Level
2nd
Casting Time
1 Action
Ritual
Range/Area
Sight
Components
V, S
Duration
Concentration
1 Hour
School
Transmutation
Attack/Save
None
Damage/Effect
Communication (...)
You cause up to ten words to form in a part of the sky you can see. The words appear to be made of cloud and remain in place for the spell’s duration. The words dissipate when the spell ends. A strong wind can disperse the clouds and end the spell early.
The reason I can't use this spell as an adventurer is because of how I'd use it insult people rather than be productive with it. And with a ritual casting on it, I mean, that's just too much temptation for me.
"King Fitzroy eats with the hand he wipes with!"
You can pair this with many glyph of wardings to take an entire town hostage, informing them that if they leave their homes after a certain time that their front door will blow up...very effective for an evil necromancer who wants an army (finger of death on them) and wants to take their gold to eventually become a lich (ransom or death).
With my warlock of undying pact of the tome, i'd use it as a way to spread the word of my patron Lord Izursiell the mighty death tyrant consumer of souls!
Use this spell to block out the sun and get rid of sunlight sensitivity
My Necromancer9/Undying Warlock11 (Dubbed the Necrolock, can reach over 670+ zombie/skeleton summons) will use Skywrite to provide running statistics above a town for the death toll as it is being razed. Speak with Dead at will means that if anyone puts up a particularly good fight, you can ask their name after the fact and use Skywrite to let the remaining citizens know exactly which would-be heroes have already fallen before you.
Also great options for 10+ level War Mages to get their AC/ST boost for an hour without needing to expend a spell slot.
I used this to call out the ruler on his inhumane prisons. Skywritten protest signs, aw yeah.
Have companies pay you to advertise for them! Or advertise your selves!
AGATHOR LOOKOUT BEHIND YOU!!!!
What makes this spell so stupid is the last entence.
The message is made of clouds, but a strong wind instantly end the spell... at an altitude where clouds can exist THERE IS ALWAYS STRONG WIND!
needs some homebrew to the last line but honestly i love the idea for this spell
From a “How Stuff Works” article, tradition skywriting can be seen for 30 miles and last 20 minutes. Ideal conditions are a cool, calm, humid, clear day. In case this helps anyone with adjudicating the effects in their game.
https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/skywriting2.htm
"We've been trying to reach you about your car's warranty"
Just sayin' it's ten words...
"A strong wind can disperse the clouds and end the spell early."
at a hight where clouds form, there is ALWAYS a strong wind. Thats why Clouds move...
I have a question.
This spell's range is sight. However, it also says that words form in a part of a sky you see. But "Sky" is not a specific term. I was curious so I looked up the definition of sky which was "the region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth". What then is the atmosphere? Atmosphere, by definition is "the envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet" or "air in any particular space".
So, since this spell's range is sight and somewhere in the sky, could a spell caster cast skywrite at ground level since it's within the atmosphere of the world that they're in?
I am thinking of a scenario where a party may need cover to escape and vice versa. Thanks!
NOTE: All definitions were found on Google Dictionary powered by Oxford Languages
I did manage to find out one good use for this spell: when you know something's coming and need to warn a lot of people really fast.
In the Rime of the Frostmaiden campaign I'm doing, when we got tp the Destruction's Light section and were attacking Sunblight's fortress, we knew Sunblight had some evil plan to attack the Ten Towns, so my Druid came prepared with Skywrite incase we couldn't stop the plan from going into motion. When we found the war room and learned exactly what his endgame was, she used Skywrite the warn all of the Ten Towns of both the plan and the order in which he planned to attack the town.
The Ten Towns all evacuated before his dragon even launched.
So in situations like that, it can come in handy.
As a DM, I used Skywrite to quickly alert town watch of my party's activities, since they were ready to ambush a noble in his place of business. This following a series of attacks on nobles, with the one in question being particularly resourceful and sneaky.