Enhance Ability vs Alter Self

[mistermarv]

We are on our way to reach level 6 in our homebrew campaign and my sorcerer has a very heavy combat focus spells at the moment.

Spell: Firebolt/Minor Illusion/Toll of the Dead/Guidance/Mage Hand Guiding Bolt/Mage Armor/Detect Magic Spiritual Weapon/Suggestion Fireball/Blink

Metamagic: Subtle/Twinned

I am thinking of taking Enhance Ability or Alter Self to give him some more utility capability capability outside of combat. From an RP perspective, the Enhance Ability would be an improved version of his Guidance spell that he developed as the group travel; the Alter Self will be an extension of his “Disguise Kit” training as his powers accommodate his desire to blend discreetly with the crowds.

I can see myself taking both skills in the future. But at level 6, which spells would you suggest me to take first and why?

Kind regards,

[Dr. Cliché]

Alter Self is a spell that I really want to like, but it's just not very good.

It has 3 abilities:
- Aquatic Adaptation. This requires some very specific encounters in order to be useful in the slightest, and does nothing to help your party. In theory, it might be useful if your campaign is going to take place in an underwater city . . . but then you'd be far better off with a scroll of Water Breathing or such.
- Change Appearance. This is definitely the most useful of the three, but for the most part it will probably just function as a Disguise Self spell that you have to Concentrate on.
- Natural Weapons. This isn't even a non-combat ability. Also, whilst a great idea in terms of fluff, it falls down completely by requiring the caster to use strength for the attacks. Because wizards and sorcerers are well known for being body-builders in their spare time.

Meanwhile, Enhance Ability has 6 options to choose from which provide a much better toolbox for helping out-of-combat. Importantly, unlike Alter Self, it can be cast on others (even multiple people if you upcast it). You can cast it on your fighter to help them batter down a door or carry more than they'd normally be able to. You can cast it on your party Face before they go to try and convince an NPC about something. If the Ranger is struggling to track your quarry, you can enhance his Wisdom to help him. etc.

[ImproperJustice]

Alter Self is a spell that I really want to like, but it's just not very good.

It has 3 abilities:
- Aquatic Adaptation. This requires some very specific encounters in order to be useful in the slightest, and does nothing to help your party. In theory, it might be useful if your campaign is going to take place in an underwater city . . . but then you'd be far better off with a scroll of Water Breathing or such.
- Change Appearance. This is definitely the most useful of the three, but for the most part it will probably just function as a Disguise Self spell that you have to Concentrate on.
- Natural Weapons. This isn't even a non-combat ability. Also, whilst a great idea in terms of fluff, it falls down completely by requiring the caster to use strength for the attacks. Because wizards and sorcerers are well known for being body-builders in their spare time.

Meanwhile, Enhance Ability has 6 options to choose from which provide a much better toolbox for helping out-of-combat. Importantly, unlike Alter Self, it can be cast on others (even multiple people if you upcast it). You can cast it on your fighter to help them batter down a door or carry more than they'd normally be able to. You can cast it on your party Face before they go to try and convince an NPC about something. If the Ranger is struggling to track your quarry, you can enhance his Wisdom to help him. etc.

The good Dr. Makes all the same points I would have made. While enhance ability has been nerfed hard from it’s 3.5 glory days, it is still pretty handy for helping the party with those crucial rolls.
Out GM loves having us make Athletics checks to cross pits of boiling stuff, so it’s nice to be able to cast a spell that helps those who might otherwise struggle.

[mistermarv]

The good Dr. Makes all the same points I would have made. While enhance ability has been nerfed hard from it’s 3.5 glory days, it is still pretty handy for helping the party with those crucial rolls.
Out GM loves having us make Athletics checks to cross pits of boiling stuff, so it’s nice to be able to cast a spell that helps those who might otherwise struggle.


Thank you for your thoughtful response. I was leaning toward AS before, but your comment has made me lean toward EA.

Another question that I would like to know is that, can I cast EA using the Twinned Spell metamagic or not?

[LudicSavant]

Alter Self:
Aquatic Adaptation: So, this is basically only relevant if you're in an underwater adventure, and even then only at specific points in your progression. Why do I say that? Well, because Water Breathing is a 24-hour duration multi-target ritual, which means that your party's ritual caster (it should have at least one if you're optimizing) is keeping that up on the whole party essentially permanently starting at level 5. So that basically just leaves the swimming speed. What a swimming speed does is basically double your underwater speed. Doubling your speed is also something that other concentration spells do, so you'll end up asking yourself whether you'd rather concentrate on this, or those.

Change Appearance: It's a better Disguise Self, except that you have to Concentrate on it and it can't make clothes. The big upside is that it creates actual physical changes, and you can change appearances throughout the duration. Decent if you want a master of disguise, though you'll want to combine it with something like Nystul's Magic Aura to fool Detect Magic and the like.

Natural Weapons: Magic Weapon, but worse. And also self-only, which means that unless you are the strength-based beatstick, this does nothing for you.

-----

Enhance Ability:
Bear's Endurance: There aren't a whole lot of Concentration-based skills, so you're basically just looking at something like trying to stave off exhaustion in conditions where you see it coming. Pretty niche.

It also gives 2d6 temporary hit points, which is... mostly negligible. If it could pick someone up off the 0hp death gate it'd be good, but it can't.

Bull's Strength: For your friendly neighborhood shover/grappler, mostly. Your friendly neighborhood shover/grappler would probably like it better if you were using Enlarge/Reduce instead, but that spell doesn't last as long.

Cat's Grace: Advantage on Dexterity checks means Advantage on initiative! Initiative is good. It also covers a decent number of useful skills. Also you take less damage from falling, which is pretty much just a ribbon.

You can potentially upcast this to grant everyone in the party advantage on initiative.

Eagle's Splendor: For social checks that your party-mates won't just help with (the persuasion rules in the DMG make it pretty easy to grant Advantage). This will also help you make Dispel Magic and Counterspell checks. If casting on a full caster other than yourself, it can also help with things like Telekinesis checks.

Fox's Cunning: For investigation and research, mostly. Also, it'll have similar benefits for an Int-based caster to those I listed for Eagle's Splendor.

Owl's Wisdom: Basically +5 passive perception for the party's spotter. Also helps out when, say, your survivalist is tracking something. This will also help Wizards make Wis-based casters make Dispel Magic checks. Also, it'll have similar benefits for a Wis-based caster to those I listed for Eagle's Splendor.

[sophontteks]

From here on out when considering spells you should be looking to maximize your metamagic choices above all else.

Fireball is a nice spell, and it'd be crazy strong if you picked empower spell, but its a waste of your current metamagic picks. Same with spiritual weapon. If your spells don't work with your metamagic you are just a really weak wizard.

Check out enlarge/reduce, greater invisibility, haste, and polymorph. Those are essential spells for twinned. I'd even get rid of fireball for haste.

For subtle. Phantasmal force, charm person, catapult. Spells without an obvious effect to give them away. (People say suggestion, but suggestion requires you to say the suggestion and thats seperatr from the verbal component. Phantasmal force has no such indicators.)

[MaxWilson]

Alter Self vs. Disguise Self: a secondary advantage is that you can change your appearance at will (Mystique!) without having to recast the spell, but the big advantage is that it changes your voice, which is pretty essential for any serious infiltration.

Ideally you'd want to combine Disguise Self + Alter Self + Malleable Illusion for the ultimate spy-kit, but Alter Self + Disguise Kit gets you at least halfway there--you just have to play dressup a little.

[Asmotherion]

I'll have to disagree with the former posts.

One major point in Alter Self that makes it a Formidable Option and far superior is it's ability to shift between it's options for it's duration. This means you can Change your appearance every turn for the full duration of the spell. That's right. If you're creative, you can infiltrate the enemy ranks, and create chaos among them with it. Learn things you should never learn. Make people paranoid about something by having multiple diferent "random people" enhancing their belief in that thing. Or mindwash someone in a similar way. The possibilities are endless really. You just need to play your cards right.

[sophontteks]

Alter spell would work with subtle well in theory. I just haven't thought of a way to use it effectively. With subtle you can change your appearance at will in front of people without giving away that magic was involved.

Maybe you could pretend you are a vampire, a werewolf, or a god in disguise?

[ImproperJustice]

From here on out when considering spells you should be looking to maximize your metamagic choices above all else.

Fireball is a nice spell, and it'd be crazy strong if you picked empower spell, but its a waste of your current metamagic picks. Same with spiritual weapon. If your spells don't work with your metamagic you are just a really weak wizard.

Check out enlarge/reduce, greater invisibility, haste, and polymorph. Those are essential spells for twinned. I'd even get rid of fireball for haste.

For subtle. Phantasmal force, charm person, catapult. Spells without an obvious effect to give them away. (People say suggestion, but suggestion requires you to say the suggestion and thats seperatr from the verbal component. Phantasmal force has no such indicators.)

My only counterpoint here, is that it may be worth it to not completely limit one’s spell choices to just reflect their meta magic abilities. They’re great, but Sorcery points aren’t unlimited.

As an example, Fireball is a great spell that punches above it’s weight class and doese was require concentration, so it provides a strong offensive option while not interfering with his other selections. Just because he does not have empower, doesn’t mean that it’s a poor choice.

I think my concern would be that if he only bases spells around his meta magic, he mind find himslef too “pigeon holed” in the long run.

Just to clarify: not advocating that he ignores his meta magic, just that it shouldn’t be the only consideration.

[MaxWilson]

Alter spell would work with subtle well in theory. I just haven't thought of a way to use it effectively. With subtle you can change your appearance at will in front of people without giving away that magic was involved.

Maybe you could pretend you are a vampire, a werewolf, or a god in disguise?

Subtle Spell not necessary. Just precast it twenty minutes prior.

[sophontteks]

Subtle Spell not necessary. Just precast it twenty minutes prior.
Ah, yeah. I see what you mean.
I don't think its a bad spell, but I think the priority should be getting the most of those metamagics right now.


My only counterpoint here, is that it may be worth it to not completely limit one’s spell choices to just reflect their meta magic abilities. They’re great, but Sorcery points aren’t unlimited.

As an example, Fireball is a great spell that punches above it’s weight class and doese was require concentration, so it provides a strong offensive option while not interfering with his other selections. Just because he does not have empower, doesn’t mean that it’s a poor choice.

I think my concern would be that if he only bases spells around his meta magic, he mind find himslef too “pigeon holed” in the long run.

Just to clarify: not advocating that he ignores his meta magic, just that it shouldn’t be the only consideration.
Your right, but the spell list has very little synergy with either metamagic. Without using them a sorcerer is a really bad wizard. And honestly, sorcerers are pidgen-holed anyway by their extremely limited spell selection. They can't afford to spread out much.

Fireball can be nice, but giving haste to two players is insane. Its always good and its far beyond what any other class is capable of doing with one level 3 spell.

With subtle, fortunately, spells like phantasmal force turn into swiss army chainsaws when they can be cast without any indication. Even direct damage and AOE spells can work with it, just not fireball

[Beechgnome]

Sorcerers work best when there is good but not absolute synergy with metamagic. Fireball and misty Step are great spells, with or without subtle or empowered/quickened respectively, but obviously other spells really shine when they get the metamagic boost (haste and enemies abound with twinned, hypnotic pattern with careful, invisibility with distant, etc etc).

your guy already has twinned, so on top of other reasons enhance is probably a better choice. Since you can upcast it too, you have total flexibility: twin it if you are low on slots or upcast it if low on SP.

[MaxWilson]

Enhance Ability:
Bear's Endurance: Advantage on Concentration checks! But you're concentrating on this. I suppose you could use it to help a caster concentrating on something more important. It could potentially also be useful if you are trying to stop the party from failing exhaustion saves that you couldn't otherwise avoid.

Concentration is a save, not an ability check. Enhance Ability has no effect on saves.

[LudicSavant]

Concentration is a save, not an ability check. Enhance Ability has no effect on saves.

You're right. Corrected.

[mistermarv]

Hi everyone,

Thank you very much for your response. I greatly appreciate it!

The reason as to why I want to add a bit more of utility for my sorcerer is because our campaign does not always have combat in each session and i notice a general trend of the story toward Social + Exploration than combat these past few sessions. However, at the beginning of the game i decided to build my sorcerer to lean more toward Combat with Social next and Exploration third. Which is why I want to add either EA or AS so he can keep up with the teams.

One memorable event from our session is where my sorcerer cheat and cast Bless with Subtle spell to our Barbarian who participate in the final round of a "fight club" and emerge victorious without anyone noticing. I miss being able to do something like that since my spells are geared toward combat at the moment.

[sophontteks]

You have the penultimate social metamagic. Subtle spell. Lets work with it. Rather then cast these cute little spells mentioned above, fine spells for the more mundane members of magic, try out phantasmal force.

Phantasmal force makes a target see an illusion of your choosing, your imagination is the limit, and it is for all intensive purposes real to them. Oh, I know. An illusion spell..whooo.

But you are a sorcerer! You can cast the spell without giving away that any magic was used at all! So now you can make someone feel, touch, smell, see whatever you desire without them knowing you were involved. Make up any lie you want. Oh, now that lie is real.

We are talking anything from the mundane...
"Here are our documents sir. You'll see that we are indeed what we say we are."
"Here is your lost boy. He's right behind you."
"Here's a chest of gold now please give me that magic sword."

To the insane things like making curses, cults, and the wrath of god appear as a reality. Most grunts will hesitate when their skeptical leader starts screaming about flesh-eating insects.

I can go on, but you get the idea. You can cast real magic in front of people. And they have no idea! This opens up many powerful spells for social encounters that are much more potent then anything anyone else can do.

[Snowbluff]

Eagle's Splendor: For social checks that your party-mates won't just help with (the persuasion rules in the DMG make it pretty easy to grant Advantage).

Fox's Cunning: For investigation and research, mostly.

Owl's Wisdom: Basically +5 passive perception for the party's spotter. Also helps out when, say, your survivalist is tracking something.

Also, counterspells, dispels, telekinesis, etc etc, IIRC.

[Dalebert]

How lenient is your DM with assists? Most every DM I've played under is too lenient. If you find that's the case in your game, you'll find Enhance Ability to be mostly redundant.

[LudicSavant]

Also, counterspells, dispels, telekinesis, etc etc, IIRC.

Yeah, those too if you're casting on a caster. Added it to the list.

[sophontteks]

Enhance ability is great for buffing the scout. You can't normally assist them with hiding and getting caught can be really bad. If they do get caught, they have advantage on initiative.

I also use Owl's wisdom a lot. Advantage on perception is great for searching for stuff, be it enemies or loot. But as the party face I used it mostly upon myself for the insight advantage. Its easy to get assistance on CHA checks, but insight is more of a reactionary thing. Really great way to keep the NPCs from pulling the wool over your head.

It was a good bard spell for sure, but I'm a bit iffy suggesting it to a sorcerer. They just have so few spells to pick from. Every spell they pick has to be really fantastic.

[Keravath]

I think one aspect of subtle and fireball wasn't mentioned (or if it was I missed it :) ).

Subtle prevents most spells from being counterspelled. If an opposing caster sees you casting a fireball they might decide to counterspell it since usually the action economy favours the NPCs blowing resources since they won't need them for the next fight. On the other hand, a subtle fireball can't be countered so that is an additional synergy between the choice of meta magics and spells that didn't seem to have been mentioned.

[sambojin]

You could go all out combat'y instead. Because having Spirit Guardians going with optional direct damage spells turns you into an absolute meat grinder par excellance.

Sub out something for Haste and you're set. Or don't. But definitely take Spirit Guardians ASAP.

Why be a tiny bit ok'ish at something (which you are with Guidance anyway), when you could be an absolute friggen powerhouse in another area? Are you good in that area already? Yes. Could you become the reason why social encounters take precedence from now on, because combat "just isn't working for the DM?" Definitely. Just use Guidance and finely dice and saute like a master chef the rest of the time. The rest of the party can do social. You've got high charisma and guidance anyway, so you can help. You're already pretty good at it. Possibly the best at it. But can you be the party's go-to man at the slightest signs of a violent outcome? Yes, yes you can.

I always thought Spirit Guardians backed with Fireballs/direct damage and high Charisma was why people became Divine Souls in the first place.


If you only want to take one of the two you mentioned, then take Enhance Ability. But don't. Take Spirit Guardians instead.


(it depends on party makeup, but other than grabbing the Fly spell if you're the only one that can do it, it's somebody else's job to work out mobility or buffing or super-stealth. You'll probably want to grab CounterSpell as well eventually. But you multi-divine-kaboom things. If Guidance isn't good enough for anything else, then other people had better damn well start doing their job. You talk. You mulch things. You're not meant to be doing everything. What is the party makeup anyway?)

[mistermarv]

You could go all out combat'y instead. Because having Spirit Guardians going with optional direct damage spells turns you into an absolute meat grinder par excellance.

Sub out something for Haste and you're set. Or don't. But definitely take Spirit Guardians ASAP.

Why be a tiny bit ok'ish at something (which you are with Guidance anyway), when you could be an absolute friggen powerhouse in another area? Are you good in that area already? Yes. Could you become the reason why social encounters take precedence from now on, because combat "just isn't working for the DM?" Definitely. Just use Guidance and finely dice and saute like a master chef the rest of the time. The rest of the party can do social. You've got high charisma and guidance anyway, so you can help. You're already pretty good at it. Possibly the best at it. But can you be the party's go-to man at the slightest signs of a violent outcome? Yes, yes you can.

I always thought Spirit Guardians backed with Fireballs/direct damage and high Charisma was why people became Divine Souls in the first place.


If you only want to take one of the two you mentioned, then take Enhance Ability. But don't. Take Spirit Guardians instead.


(it depends on party makeup, but other than grabbing the Fly spell if you're the only one that can do it, it's somebody else's job to work out mobility or buffing or super-stealth. You'll probably want to grab CounterSpell as well eventually. But you multi-divine-kaboom things. If Guidance isn't good enough for anything else, then other people had better damn well start doing their job. You talk. You mulch things. You're not meant to be doing everything. What is the party makeup anyway?)


Thank you for your response.

My party's composition is as follows:
- Goliath Storm Herald
- Tiefling Druid Circle of the Land or Mountain (can't remember)
- Aasimar Thief
- Tabaxi Ranger Beastmaster
- Half Orc Cleric of Talos

I generally fight from a distant via Spiritual Weapon and Toll of Dead/Firebolt.

recently, my character has become closer and have a sort of bond of brotherhood with the Goliath which is why I am considering Haste to help him in a fight.