Low-Level Wizards and Meta Magic Feats

[Jolken Jenkins]

So at level 1 a wizard can only cast 1st levels spells, but can a 1st level wizard applya metamagic feat to a 1st level spell to increase its spell level, filling a higher level spell slot that the wizard gets through a high intelligence modifier?

[HedwickTheWorldly]

Jolken Jenkins wrote:

So at level 1 a wizard can only cast 1st levels spells, but can a 1st level wizard applya metamagic feat to a 1st level spell to increase its spell level, filling a higher level spell slot that the wizard gets through a high intelligence modifier?

Oh, if only that were the case.

The spell slots you get at each level (even the ones for having a high Int) are not available until you have access to that level of magic.

So if you want to use Extend Spell as an example, you can Extend a Cantrip using a 1st-level slot at level 1, but would have to wait until level 3 to Extend a Mage Armor, and it would use a 2nd level slot.

(Before anyone jumps in, yes, there are exceptions/feats/traits/ways to get around this, but this is the standard rule.)

[FAQ finder]

FAQ confirming Hedwicks post. For clarity, the only way around HtWs example is by using ways to reduce/avoid the metamagic cost - there is no way that I am aware of of using those higher level spell slots

[MrCharisma]

For reference, look at a PALADIN'S or RANGER'S spell list. You'll see that at levels 4, 7, 10 and 13 they get a new spell level with 0 spells per day. You can see that there's a difference between having "0" spells per day (which is a number that you can increase with a high ability score modifier) and having "-" spells per day (which is not a number, so it can't be increased).

[Mysterious Stranger]

A 1st level wizard can use a metamagic feat on a cantrip as long as it did not increase the level above 1. They can also use Merciful Spell, or any other metamagic feat that does not increase the level of the spell on a 1st level spell.

[Mark Hoover 330]

So monsters like fighting in the dark right? A level 1 wizard can use a feat to put Tenebrous Spell with a +0 level increase on their spells to gain a +1 to the save DC of their spells. In fact, if you get 2 feats at level 1 you could also take a feat that makes Touch spells Short Range for a +1 level increase, then toss out Touch of Fatigue spells from 30' in the dark with a +1 save DC.

Finally, don't forget scrolls. If you're specifically a level 1 Wizard and haven't traded out your Scribe Scrolls bonus feat you can make Tenebrous Spell scrolls to give a slight bump to the save DCs on them.