Sanity Check: Order of Scribes Awakened Spellbook

[ProsecutorGodot]

The second bulletpoint of Awakened Spellbook grants you the following benefit:

When you cast a wizard spell with a spell slot, you can temporarily replace its damage type with a type that appears in another spell in your spellbook, which magically alters the spell’s formula for this casting only. The latter spell must be of the same level as the spell slot you expend.

I believe that the wording "with a type that appears in another spell in your spellbook" would include spells that have either conditional damage (Phantasmal Force) or spells that allow you to choose a damage type (Chromatic Orb). Does that seem right? I'm asking because in our Avernus campaign we just reached level 5 and Fireball would be much more effective if I could use Spirit Shroud to have it deal Radiant Damage.

If that is indeed the case, which spells should I keep in mind for (a)being a good option to change damage type for more effectiveness or (b)pick for 4th and 5th level that will be useful and offer a strong damage type to swap for.

[Unoriginal]

The second bulletpoint of Awakened Spellbook grants you the following benefit:


I believe that the wording "with a type that appears in another spell in your spellbook" would include spells that have either conditional damage (Phantasmal Force) or spells that allow you to choose a damage type (Chromatic Orb). Does that seem right?

Indeed. So long as the spell is of the correct level and *may* cause damages of the relevant damage type, the substitution can happen.

[Thunderous Mojo]

Elemental Bane as a 4th level spell grants access to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder energy types.

Storm Sphere and Ice Storm also grant access to bludgeoning damage and one elemental type at 4th level.

Mord's Faithful Hound gives access to Piercing Damage.
Phantasmal Killer grants access to replace other damage types with Psychic. Fire Shield yields access to Fire and Cold damage substitution.

5th level, if my memory is correct, doesn't have any spells that offer multiple damage types. Bludgeoning DMG via Transmute Rock, Psychic DMG via Synaptic Static, Radiant DMG through Wall of Light or the Dawn spell, Fire DMG through Immolation. Enervation handles Necrotic damage and Cloudkill handles poison damage.

[PhantomSoul]

Indeed. So long as the spell is of the correct level and *may* cause damages of the relevant damage type, the substitution can happen.

And for extra fun, Absorb Elements and the more situational Protection from Energy list types (the description, at least as copy-pasted, requires the type appearing, not that type of damage to be dealt by the spell).

[Merudo]

Does that seem right? I'm asking because in our Avernus campaign we just reached level 5 and Fireball would be much more effective if I could use Spirit Shroud to have it deal Radiant Damage.


At spell level 3, Glyph of Warding can change the type to Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Thunder, and has the advantage of not being a completely useless spell.

[ProsecutorGodot]

At spell level 3, Glyph of Warding can change the type to Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Thunder, and has the advantage of not being a completely useless spell.

It's a spell that has never been all that practical for me to even try to use, the material component is expensive. I had considered it but Spirit Shroud offers a better damage type and can see use with Scorching Ray if I need to get some high single target damage.

Both are relatively poor on their own for my character, but I can see a potential use case for Spirit Shroud. I don't foresee powdered diamonds being very easily accessible in hell.

Honestly I'd rather have Protection From Energy if I wanted access to those damage types.

follow up question, and a bit more of a stretch: Summon Fey. Is the stat block for the fey spirit part of the spell? The fey spirit deals force damage on its attacks. My Wizard has some fey theming and this would be an effective and thematic choice. The only issue here seems to be finding a gilded flower worth 300gp... in hell.