Enlarge – Reduce

Level 2 Transmutation spell available to Sorcerers and Wizards. Make a creature bigger, and it hits harder and gets Advantage on Strength checks and saves. Make it smaller, and it hits softer and gets Disadvantage on the same. One spell, two very different jobs.

Spell description: Make a creature larger or smaller. This affects their weapon damage and Strength Checks and Saving Throws.

Spell properties

• Range: 9m (30ft)
• Duration: 10 turns
• Concentration spell
• Save: CON save (unwilling target)
• Conditions applied: Enlarged or Reduced. Affects weapon damage, Strength Checks and Saving Throws.
• Cost: Action + Spell Slot
• Recharge: Per action

Spell upcasting

Casting Enlarge/Reduce at higher levels provides no additional benefits.

How to obtain Enlarge/Reduce

• Sorcerer, Wizard at Class level 3

Source items: Elixir, Who’s a Big Boy? Staff, Oil of Diminution

Enlarge/Reduce spell variants

Enlarge is a buff for an ally. Reduce is a debuff and gets a Constitution save on an unwilling target.

1. Enlarge

2. Reduce

When to cast Enlarge/Reduce

Enlarge on your Barbarian is the obvious play and it is a good one. An extra 1d4 on every swing over ten turns adds up, but the Strength Advantage is the real prize: Advantage on shoves, Advantage against every push and grapple, and an Enlarged character shoving enemies off ledges is a lot of damage from a Level 2 slot.

Reduce is quietly the better half against the right target. A Reduced brute deals less damage with every hit and has Disadvantage on Strength saves, which means your Thunderwave, your Gust of Wind, and your Barbarian’s shove all land on it. Shrink the ogre, then push it off the cliff.

It is Concentration and it targets one creature, so it competes with Haste and Web for the Wizard’s one slot. It wins that fight early in the game and loses it from level five onward.