Quickened Spell, what can I use this for?

[MarkVIIIMarc]

Please tell me about uses for quickened spell. Does it allow me to cast two leveled spells in a turn or just a Bonus Action Fireball and a cantrip? What else do I want to use this for? I'm not seeing it.

"When you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can spend 2 sorcery points to change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting."

[Tanarii]

Solid but circumstantial uses beyond just adding DPR with a damage cantrip are:

Fireball, and standard action to use the effect of an ongoing leveled spell previously cast that requires an action to use.

(Dodge or Dash or Disengage) and Fireball.

Fireball and Blade Ward.

Shocking Grasp (preventing OAs plus some DPR) and then move and Fireball.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Hold person followed by a booming blade.
Watery sphere use it and move it on the same turn.
Wall of light double down in a single round.
Double eyebite
any of the investiture of x spells
Sunbeam cannon

Lots of things require your action to try and get out of, get out and then rather then wasting your entire turn you can still get a spell off.

[strangebloke]

You can't cast two leveled spells in a turn. (Sorta)

Fundamentally, Quicken costs as much as a second level spell and gives you one free action (so long as that action isn't a spell)

The sorcerer class doesn't have very strong options for actions that aren't spells. Its not worth 2 sp to crank out a firebolt until very high levels.

Some spells give you an extra option for your action, and these synergize with quicken. For example if you've got telekinesis active, you can grab someone with your action, restrain them, and then quicken a disintegrate at them.

Multiclassing can give you good action options as well. Eldritch agonizing blast, for example, is definitely worth 2 sp. A paladin attack action is worth 2 sp.

Both of the above factors are only really relevant at medium to high levels. So quicken is arguably not a great pick at low levels. But even then you can use it to dodge, dash, or disengage. All three of those can be important.

Dash, them quicken booming blade to lock down a fleeing opponent.
Disengage, then cast a spell with a ranged component without suffering disadvantage.
Dodge, then cast quickened fireball on yourself.

Finally, there are some powerful self contained combos you can do. Quicken Hold person plus booming blade for a guaranteed crit.

[NaughtyTiger]

Fundamentally, Quicken costs as much as a second level spell and gives you one free action (so long as that action isn't a spell)


trivial note: creating a 2nd level slot costs 3 sorc points, but quicken on costs 2 (as much as creating a 1st level slot).

[clash]

If they would ever release a sorcerer subclass with extra attack then it would be great for cast a spell as a bonus action and still attack twice.

[strangebloke]

trivial note: creating a 2nd level slot costs 3 sorc points, but quicken on costs 2 (as much as creating a 1st level slot).
Looking at the Spell-to-SP conversion rate is always a better measure for lower level spells.

A 2nd level slot is about twice as good as a 1st level one, not 50% better.


If they would ever release a sorcerer subclass with extra attack then it would be great for cast a spell as a bonus action and still attack twice.

Given the Sorc's lackluster proficiencies, booming blade with a short sword would still probably be better than attacking twice with a short sword under most circumstances. To become a class that could really use extra attack, they'd need a d8 hit dice, medium armor, shield proficiency (or a pseudo-shield), some kind of melee bonus (a fighting style and smite ability, for example), weapon proficiencies, and extra attack. That's a lot to fit into one sorcerer subclass. Sorcerer subclasses generally offer very few actual features.

So yeah, mostly good for multiclass builds.

[Dalebert]

Been said but I'm a big fan of quickening ongoing spells that Grant you an action.

Qkn Telekinesis: attempt to restrain. Success? Now cantrip attack with adv. Failure? You get another try with your action.

Qkn Eyebite: zap two enemies in the first round.

Qkn Sunbeam: two beams first round.

Or...

Qkn a buff and then attack: Mirror Image, Blur, Greater Invisibility. For a shadow sorcerer, Darkness, etc.

Or cast a spell and use a healing potion or activate another magic item.

[sophontteks]

Quicken is too expensive early on, but as a later pick its a nice way to take the dodge, disengage, or dash action while continuing to cast spells. That's its primary use, but it also has good uses in multiclassing.

[solidork]

Quickened Polymorph on yourself and then attacking is pretty strong.

[strangebloke]

Quicken is too expensive early on, but as a later pick its a nice way to take the dodge, disengage, or dash action while continuing to cast spells. That's its primary use, but it also has good uses in multiclassing.
I compare it to misty step. Its a powerful mobility boost, but probably too expensive at low levels.

Quickened Polymorph on yourself and then attacking is pretty strong.
Yup. Although I'd argue that polymorphing yourself isn't a great option unless you're very low on HP.

[Contrast]

I have to admit I've never found quicken spell a particularly compelling choice and have often been bemused with how highly it often seems to be rated/discussed.

I've sometimes wondered if part of this is because when you're doing white room DPR calculations quicken is an easy direct addition to damage whereas the availability of many of the other metamagics are more difficult or impossible to quantify.

[strangebloke]

I have to admit I've never found quicken spell a particularly compelling choice and have often been bemused with how highly it often seems to be rated/discussed.

I've sometimes wondered if part of this is because when you're doing white room DPR calculations quicken is an easy direct addition to damage whereas the availability of many of the other metamagics are more difficult or impossible to quantify.

Its better in high level builds. In my campaign, the dragon sorc took it at low levels, and it wasn't really worth it at low levels, but at high levels she used it all the time.

You have to ask yourself, what does quicken add to your action for the round, and is it worth a 2nd level slot?

1d10 fire damage is almost never worth it.
3d10 + 5 damage, though? As a bonus action? That's pretty good! Much better than 6d6+5 as a full action.
Misty Step isn't a good spell at low levels either. But quicken lets you get a lot of the benefits of misty step and cast a full leveled spell. Disengage, run away, cast quickened fireball. Dodge, run away, cast fireball.

It does come up too frequently on this forum, but that's because we have a bias toward high-level multiclass builds. Nonetheless I think its perfectly reasonable to take at level three and just not use it that much until level 5-6. I think its great for any sorcerer that wants to mix it up in melee, and great for any sorcerer in a campaign with a 6-minute-adventuring-day.

[Keravath]

It is useful since it lets the sorcerer bend the action economy in ways that other characters can not. The most common uses are to do additional damage in a single round or to allow the character to take an action while still casting a spell.

For example, a melee warlock could twin booming blade against two adjacent opponents as their action and then quicken either another booming blade or green flame blade to do even more damage in one turn. If they happened to have the spell sniper feat and a decent dex they could do this from 10' using a whip (if you are looking for an interesting stylistic choice :)).

There is also the classic agonizing blast + quickened agonizing blast for those sorlock out there who have multiclassed to warlock. Keep in mind too that it the sorlock has also taken repelling blast that these are extra 10' movement opportunities for all the opponents on the field. If all the beams from both sets of blasts hit at level 11 you can land 6 bolts for 6d10+30 damage and push the target back 60' which can be a lot of fun too.

Finally, a melee warlock with a few levels of sorcerer could quicken shadows of moil so that they could use their first round to attack and similarly a paladin/sorcerer could use quicken to cast bless on the first round and also not lose their first round of attacks. Having quickened spell really helps with the first round of combat action economy by getting buffs/debuffs setup and still be able to use your action to attack or get into position.

[LudicSavant]

Cons:
- Quicken is expensive. For example, if you wanted to Quicken 7 bonus action cantrips, it'd cost you 14 sorcery points. Converting that many SP would take 2 7th level slots (or, spending that many could have created 2 5th level slots). By contrast, a Wizard casting Crown of Stars for 7 bonus action attacks would have spent 1 7th level slot. For another contrast, those 14 spell points can create 2 5th level spell slots, while a level 14 Arcane Recovery can create 2 5th level spell slots and a 4th level one.
- There are ways to cast multiple leveled spells in a round. Quicken Spell is not one of them.

Pros:
- Quicken Spell can be used to allow you to Dash, Disengage, or Dodge while casting a leveled spell.
- Quicken Spell can let you boost your DPR by throwing on an extra cantrip (or attack for certain builds).
- Certain spells allow you to use an Action for an extra effect. So you can Quicken them, then use their Action immediately instead of on the next round.

[Yuroch Kern]

Given the Sorc's lackluster proficiencies, booming blade with a short sword would still probably be better than attacking twice with a short sword under most circumstances. To become a class that could really use extra attack, they'd need a d8 hit dice, medium armor, shield proficiency (or a pseudo-shield), some kind of melee bonus (a fighting style and smite ability, for example), weapon proficiencies, and extra attack. That's a lot to fit into one sorcerer subclass. Sorcerer subclasses generally offer very few actual features.

So yeah, mostly good for multiclass builds.

Almost completely described a Valor Bard there.:smallbiggrin:

[Rukelnikov]

MC and be a gish.

Quicken Mirror Image/Blink/Blade Ward/Haste/etc + full attack

[Hytheter]

MC and be a gish.

Quicken Mirror Image/Blink/Blade Ward/Haste/etc + full attack

Even ignoring the gish side of things, I think it's nice to have the option of casting a utility spell like Mirror Image and then still getting to do something that turn, even if it's just a cantrip. Getting your illusory duplicates up and then also roasting a goblin with Fire Bolt feels a lot better than just playing defense.

[Rukelnikov]

Even ignoring the gish side of things, I think it's nice to have the option of casting a utility spell like Mirror Image and then still getting to do something that turn, even if it's just a cantrip. Getting your illusory duplicates up and then also roasting a goblin with Fire Bolt feels a lot better than just playing defense.

Yeah, its awesome for a straight caster too, I played a Sorlock, and used it for much more than just double Eldritch Blast, setting up concentration and using a cantrip is awesome.