Studious Capacity Number of Extra Spells

[Queaux]

Does the level 16 bard feat Studious Capacity allow you to cast 1 extra spell in total per day, or does it allow you to cast 1 extra spell per spell level other than your highest spell level per day?

[theservantsllcleanitup]

Quote:

Your continued study of occult magic has increased your magical capacity, allowing you to cast spells even when it seems impossible. You can cast one spell each day even after you’ve run out of spell slots of the appropriate spell level, but you can’t use this ability to cast a spell of your highest spell level.

Considering that it says "allowing you to cast spells" and "of the appropriate spell level", I think it's pretty clear they mean one per spell level excluding your highest spell level.

[HumbleGamer]

Seems 1 extra spell per day.

A spell of any level, but your higher one.

[Henro]

It's just one extra spell per day. The feat does not mention casting a spell per spell level, just one spell per day.

The feat would also be absurdly powerful if it let you cast up to 9 extra spells per day.

[Queaux]

The wording is definitely ambiguous, so it needs a ruling.

It would certainly be very powerful if it was one per level, but it looks like it could be plausible as the big enigma payoff.

[Henro]

Even if the wording is ambiguous (I don't think it is), there is actually a rule about ambiguous rules on page 444 of the CRB. Increasing the number of spells you can cast by 25% with a single class feat is definitely "too good to be true".

[Queaux]

Henro wrote:

Even if the wording is ambiguous (I don't think it is), there is actually a rule about ambiguous rules on page 444 of the CRB. Increasing the number of spells you can cast by 25% with a single class feat is definitely "too good to be true".

I don't think it's too good to be true. It's less than 25% extra spells with the highest level spell being a large exception making it less than. The sorcerer's greater vital evolution, an equivalent level feat, gives 2 spells including one of the highest level, which is pretty equivalent in my book due to the extra top end. Comparing those feats makes me think it's one of each level based only in power level.

[SuperBidi]

"You can cast one spell each day"

So, the wording is ambigious, I read I can cast 36 spells and gain +9 to attack and 5 hit points per level.

Current wording is not ambiguous. It's one spell only.

[theservantsllcleanitup]

"You can cast one spell each day... ...of the appropriate spell level."

What does "of the appropriate spell level" mean? Appropriate for what?

They should have said "Once per day, you can cast a spell of a spell level for which you have no slots remaining. You cannot use this for your highest available spell level."

Also, the flavor text says it "allows you to cast spells when it seems impossible". If it said it "allows you to cast a spell when it seems impossible" it would be much clearer. Normally I prefer to avoid flavor text arguments, but in this case it's just another data point.

Truthfully, I'm playing a bit of devil's advocate at this point. I now think they intended for it to be one extra spell per day. But the wording is still far from clear in my opinion.

[Xenocrat]

They used the same initial language for a witch feat and it’s clear from that one they only mean one spell total for the Bard feat. That interpretation is also in line with the similar extra spell feats from other spellcasting classes.

[Henro]

The “of the appropriate level” just means that when you’ve run out of spells for a level, you can cast an extra spell of that level.

I agree that the initial text could have specified singular spell to be extra clear.