weight so we were less likely to get mired.
This all had a massive effect as we never had to keep any of this survival gear. We simply fabricated it with left over slots the night before and ditched the mode of transportation when it became inconvenient.
Basically it changed our route through the jungles to a more direct route and it changed encounters as we could avoid swarms of undead and large beasts like t-rex'es by being on the water.
Also by being on a boat or in a cart delicate casters could rest while the rest of the party was still driving towards our goals.
We also fabricated barricades at one point when we decided a place was a good place to set up a multi-day camp.
All this being said I really wish this spell had the option to be cast as a ritual with expensive re usable components rather than being just a 4th level spell.
The most game breaking idea I can think of for fabricate is probably just using it to keep a necromancers skeletons in arrows and armor. Which granted is a lot of DPR but it's really dull if all your doing all game is swarm management.
A few instances where I've used the spell before:
-In a fight there was a baddie behind a thick wall of ice that was surrounded by difficult terrain. Instead of marching my skeletons around it, I used fabricate to turn a large chunk of the ice wall into water so that my skeletons had a direct line of sight to shoot.
-Fabricate was nice to create spare wheels/axles for our wagon when needed.
-For the spell 'Soul Cage' you need a silver cage worth 100g, so I took 1000 silver coins and used fabricate because I wasn't near any towns at the time and had just learned the spell. (Whether coin currency can be used as 'raw' material is up to DM interpretation)
-Used Fabricate to create fancy clothes (could probably do disguises as well), so long as your DM does not interpret that any advanced tailoring skills are needed.
-Fabricate to create a bridge out of logs to cross a river.
I'm sure there's a whole load more, the in combat uses are minimal, but out of combat the spell really shines.
In the current campaign my Forge Cleric is in I used Fabricate to quickly make Full Plate barding for the horses pulling our wagon as well as for our Ranger's bear.
Only real limitation I can see with Fabricate is your tool proficiencies, when it comes to the more specialized creations, and figuring out the cost of raw materials.
If the party is paranoid (or in really dangerous areas) they can have a small fortification at all times. It could also be used (open to interpretation) as a way to get through an existing wall.
As a DM I'd consider waving the proficiency requirement when it comes to fabricating weapons, if only to allow cool things like this to happen:
I don't know about y'all, but that's cool.
Very nice!
Because Fabricate isn't a damage spell, I think a lot of would-be wizards overlook its potential.
"The Epic Level Handbook wasn't that bad, guys.
Guys, pls."
It could be used in a lot of creative ways, like to make trenches or blocking a doorway, turn a wall into a climbing rock (or stairs), pin a dragon by the wings with stone harpoons that sprouted from the ground, make improvised weapons out of literally anything.
Its a bit kinda like alchemy from Full Metal Alchemist (without the circles)
I love fabricate, but I think some of these suggestions overlook the 10min casting time.
My wizard is one level of fighter. He uses fabricate to make weapons fold into his armor for stealthy storage. It's a 5 foot cube so a sword and shield can fit in that box. My Character is basically Ironman in Mark 50 armor.
If your game has them.
Spell Gem is awesome with this.
Prefabricated and hold it for an action cast.
Bam sudden cage. Sudden defense pulbunker. Sudden giant metal Square falling on them
Assuming i understand spell gems right
In 3rd edition wizards had high int, so they could a lot of proficiencies. All the ones I took were manufacting ones. That made it key. I made weapons out of adamantine we found.
Then there was the silver hoard. We found a literal TON of silver. Embed in the wall. My DM thought we could not take it, after all we were 10th level and it was not worth the trouble he thought.
We pulled it all out of there. On carts made of SILVER.
In 5th edition, take two levels of Cleric (Knowledge) to get the ability to take any skill for ten minutes. Use it, immediately followed by Fabricate.
The wizard wakes up in the morning and puts his hand on his armor. The plate armor glows and shapes around him like a second skin. With one word his party knows he's ready for anything.
"I am Iron Mage!"
The wizard wakes up in the morning and after prepping his daily spells, puts his hand on his armor. The plate armor glows and shapes around him like a second skin. With one word his party knows he's ready for anything.
"I am Iron Mage!"
Anyone want to know how to play iron man in DnD (or Dr Doom your pick) it's the following.
Adventure league legal you'll need Xanithars Guide for this build.
Variant Human
Guild Artisin Background
Blacksmith Tools
Feat: Heavy Armor Master
1 level fighter: grab some plate when you get the money and take Defensive fighting style
The rest wizard: Pick a class, I'd go War Magic but if you don't want Xanithars Guild pick something else. you do you.
If you want to play a more iron man look at artificer, I don't own the book yet.