D&D 5E (2014) Expanding spells capabilities with upcasting

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I'd have a simpler effect on Detect Magic, when you use a 3rd level or higher slot the spell no longer needs concentration and the duration increases to an hour.

Only issue with that is rituals, which have no slot cost.

 

[Vael]

Only issue with that is rituals, which have no slot cost.

I thought any time you cast a spell without using a slot ... ie via ritual casting, it is cast at its lowest level.

 

[Stalker0]

The biggest thing to me is looking at similar spells of different levels and asking "could this just be a single spell with an upcast?"

 

[Stalker0]

I thought any time you cast a spell without using a slot ... ie via ritual casting, it is cast at its lowest level.

yep that's correct.

 

[Li Shenron]

The "at higher levels" section of the spell doesn't lend to taking up too much space - I've done some expansion but its usually extra targets or more damage. Generally, if it adds a whole new effect, I'd just make a higher level spell.

And therein lies the rub; if upcasting gives extra effects you are giving casters extra free spells to their Spells Known

That is exactly what I wish for.

and metamagic that bypasses Sorcerer's spell point usage.

I don't think so, because metamagic increases existing effects but doesn't add new ones, and I am not looking for more "at higher levels" options to increase numbers.

 

[Rabulias]

Nevermind. I misread.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Last session I cast Detect Magic while in a Wizard's mansion, lots of magic kept showing up, and each time I spent my action (though we were out of combat so it hardly mattered) to see the auras and identify the school of magic, but not the actual spells.

This reminded me how I thought before about some design space left unused with regards to spells that could have improved effects if upcasted. 5e has this wonderful mechanic of spending a higher than necessary level slot to boost a spell, and lots of spells deal more damage, more healing, last longer or affect more targets; many spells otherwise cannot be upcast.

I am looking here to see if any DM has expanded the use of some spells that normally don't have a "cast at higher level" option by allowing it, but I interested in additional functional effects, not in numerical boosts.

For example with regards to Detect Magic this could mean upcasting to identify the exact spells or effects, and then maybe upcasting even more to know additional information.

Another spell I have which could be expanded is Clairvoyance which allows to either see or hear but not both simultaneously; upcasting by one level could allow both, and then why not upcasting further could add darkvision, blindsight and finally truesight.

Anyone already doing this sort of thing?

Do we really need to make spellcasters even more exponentially powerful?

 

[the Jester]

A couple of things.

First, I strongly think that moving metamagic to sorcerers as a class ability was a huge missed opportunity. All metamagic should have been done as upcasting options.

Second, to answer the question, I don't do this in 5e, but have integrated a variety of upcasting options into my homebrewed version of dnd. For example:

Bless- up to three creatures within 60' get a 1d4 bonus die to attacks and saves for concentration, up to 1 minute. Upcast one level: add one target. Upcast 2 levels: increase duration to max 10 minutes. Upcast 2 levels: remove concentration.

Align Weapon- touch a weapon to make it chaotic, evil, good, or lawful for 10 minutes. While it is so aligned, it gains a 1d4 bonus die on attacks against creatures of the opposed alignment and does an extra 1d4 damage against such creatures. Upcast one level: add one weapon. Upcast two level: the weapon also gains a 1d4 bonus die to attacks. Upcast two level: the weapon also deals an extra 1d4 damage.

Invisibility- one creature (or an object up to Large) that you touch becomes invisible for as long as you concentrate, up to 10 minutes, or until the target attacks or casts a spell. While it is invisible, the target gets a 1d6 bonus die to attacks against creatures that can't see it, and a creature must spend 15' of movement to attempt to locate the target's position with a Wis check opposed by the target's Dex check. Even if it does, it takes a 1d6 penalty die to attacks against the target. Upcast one level: add one target. Upcast one level: increase max duration to 1 hour. Upcast 3 levels: attacking doesn't end the spell.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I thought any time you cast a spell without using a slot ... ie via ritual casting, it is cast at its lowest level.

Good to know! I dont think its ever come up w us.

 

[Li Shenron]

Do we really need to make spellcasters even more exponentially powerful?

Do you really need to comment on a thread you're not interested in?

"Exponentially" is entirely in your mind, I have thought of TWO spells so far, and nobody has given more examples so far.