highten and Master of Element

[LightBear]

Has anybody tested out what the effect is of having both the meta magic highten on and one of the new Master of xxx (Element) that clears the cap of caster level for 3 spells (the Spell like abilities from the Savant prestiges if I recall correctly)?

I'm especially interested to hear from multiclasses.

[Faltout]

Has anybody tested out what the effect is of having both the meta magic highten on and one of the new Master of xxx (Element) that clears the cap of caster level for 3 spells (the Spell like abilities from the Savant prestiges if I recall correctly)?

I'm especially interested to hear from multiclasses.

Caster level affects: spell duration, damage dice, spell projectiles, spell penetration checks

Spell level affects: DC

Heighten raises the spell level to the highest spell level you can cast. That's at most 9 (9 spell levels). And then the DC for a spell is 10 + spell level + ability modifier + DC bonuses (so, at most 19 + ability modifier + DC bonuses)

[LightBear]

Ok, then what is the effect of taking Greater ruin?

[xTethx]

Ok, then what is the effect of taking Greater ruin?

Greater ruin is ruin with double damage basically. It has a separate cd so you can use both. On my caster I was able to use both with decked out crit damage and do 100k dmg in 2 seconds. So it can def have its advantages.

[Vargouille]

Ok, then what is the effect of taking Greater ruin?

Literal DPS. If you want maximum damage in a short period of time (against an enemy that might have resistances / saves), Greater Ruin does fantastic, nearly unavoidable DPS.

The balancing factor (other than not taking another feat) is that it's not spell point efficient. You can blow your resources on Greater Ruin but for the same amount of spell points a cheaper spell is probably going to do more damage -- it will just take more time to catch up to the damage Greater Ruin would already have done.

This is more or less the same niche Ruin fits into, but you can have both going at once. Greater Ruin is also more spell point efficient when it comes to metamagics, because the base damage is higher. The extra spell points spent Maximizing Greater Ruin produces more damage than the same spell points if used to Maximize Ruin.

[LightBear]

@ Varguille: thx for the reply.
I'm asking because the wording of Highten says "Heighten raises the spell level to the highest spell level you can cast." What level to cast would be available to me if I take Ruin and/or Greater Ruin?
I'm guessing it's still stuck at 9.

Oh and varguille, just so you know what so great about ruin:

But don't tell HOX I told you so.

[Faltout]

@ Varguille: thx for the reply.
I'm asking because the wording of Highten says "Heighten raises the spell level to the highest spell level you can cast." What level to cast would be available to me if I take Ruin and/or Greater Ruin?
I'm guessing it's still stuck at 9.

You are correct. 9 for most casters (like wizard, cleric) and 6 for some others (bard, warlock).
However, some spells (like ruin) cannot be affected by heighten. I realize this is the lamannia forum, so if you can currently apply heighten to greater ruin or ruin, then that may be a bug that needs fixing.

Only spells with a DC can be affected by heighten and not all of them (like dismissal and banishment).

[Steelstar]

Oh and varguille, just so you know what so great about ruin:

But don't tell HOX I told you so.

Xy'zzy sees all. She warded up her defenses in the last Lamannia patch!

[Xahtep]

Xy'zzy sees all. She warded up her defenses in the last Lamannia patch!