Way to change spell element type?

[xroads]

I seem to recall there being a metamagic feat in 3.x that allowed a caster to change the element of a spell. For example, a wizard could change his Fireball to an Acidball.

Is there an equivalent in 5? Maybe not necessarily on the fly method. But it would be nice to change up spells a bit. Maybe cast Chain Ice instead of Chain Lightning for example.

[Contrast]

One of the abilities of the Unearthed Arcana Loremaster wizard archetype included being able to change damage types. I can't think of another way off the top of my head.

[Khrysaes]

One of the abilities of the Unearthed Arcana Loremaster wizard archetype included being able to change damage types. I can't think of another way off the top of my head.

Not quite the same, but mystic, also in ua, has a talent (cantrip) that can be varied elemental types

[Typhon]

Could research a similar spell with a different damage type.

[MrStabby]

Could research a similar spell with a different damage type.

Just be sure that if you change damage type from poison or fire you lower the damage amount.

[Rusvul]

As far as RAW goes, the Loremaster is the only way I know of. That said, as DM, I'd be inclined to allow a player to learn a variant of a spell that dealt a different damage type (with a corresponding damage decrease.) I'd lay out 'tiers' of damage as follows:

Tier 1: Poison

Tier 2: Acid/Cold/Fire/Lightning

Tier 3: Necrotic/Thunder

Tier 4: Psychic/Radiant/Force

Not all damage types on the same tier are quite the same (fire and cold are less useful than acid, for example,) but I think that's minor enough that we can let it go.

Change a spell to use a worse damage type: no change in damage die.

Change a spell to use an equivalent damage type: -1 die type (so our acid fireball would roll d4s instead of d6s.)

Change a spell to use a better damage type: -2 die type for one tier up, -3 die type for two tiers up, -4 die type for three tiers up.

This is balanced (probably poorly) around the idea of feats like Elemental Adept and subclasses like Draconic or Storm sorcerer, for whom specific damage types are particularly desirable. If I had a character who stood nothing to gain by having a 'coldball' other than fitting another spell within their cryomancer theme, I'd probably just let them have it. I'd also let any character obtain a damage-shifted spell without a decrease in damage if they spent time and money to research it.

That's all firmly in the realm of homebrew and houserules, though.

[xroads]

One of the abilities of the Unearthed Arcana Loremaster wizard archetype included being able to change damage types. I can't think of another way off the top of my head.

The Loremaster looks pretty good. Thanks for the heads up on that one.

Too bad it isn't an official sub-class yet. But maybe the upcoming Xanathar's Guide to Everything will change that.

Personally, I'd also love to see a new feat that allows a character to change the damage type of their spells to a pre-chosen element. Maybe call it "Elemental Affinity" or something like that.

Thanks all! :smallbiggrin:

[JellyPooga]

The problem with changing elemental types is that most spells have an attack type or AoE appropriate to that element; lightning comes in bolts, fire come in blasts, poison comes in sprays and so forth; it's the nature of the damage type to conform to certain spell types. Merely refluffing Chain Lightning to deal cold damage, for example, takes a bit of mental crowbarring to make some kind of sense beyond "it's magic; deal with it".

The question shouldn't so much be "can I", so much as "should I" and in that vein of thought, creating new spells (properly approved by your GM, of course) is probably a better approach than simply swapping damage type.