Many classic D&D spells and abilities were lost in this fantasy action comedy film, which could have reshaped the quest in unexpected ways.
Summary
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The absence of certain D&D spells in Honor Among Thieves limited the party’s abilities and potentially altered the outcome of their quests.
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The inclusion of spells like Mage Hand, Polymorph, and True Seeing could have provided strategic advantages and helped overcome challenges.
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Spells like Stoneskin, Geas, and Fly would have given characters additional protection, new narrative paths, and more options for solving problems.
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Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves surprised its audience with its imaginative depiction of the beloved board game, but a series of missing spells could have turned things in the party’s favor. Dungeons & Dragons is known for its inventive gameplay that allows players to build their character and play almost any way they choose. For magic-based characters, it gets even more fun as they level up. However, there are still limitations on the number and type of spells that can be used to prevent characters from becoming too overpowered.
It seems that that was also the case Honor among thieves, set in the Forgotten Realms campaign of the original game. It’s understandable that the characters didn’t have their full magical power, as that would have made for a pretty short movie. The characters faced numerous challenges, and some of the more classic D&D powers that were absent could have been game-changers. Here are 10 D&D spells and magical abilities that would have saved the party on numerous occasions if they had existed in Honor among thieves.
10 Edgin Bard Class Spells
In Paramount’s live-action version of D&D, Edgin (Chris Pine) didn’t fit the typical shape of a Dungeons & Dragons bard. In every edition of D&D, bards have had access to spells. With the help of this class ability, a bard can temporarily increase his allies’ attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. Edgin’s bardic spells could have been useful in escaping execution for him and Holga, played by Michelle Rodriguez, while fighting the dragon statue or during the big fight with Sofina, the Red Wizard (Daisy Head). However, the bard class hasn’t always had magic spells. Previous D&D games didn’t really feature bards with many spellcasting abilities. Finally, Honor among thieves‘ The bard class change still created another classic D&D homage.
9 magician’s hand
A popular D&D spell, Mage Hand, allows the mage to control a huge, floating hand that can perform tasks even when the mage is far from the target. This spell was not among all the D&D spells and abilities in Honor among thieves, and would have helped the group enter the vault more quickly and efficiently. Doric the druid, played by Sophia Lillis, was able to overcome these obstacles by using her incredible Wild Shape ability to transform into smaller animals and help the group. Still, she nearly died several times while she carried out these dangerous missions, something Mage Hand could have helped mitigate.
8 polymorph
In D&D, Polymorph spells give creatures the ability to transform into a beast, while True Polymorph gives the caster the ability to transform into any creature of any type. Unlike Doric’s Wild Shape, Polymorph also grants the caster the ability to direct the spell at another person and transform them. If this ability had been used in Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, characters could have adopted different forms to perform certain jobs or gain strategic advantages. Edgin and Holga could have used it as a clever way to sneak out of prison by disguising themselves or turning their jailers into crabs. Using Polymorph could have been among a long list of hidden D&D abilities in Honor among thievesadding to the stunning visuals and complexity of the plot.
7 true vision
The absence of true vision is notable given the centrality of illusion and deception to the plot of Honor among thieves. This D&D spell allows the caster or someone of their choice to see through illusions and disguises, including detecting hidden doors enchanted by magic. It could have provided more clarity to the characters’ understanding of how events unfold. The group would have avoided being trapped by the Black Tentacle spell cast by Forge, played by Hugh Grant. If True Seeing had been employed, both the characters and the audience could have benefited from escaping it.
6 stone skin
With the casting of this spell, either the caster or a person or creature they touched would have gained the stone’s durability, making them immune to most physical attacks. Although it provides temporary protection, this is an extremely useful ability in combat of any type, but especially in the confrontation with Sofina. This spell was able to give the group a brief but significant advantage whenever it seemed like the odds were against her in their combined fight against her.
5 Geas
In Irish folklore, a geas is an agreement, a prohibition that is magically imposed on someone. The Geas spell in Dungeons & Dragons is the same, giving the caster the ability to place another creature under an order that he is forced to execute. It would have been possible for Edgin and Holga to use this to turn a guard chasing them into an ally, if only temporarily. Implementing such a spell has the potential to open up a wide variety of interesting narrative avenues. Honor among thieves it would be enhanced by the additional layers of depth and potential fun scenes that Geas could bring to the table.
4 fly
The name of this spell says it all. If Holga and Edgin had had this spell on Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, they would have been able to escape from prison more quickly and would not have needed to wait for Chancellor Jarnathan to release them. The brilliant scene where they tricked the court and kidnapped him to fly out of jail is excellent comedy. The Fly spell could also have been used in other scenarios, such as passing passages or evading the dragon trap scene. The flexibility of flying would have given the characters more options on how to solve problems because they could use it in different ways.
3 Levitate
The Levitate spell would have allowed the party to float over obstacles, such as drowning in the Tomb of the Nine Gods. This magical ability would have been a nice change from some of the more physically demanding challenges the group had to face in Honor among thieves. By circumventing some obstacles, the party might have been able to save energy for later challenges. This would have changed the pace and stakes of their quest. It could also have led to more visually impressive scenes in the films, with the characters floating in the air. On the other hand, without their difficulties, they may not have been battle-tested enough to defeat Sofina in the end.
2 druids
Druidcraft allows the character to control natural elements such as animals, plants or the weather. The Druidcraft spell could have been used to distract enemies, call animals to attack them, or hide behind plants and trees. The more tactical options there are, the more interesting the adventure can become. Doric’s animalistic ability to shapeshift into Honors among thieves It was possibly the most effective and useful tool the party had. Using Druidcraft, the party would have also been able to use natural forces to fight the Red Wizard of Thay and his army.
1 wish
As one of the strongest spells in D&D, the Wish spell has the ability to change events in reality. Including it in Honor among thieves it would have potentially solved complex problems in an instant. The spell would act as a complete turning point, setting up new directions for the story to explore. For example, when Edgin saw the dragonfly towards the end of the movie, he thought of his wife Zia and wanted to prevent his daughter Kira from losing another mother. In his place, he used the Tablet of Awakening to bring back Holga, missing the opportunity to resurrect his wife. Wish would have helped him achieve his long-lived mission and would have altered the plot of the film. The audience is left wondering what would have been if these spells and abilities had been included in Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieveswith endless possibilities for new story arcs.