Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Santrilla 03-31-05, 06:40 AM	Basically, I don't understand the benefit of Heighten Spell. Can someone explain it to me? It says that it changes a spell's level so that its effects get better, but aren't said effects dictated by caster level rather than spell level? For example, a fireball does 1d6/level damage. It's a level 3 spell. But if you cast it with CL 5, it does 5d6 damage, not 3d6 damage. I'm probably missing something obvious, so please correct me. :)
Bopple 03-31-05, 06:46 AM	It increases DC. If you heighten a Fireball upto 4th lvl, you gain +1 to DC.
smrtgmp 03-31-05, 06:49 AM	It allows you to increase the DC of the save. It can also have other effects. For instance, a darkness spell heightened to 4th level is more difficult to counter than a regular darkness spell, as daylight will not nullify it. A magic missile heightened to 4th level would penetrate a lesser globe of invulnerability. Its used when the perfect spell for the job is too low in level to be effective without a boost.
Santrilla 03-31-05, 06:51 AM	Gotcha. I see how it works now. Thanks guys :)
Thelon Fairblade 03-31-05, 01:22 PM	Drat, smrtgmp beat me to the key observation: "It's used when the perfect spell for the job is too low in level to be effective without a boost." For example, the 1st level spell Grease has no higher-level version. Heighten Spell can make it useful for your whole career (by increasing the save DC at higher spell level slots). I find Heighten Spell to be of great use to a Sorcerer, simply because a Sorcerer can choose at casting to use a higher-level slot to cast a lower level spell. Example: maybe you have Fireball and Lightning Bolt as 3rd level spells, but the foe is immune to Fire and Lightning. But you have this handy Frostburn spell at 2nd level that inflicts cold damage... Any sorcerer can use his 3rd lvel slot to toss the 2nd level spell, but with Heighten Spell, you can actually make it a 3rd level spell and get the +1 DC "oomph" out of the higher slot. [Of course, with all things sorcerer, remember the increased casting time when using metamagic.]
IMarvinTPA 03-31-05, 01:29 PM	I've been thinking about the idea of casting Baleful Transposition, a second level spell, at a potentially Spell Turning protected opponent. (And the other is an ally.) hightening it to around 7th to 9th, whatever I can manage. Thus, if I succeed, the buff ally is now in a position to do damage to the remaining foes, or if it is turned, I'm swapped with my ally and nothing serious has happened, except the spell turning has been used up! I've also considered charming or dominating the foe with the net side-effect of either really liking myself or controling my actions... IMarv
amoeba 03-31-05, 01:30 PM	Basically, I don't understand the benefit of Heighten Spell. Can someone explain it to me? It says that it changes a spell's level so that its effects get better, but aren't said effects dictated by caster level rather than spell level? For example, a fireball does 1d6/level damage. It's a level 3 spell. But if you cast it with CL 5, it does 5d6 damage, not 3d6 damage. I'm probably missing something obvious, so please correct me. :) also make sure you understand that when they say 1d6/level in the spell description, that /level is caster level not spell level. otherwise why would they not just say 3d6? whenever it says anything/level, it is the caster level of the person casting the spell.
Nom 03-31-05, 06:13 PM	I've also considered charming or dominating the foe with the net side-effect of either really liking myself or controling my actions...Doesn't work like this. See the first paragraph of spell turning.
IMarvinTPA 03-31-05, 07:01 PM	I fail to understand your disagreement. Spells and spell-like effects targeted on you are turned back upon the original caster. The abjuration turns only spells that have you as a target. Effect and area spells are not affected. Spell turning also fails to stop touch range spells. A spell, say charm monster raised to 9th level, which is a targeted spell is turned. Shold my FOE have spell turning on, I don't end up blinded/deafened/royally f'ed up, I just attempt to cast a spell upon them. If it is turned I will just attempt to charm myself, or dominate myself, which is harmless to me, but harmful to them should it not be turned. IMarv
Nom 03-31-05, 07:38 PM	I was referring to "Thus a charm person spell cast at you could be turned back upon the caster and possibly allow you to use the charm effect on that individual".
smrtgmp 03-31-05, 09:00 PM	Drat, smrtgmp beat me to the key observation::D For example, the 1st level spell Grease has no higher-level version. Heighten Spell can make it useful for your whole career (by increasing the save DC at higher spell level slots).I too love grease. One of my favorite 1st level spells (which is why I made some higher level versions, which I can PM to anyone who is interested). If you're looking for a harder to resist, grease-like effect, I highly reccomend Freezing Fog from CA. Its identical to solid fog, except that everything it touches is covered in an icy sheen that functions like grease. And it does 1d6 damage per round. No save (except against the grease-like slippage), no SR. One of my favorite 5th level spells.
IMarvinTPA 03-31-05, 09:07 PM	I was referring to "Thus a charm person spell cast at you could be turned back upon the caster and possibly allow you to use the charm effect on that individual". I didn't say that. I said if it were turned, I would be charming myself or dominating myself. Which has no real value to anybody. IMarv
Nom 03-31-05, 09:15 PM	I didn't say that. I said if it were turned, I would be charming myself or dominating myself. Which has no real value to anybody.And I'm suggesting that spell turning gives an explict example (as quoted) that a turned charm person leaves the original caster charmed towards the turner. That said, there is no explicit rule that caster and target are reversed, but the example requires this interpretation.
IMarvinTPA 03-31-05, 10:06 PM	Darn SRD not including the examples. It doesn't have words to the effect that the target/caster roles reverse except in the example. IMarv