Disguise Self
- Spell Level: Level 1
- Available Classes: Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard, Cleric (Trickery Domain), Ranger (Gloom Stalker)
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range/Area: Self
- Duration: 1 hour
- Damage/Effect: Shapechanging
- School of Magic: Illusion
- Attack/Saving Throw: None
- Components: V, S
- Spell on DnD Beyond
The basic idea of changing your appearance to engage in mischief undetected, infiltrate places, or entangle other characters in problems sounds really useful at first and certainly is in some situations. However, this spell comes with some drawbacks that make it used less often than one would expect.
The spell is purely visual and merely an illusion – the change is not real. You may look like someone else, but you still smell the same, feel the same, and have the same voice as before.
A simple touch, a question about the voice, or even a sharp sense of smell can theoretically expose the spell. It is good for a quick, fleeting trick but not for a long-term or deep deception. You still have to act convincingly. This leads to the point that you more often resort to other solutions.
