I am playing in a Dragonlance campaign and am considering which 2nd-level spell to select with this feat. The feat allows one to take a single 2nd-level transmutation or illusion spell from any list. These lists include many good spells, including enhance ability, heat metal, silence, phantasmal force, spike growth, levitate, and invisibility. My thoughts on pros/cons of each are as follows:
Enhance ability: Free advantage on initiative rolls but only lasts 1 hour.
Heat metal: Damage with no save. Can force repeated Con saves if target is something held and creature is unwilling to let it go. Also causes disadvantage on attack/ability rolls if the creature holds on. Spell can only be used on creatures wearing or holding onto something made of metal. Fire damage is often resisted. Not everything is wearing/holding metal objects (e.g., dragons, fiends, undead).
Silence: Significantly weaken casters with no save, but the AoE cannot be moved. Limited other uses (e.g., mitigate thunder damage).
Levitate: Versatile spell that can be used as effective CC on a single target, but it's a Con save and my character can already fly.
Phantasmal force: Potentially a powerful single-target CC and legendary save burner at higher levels. One Int save, and investigation checks are not automatic (conditional on DM interpretation). Efficacy is DM dependent, and I am awaiting responses from my DM on potential applications (e.g., ability to obscure vision or hearing).
Invisibility: Versatile utility spell. Our game is very combat heavy, and the combat applications of this spell are limited (for a non-rogue).
Spike growth: Powerful area control and damage spell (with forced movement) at low levels. However, does not upcast, damage is non-magical piercing, and can be circumvented with flight. If I am going to concentrate on an area control spell, I think wall of fire (especially with the metamagic adept feat) offers more late-game utility. I am just not sure this spell would hold up in T3 or T4 given it's concentration.
Overall, I am leaning toward invisibility, phantasmal force, or enhance ability. Enhance ability is non-concentration, but it's short duration is a bit of a turn-off. Given our game's focus on combat, phantasmal force would be a welcomed single-target strong (multi-round) CC, but again, I need to confirm how my DM would handle it. Invisibility provides similar benefits for every tier. It's always easy to envision social/stealth applications of the spell, but as we frequently spend our evenings moving from fight to fight, I am not sure invisibility would be the most practical choice.
The feat provides 1 free cast at 2nd level per day. Shadow blade and dragon's breath are both spells I do (shadow blade) or would (dragon's breath) upcast. I have mirror image and have found it too costly to use due to action economy. Compared to web, earthen grasp trade's a bit of damage for effectiveness. If it wasn't for concentration, it would be on my list (and probably the lead contender). However, as it is, earthen grasp is not very action efficient to use.
That also depends on your character. What is your class, sub-class and main focus on combat? I have seen a Ranger Red Robe rocking the world with Shadow Blade, and a basic Wizard just freeing a spell selection from his class by getting Mirror Image.
The character is a recently re-imagined bladesinger. I was playing an elf who was locked into melee with shadow blade/booming blade largely due to spell selection. I had tried to avoid spell overlap with another wizard in the party, though he ultimately left. Our DM allowed me to make some changes to my spells to focus more on a ranged CC role with Tasha's summons for damage. I still have shadow blade prepared if I want/need to get into melee. Bladesinger is arguably the most versatile subclass and provide excellent defenses regardless.
Things that matter to me in selecting a spell include:
1. Utility now as well as in later game
2. Preferably non-concentration (though most of the "good" spells available require concentration)
3. Preferably some value in combat (given weight of our campaign toward fighting)
4. Preferably strong single-target CC that does not overlap with other spells. In terms of prepared spells right now, I have:
a. Command via Fey-touched feat (single target, strong CC, 1 round, no concentration)
b. Mind whip (single target, limited CC, 1 round, no concentration)
c. Rime's binding ice (multi-target, limited CC, multi-round, no concentration)
d. Hypnotic pattern (multi-target, strong CC, multi-round, concentration)
e. Banishment (single target, strong CC, multi-round, concentration)
What I am missing is a single-target lockdown spell (strong CC, multi-round, with or without concentration) that would preferably have usefulness in late game. Phantasmal force could fill this role. Technically earthen grasp could as well, though to me the main selling point of this spell is the ability to switch targets. The damage is not action efficient. It is also limited by target size and carries a strength save for which bonuses tend to be high in late game.
I have found mirror image to be redundant with bladesong/shield/lucky feat/silvery barbs. It also takes an action to cast, which adds further ramp time to bladesinger damage when engaging in melee.
The feat provides 1 free cast at 2nd level per day. Shadow blade and dragon's breath are both spells I do (shadow blade) or would (dragon's breath) upcast.
You also can upcast it if you do select one of them since Adept of the Red Robes say you can also cast this spell using spell slots you have of the appropriate level.
That's correct, but I'll never cast shadow blade at second level unless I am out of higher level slots. The default would be to utilize higher level slots if I am going to engage in melee, so the utility of a free 2nd-level shadow blade needs to be weighed against that of a free invisibility, enhance ability, etc.
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I am playing in a Dragonlance campaign and am considering which 2nd-level spell to select with this feat. The feat allows one to take a single 2nd-level transmutation or illusion spell from any list. These lists include many good spells, including enhance ability, heat metal, silence, phantasmal force, spike growth, levitate, and invisibility. My thoughts on pros/cons of each are as follows:
Enhance ability: Free advantage on initiative rolls but only lasts 1 hour.
Heat metal: Damage with no save. Can force repeated Con saves if target is something held and creature is unwilling to let it go. Also causes disadvantage on attack/ability rolls if the creature holds on. Spell can only be used on creatures wearing or holding onto something made of metal. Fire damage is often resisted. Not everything is wearing/holding metal objects (e.g., dragons, fiends, undead).
Silence: Significantly weaken casters with no save, but the AoE cannot be moved. Limited other uses (e.g., mitigate thunder damage).
Levitate: Versatile spell that can be used as effective CC on a single target, but it's a Con save and my character can already fly.
Phantasmal force: Potentially a powerful single-target CC and legendary save burner at higher levels. One Int save, and investigation checks are not automatic (conditional on DM interpretation). Efficacy is DM dependent, and I am awaiting responses from my DM on potential applications (e.g., ability to obscure vision or hearing).
Invisibility: Versatile utility spell. Our game is very combat heavy, and the combat applications of this spell are limited (for a non-rogue).
Spike growth: Powerful area control and damage spell (with forced movement) at low levels. However, does not upcast, damage is non-magical piercing, and can be circumvented with flight. If I am going to concentrate on an area control spell, I think wall of fire (especially with the metamagic adept feat) offers more late-game utility. I am just not sure this spell would hold up in T3 or T4 given it's concentration.
Overall, I am leaning toward invisibility, phantasmal force, or enhance ability. Enhance ability is non-concentration, but it's short duration is a bit of a turn-off. Given our game's focus on combat, phantasmal force would be a welcomed single-target strong (multi-round) CC, but again, I need to confirm how my DM would handle it. Invisibility provides similar benefits for every tier. It's always easy to envision social/stealth applications of the spell, but as we frequently spend our evenings moving from fight to fight, I am not sure invisibility would be the most practical choice.
What are others' thoughts?
Have you considered other good spells such as Shadow Blade, Mirror Image, Maximilian's Earthen Grasp or Dragon's Breath,?
The feat provides 1 free cast at 2nd level per day. Shadow blade and dragon's breath are both spells I do (shadow blade) or would (dragon's breath) upcast. I have mirror image and have found it too costly to use due to action economy. Compared to web, earthen grasp trade's a bit of damage for effectiveness. If it wasn't for concentration, it would be on my list (and probably the lead contender). However, as it is, earthen grasp is not very action efficient to use.
That also depends on your character. What is your class, sub-class and main focus on combat? I have seen a Ranger Red Robe rocking the world with Shadow Blade, and a basic Wizard just freeing a spell selection from his class by getting Mirror Image.
The character is a recently re-imagined bladesinger. I was playing an elf who was locked into melee with shadow blade/booming blade largely due to spell selection. I had tried to avoid spell overlap with another wizard in the party, though he ultimately left. Our DM allowed me to make some changes to my spells to focus more on a ranged CC role with Tasha's summons for damage. I still have shadow blade prepared if I want/need to get into melee. Bladesinger is arguably the most versatile subclass and provide excellent defenses regardless.
Things that matter to me in selecting a spell include:
1. Utility now as well as in later game
2. Preferably non-concentration (though most of the "good" spells available require concentration)
3. Preferably some value in combat (given weight of our campaign toward fighting)
4. Preferably strong single-target CC that does not overlap with other spells. In terms of prepared spells right now, I have:
a. Command via Fey-touched feat (single target, strong CC, 1 round, no concentration)
b. Mind whip (single target, limited CC, 1 round, no concentration)
c. Rime's binding ice (multi-target, limited CC, multi-round, no concentration)
d. Hypnotic pattern (multi-target, strong CC, multi-round, concentration)
e. Banishment (single target, strong CC, multi-round, concentration)
What I am missing is a single-target lockdown spell (strong CC, multi-round, with or without concentration) that would preferably have usefulness in late game. Phantasmal force could fill this role. Technically earthen grasp could as well, though to me the main selling point of this spell is the ability to switch targets. The damage is not action efficient. It is also limited by target size and carries a strength save for which bonuses tend to be high in late game.
I have found mirror image to be redundant with bladesong/shield/lucky feat/silvery barbs. It also takes an action to cast, which adds further ramp time to bladesinger damage when engaging in melee.
You also can upcast it if you do select one of them since Adept of the Red Robes say you can also cast this spell using spell slots you have of the appropriate level.
That's correct, but I'll never cast shadow blade at second level unless I am out of higher level slots. The default would be to utilize higher level slots if I am going to engage in melee, so the utility of a free 2nd-level shadow blade needs to be weighed against that of a free invisibility, enhance ability, etc.