Human using Paragon Surge?

[Barstro]

Could my Human Witch use Alter Self to change into a Half-Elf in order to benefit from Paragon Surge (to get Expanded Arcana Feat to get any Witch spell)?

Would Expanded Arcana not even work that way, since she wouldn't have prepared the spell yet anyway? (I could still use it for Extra Hex)

1)I know that this is horrible action economy during a fight, but it might be useful outside of combat.
2) I don't really think Paragon Surge was intended to be used this way, but I'm curious if it would work.

I had a better plan to use Alter Self on my Faerie Dragon, then use Paragon Surge on it so that it could get any Sorcerer spell. Then I remembered that it would still be only level three, and couldn't do much.

[Vortenger]

You have to be a half elf to be able to prepare the spell in the first place, as well as cast. That's really the only caveat. If you're a wizard, your alter self lasts 12 minutes and you have an open 3rd level slot, you could cast alter self, sit and memorize your new expanded arcana, then have 2 minutes left before it burns its way out of your memory. Overall, not a very good deal for most characters.

[Slipperychicken]

Or PaO into a half elf permanently.

[andreww]

Take the Racial Heritage (Half Elf) Feat.

[Hruken]

Well, Expanded Arcana is only for spontaneous casters, so that is not going to work. It could work for Extra Hex, or a bunch of other feats, so if you use, say racial heritage to qualify, it is still a good spell.