How does spell heightening work

[Crexis]

Under the spells section, it has spells and their effects THEN it lists 'heightened' with increasing effects.

Would you have to use up a higher spell slot for that increased effect (listed next to heightened) or do u automatically (and for free), get the increased effect when you get to that character level?

[Voss]

You have to use the higher slot. This is true for prepared casters or sorcerers using spontaneous heighten (which I've seen confuse people into thinking they can use a lower level slot and it automatically heightens the spell to the highest they can cast).

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That said, cantrips and powers heighten automatically. According to the highest spell level you can cast or half your level if you don't cast spells.

[Crexis]

So for cantrips it heightens without you having to expel a higher level spell slot BUT for any spells level 1 or above it COSTS that higher level spell slot?

Also, if it lists heighten as 6th. Is that 6th caster level or 6th level spell slot?

thanks for your reply

[Voss]

Crexis wrote:

So for cantrips it heightens without you having to expel a higher level spell slot

Yes. And powers.

If you're a 10th level wizard (thus have 5th level spell slots) and cast ray of frost, it does 2d8+int modifier damage, every time. and you can cast it every round, if you like.

A 10th level elf fighter who grabs it as a cantrip with an ancestry feat also does 2d8+int damage with ray of frost.

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BUT for any spells level 1 or above it COSTS that higher level spell slot?

Cast with a higher level slot, yes.

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Also, if it lists heighten as 6th. Is that 6th caster level or 6th level spell slot?

Slot.

Caster level doesn't have any way it could work.
It also isn't a concept in this edition.

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So, for example, Lightning bolt.

A wizard that learns a spell can apply them to any spell slot of the spells level or higher. A 10th level wizard can prepare Lightning Bolt normally as a 3rd level spell, and it'll do 4d12 damage. If the wizard prepares it as a 5th level spell, it will do 6d12 damage.

A sorcerer is more complicated. With spells that can be heightened, a sorcerer has to learn them for each level, each taking a separate slot in the repertoire. So if a 10th level sorcerer wants to cast lightning bolt as a 5th level spell, they have to learn lightning bolt (5th level). This makes some people on the forums fairly cranky.

Except, a sorcerer can also use spontaneous heightening on two spells each day. So they can be sane and learn lightning bolt as a 3rd level spell, pick it as one of their heightened spells, and cast it using a 3rd level, 4th level or 5th level slot as they see fit, with the appropriate heightened effect. (4d12, 5d12 or 6d12 damage)