Help me understand The Arcane Manipulation Feat

[RUMBLETiGER]

So, link here to the article with the Excerpt.

The feat states "When you prepare spells, you can break down up to three existing arcane spell slots to create a specified number of lower-level spell slots."

Am I correct to understand that "Three Existing Spell Slots" means I choose any three spell slots... so if I'm level 20, I can choose a single level 9 spell slot, maybe a level 7 spell slot, and a level 4 spell slot", or whatever? I could choose three level 9 spell slots if I happen to have those?

...I'm toying around with a Force Missile Mage build and just thinking how broken I could make it if this feat does what I think it does.

 

[Empath Negative]

So, link here to the article with the Excerpt.

The feat states "When you prepare spells, you can break down up to three existing arcane spell slots to create a specified number of lower-level spell slots."

Am I correct to understand that "Three Existing Spell Slots" means I choose any three spell slots... so if I'm level 20, I can choose a single level 9 spell slot, maybe a level 7 spell slot, and a level 4 spell slot", or whatever? I could choose three level 9 spell slots if I happen to have those?

...I'm toying around with a Force Missile Mage build and just thinking how broken I could make it if this feat does what I think it does.

No. You could take a 9th level spell slot and break it down into say 9 level 1 spells, 2 level 2 spells and 1 level 5 spell. If you did that and then also broke down a level 7 spell slot you could add an additional level 4 spell and level 3 spell, or 3 level 2 spells and 1 level 1 spell.

You may not break down a level 8 spell, a level 3 spell and a level 7 spell to make three level 9 spells.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

No. You could take a 9th level spell slot and break it down into say 9 level 1 spells, 2 level 2 spells and 1 level 5 spell. If you did that and then also broke down a level 7 spell slot you could add an additional level 4 spell and level 3 spell, or 3 level 2 spells and 1 level 1 spell.

You may not break down a level 8 spell, a level 3 spell and a level 7 spell to make three level 9 spells.

So, if I wanted to divide a 9th, 7th and 4th spell slots into 20 first level spell slots so I can prepare every one as magic missile, I can do that?

 

[Empath Negative]

Yup.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Yup.

Groovy, thanks.

 

[Sekhmet]

While only somewhat relevant, see if you can't find an Isaac's Missile Storm spell (from Neverwinter Nights) for your force mage. I <3 me some Isaac's Missile Storm.
Grab Fell Drain and just go to town, my friend.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

While only somewhat relevant, see if you can't find an Isaac's Missile Storm spell (from Neverwinter Nights) for your force mage. I <3 me some Isaac's Missile Storm.
Grab Fell Drain and just go to town, my friend.

I'm very much open to alternative suggestions as to how to abuse Force spells, thanks!

 

[Sekhmet]

I love Fell Drain (Libris Mortis, pg27) for Magic Missiles, since they don't require a "to hit" roll. Using a spell slot two levels higher, you add a negative level to your target without a saving throw.
They only get a chance to make a save after [your caster level] hours, meaning you can easily kill off [most] anything with your relatively low damage magic missiles.

 

[Empirate]

The sane interpretation of Fell Drain only allows one negative level per casting, of course, so splitting your MM between multiple targets doesn't bestow a negative level on all of them. Also, DMs might want to take a look at Death Devotion and rule that only one negative level per target can be bestowed at the same time.

But those are admittedly houserules.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I love Fell Drain (Libris Mortis, pg27) for Magic Missiles, since they don't require a "to hit" roll. Using a spell slot two levels higher, you add a negative level to your target without a saving throw.
They only get a chance to make a save after [your caster level] hours, meaning you can easily kill off [most] anything with your relatively low damage magic missiles.

Oh.... Yummy.