Boon of Quick Casting - Which spell would you pick?

[Greywander]

Boon of Quick Casting
Choose one of your spells of 1st through 3rd level that has a casting time of 1 action. That spell's casting time is now 1 bonus action for you.
Keep in mind that casting a spell as a bonus action means you can only use your action on cantrips. As such, it seems like this would work best with spells that use some kind of 1-2 combo where the action is something other than a spell (unless it is a cantrip). For example, Hold Person + Attack.

As such, I feel like good spells for this boon fall into one of two categories:

Those that you spam while doing something else (like attacking or spamming cantrips). In this case, a low level spell would work better. For example, Commanding an enemy to grovel so you can attack them while prone.
Those that you combo with something else that requires an action. The combo itself is likely to be both potent and fairly universal in application. This points toward a higher level spell spell. Hold Person + Attack is one such combo. Enlarge + Grapple also works nicely. For a couple of more esoteric combos, try See Invisible + Attack/grapple/cantrip, or Dispel Magic + Attack/grapple/cantrip.

My first thought was to go for something like Fireball, but then it occurred to me that it's not like you can cast another spell (aside from a cantrip) anyway. Sure, it makes it slightly stronger, since you can also Attack or cast a cantrip on the same turn, but Fireball doesn't really benefit from this. If you need to cast Fireball, you may as well use an action for it. What really benefits are spells that benefit from being used in tandem with some other action, where using them on the same turn actually does make a difference.

So, what spell(s) would you pick? What sorts of combos would you want to do?

[zockeros]

Depends a bit how much you consider attacking yourself. I would think more in the direction of utility spells. Shifting them into a Bonus Action allows you to use the vision of a familiar and then cast the spell.
One example would be improving Thunder Step or Levitate(cast + 1x moving during the first round). Maximilians Earthen Grasp would get a second attempt to restrain during the turn you cast it doubling the chance of the spell to work.

edit: On lower levels i would consider close range damage spells as a valid option. Bonus Action spell can e combined with disengage, dodge or using your action for more movement to et away after the casting. If you realy have some sort of signature spell(not the actual ability ust a spell you are using a lot in combat) it might still be a good idea to use that and use spell+dodge all the time.

[BloodSnake'sCha]

Depends a bit how much you consider attacking yourself. I would think more in the direction of utility spells. Shifting them into a Bonus Action allows you to use the vision of a familiar and then cast the spell.
One example would be improving Thunder Step or Levitate(cast + 1x moving during the first round). Maximilians Earthen Grasp would get a second attempt to restrain during the turn you cast it doubling the chance of the spell to work.

edit: On lower levels i would consider close range damage spells as a valid option. Bonus Action spell can e combined with disengage, dodge or using your action for more movement to et away after the casting. If you realy have some sort of signature spell(not the actual ability ust a spell you are using a lot in combat) it might still be a good idea to use that and use spell+dodge all the time.

I will never consider attacking myself and neither should you or the OP.



I will use something spamable like grease or something strong like hipnutic patterns.

Animated dead, dispel magic, plant grow, thunder step, mirror image, see invisibility, arms of hadar and more.

I use quicken a lot with my Sorcerer but never the same spell twice in the same combat.

[RSP]

If available, AoA is a great way to go, particularly for a Bladelock. BA to get AoA up, Action to Attack or EB.

[stoutstien]

Inflict wound
Bless
Command
THL
Grease

[MrStabby]

One other thing that might be useful is freeing your action to dash or disengage or hide.

Something with an attack that lets you get advantage by hiding in the same turn can be good. Something like fear could be nice, where a dash action can get you perfect positioning for a spell.

The dash/disengage/hide use of action might also benefit for escapist spells. Mirror image as a bonus action plus dash action to get out of dodge could free up some higher level spell slots when it comes to keeping you alive.

[Tanarii]

Invisibility (bonus) + Hide (action) + movement.

[JumboWheat01]

Vicious Mockery. Why limit your insults to one creature a round? 'Tis a silly thing, really.

[Kane0]

Can't go wrong with Magic Missile, but others I might pick would be:
Arms of Hadar
Bless
Faerie Fire
Fog Cloud
Hideous Laughter
Invisibility
Phantasmal Force
Silence
Spike Growth
Web

[Bobthewizard]

Invisibility is a good one. You can use your bonus action after your action. So use your action for anything other than a spell and you can turn invisible afterwards until your next turn.

This makes spells like Sunbeam and Telekinesis better since you use an action to utilize the effects of those spells then turn invisible. If you have sunbeam, fireball might be a good one too.

[Fable Wright]

As a Druid player...

Either Conjure Animals or Meld Into Stone. The former lets my non-Moon Druid Wild Shape into the creatures I summon swiftly, and it definitely helps with turning an owl or flying snake to Flyby Attack away. The latter lets me contribute to positioning with Thorn Whip and shield myself from being instantly murdered.

For my Tempest Cleric, though, Call Lightning all the way. Getting to double hit from both the bonus action cast and the action re-bolt lets me nova my Channel Divinities for massive damage when I need it. Up to 200 damage per target in a 5' radius AoE is niiiiice.

[NNescio]

I will never consider attacking myself and neither should you or the OP.

I punch myself (and hopefully hit) to trigger Shield to fill my Arcane Ward.

(Actually practical out-of-combat for Spell Mastered at-will Shield. Sounds cheesy, but that's more of a problem with 5e Reactions not being able to be taken without their specific trigger, even if it would make sense otherwise to be able to.)

[AHF]

A couple that could be useful:

Mirror Image (concentration free defense - combo with dodge if in serious trouble)

Haste (no startup - just Haste and get attacking immediately)

Invisibility (mentioned above)

Blink (still take an action and get your instant defense)

Blur (same)

Armor of Agathas (same)

Faerie Fire (instant advantage and then attack same round)

Bless (same rationale)

Hold Person (same)

Darkness (same)

Dispel Magic (lots of utility)

Fly (utility)

Which is most appropriate really depends on your character and role in the party.