I've never liked Heighten Spell . . .

[Jeph]

I don't know if anyone else shares my opinion, if they don't, please don't clutter the thread and just create a post in Rules instead. But I've never liked Heighten Spell. It just seemed kinda . . . sucky. I mean, I can cast a Fireball at slot level 6 that deals max damage, or I can cast a Fireball at level 6 with +3 DC. Even if the +3 DC causes them to fail their save, it only does +0.5 more damage per level than the Maxed spell. So, does this work as an alternative?

Heighten Spell [Metamagic]
You can cast spells with more power than their normal versions.
benefit: When you cast a Heightened spell, you gain +X effective caster levels for the purposes of casting that spell only. A Heightened spell takes up a spell slot X higher than normal. For example, a 8th level sorcerer casts a Heightened (+1) Fireball. The Fireball takes up a 4th level spell slot, does 9d6 fire damage, and the sorcerer adds +9 (instead of +8) to any caster level checks made to bead SR.

 

[Oni]

Well it is better for damage type spells, but fireball isn't the spell by which all metamagic feats should be judged. Heightened doesn't do much for fireball, but for save or die type spells like polymorph other, or charm type spells it can really add some oomph.

 

[ruleslawyer]

Yeah, not too fond of this alternative. Heighten is for save-or-die spells, not artillery spells. You could adopt this as a different feat entirely, though.

 

[Destil]

The main problem with heighten is that there's little point in using a heightened charm person at 4th vs a charm monster. Usualy higher level spells get better stuff in addition to the DC boost.

That said, I'd leave heighten as is. It's great for a Sorcerer, for instance. And some feats are supposted to be worse than others, as they function as prerequesits. If you dislike a weak heighten perhaps making it the base of a more useful feat chain (like Dodge) could help.

 

[Spatzimaus]

As Destil pointed out, higher spells beat metamagicked lower-level spells. This happens to just about all metamagic Feats, and that's a good thing; there shouldn't be a substitute for getting high-level spells.

As to Heighten, look at which spells it's useful on when comparing to Empower.
Heighten works on all offensive spells requiring a save.
Empower works on all spells with a variable component.

Sure, there's overlap. Fireball does both. But look at the spells that only have one of the two.
Polymorph Other and most of the save-or-die spells will only be affected by Heighten.
On the other hand, saveless spells like Melf's Acid Arrow and defensive buffs like Endurance can be Empowered, but there aren't many variable non-damage spells at the higher levels.

To top it off, Heighten allows you to get past Globes of Invulnerability and the like. Which is more useful in the long run depends on the character, but I can easily see Heighten for some people. (I had a Sorcerer with no damage spells; Empower would have been practically worthless)

It's fine as is.

 

[Plane Sailing]

To top it off, Heighten allows you to get past Globes of Invulnerability and the like. Which is more useful in the long run depends on the character, but I can easily see Heighten for some people. (I had a Sorcerer with no damage spells; Empower would have been practically worthless)

It's fine as is.

I was going to mention this one - I think getting a spell past globes of invulnerability is quite a major one.

Additionally, and I don't know whether this is a core rule or just my interpretation, I would allow a heightened spell to have the damage cap raised to the "new" level. So if you cast Fireball heightened to 7th level it would cap at 20d6 (25d6 at 9th?)

Cheers

 

[Destil]

Additionally, and I don't know whether this is a core rule or just my interpretation, I would allow a heightened spell to have the damage cap raised to the "new" level. So if you cast Fireball heightened to 7th level it would cap at 20d6 (25d6 at 9th?)

Cheers

Interpretation, and a problematic one at that... A heightened fireball as 7th for 20d6, save DC +17 (and a 7th level spell that has all the side perks, like not being affected by globes), or a empowered empowered fireball, 10d6 + 1/2(10d6) + 1/2(10d6) = 20d6, save DC +13. This would make empower quite pale in compairson...

 

[ruleslawyer]

Also, the fact that WotC saw fit to include a separate feat for increasing spell damage caps (Enhance Spell, ELH) means that this house rule for Heighten may overpower the feat.

 

[Khorod]

ruleslayer, epic level handbook is optional, not core. So a house rule can safely ignore it.

Is this an issue with what Heighten does, or what it does at the cost of spending a feat?

If its a feat issue, try doing something like

Potent Spell [Metamagic]
You gain the use of the Empower Spell & Heighten Spell feats from the SRD.

Since they are often used for different things, it makes sense that you take one feat and are able to up the power of most or all spells.

Where does it say that a Heightened Spell can get through a globe of invulnerability?

 

[Terraism]

As Destil pointed out, higher spells beat metamagicked lower-level spells. This happens to just about all metamagic Feats, and that's a good thing; there shouldn't be a substitute for getting high-level spells.

See, I'd argue this. I think the nicest thing about metamagic feats is that it should/could broaden up the number of spells available; really, there's no reason that a seventh level Fireball or Charm Person should be less powerful than other spells of seventh level. But, I doubt you can argue that they are - after all, hmm... a Charm Person, even with +7 to the DC, is nowhere near something like, say, Simulacrum. Nor is an beefed-up fireball quite as nice as a Delayed Blast Fireball - after all, though it depends on how you beef it, the DBF has a higher DC and does more damage. That's the thing, though - why shouldn't those be as powerful?