Not sure where to put this. I'm sure someone can move it if need be.
In the new Archetypes update that came out yesterday (24 Sept 2018) the second paragraph of the "Basic <class> Spellcasting" feat says, for all five spellcasting archetypes "Even though you can cast spells, the spell level of your <class> cantrips and powers is still half your level rounded up." The word "still" jumped out at me, since I didn't see anywhere else in the update that mentioned this. So I went back to the original rulebook. That paragraph was then "Even though you can cast spells, the spell level of your cantrips and arcane powers is half your level rounded up." No "still". And yet there was no other mention of this anywhere, that I could find. So what's going on, I asked myself.
Thinking about it, I think the intent is that when you take the dedication, you gain the ability to cast cantrips, but only at minimum level. Cantrips are not heightened when you level up, unless and until you take the Basic Spellcasting feat. It's also true (I think) that you don't get the related class powers unless you take the associated feat (e.g., Domain for the Cleric Archetype). But that gives you only one power, and that doesn't get heightened either, even if it would for a member of the full class. It's only when you take the Basic Spellcasting feat that you gain heightened cantrips and powers, and then they're only heightened to "half your level, rounded up".
The way this is presented seems unclear to me. If I'm right about the intent, then I would suggest adding the following to the Dedication feats: "You do not gain access to class Powers (but see <the appropriate Powers feat> and your cantrips cannot with this feat alone be heightened (see the Basic Spellcasting feat)." And I would remove "still" from the second paragraph of that feat.
So a full caster's cantrips are heightened to spell level 2 when she reaches level 3, and to spell level 3 when she reaches level 5. A caster archetype's cantrips (and powers if applicable) are heightened to level 2 when at the earliest she reaches level 6 (because level 2 spells aren't available until then) and to level 3 at level 8. They can't be heightened above level 3 unless and until the character takes the Expert Spellcasting feat at (minimum) level 12, or above level 7 without the Master Spellcasting feat.
Have I got this right? Is the rule clear with the changes I propose, or should something else be added?
I think what they were trying to draw attention to is that normally "A cantrip is always automatically hightened to the highest level of spell you can cast as a [whatever class you are reading the cantrip class feature from]". With the feat, suddenly the highest spell you can cast is a lot lower than half your level so they added that text in there to let you know that no, your cantrips do fully scale. You are absolutely right about there being no wording on the base dedication to let you know whether they scale or not without additional feats. I, personally, would rule that they do, but the base feat does need clarification for that ruling to become RAW.
It's not listed in the dedication, but is in the spell section, p193:
If you gain access to a cantrip but aren’t normally a spellcaster, your cantrips automatically heightened to half your level, rounded up.
The "Still" just specifies that you don't lose cantrip potency because you suddenly can cast spells.
Okay. So that would mean that, having taken the dedication, your cantrips (and powers, if you take the associated feat(s)) will scale just as if you were a full caster, regardless whether you take Basic Spellcasting. Is that right?
Maybe the dedications need a reference to that bit on page 193.
Okay. So that would mean that, having taken the dedication, your cantrips (and powers, if you take the associated feat(s)) will scale just as if you were a full caster, regardless whether you take Basic Spellcasting. Is that right?
Maybe the dedications need a reference to that bit on page 193.
No, they scale better than a full caster, at least once you hit the highest levels. A multiclass caster gets 10th level cantrips from leveling to 19-20, a full caster has to spend a 20th level feat on 10th level spells in order to get 10th level cantrips.
Of course, 10th level cantrips don't matter for anything but counteract levels.
Okay, so they're better at the end point. And until then?