Heighten Spell Feat

[tylernwn]

NWN never implemented the metamagic feat Heighten Spell.
I would love to see it in game, if it's not a technical nightmare to implement.

How it works:
Heighten Spell raises any selected spell to the level of the (higher) slot it is occupying. So for example you could raise the web spell (2nd circle, DC 12) to 5th circle (DC 15) where it would occupy a 5th level spell slot. Apart from having a higher DC, the spell is unchanged.

This is great for DC casting, and gives DC spells a much greater lifespan. 

From the above link:
A heightened spell has a higher spell level than normal (up to a maximum of 9th level). Unlike other metamagic feats, Heighten Spell actually increases the effective level of the spell that it modifies. All effects dependent on spell level (such as saving throw DCs and ability to penetrate a lesser globe of invulnerability) are calculated according to the heightened level. The heightened spell is as difficult to prepare and cast as a spell of its effective level. For example, a cleric could prepare hold person as a 4th-level spell (instead of a 2nd-level spell), and it would in all ways be treated as a 4th-level spell.

[Iridni Ren]

I would love this feat.

It makes the strongest casters even stronger, however, which I think undermines balance.

[tylernwn]

Well Heighten Spell has a few other implications. In addition to the phenomenal ability to cast spells at higher DCs, this feat also vastly improves the flexibility of casters.

For example a wizard could heighten fireball into a 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th … level spell slot. So assuming that a wizard has 4 slots per circle, a 20th level wizard could cast fireball 28 times (4 times per circle starting at 3rd). Casters can move useful spells into higher slots, to get more uses out of them.

Although Heighten Spell is an extremely useful core rulebook feat from 3.5e, if there are already balance issues with casters, know that this feat will make them even better. So there is that to bear in mind too.

[Iridni Ren]

Well Heighten Spell has a few other implications. In addition to the phenomenal ability cast spells at higher DCs, this feat also vastly improves the flexibility of casters.

For example a wizard could heighten fireball into a 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th … level spell slots. So assuming that a wizard has 4 slots per circle, a 20th level wizard could cast fireball 28 times (4 times per circle starting at 3rd). Casters can move useful spells into higher slots, to get more uses out of it.

Although Heighten Spell is an extremely useful core rulebook feat from 3.5e, if there are already balance issues with casters, know that this feat will make them even better. So there is that to bear in mind too.

Making it a sorcerer-only feat might be an idea, as it would benefit them the most, and they are generally considered the caster class that could use a buff. A sorcerer in your example could cast fireball 42 times, some of them with with pretty high DCs. As sorcerers have fewer spells to pick from, the feat would seem to be a no-brainer for them.

But IMO it would be way too powerful.

[Glass Cannon]

Apart from technical restrictions, probably not meant to stack with feats like Voice of Wrath.

[tylernwn]

Well Heighten Spell has a few other implications. In addition to the phenomenal ability cast spells at higher DCs, this feat also vastly improves the flexibility of casters.

For example a wizard could heighten fireball into a 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th … level spell slots. So assuming that a wizard has 4 slots per circle, a 20th level wizard could cast fireball 28 times (4 times per circle starting at 3rd). Casters can move useful spells into higher slots, to get more uses out of it.

Although Heighten Spell is an extremely useful core rulebook feat from 3.5e, if there are already balance issues with casters, know that this feat will make them even better. So there is that to bear in mind too.

Making it a sorcerer-only feat might be an idea, as it would benefit them the most, and they are generally considered the caster class that could use a buff. A sorcerer in your example could cast fireball 42 times, some of them with with pretty high DCs. As sorcerers have fewer spells to pick from, the feat would seem to be a no-brainer for them.

But IMO it would be way too powerful.

On my sorcerer I already use the current metamagic feats to emulate some of this spell slot flexibility. For example my current sorcerer Zowyn uses 3rd, 5th and 6th circle spell slots for fireball. However those spells have enhanced damage (instead of enhanced DC).

To what extent adding more spell flexibility is balance breaking, is probably down to discussion.

[EO]

First of all, there’s no way for now to add new metamagic feats. That’s hardcoded. Secondly, there are no plans to buff arcane casters so we’re not adding content for those classes. Eventually if we can tone down their power a bit we could consider giving them new toys but they don’t need any now.

[zDark Shadowz]

You can take silent and still spell to effectively heighten anything for unchanged effects, though you cant silent spells that are without verbal components or still spells without somatic components.

Use the effectively double feats this server gives you and take both, and you're set.

[tylernwn]

You can take silent and still spell to effectively heighten anything for unchanged effects, though you cant silent spells that are without verbal components or still spells without somatic components.

Use the effectively double feats this server gives you and take both, and you're set.

Unfortunately those doesn't give you the increased DC, which is the core feature of this feat.

[tylernwn]

First of all, there’s no way for now to add new metamagic feats. That’s hardcoded. Secondly, there are no plans to buff arcane casters so we’re not adding content for those classes. Eventually if we can tone down their power a bit we could consider giving them new toys but they don’t need any now.

I think the bigger issue is that adding new metamagics is not possible. While I have no doubt that creating the modified spells is not a problem, creating the interface to interact with them seems to be.

Furthermore convincing the Community Council/Devs to add this even if it were possible, seems like it is going to be an uphill battle.

[Revenant]

First of all, there’s no way for now to add new metamagic feats. That’s hardcoded. Secondly, there are no plans to buff arcane casters so we’re not adding content for those classes. Eventually if we can tone down their power a bit we could consider giving them new toys but they don’t need any now.

I think the bigger issue is that adding new metamagics is not possible. While I have no doubt that creating the modified spells is not a problem, creating the interface to interact with them seems to be.

Furthermore convincing the Community Council/Devs to add this even if it were possible, seems like it is going to be an uphill battle.

Pretty sure the Community Council would not have any influence on something like this, just FYI. EO on the other hand is about as good as the horse's mouth gets, for the dev team. If he says it can't/won't be done, I'd consider that a done deal.

Wizards are pretty comfortably powerful as it is, though. I don't think they're in a place where they should be getting a massive leg up, even if it could be done.

[Marcus Weyland]

There are a lot of cool spells that don't see much usage due in part to their low caster levels. For instance, Shock Treatment, Shadow Binding, Shackle, Hideous Laughter, Torrent of Tears, and Cone of Dimness are all effects that I love conceptually, but you really feel the low DC. Cloud of Bewilderment is tied with Great Thunderclap for my absolute favorite wiz/sorc spell in the game.

If we lived in a perfect world of flawless balancing and infinite Dev time/resources, these spells would appear across the full breadth of the spellcaster experience. Unfortunately, giving wizards and sorcerers even MORE versatility is probably not a great idea in this flawed, realistic world we live in.

[tylernwn]

First of all, there’s no way for now to add new metamagic feats. That’s hardcoded. Secondly, there are no plans to buff arcane casters so we’re not adding content for those classes. Eventually if we can tone down their power a bit we could consider giving them new toys but they don’t need any now.

I think the bigger issue is that adding new metamagics is not possible. While I have no doubt that creating the modified spells is not a problem, creating the interface to interact with them seems to be.

Furthermore convincing the Community Council/Devs to add this even if it were possible, seems like it is going to be an uphill battle.

Pretty sure the Community Council would not have any influence on something like this, just FYI. EO on the other hand is about as good as the horse's mouth gets, for the dev team. If he says it can't/won't be done, I'd consider that a done deal.

Wizards are pretty comfortably powerful as it is, though. I don't think they're in a place where they should be getting a massive leg up, even if it could be done.

I am not sure if this feat is actually a massive leg up. It is a standard 3.5e feat from the core rulebook. I think that the only reason that it isn't in the base game is because the Player Handbook 3.5 was published in 2003, and Neverwinter Nights the game was published in 2002.

Nevertheless, I think that this thread has served its purpose:
Idea suggested => Response received