Poke holes in this if you can, and suggest improvements as well please. I'm sure quite a few casters will enjoy this trick if it holds up.
This assumes a 20th level caster, which my character is:
The intent here is to use prying eyes to read books and gain the knowledge from them.
I find a library and clear off a few bookshelves so that they are empty and lay out 20 hourglasses. and find a room directly next to the library and then do the following.
I cast prying eyes, "Read books laid out by the unseen servants. Bob up and down ten times when finished with a book, once when finished with a page."
Then, I cast Servant Horde (description below), Maximized, to get 27 unseen servants. I instruct 20 of them to turn pages on a book when a (insert description of a prying eye) bobs up and down. Then I instruct 3 servants to retrieve books from certain shelves in a library and lay them down, open, in front of the other 20. Three more servants are instructed to watch for eyes that bobs ten times. If they see an eye that bobs, pick up the book next to it and put it back on the empty bookshelves I had before I started. One servant is instructed to turn over an hourglass when the previous hourglass is empty.
Then all I have to do is make sure the library books are within 75 feet of my position in the adjoining room and make sure I don't let all 20 hours lapse without going and retrieving the eyes.
From 3.5 SRD:
Prying Eyes
Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: One mile
Effect: Ten or more levitating eyes
Duration: 1 hour/level; see text (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You create a number of semitangible, visible magical orbs (called “eyes”) equal to 1d4 + your caster level. These eyes move out, scout around, and return as you direct them when casting the spell. Each eye can see 120 feet (normal vision only) in all directions.
While the individual eyes are quite fragile, they’re small and difficult to spot. Each eye is a Fine construct, about the size of a small apple, that has 1 hit point, AC 18 (+8 bonus for its size), flies at a speed of 30 feet with perfect maneuverability, and has a +16 Hide modifier. It has a Spot modifier equal to your caster level (maximum +15) and is subject to illusions, darkness, fog, and any other factors that would affect your ability to receive visual information about your surroundings. An eye traveling through darkness must find its way by touch.
When you create the eyes, you specify instructions you want them to follow in a command of no more than twenty-five words. Any knowledge you possess is known by the eyes as well.
In order to report their findings, the eyes must return to your hand. Each replays in your mind all it has seen during its existence. It takes an eye 1 round to replay 1 hour of recorded images. After relaying its findings, an eye disappears.
If an eye ever gets more than 1 mile away from you, it instantly ceases to exist. However, your link with the eye is such that you won’t know if the eye was destroyed because it wandered out of range or because of some other event.
The eyes exist for up to 1 hour per caster level or until they return to you. Dispel magic can destroy eyes. Roll separately for each eye caught in an area dispel. Of course, if an eye is sent into darkness, it could hit a wall or similar obstacle and destroy itself.
Material Component: A handful of crystal marbles.
Prying Eyes, Greater
Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
This spell functions like prying eyes, except that the eyes can see all things as they actually are, just as if they had true seeing with a range of 120 feet. Thus, they can navigate darkened areas at full normal speed. Also, a greater prying eye’s maximum Spot modifier is +25 instead of +15.
Unseen Servant
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One invisible, mindless, shapeless servant
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
An unseen servant is an invisible, mindless, shapeless force that performs simple tasks at your command. It can run and fetch things, open unstuck doors, and hold chairs, as well as clean and mend. The servant can perform only one activity at a time, but it repeats the same activity over and over again if told to do so as long as you remain within range. It can open only normal doors, drawers, lids, and the like. It has an effective Strength score of 2 (so it can lift 20 pounds or drag 100 pounds). It can trigger traps and such, but it can exert only 20 pounds of force, which is not enough to activate certain pressure plates and other devices. It can’t perform any task that requires a skill check with a DC higher than 10 or that requires a check using a skill that can’t be used untrained. Its speed is 15 feet.
The servant cannot attack in any way; it is never allowed an attack roll. It cannot be killed, but it dissipates if it takes 6 points of damage from area attacks. (It gets no saves against attacks.) If you attempt to send it beyond the spell’s range (measured from your current position), the servant ceases to exist.
Material Component: A piece of string and a bit of wood
Servant Horde (Spell Compendium)
Sor/Wiz 3
Duration 1 hour/lvl
This spell creates a number of unseen servants equal to 2d6+1 per caster level (Max +15)
Unseen Servant (from 3.5 SRD)
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One invisible, mindless, shapeless servant
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
An unseen servant is an invisible, mindless, shapeless force that performs simple tasks at your command. It can run and fetch things, open unstuck doors, and hold chairs, as well as clean and mend. The servant can perform only one activity at a time, but it repeats the same activity over and over again if told to do so as long as you remain within range. It can open only normal doors, drawers, lids, and the like. It has an effective Strength score of 2 (so it can lift 20 pounds or drag 100 pounds). It can trigger traps and such, but it can exert only 20 pounds of force, which is not enough to activate certain pressure plates and other devices. It can’t perform any task that requires a skill check with a DC higher than 10 or that requires a check using a skill that can’t be used untrained. Its speed is 15 feet.
The servant cannot attack in any way; it is never allowed an attack roll. It cannot be killed, but it dissipates if it takes 6 points of damage from area attacks. (It gets no saves against attacks.) If you attempt to send it beyond the spell’s range (measured from your current position), the servant ceases to exist.
Material Component: A piece of string and a bit of wood.
This assumes a 20th level caster, which my character is:
The intent here is to use prying eyes to read books and gain the knowledge from them.
I find a library and clear off a few bookshelves so that they are empty and lay out 20 hourglasses. and find a room directly next to the library and then do the following.
I cast prying eyes, "Read books laid out by the unseen servants. Bob up and down ten times when finished with a book, once when finished with a page."
Then, I cast Servant Horde (description below), Maximized, to get 27 unseen servants. I instruct 20 of them to turn pages on a book when a (insert description of a prying eye) bobs up and down. Then I instruct 3 servants to retrieve books from certain shelves in a library and lay them down, open, in front of the other 20. Three more servants are instructed to watch for eyes that bobs ten times. If they see an eye that bobs, pick up the book next to it and put it back on the empty bookshelves I had before I started. One servant is instructed to turn over an hourglass when the previous hourglass is empty.
Then all I have to do is make sure the library books are within 75 feet of my position in the adjoining room and make sure I don't let all 20 hours lapse without going and retrieving the eyes.
From 3.5 SRD:
Prying Eyes
Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: One mile
Effect: Ten or more levitating eyes
Duration: 1 hour/level; see text (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You create a number of semitangible, visible magical orbs (called “eyes”) equal to 1d4 + your caster level. These eyes move out, scout around, and return as you direct them when casting the spell. Each eye can see 120 feet (normal vision only) in all directions.
While the individual eyes are quite fragile, they’re small and difficult to spot. Each eye is a Fine construct, about the size of a small apple, that has 1 hit point, AC 18 (+8 bonus for its size), flies at a speed of 30 feet with perfect maneuverability, and has a +16 Hide modifier. It has a Spot modifier equal to your caster level (maximum +15) and is subject to illusions, darkness, fog, and any other factors that would affect your ability to receive visual information about your surroundings. An eye traveling through darkness must find its way by touch.
When you create the eyes, you specify instructions you want them to follow in a command of no more than twenty-five words. Any knowledge you possess is known by the eyes as well.
In order to report their findings, the eyes must return to your hand. Each replays in your mind all it has seen during its existence. It takes an eye 1 round to replay 1 hour of recorded images. After relaying its findings, an eye disappears.
If an eye ever gets more than 1 mile away from you, it instantly ceases to exist. However, your link with the eye is such that you won’t know if the eye was destroyed because it wandered out of range or because of some other event.
The eyes exist for up to 1 hour per caster level or until they return to you. Dispel magic can destroy eyes. Roll separately for each eye caught in an area dispel. Of course, if an eye is sent into darkness, it could hit a wall or similar obstacle and destroy itself.
Material Component: A handful of crystal marbles.
Prying Eyes, Greater
Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
This spell functions like prying eyes, except that the eyes can see all things as they actually are, just as if they had true seeing with a range of 120 feet. Thus, they can navigate darkened areas at full normal speed. Also, a greater prying eye’s maximum Spot modifier is +25 instead of +15.
Unseen Servant
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One invisible, mindless, shapeless servant
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
An unseen servant is an invisible, mindless, shapeless force that performs simple tasks at your command. It can run and fetch things, open unstuck doors, and hold chairs, as well as clean and mend. The servant can perform only one activity at a time, but it repeats the same activity over and over again if told to do so as long as you remain within range. It can open only normal doors, drawers, lids, and the like. It has an effective Strength score of 2 (so it can lift 20 pounds or drag 100 pounds). It can trigger traps and such, but it can exert only 20 pounds of force, which is not enough to activate certain pressure plates and other devices. It can’t perform any task that requires a skill check with a DC higher than 10 or that requires a check using a skill that can’t be used untrained. Its speed is 15 feet.
The servant cannot attack in any way; it is never allowed an attack roll. It cannot be killed, but it dissipates if it takes 6 points of damage from area attacks. (It gets no saves against attacks.) If you attempt to send it beyond the spell’s range (measured from your current position), the servant ceases to exist.
Material Component: A piece of string and a bit of wood
Servant Horde (Spell Compendium)
Sor/Wiz 3
Duration 1 hour/lvl
This spell creates a number of unseen servants equal to 2d6+1 per caster level (Max +15)
Unseen Servant (from 3.5 SRD)
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One invisible, mindless, shapeless servant
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
An unseen servant is an invisible, mindless, shapeless force that performs simple tasks at your command. It can run and fetch things, open unstuck doors, and hold chairs, as well as clean and mend. The servant can perform only one activity at a time, but it repeats the same activity over and over again if told to do so as long as you remain within range. It can open only normal doors, drawers, lids, and the like. It has an effective Strength score of 2 (so it can lift 20 pounds or drag 100 pounds). It can trigger traps and such, but it can exert only 20 pounds of force, which is not enough to activate certain pressure plates and other devices. It can’t perform any task that requires a skill check with a DC higher than 10 or that requires a check using a skill that can’t be used untrained. Its speed is 15 feet.
The servant cannot attack in any way; it is never allowed an attack roll. It cannot be killed, but it dissipates if it takes 6 points of damage from area attacks. (It gets no saves against attacks.) If you attempt to send it beyond the spell’s range (measured from your current position), the servant ceases to exist.
Material Component: A piece of string and a bit of wood.
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