Unseen Servant possible uses

[Li Shenron]

I would like to collect a good list of things you may have your conjured Unseen Servant perform.

In the actions below I assume they can be done exerting a limited force (<20 pounds), so they may not apply to every item.

Some basic uses I may allow are:

- bring a thrown weapon back
- carry a large shield (providing 1/4 cover from one side only)
- trigger a trap
- carry a scroll, to "save" a free hand and maybe a "retrieve an item" action
- carry a torch or other illumination

Now, since it can't attack I guess he can't really trip either. Is there a way to let it stand against a charging character, so that he crushes against it, possibly losing balance or even falling? What about commanding it to pull a rope knotted at the other side, so to trip the charging foe when he passes?

It can't also be attacked, and probably it means that weapons just pass through it, so it seems you can't put it in front of you to intercept ranged attacks against you...

 

[Stalker0]

While the servant can carry things, he doesn't exert forces so I wouldn't let him use a shield effectively or trip someone.

I also use them to carry ropes up to high places. They can also be useful with torches and ghost sound

There ability to be naturally invisible is very nice. Like having the villian send a note in blood by an unseen servant to the party. Hehe, a nice image, having a note stained in blood saying you will all die!! floating quietly over to you.

 

[Li Shenron]

While the servant can carry things, he doesn't exert forces so I wouldn't let him use a shield effectively or trip someone

It is treated as having Strength 2, so it can carry 20 pounds of stuff. That's why I'd let it carry a shield (not a tower shield...), but since it's mindless I don't think it can autonomously decide how to use it effectively, so that's why I thought it can just let the shield "float" in front of the PC and provide a minimum cover (unfortunately the minimum cover is +2, which IMHO lets this use of Unseen Servant a bit too good, although it is fine with the 20lb limit).

If it can carry 20lb, it can also raise 20lb (or maybe more), which means it can indeed exert a force of 20lb. But it's not that simple to guess how much force, in weight terms, you are exerting when for example you push something horizontally or press a trap's pressure plate...

For the trip: it specifically says Unseen Servant can't attack, and to trip you make an attack. I was wondering if you could tell it to "lay down on the ground midway between and the foe". What happens if the foe charges me, does he stumble on the UServant in the same way he would with any invisible object on his path?

 

[bret]

There is nothing solid in an Unseen Servant. It is a shapeless form, so having it 'lay down on the floor' would not create an obstruction.

As for uses, one of the best uses I've ever put it to was to grab the treasure during a battle. There was this fountain filled with gems, protected by a number of clerics. The battle wasn't going well for us, and we were forced to retreat.

The rest of the group was pretty depressed until I brought out a bag and dumped the gems out for everyone to see. It was really quite a bit of fun, since the other players weren't quite sure how I had gotten the gems when I never even got close to the fountain.

In any event, give the unseen servant a sack and send it through the lines to pick stuff up. Everyone tends to be too busy in combat to notice a floating bag.

 

[Li Shenron]

There is nothing solid in an Unseen Servant. It is a shapeless form, so having it 'lay down on the floor' would not create an obstruction.

Although my Wizard won't like it, this is the kind of illuminating suggestion I was waiting for. Thanks.

 

[Pielorinho]

If you're not worried about making too much noise, you could have it roll a large rounded log in front of the party, tripping most pressure traps.

It might not be able to fight, but if it can wield a broom, certainly it can wave a long sword around in the air 10' in front of me. This might serve to distract a foe, who might not realize that the sword doesn't present a threat.

A rat-bastard DM might even have a wizard use this tactic with a continual-flaming sword, in anticipation of the clever player who decides to snatch the sword out of the air to use against the wizard. That's when the PC realizes the hilt is covered in contact poison....

Similarly, it can't aim effectively, but it ought to be able to toss daggers in a general direction. Enemies who see daggers go flying past them might spend a round or so looking for the tosser.

A friendly DM might rule that plucking a weapon out of the air beside you is a free action (it's certainly easier than unsheathing a weapon). An unseen servant could hold a melee weapon at the ready for the archer who expects to switch weapons soon.

Similarly, could the command be, "hand me a dagger whenever I throw one"? If so, it could obviate the need for quick draw for a thrown-weapon specialist.

Daniel

 

[ShadowMaster]

Here is my "deadly" combo with unseen servant.

Fire a bolt with my heavy crossbow (partial action)
Give the bow to my unseen servant (partial action)

Next round, cast a spell (partial action)
Get the crossbow back (now loaded because the unseen servant loaded it)

redo from the beginning.

 

[Painfully]

add in a "ghost sound" spell and maybe a "ventriloquism," and you've got a haunted house for your low level PCs

 

[Kershek]

Here is my "deadly" combo with unseen servant.

Fire a bolt with my heavy crossbow (partial action)
Give the bow to my unseen servant (partial action)

Next round, cast a spell (partial action)
Get the crossbow back (now loaded because the unseen servant loaded it)

redo from the beginning.

(slight nit)

Fire a bolt with my heavy crossbow (standard action)
Give the bow to my unseen servant (M-E action)

Next round, cast a spell (standard action)
Get the crossbow back (M-E action)

 

[Li Shenron]

Here is my "deadly" combo with unseen servant.

Fire a bolt with my heavy crossbow (partial action)
Give the bow to my unseen servant (partial action)

Next round, cast a spell (partial action)
Get the crossbow back (now loaded because the unseen servant loaded it)

redo from the beginning.

"Deadly"? IT seems you are giving up 2 MEAs (give the xBow, Get the xBow back) to save 1 full-round (reload). In both cases, you'd be casting a spell every 2 round, and firing the xBow every 2 rounds.... doesn't sound a big improve, but you still avoid the AoO for reloading. Can be good, since you'd have to split the reload in 2 consecutive rounds (if you're allowed). But tell me, how do you handle the Unseen Servant's actions: he still needs 1 full-round to reload + 2 MEA to give/take.

This all assumes that your DM doesn't turn give/take actions into free actions...