Metamagic question - Heighten spell and Furious Spell

[Grom Kranock]

Furious Spell:

Benefit(s): A furious spell that deals hit point damage adds twice the spell’s original level to the amount of damage dealt by the spell. Spells that affect multiple targets deal the extra damage once to each target, regardless of whether the spell deals its damage all at once or in multiple hits (in the latter case, add the extra damage to the first hit against each target).

I have removed some stuff about casting while raging which is not relevant to my question.

Heighten spell:

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.

Heighten spell FAQ:

Heighten Spell: How does this spell combine with other metamagic feats and using higher-level slots for lower-level spells?
Heighten Spell is worded poorly and can be confusing. It lets you use a higher-level spell slot for a spell, treating the spell as if it were naturally a higher level spell than the standard version. Unlike Still Spell, which always adds +1 to the level of the spell slot used for a spell, Heighten Spell lets you decide increase a spell's level anywhere from +1 to +9, using a spell slot that is that many spell levels higher than the normal spell.

The language implies that the heightened spell uses whatever spell level is used to prepare or cast it, but the rules text was inherited from 3.5 and doesn't take into account (1) the normal rule allowing you to prepare a spell with a higher-level spell slot, and (2) combining it with other metamagic feats.

For (1), having Heighten Spell doesn't mean any spell you cast with a higher-level slot is automatically heightened; you still have to make the decision to prepare or cast the spell an normal or heightened.
If you are a non-spontaneous caster (such as a cleric or wizard) who wants to prepare a lower-level spell in a higher-level slot, there is no reason not to use Heighten Spell on that spell (it doesn't cost you any extra time or any other game "currency").
If you are a spontaneous caster, heightening a spell when using a higher-level spell slot still increases the casting time, just like any other use of metamagic, so you have to weigh the benefits of either
• casting it normally using the higher-level slot
vs.
• increasing the casting time to cast it as a heightened spell and treat the spell as the level of the spell slot you're using.
Example A 10th-level sorcerer could cast fireball using a 3rd-, 4th-, or 5th-level spell slot, it would only be a standard action casting time, would count as a 3rd-level spell, and have a DC of 13 + Charisma bonus. If she had Heighten Spell and wanted to heighten it using a 4th- or 5th-level spell slot, it would have a full-round action casting time, but would count as a 4th- or 5th-level spell and have a DC of 14 + Cha bonus (for a 4th-level spell) or 15 + Cha bonus (for a 5th-level slot).

For (2), you can't apply Heighten Spell to a spell at no cost: any increase to the effective spell level of the spell must be tracked and paid for by using a higher-level spell slot, above and beyond any other spell level increases from the other metamagic feats.
Example: A 15th-level wizard has Quicken Spell. If he prepares a quickened fireball, that requires a 7th-level spell slot (fireball 3rd level + quicken 4 levels). The spell's DC is still 13 + his Int bonus because it's still just a 3rd-level spell, even though it's in a 7th-level spell slot. If he also has Heighten Spell, the spell is not automatically heightened; it still counts as a 3rd-level spell and has the DC of a 3rd-level spell. If he wants to increase the quickened fireball's effective level with Heighten Spell, he needs to use an even higher level spell slot than the adjusted spell level from the Quicken Spell feat. Increasing the fireball's effective spell level by +1 (from 3rd to 4th) requires using a spell slot +1 level higher (in this case, an 8th-level spell slot instead of a 7th-level slot); increasing the fireball's effective spell level by +2 (from 3rd to 5th) requires using a spell slot +2 levels higher (in this case, a 9th-level spell slot instead of a 7th-level slot).

Another way to look at (2) it is to add Heighten Spell first, then other metamagic feats. Continuing the above example, you'd first heighten the fireball to a 4th-level spell, then quicken it, which requires an 8th-level spell slot (fireball 4th level + quicken 4 levels). Or first heighten the fireball to a 5th-level spell, then quicken it, which requires a 9th-level spell slot (fireball 5th level + quicken 4 levels).

(Heighten Spell is a weak metamagic feat and has limited utility when combined with other metamagic feats.

Question - For the purposes of Furious spell if a spell is heightened what is considered the original level of the spell?

I originally thought the heightened level as that is what heightened seemed to do but then after talking to a couple people I changed my mind. THEN after reading the FAQ, specifically "It lets you use a higher-level spell slot for a spell, treating the spell as if it were naturally a higher level spell than the standard version." and "Another way to look at (2) it is to add Heighten Spell first, then other metamagic feats." I was kinda sorta back to my first interpretation.

Thoughts?

Specifically how much damage would a Furious Heightened (5) Magic Missile do?

[wraithstrike]

Since it says "original" spell level and not "base" spell level I would say heighten does nothing for it. Heighten does nothing for the original spell level, and I don't recall any other ability going out of it's way to call out the original spell level.

I'm guessing that if you double the damage after heighten, add empowering, and a few other things they were worried that the damage could get too far out of hand.

What they should have done was just flat out said heighten metamagic and any similar(in case something is created later) ability does not stack with this feat.

Both interpretations have merit.

I'm going to press the FAQ button.

[blahpers]

FAQ'd. I'd go with the heightened level, as otherwise that'd be one of the only things that isn't actually heightened by the feat. But wraithstrike is correct (as usual!)--both interpretations have merit.

[Grom Kranock]

Yeah that's pretty much what I thought. I guess I will have to find something else for my magic missile guy to do :(