Preparing Spells

[mithralgolem]

I would love to be able to prepare lower level spells in higher level slots.

[blitzschlag]

I would love to be able to prepare lower level spells in higher level slots.

thats what the heighten metamagic feat is for. does the same (for the heightened spell) (well, it does not free lower level slots)...

[BlackSmith81]

thats what the heighten metamagic feat is for.

It is? Because i haven't noticed i would be able to prepare more than the lousy six first level spells, while i have open slots up to level nine.
With Heighten i could prepare the spells to use higher level slot thus freeing lower level ones but also have heightened DC's.
Neither is implemented as per D&D at the moment.

Heighten Spell [Metamagic]
Benefit
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.

[Halo_572]

I take it the same way, have more choice of first level spells rather than increasing their power or damage.

I use a lot of defensive spells, so these take up the slots for the offensive and I either have to choose or use a wand. As I play PD i always choose the defensive as magic missile isn't much use to me if I am dead.

[Steampunkie]

I would love to be able to prepare lower level spells in higher level slots.

Kinda-sorta already included in DDO and wouldn't work with the system...

As a Wizard in straight D&D you get to prepare (at 9th level) 4 spells of every level from 0 to 9. If you have a high enough intelligence to cast 9th level spells you'll also have 4 extra spells at levels 1 through 4. In DDO rather than give you 4 spells per day they instead allowed you 4 spell slots and an incredibly large limit of spells per rest with many ways to expand that limit.

In relation to the Pencil and Paper D&D you're vastly more powerful than your average wizard in sheer spells per day.

However compared to the Sorceror you're of similar power. Now if you were able to prep lower level spells in higher level slots you'd have even greater versatility than the sorceror, who's spell slots are fixed.

Why it wouldn't work in the game? Functionally every spell you cast is "Slotless" being instead translated into a Spell Point cost. You could have 100 spell points and cast 10 first level spells, thus using all your "Higher Level" slot expenditures with lower level spells.

Now Blacksmith commented on having six "Lousy First Level spells" which means he's playing a sorceror. It also means he doesn't understand how sorcerors and wizards are different. Rather than explain in a paragraphs long dissertation on game balance I'll just link you here: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/so...d.htm#sorcerer

-Rachel-

[Nott]

People seem to not be understanding the request (or maybe I just don't understand anyone at all).

What I think is being requested (and something I would like as well):

Assume I have 4 slots with which to prepare level 4 spells. Assume I have 1 or more level 5 slots.

As things currently exist, I can prepare level 4 spells in the level 4 slots, and level 5 spells in the level 5 slot(s), of course.

The request is that an arcane can choose to give up his or her right to a level 5 spell in a level 5 slot, and in exchange place a spell from any of levels 1 through 4 in that slot.

I don't think the request indicates if this should be a heightened spell or not, but it seems to me that it should cost the additional sp with or without heightening.

This seems like a reasonable request when you also consider that Turbine has not done a great job with their implementation of many high level spells, and other high level spells that would be useful (from p&p) are too difficult to implement in DDO.

[mithralgolem]

As things currently exist, I can prepare level 4 spells in the level 4 slots, and level 5 spells in the level 5 slot(s), of course.

The request is that an arcane can choose to give up his or her right to a level 5 spell in a level 5 slot, and in exchange place a spell from any of levels 1 through 4 in that slot.

Yes, this is what I meant. Clerics should be able to do this as well though.

[Kaervas]

If wizards could do this, it would be a nice counter ability to the sorcerer's double casting speed and halved spell cooldowns (not quite equal yet though).
Of course, the best counter would be to have a larger, more varied, and entirely useful spellbook so that the wizard's versatility counted for more than it does now, but that would require too much rebalancing and balancing of new spells, I don't see it happening.

I would be happy enough if I could use the small handful of sub-par slots around 7th/8th/9th to prepare some other spells from 4th or 6th for example. Aside from a couple of staple spells in the 3 highest levels, the rest of them are just that underwhelming.