Alternate use for Heighten Spell

[AeroDm]

Heighten Spell doesn't usually see much play in our campaigns (probably because we focus on lower levels) so I had a quick idea to make it more useful.

What if you allowed Heighten Spell to reduce the cost of material components by half for every level increase you used. So an Identify cast in a 2nd level slot would require 50gp, a 3rd level slot 25gp, and so on.

It seems intuitive to me that once a caster can waste higher level slots things should come more easily, and this would also make identifying things less annoying in those medium levels.

 

[Vrecknidj]

That sounds like a fine house rule. I don't really see it coming in handy much in combat, but it sure will make wizards happy if the DM otherwse is a stickler about counting pennies.

On the other hand, it could end up drastically altering access to money for such wizards, because if strict accounting is used, then this could really, really benefit wizards (and other spellcasters).

Dave

 

[Anabstercorian]

Yeah... Especially things like dead raising spells. Raise the dead with a
6th: 2500
7th: 1250
8th: 625
9th: 312

is a BIG change from 5000 gp.

 

[UltimaGabe]

Yeah... Especially things like dead raising spells. Raise the dead with a
6th: 2500
7th: 1250
8th: 625
9th: 312

is a BIG change from 5000 gp.

Then again, you're going to be at least 17th level before you can do that, so what's so bad about not having to spend 5,000 gp to raise someone from the dead? They still lose a level, and by that point, 5,000 gp should be nothing to you anyway.

 

[Humanophile]

IMC, all spellcasters have Heighten Spell automatically. With Complete Arcane, I've added Cooperative Spell to the list, and am strongly considering Fortify Spell, too. If casters want to make good use of Heighten and/or metamagic in general, the feat Improved Heighten allows them to "double up" on metamagic levels, treating a metamagiced spell as its full level for all purposes. (I'm tempted to allow the same for Fortify, possibly even tripling up what the level differences are used for, but I can't shake the nagging feeling that's horrible for balance.)

Cheapening the cost of spells, I'm a little sorry the Blood Magus that had been my prior template has been revised. Probably WOTC saying something here. Still, taking my cue from the 3.0 version and the U.A. Tainted Sorcerer, I allowed the Eschew Materials feat to be slightly metamagic-y; it works as normal for components of 1 G.P. or less, and allows you to cast a more expensive spell material-free for a higher level slot; +1 for 50 G.P. or less, +2 if it's between 50 and 300, +3 up to 750 gold, and +4 for anything above that. Again, has been far from extensively playtested, but hasn't seemed too bad in fairly lax casual play. Feel free to take if it strikes your fancy, though.