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Two closely related questions, I'm going to split them into two posts.
1. Can a psychic using the Undercast Surge phrenic amplification cast spells modified with metamagic to have an effective level higher than their max spell level?
Undercast Surge (Su): When the psychic undercasts a spell, she can spend points from her phrenic pool to increase the spell’s effective level, essentially using up a lower-level spell slot to cast a higher-level version of the spell. This costs 2 points per spell level increased. She can’t use this ability to cast a version higher than the version she knows. For instance, a psychic who knows mind thrust III but not mind thrust IV could cast mind thrust II and spend 2 points to treat it as mind thrust III, but couldn’t spend 4 points to treat it as mind thrust IV. This amplification can be linked only to spells that can be undercast.
Let's say we have a 12th level Psychic who knows Mind Thrust VI. Can he cast a Maximized, Empowered Mind Thrust I (using a 6th level spell slot), then buy it up to an effective Maximized, Empowered Mind Thrust VI (equivalent to an 11th level spell) by spending 10 points of phrenic pool?
The answer seems to depend on whether using this ability only changes the "effective level," in which case you can exceed the cap, or whether you're actually "casting a higher-level version of the spell" in every way, in which case you can't.
Basically, is this phrenic amplification just a way to eek out a few more higher level spell slots a limited time (for a limited selection of not very good spells), or is it a core ability that lets the Psychic really excel and pull of some powerful stuff (a limited number of times and only for a limited selection of otherwise not very good spells).
From a RAW perspective I think that yes, you can probably do this. From a RAI balance perspective I think it's more questionable but definitely defensible. Thoughts?
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2. How does Spell Perfection (and similar spell-specific feats) interact with undercasting and Undercast Surge? Do your spell perfection bonuses still apply if you undercast a lower version of your chosen spell? If not, do they still apply if you "buy up" your chosen spell perfection spell to a higher level?
Some psychic spells can be undercast. This means that the spellcaster can cast the spell at the level that he knows, or as any lower-level version of that spell, using the appropriate spell slot. When a spellcaster undercasts a spell, it is treated exactly like the lower-level version, including when determining its effect, saving throw, and other variables. For example, a psychic spellcaster who adds ego whip III to his list of spells known can cast it as ego whip I, II, or III. If he casts it as ego whip I, it is treated in all ways as that spell; it uses the text and the saving throw DC for that spell, and requires him to expend a 3rd-level spell slot.
First example: Now we have an 18th level Psychic who knows Psychic Crush V, a 9th level spell. If he takes Psychic Crush V as his spell perfection spell and has Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy), does he get his +4 DC when he undercasts it as Psychic Crush I-IV? (Same for things like Spontaneous Metafocus or Spell Specialization.)
Here I think the RAW is that no, you treat your undercast "exactly" like that lower level, and you didn't take the feat for that lower level. But honestly they probably didn't think about the issue.
Second example: Same Psychic, but he take Psychic Crush III as his Spell Perfection. If he casts Persistent Psychic Crush III (9th level spell slot) and uses Undercast Surge to buy it up to Psychic Crush V for 4 phrenic points, does it still benefit from the +4 DC, or does it just get +2? If you're only getting the "effective level" then you get the +4 DC. But if you're casting the "higher level of the spell" then no.
answer to 1 seems pretty unlikely to be yes as that's the sort of power you only get from an item (metamagic rods) or mythic (metamastery)
the issue seems to be the old one of applying older rules to new ones that come out
answer to 1 seems pretty unlikely to be yes as that's the sort of power you only get from an item (metamagic rods) or mythic (metamastery)
the issue seems to be the old one of applying older rules to new ones that come out
If it were a generalizable ability or useable a lot I'd be more inclined to agree, but these are otherwise pretty bad spells and the phrenic pool is a pretty limited resource. I agree that they probably didn't intend it, I just don't think it would actually be the end of the world if you gave the Psychic some ability to nova with its niche/weak speciality spells.