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A sorcerer summons a hovering globe of water to envelope enemies that lack the strength to resist; soon after, with uncanny speed, the sorcerer moves the watery sphere across the battlefield to scoop up additional enemies along the way. While engulfed by the water, the enemies can barely move, let alone dodge the bolt of lightning that the sorcerer releases in the same instant.
I manually combed through the PHB and XGTE spells to identify each spell that has a continuous effect that requires actions during its duration. Yes, it took a while! Please don’t confuse this concept with the majority of spells that require an action to cast (that would not be helpful list). I’m talking about spells like Sunbeam that have spell descriptions that read, “You can create a new line of radiance as your action on any turn until the spell ends.” Other examples include Call Lightning to strike goblins with bolts from the sky, Dragon’s Breath (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything) to incinerate kobolds with your breath, or Levitate to lift yourself higher into the air.
I refer to these spells as ‘continuous action spells’. The majority of these continuous action spells are unique, though some fit into unspoken categories with similar spells; some common continuous action spells can use actions for manipulating illusions, enhancing attacks, or controlling enchanted/charmed creatures.
You might wonder why I bothered to create this list; it’s because I’m analyzing Sorcerer class Metamagic. Continuous action spells benefit heavily from the Sorcerer Metamagic ‘Quickened Spell’ which allows a spellcaster to still cast a spell after using their action for a continuous action spell’s effect(s). I’ve indicated whether a spell is found in the Sorcerer spell list to highlight spells that can easily be coupled with the Quickened Spell Metamagic. I’m not including cantrips, and I’m not including spells that use bonus actions after being cast since those spells don’t synergize with Quickened Spell. Some spells synergize with Quickened Spell Metamagic, and I’ve made notes for those instances.
Before we get to my lists, you should also be aware that the cantrip called Mind Sliver in TCoE synergizes well with Quickened Spell. You can use Mind Sliver with your action to cripple a monster’s next saving throw, and immediately use your Quickened Spell to cast a “save or suck” spell as a bonus action, like Hold Monster or Polymorph.
Now, here are the spells that will continuously use your action while you’re using them, allowing them to synergize well with Quickened Spell:
Sorcerer Spells
- Watery Sphere
- Use your action to move the Watery Sphere and restrain enemies. The Restrained condition imposes disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, so you can follow up with Quickened Spell to cast Lightning Bolt on all creatures within the sphere. They’ll have disadvantage on the Dexterity saving throw while restrained, so you’ll likely deal full damage. The DM might enhance the lightning damage due to the targets being engulfed in water (even though there’s not an official rule for water and electricity).
- Eyebite (your choice of spell effects)
- Eyebite can cause a creature to become unconscious, causing it to automatically fail Dexterity and Strength saving throws, receive critical hits from five-foot melee attacks, and drop its stuff. You’ll use Quickened Spell Metamagic after you force a creature to fall unconscious, allowing you to cast a spell like Disintegrate or Web that requires a Dex save. The unconscious target will automatically fail the saving throw.
- Crown of Madness Player’s Handbook (maintain control)
- Sunbeam (create a line of radiance to harm and blind)
- Use your action to create a ray of radiance to damage and blind a spellcaster so they can’t see you casting a spell and they can’t Counterspell you, then use Quickened Spell Metamagic to cast a spell that requires an attack roll (like Scorching Ray) since you’ll have advantage on the attack roll while the target is blinded.
- Dragon’s Breath Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (cone breath attack)
- Witch Bolt Player’s Handbook (continue lightning damage)
- Absorb Elements (the part where it empowers an attack)
- Flame Arrows (attack)
- Shadow Blade Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (attack)
- Control Winds (alter the wind)
- Enervation Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (drain life)
- Investiture of (Stone/Flame/Ice/Wind) (offensive abilities based on element)
- Maximillian’s Earthen Grasp (change target or crush current target)
- Use your action to move the hand to a different target to restrain them. Then use Quickened Spell Metamagic to cast Lightning Bolt while the restrained target has disadvantage on Dexterity Saving Throws.
- Wall of Light Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (light attack)
- Whirlwind (move the whirlwind)
- Use your action to move the Whirlwind, scooping up enemies and restraining them. Then use Quickened Spell Metamagic to cast a spell like Fireball since the enemies in the whirlwind will have disadvantage on their Dexterity Saving Throws due to being restrained.
- Silent Image (when manipulating illusion)
- Major Image (when manipulating illusion)
- Telekinesis (push/pull/etc with your mind)
- This reminds me of Frieza killing Krillin in Dragonball Z. Use your action to restrain the target with Telekinesis, and follow up with Quickened Spell Metamagic to cast Disintegrate while the target has disadvantage on Dexterity Saving Throws due to being restrained.
- Detect Thoughts (probe below surface thoughts)
- Detect Magic (see magical auras)
- Blink (dismiss the spell)
- Alter Self (transform)
Non-Sorcerer Spells
- Moonbeam (move beam)
- Goodberry (eat berry)
- Call Lightning (strike with lightning)
- Soul Cage (Eyes of the Dead feature)
- Holy Weapon Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (attack)
- Guardian of Nature Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (attack)
- Project Image (manipulate illusion)
- Vampiric Touch (attack to drain life)
- Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere (when rolling the sphere)
- Mislead (manipulate illusion)
- Levitate (lift or lower)
- Control Water (repeat effect or choose new effect)
- Beast Sense Player’s Handbook (switch to/from beast’s senses)
- Arcane Eye (move the eye)
- Flame Blade (attack)
- Elemental Weapon Player’s Handbook (attack)
- Dominate Person (take total control)
- Dominate Monster (take total control)
- Dominate Beast (take total control)
- Magic Jar (body snatching!)
I created this list manually, so can you think of any spells I missed? Are they useful for Sorcerers with Quickened Spell Metamagic? Let me know in the comments and I’ll update the list as needed.
I hope you’ll reference this list and share it with potential Sorcerers out there. I enjoy seeing Sorcerers that are not overshadowed by Wizards or Bards, and utilizing Metamagic is a valuable way to accomplish that.
You can read our other spell-analysis articles here.
We are particularly proud of our spell analysis for the Dream spell.
Nice rundown, but Im a little confused … this list allows you to use your action to continue a spell’s effects from a previous turn while using sorcery points (and spell slots) to cast something with your bonus action via the quickened metamagic. However, wouldnt spells that allow continued use of *bonus actions* (like Storm Sphere) be better, since they would free up you action for all kinds of things, including cast spells without spending sorcery points for quickening them?
Hi Mike, you’re right that some options will be better in a given circumstance. The summary I provided in this article is merely informative, and not making a claim that anything within the summary is the best way to cast spells. My hope is to help players who are less-familiar with spellcasting to explore their options. Summarizing the concept was also helpful for me as an exploratory exercise as I was particularly interested in how to get more value out of the Quickened Spell Metamagic option.
Thank you for your comment 🙂
Thanks, this is just the thing I was looking for, well actually I was wondering if it’s allowed to cast a quickened spell while continuing the effects of another. This list answers that question, and then some.
I was wondering if you could add on to this, unless something like it already exists. Create a list of spells that target a single creature which would be useful for Twinning Spell.
Hi Valtrius, it’s such an honor to hear that my research has helped you!
Your idea to list out single-target spells for the sake of evaluating their use for Twinning Spell is intriguing. It might take me a while as I have a few articles I want to write in my backlog, but I’ve added your idea to my list. I think that will be a good exercise to help me learn about spells, and then impart my findings to the internet.
You can’t cast two spells using spell slots on the same turn. If you cast a spell as a bonus action, you’re only allowed to cast a cantrip (or any of the other actions possible in combat).
Hi Yeh,
That’s a common misconception. You can cast two spells using spell slots on the same turn as long as you don’t cast one of them with a bonus action (PHB p.202), so your second statement is correct but the first one is not. For example, a Wizard multiclassed as a Fighter can use Action Surge to cast two leveled spells in a single turn, both using an action. Given the context of this article, it’s important to note that using an action to maintain an effect of a spell is not the same as casting a spell, so using Quickened Spell Metamagic to cast a spell as a bonus action is fair game while using an action to maintain a concentration spell’s persistent effect. You could also cast Counterspell during your turn as a reaction while casting Fireball as an action as you prevent a foe from casting Counterspell on your Fireball, which is another example of casting two leveled spells during a single turn.
This list is incredible. I recommend adding magic jar to the non-sorcerer spells seeing as though it allows you to use your action to body snatch.
Added!
This is a terrific list! One of the best uses of quickened spell I’ve found comes from Tasha’s and the new cantrip Mind Sliver. This spell does relatively low damage but crucially it requires an INT save, which far fewer monsters are proficient in than WIS or CHA. If the target fails they subtract 1d4 from their next saving throw. This is great for setting up your big “save or suck” spell like Polymorph or Feeblemind. Even better, you can cast Mind Sliver with Quickened Spell followed by your big spell with Heightened Spell, meaning your target is now taking the save at -1d4 and disadvantage. At my table this combination along with the eloquence bard’s Unsettling Words have caused some real issues for my monsters and villains.
Thank you for the compliment! And even more thanks for the excellent point about Mind Sliver setting up powerful spells to succeed. It’s a concept I knew of, but I think this article would benefit from an update to specifically mention Mind Sliver. 🙂
“You can use Mind Sliver with Quickened Spell to cripple a monster’s next saving throw, and immediately use your action to cast a “save or suck” spell, like Hold Monster or Polymorph.” This needs to be reworded. You will cast Mind Sliver as an action and use a quickened leveled spell.
Hi Saint Vidar, can you clarify what you’re going for? Quickened Spell Metamagic can be used on cantrips and leveled spells, and the ordering for action and bonus action doesn’t matter.
Hi Flutes,
This was not my comment, but I had the same thought, so I’ll jump in with a reply.
PHB 202 says: “A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift … You can’t cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action”. If you start by casting Mind Sliver as a bonus action, then RAW you cannot cast a levelled spell using your action. The point Saint Vidar was making is that the combo still works: you can use an action to cast Mind Sliver, and then use Quickened Spell to cast a levelled spell as a bonus action.
Ah, I see. The action spell is required to be the cantrip. It ends up being irrelevant, but yes, technically the action must be used for casting Mind Sliver and the leveled spell cast as the bonus action. Thank you for clarifying. I updated the text to reflect the proper ordering.
Hi, came here after I decided to create a sorcerer for the next campaign. first off, great work! helped a lot.
One question about “Absorb Elements” how does that work with quickened spell? “Absorb Elements” is a reaction, so no use here. and the attack part is a Melee weapon attack, not a spell so I don’t think quickened Spell has any effect on this. unless you meant that you can use the attack + the bonus damage from AE and then quickened spell to use a non cantrip Spell in addition as you haven’t cast a Spell yet during your turn. (like monster blasts you, you react with AE, then on your turn you run forward, melee hit the monster + 1d6 elemental -> quickened spell -> Burning Hands)
in that case it probably would needs a bit more of a description and is unrelated to “Absorb Elements” per se, as the same combination could be done simply by using a default melee attack action, or any non magic Action combined with another magic action.
Hi Jerome, thank you for the positive feedback!
The Absorb Elements bit is for the part of the spell that empowers an attack. You can use Absorb Elements during a monster’s turn, then on your turn you can make an attack with extra elemental damage while using Quickened Spell to cast a spell as a bonus action in the same turn. That’s what I meant to portray. 🙂
Great article (as all of yours are). In 2024, the dominate X spells no longer provide a means to expend an action to take total control over the affected target.
Thank you! And I’ll have to look into the updated spell(s).