Alter Self

Transmutation

Level: 2nd-level

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Duration: Up to 1 hour

Components: V, S

You assume a different form. When you cast the spell, choose one of the following options, the effects of which last for the duration of the spell. While the spell lasts, you can end one option as an action to gain the benefits of a different one.

Aquatic Adaptation. You adapt your body to an aquatic environment, sprouting gills and growing webbing between your fingers. You can breathe underwater and gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.

Change Appearance. You transform your appearance. You decide what you look like, including your height, weight, facial features, sound of your voice, hair length, coloration, and distinguishing characteristics, if any. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your statistics change. You also can't appear as a creature of a different size than you, and your basic shape stays the same; if you're bipedal, you can't use this spell to become quadrupedal, for instance. At any time for the duration of the spell, you can use your action to change your appearance in this way again.

Natural Weapons. You grow claws, fangs, spines, horns, or a different natural weapon of your choice. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, as appropriate to the natural weapon you chose, and you are proficient with your unarmed strikes. Finally, the natural weapon is magic and you have a +1 bonus to the attack and damage rolls you make using it.

Concentration

Spell Details

School: Transmutation

Level: 2

Ritual: No

Concentration: Yes

Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard

A-Tier Alter Self is a versatile utility and combat spell offering multiple specialized adaptations for different scenarios, though it requires action economy to switch forms.

Player Guide

Alter Self excels as a preparation tool before known encounters—use Aquatic Adaptation when you expect underwater combat, or Magical Disguise for infiltration. In combat, the spell's flexibility shines when you can predict environmental hazards: gills let you breathe underwater while enemies cannot, and natural weapons provide a bonus action attack when your primary actions are reserved for spellcasting or repositioning. The one-hour duration means you can cast it before entering a dungeon and switch adaptations mid-combat using your action, making it valuable for scouts and frontline casters alike.

Spell Combos

invisibility Cast Invisibility after using Magical Disguise to break concentration, allowing you to maintain a false form while becoming invisible for powerful infiltration tactics.water-breathing Aquatic Adaptation complements Water Breathing for extended underwater exploration where you need both adaptation benefits and party support.mirror-image Combine with natural weapons adaptation to gain AC boosts while your illusory copies create confusion about which form is real.

DM Tips

Clarify whether Magical Disguise can replicate specific individuals (typically it cannot without additional magic like a disguise kit) and whether the natural weapons modification affects your attack bonus based on Strength or Dexterity. Be cautious about allowing Aquatic Adaptation to completely trivialize water-based encounters—consider that enemies may have their own aquatic abilities or use environmental hazards beyond simple drowning.

Related Spells

disguise-self water-breathing polymorph