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The title says it all.
The way I see the entries in the book, it sounds like the intention was to allow Cantrips, Focus Spells, etc to automatically heighten, not that they are required to actually be cast at that Heightened level.
Otherwise Wildshape, Ferocious Shape, and MANY more Cantrips and Focus Spells would be unusable after a certain point. If you are forced to cast it at its maximum possible level you have access to (typically character level/2 rounded up) then you're trying to sell me on the idea that your Cantrip, what, spirals out of control? You can't cast it at lower levels? Pull back on the reigns a bit?
"Hey, knock him out with just a tiny bit of fire."
Sorcerer proceeds to cast Produce Flame. Somehow loses control of faculties and must cast it at his highest possible. Unleashes level 6 Produce Flame, only intending to singe a little off the top.
Back to the point though.
If anything you would have a **much better** handle on the spell as you get better at it. Cantrips are your bread and butter, requiring little effort and minimal concentration. Getting better at something doesn't mean you then need to focus on doing less of it.
A marathon runner doesn't need to concentrate overmuch to run slower. A craftsman doesn't need to work extra hard to make a poorer quality product. You don't need to prepare to make ***less*** of a sandwich - just put fewer toppings on it.
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Currently, the rules don't allow you to "downsize" or "undercast" spells. Perhaps this is an oversight, hard to tell. The situations where you would want to downsize your cantrip are somewhat contrived, so I don't see a lot of interest in doing this.
This said, a discerning DM could always allow it, on a special case basis. But AFAIK there is no support for it in the rules.
Kind of like a sorcerer who might want to cast a 3rd-level spell, but he only has 4th-level slots left, and doesn't have what it takes to make it a 4th-level spell out of the box. Can he do it? Current discussion suggests that there are no provisions in PF2 to allow it. Should a DM allow it? I would say yes, but there is no RAW support for it.
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This is another example of rules only covering the most common cases: 99% of the time you will want to cast your cantrips at the maximum possible level.
There is no need, IMO, to explicitly write an exception for a situation that will come up rarely and can be easily handled by the GM anyway.
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I do not know if you can undercast (for example to put a Cantrip into a Spell Storing weapon, have it be easy to dispel, or to avoid a kill), but when it comes to higher levels opening up options, you aren't forced to take the highest option. That'd be ridiculous, right?
"I'm too good at being a wolf to ever choose a medium wolf form again."
One'd be casting the lower level version at a higher level, yes, but like a 2nd level spell in a 5th level slot where the caster isn't getting any extra perks (other than it being better re: counteracting).
This is one of those "duh, of course" moments where the CRB specifically says one shouldn't overinterpret the rules to make rulings that conflict with the a straightforward reading of an ability. It's in a sidebar.
I'm wondering if there's any wording saying one has to take the heightened spell effect. If so, then this is an issue. If not, I think not.
Cheers
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"Nonlethal Damage
Source Core Rulebook pg. 453
You can make a nonlethal attack in an effort to knock someone out instead of killing them (see Knocked Out and Dying on page 459). Weapons with the nonlethal trait (including fists) do this automatically. You take a –2 circumstance penalty to the attack roll when you make a nonlethal attack using a weapon that doesn’t have the nonlethal trait. You also take this penalty when making a lethal attack using a nonlethal weapon"
There are rules that state that you can choose to do non-lethal damage for a circumstance penalty. So while RAW there's no way to undercast accidentally killing someone shouldn't be a big risk you have no way of mitigating.
I get where your coming from with the marathon runner example but I think it's reasonable for magic to not be that simple/direct.
"Nonlethal Damage": That only applies to attacks that require an attack roll, so for instance a magic missile can never be nonlethal. Or a spell that deal damage with a save required instead of an attack.
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It would be logical and make sense that only attacks where you make an attack roll can be non-lethal but is this actually stated anywhere that we can find? I looked for it myself and didn't see it.
Is it ridiculous that in such a scenario a cantrip without an attack roll that you wish to be non lethal could be cast to knock an opponent out with no penalty whatsoever???
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It would be logical and make sense that only attacks where you make an attack roll can be non-lethal but is this actually stated anywhere that we can find? I looked for it myself and didn't see it.
It's in the rules for nonlethal damage where it tells you how you can deal it: full stop. If it's not in the requirements, you can't. Note that it also requires a weapon, so very few spell attacks would be able to use that rule. [Hand of the Apprentice and Spiritual Weapon is about all I can think of]
Is it ridiculous that in such a scenario a cantrip without an attack roll that you wish to be non lethal could be cast to knock an opponent out with no penalty whatsoever???
In a situation that you want to cast a cantrip to deal non-lethal, the way to do that would logically be to use a spell that deals nonlethal by default: Daze, for instance, had the nonlethal trait so if that kind of damage is important to you it might be something you want to take.
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"Nonlethal Damage
Source Core Rulebook pg. 453
You can make a nonlethal attack in an effort to knock someone out instead of killing them (see Knocked Out and Dying on page 459). Weapons with the nonlethal trait (including fists) do this automatically. You take a –2 circumstance penalty to the attack roll when you make a nonlethal attack using a weapon that doesn’t have the nonlethal trait. You also take this penalty when making a lethal attack using a nonlethal weapon."
I think I was looking at a more general definition of attack but I think that you are right and it is probably best to go with an interpretation of actions with the Attack trait.
What's funny is that this does open the door for a Non-Lethal Disintegrate spell. A spell that would not force the dying condition but would still would turn a knocked out target into dust.
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I guess I get hung up with the idea that just because Cantrips are automatically heightened, it doesn't mean they *must* be cast at that highest level.
Every other spell or metamagic ability that heightens or allows you to heighten spells states the keywords "can" (optional), indicating to me that heightening is always an option. Does it require you to prepare a spell in a higher slot, learn it at that level, or designate it as a signature spell? Yes.
Can you heighten spells to levels that don't provide a specific listed benefit? Yes. (Lookin' at you, Magic Missile at even levels).
Cantrips are heightened automatically, yes, but nowhere does it say you absolutely need to cast it heightened. The automatic or given is that Cantrips heighten, not that they are locked in at the highest level.
Would that not then indicate that you have access to the earlier versions of the Cantrip (or Focus Spell in some cases)?
Is it a niche thing, yes. But the argument that "Why would you ever *not* cast a Cantrip at its highest level?" is not a valid position for the question in play.
In fact, one of the examples I think some people are looking over is in how Wild Shape is worded.
You infuse yourself with primal essence and transform yourself into another form. You can polymorph into any form listed in pest form, which lasts 10 minutes. All other wild shape forms last 1 minute. You can add more forms to your wild shape list with druid feats; your feat might grant you some or all of the forms from a given polymorph spell. When you transform into a form granted by a spell, you gain all the effects of the form you chose from a version of the spell heightened to wild shape's level. Wild shape allows you to use your own shapeshifting training more easily than most polymorph spells. When you choose to use your own attack modifier while polymorphed instead of the form's default attack modifier, you gain a +2 status bonus to your attack rolls.
If you used Wild Shape and wanted to pick a Medium animal due to space constraints, if you used the Focus Spell at Character Level 8, meaning level 4 for the spell, you are forced to use either the options from pest form (say, in the case of recon) or you must be Large, since any form chosen from Animal Form is heightened to match your Wild Shape. At level 4, Animal form states:
Heightened (4th) Your battle form is Large and your attacks...
Uh oh. You wanna be a small animal that has at least a little more hardiness to it so your scouting mission doesn't end in you getting squashed? Say a bear or cat, but you're in a narrower hallway? Looks like you don't GET a choice. Period. So unless you could choose at what level you cast Focus Spells or Cantrips, your options through odd loopholes get pidgeon-holed.
Heaven forbid they release more spells that all work off each other's heightened level or level in general (i.e. Glyph of Warding, you can nevere put a Cantrip in a glyph, even though wands, items, scrolls, etc. can all house cantrips of various levels) and it causes you to be unable to choose the options you want, just like the Druid here. You can craft specific levels of spells intro scrolls and the like, so does that mean a high level wizard or sorcerer can only *ever* make Cantrips at their highest level?
None of it adds up.
I guess I get hung up with the idea that just because Cantrips are automatically heightened, it doesn't mean they *must* be cast at that highest level.
Every other spell or metamagic ability that heightens or allows you to heighten spells states the keywords "can" (optional), indicating to me that heightening is always an option. Does it require you to prepare a spell in a higher slot, learn it at that level, or designate it as a signature spell? Yes.
Can you heighten spells to levels that don't provide a specific listed benefit? Yes. (Lookin' at you, Magic Missile at even levels).
Cantrips are heightened automatically, yes, but nowhere does it say you absolutely need to cast it heightened. The automatic or given is that Cantrips heighten, not that they are locked in at the highest level.
Would that not then indicate that you have access to the earlier versions of the Cantrip (or Focus Spell in some cases)?
Is it a niche thing, yes. But the argument that "Why would you ever *not* cast a Cantrip at its highest level?" is not a valid position for the question in play.
In fact, one of the examples I think some people are looking over is in how Wild Shape is worded.
You infuse yourself with primal essence and transform yourself into another form. You can polymorph into any form listed in pest form, which lasts 10 minutes. All other wild shape forms last 1 minute. You can add more forms to your wild shape list with druid feats; your feat might grant you some or all of the forms from a given polymorph spell. When you transform into a form granted by a spell, you gain all the effects of the form you chose from a version of the spell heightened to wild shape's level. Wild shape allows you to use your own shapeshifting training more easily than most polymorph spells. When you choose to use your own attack modifier while polymorphed instead of the form's default attack modifier, you gain a +2 status bonus to your attack rolls.If you used Wild Shape and...
As a correction: Cantrips and Focus Spells cannot be affixed, crafted, or made into wands/scrolls and the like.
However, the previous points do hold true.
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As others have said, I don't think there's a way explicitly spelled out in the rules to downcast a cantrip per-se.
That being said, it's not in contention that you can, for example, use a 6th level spell slot to cast animal form despite the highest heightened value being 5. This indicates that it's possible to cast animal form at 6th level and choose to get the 5th level effect of it. Personally, I would argue this means that it's also possible to cast animal form at 6th level and get the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th level effects.
Moreover, even for basic cantrips with heightened +1 that still means that there's effectively a heightened 2, heightened 3, heightened 4, and so on effect. So I'd allow a player to choose any of those effects on the basis that you don't have to use the effect of your exact level. After all: sometimes said effect doesn't even exist.
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As others have said, I don't think there's a way explicitly spelled out in the rules to downcast a cantrip per-se.
That being said, it's not in contention that you can, for example, use a 6th level spell slot to cast animal form despite the highest heightened value being 5. This indicates that it's possible to cast animal form at 6th level and choose to get the 5th level effect of it. Personally, I would argue this means that it's also possible to cast animal form at 6th level and get the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th level effects.
Moreover, even for basic cantrips with heightened +1 that still means that there's effectively a heightened 2, heightened 3, heightened 4, and so on effect. So I'd allow a player to choose any of those effects on the basis that you don't have to use the effect of your exact level. After all: sometimes said effect doesn't even exist.
If you heighten Animal Form to level 6 you get the level 5 version of it, since that's the latest "version" of it. If you want the lower levels you need to cast it below the level you don't want. So if you only want to be Large, you'll need to cast it at level 4. If you want to be medium, you'll have to cast it at levels 3 or 2.
Spell Slots are basically a unit of magical power. You can't use 6 Units of power (a 6th level slot) to cast a Fireball and only expect 6d6 damage. That would be like lighting a 6 gallon jug of gasoline on fire and expecting the explosion to only be as large as a 3 gallon jug.
But this isn't about spell slots, this is about Cantrips.
I personally see Cantrips as using your innate magic. Nothing significant, but just enough to cause an effect without tiring you out. As your magical power grows, so does that innate power. Even to the point that even a sliver of your magic is enough to severely injure someone. You're already holding back with Cantrips, so I don't see you holding back even more to undercast them.
That said, there's one cantrip that is great for simply KOing creatures, Daze. It's Nonlethal, so at high levels if you just want the yapping level 1 Noble to shut up, just daze him and throw a gag in his mouth.
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Regardless the fact it might be possible or not, what would be the reason behind deliberately lower a cantrip?
Keep in mind that DC is not coupled to spell level anymore, so there might be a lot of reasons to "undercast", especially for focus spells (which where part of the original question).
Just take positioning and spell area.
For example it might make a lot of sense for my Warpriest of Sarenrae to cast his Dazzling Flash below 3rd level in some situations in order not to accidentially blind any teammates (15ft cone vs 30ft cone).
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On this topic the biggest problem spell for me is Wild Shape. Looking at Animal Form, I see:
Heightened (4th) Your battle form is Large and your attacks have 10-foot reach. You must have enough space to expand into or the spell is lost. You instead gain 15 temporary HP, AC = 18 + your level, attack modifier +16, damage bonus +9, and Athletics +16.
Heightened (5th) Your battle form is Huge and your attacks have 15-foot reach. You must have enough space to expand into or the spell is lost. You instead gain 20 temporary HP, AC = 18 + your level, attack modifier +18, damage bonus +7 and double the number of damage dice, and Athletics +20.
So without being able to downcast a focus spell, a Druid in a limited space is no longer able to use their Wild Shape spell at all. Not even a lower level version of it.
I like Aw3som3-117's idea that the spell is still cast at the higher level, but you can use the lower level effects if desired.
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"Nonlethal Damage
Source Core Rulebook pg. 453
You can make a nonlethal attack in an effort to knock someone out instead of killing them (see Knocked Out and Dying on page 459). Weapons with the nonlethal trait (including fists) do this automatically. You take a –2 circumstance penalty to the attack roll when you make a nonlethal attack using a weapon that doesn’t have the nonlethal trait. You also take this penalty when making a lethal attack using a nonlethal weapon"There are rules that state that you can choose to do non-lethal damage for a circumstance penalty. So while RAW there's no way to undercast accidentally killing someone shouldn't be a big risk you have no way of mitigating.
You should reread the Nonlethal Damage text you quoted, particularly this sentence: "You take a –2 circumstance penalty to the attack roll when you make a nonlethal attack using a weapon that doesn’t have the nonlethal trait."
RAW, the circumstance penalty to deal nonlethal damage applies only when making an attack with a weapon that does not have the nonlethal trait.
"Nonlethal Damage": That only applies to attacks that require an attack roll, so for instance a magic missile can never be nonlethal. Or a spell that deal damage with a save required instead of an attack.For nonlethal spell damage, there is metamagic for that:
Nonlethal Spell Feat 2
[Manipulate] [Metamagic] [Wizard]
You can alter offensive spells to be less deadly. If your next action is to Cast a Spell that deals damage and doesn't have the death or negative trait, that spell gains the nonlethal trait.
So, yes, magic missile actually can be nonlethal, if cast by a wizard using this metamagic feat. All other casters, it appears, are out-of-luck, though.
Wild Shape has a lot of other forms to choose from other than Animal Form, so if you're focusing on that there should always be some form you can pick where you will fit. Also you have Wild Morph if you need to stay the same size.
I think the fact that you get Wild Morph is mostly irrelevant to the issue at hand. Wild Morph is growing hands or limited features of a form. Is isn't turning into animals.
It does nothing to justify or mitigate the issue that strictly RAW your Wild Shape forms seem to be gated as you level up.
Some day a druid built around and focused on turning into a bear or the like will turn into a large bear with Wild Shape, bite a guy to death, and that will make him no longer able to do what he just did and is currently doing.
This simply has to be a rules oversight. It is too dumb from a design perspective to loose abilities when you level to be on purpose.
Dr. Strange should not have trouble controlling his flashlight because he "mastered" magic. That's dumb.
Nonlethal Spell is a feat that exists. Wizard lv. 2 that is.
Edit: Oops, already got mentioned. But yeah, the option is there. How you finagle that into your 'built' is another matter.
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I would allow casting cantrips and focus spells at lower levels. It makes sense that as you get more skillful you should gain more control over your magic, not less. (And yeah, since we become Expert and Master at magic, the language really talks about skill, not just raw power.)
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Regardless the fact it might be possible or not, what would be the reason behind deliberately lower a cantrip?Keep in mind that DC is not coupled to spell level anymore, so there might be a lot of reasons to "undercast", especially for focus spells (which where part of the original question).
Just take positioning and spell area.
For example it might make a lot of sense for my Warpriest of Sarenrae to cast his Dazzling Flash below 3rd level in some situations in order not to accidentially blind any teammates (15ft cone vs 30ft cone).
Darn. Beat me to it.
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I would allow casting cantrips and focus spells at lower levels. It makes sense that as you get more skillful you should gain more control over your magic, not less. (And yeah, since we become Expert and Master at magic, the language really talks about skill, not just raw power.)
I have already explained how that doesn't make sense in the lore. Spell slots are a unit of energy, and using a large amount of energy to get a lesser effect just won't work. The excess energy needs to go somewhere.
When a spell doesn't have a heightened effect the energy is just used to ensure it doesn't get counteracted, or in the case of Incapacitate spells, can be used on stronger targets.
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I would allow casting cantrips and focus spells at lower levels. It makes sense that as you get more skillful you should gain more control over your magic, not less. (And yeah, since we become Expert and Master at magic, the language really talks about skill, not just raw power.)I have already explained how that doesn't make sense in the lore. Spell slots are a unit of energy, and using a large amount of energy to get a lesser effect just won't work. The excess energy needs to go somewhere.
When a spell doesn't have a heightened effect the energy is just used to ensure it doesn't get counteracted, or in the case of Incapacitate spells, can be used on stronger targets.
"Spell slots are a unit of energy"
-Citation needed, plus that it's all-or-nothing.I think the example of a Focus Spell with a highest Heightened level shows us how undercasting could work. Say a 2nd level spell has an extra effect at 4th level and another at 5th. What happens when it's cast at 6th?
Obviously it could be the 5th level effect w/ +1 better level vs. counteracting. So why couldn't it be the 4th level effect w/ +2 better level vs. counteracting instead? Or the 2nd level effect w/ +4?
Same logic would apply to Cantrips (in the rarer case of wanting to undercast).
And in the narrative it makes no sense that a guy who's been turning into a medium wolf for who knows how long improves his shapeshifting, yet loses that size option. That sounds like they're losing control, not gaining prowess. "Nope, too powerful now," doesn't jibe IMO.
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"Spell slots are a unit of energy"
-Citation needed, plus that it's all-or-nothing.
It's YOU who needs a citation.
Nothing in the rules suggests that you can under-cast spells. All the rules are in support of only being able to heighten spells.Also look at the Wizard's Spell Blending Thesis, it allows you to combine two slots into a single higher power slot, as if they were units of energy that can combine into a larger unit.
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"Spell slots are a unit of energy"
-Citation needed, plus that it's all-or-nothing.It's YOU who needs a citation.
Nothing in the rules suggests that you can under-cast spells. All the rules are in support of only being able to heighten spells.Also look at the Wizard's Spell Blending Thesis, it allows you to combine two slots into a single higher power slot, as if they were units of energy that can combine into a larger unit.
Maybe I do need a citation for what follows, yet that doesn't absolve you of your need. "Looks like" and "as if" doesn't suffice IMO. If anything Spell Blending shows levels are not "units of energy" because there's no formula that would translate into consistent results as to what those units are or represent.
If a 5th level effect heightened to 6th level works (and it must in some circumstances), why doesn't a 4th level effect heightened to 6th level work (while ignoring the 5th level effect)?
"I'm casting the 4th level version heightened to 6th level w/ my focus point because I'm 11th level," fits all the rules I've read.
And it's not pure undercasting (like say a Sorcerer might want to do) because you're still using the higher level slot (though technically NOT a slot since we're talking about Cantrips & Focus spells here), it's just you're Heightening only for counteracting purposes and not wanting the other benefits (or "benefits" if undesirable).
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Regardless of the relative merits of undercasting some focus spells or cantrips, nothing in the rules allows you to "undercast".
Indeed cantrips say, "A cantrip is always automatically heightened to half your level, rounded up."
Focus spells also say, "Focus spells are automatically heightened to half your level rounded up, just like cantrips are."
So any decision to allow the undercasting of spells is a pure houserule subject to DM fiat. It's an entirely reasonable houserule, for many of the reasons brought up in this thread. But the RAW make no allowances for it.
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Regardless of the relative merits of undercasting some focus spells or cantrips, nothing in the rules allows you to "undercast".
Indeed cantrips say, "A cantrip is always automatically heightened to half your level, rounded up."
Focus spells also say, "Focus spells are automatically heightened to half your level rounded up, just like cantrips are."
So any decision to allow the undercasting of spells is a pure houserule subject to DM fiat. It's an entirely reasonable houserule, for many of the reasons brought up in this thread. But the RAW make no allowances for it.
Being Heightened means you have to cast the spell at a certain level; I agree that's RAW. I disagree that RAW cuts the caster off from using a lower level effect as an option, as in a lower level effect heightened to that certain level. We already have examples (i.e. Wild Shape) where a spell can be cast higher than the effect one uses (since those effects top out in level).
No fiat involved, merely reasoning based on both the rules and narrative consistency.
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So any decision to allow the undercasting of spells is a pure houserule subject to DM fiat. It's an entirely reasonable houserule, for many of the reasons brought up in this thread. But the RAW make no allowances for it.
I'd agree with this. The rules state they're heightened to half your level, rounded up, and spells state what happens when they are "heightened." There's nothing rules-wise that mentions a "level effect" separate from heightening.
Just because some spells don't change what they do at certain heightened levels, that doesn't support this notion of casting x-level but treating what the spell does as something less than x.
God forbid the target of your ray of frost is only 119 feet away and not 120 feet away. *rolls eyes*
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God forbid the target of your ray of frost is only 119 feet away and not 120 feet away. *rolls eyes*
Not the same thing. Spell ranges are already identified as affecting up to the range, not precisely that range. Heightening cantrips and focus spells have explicit language which supports the claim of not being able to downcast it. Even if it seems ridiculous, the rules are still pretty clear what they mean by RAW.
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Cute, smart, but false.
1) You are applying mathematical rule to common English expression, up to 5 ft includes 5ft in normal language use, its only in maths that it doesn't. The rules are defined as being in natural language.
2) The quantum of distance in any game I've had has been 5 ft. Its not explicitly stated but is rather implicit in games with squares or hexes there is a minimum quantum distance for rules.
2ft doesn't exist, 3ft doesn't exist. Only 0ft and 5 ft are possible. Likewise 119ft doesn't exist, only 115ft and 120ft.
Look at the area of effect templates for targeting and you will work it out.
...3ft doesn't exist. Only 0ft and 5 ft are possible.
Leap might want to have a word with you...
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...3ft doesn't exist. Only 0ft and 5 ft are possible.Leap might want to have a word with you...
Ha.
They always screw up at least one up. Note they use increments of 5ft everywhere except one spot on 3ft. Athletic mentions 8 ft... Seems for some silly reason vertical distances - off the grid - can have a finer granularity.
Still stand by my remarks though.
Yep, I asked this previously, and there's no way to downsize. As for there being "no need" to add this, I completely disagree on that front. PFS is a *huge* part of Pathfinder play. It's not everything, but there, having something that isn't explicitly allowed is kinda a big deal.
Why would you care about doing this? To torture someone?
Extra damage doesn't do anything. There are no negative hit points, so you don't need to pull punches to keep someone alive if that is what you want to do. Whether or not an enemy is outright dead is up to the GM if you wanted to take something alive.
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Yep, I asked this previously, and there's no way to downsize. As for there being "no need" to add this, I completely disagree on that front. PFS is a *huge* part of Pathfinder play. It's not everything, but there, having something that isn't explicitly allowed is kinda a big deal.Why would you care about doing this? To torture someone?
Extra damage doesn't do anything. There are no negative hit points, so you don't need to pull punches to keep someone alive if that is what you want to do. Whether or not an enemy is outright dead is up to the GM if you wanted to take something alive.
Yeah, using an example based on damage wasn't a good choice. That doesn't invalidate the overall point tividar27 and others are trying to make though. There are plenty of spells where it can make a big practical difference.
Yeah, using an example based on damage wasn't a good choice. That doesn't invalidate the overall point tividar27 and others are trying to make though. There are plenty of spells where it can make a big practical difference.Yep, I asked this previously, and there's no way to downsize. As for there being "no need" to add this, I completely disagree on that front. PFS is a *huge* part of Pathfinder play. It's not everything, but there, having something that isn't explicitly allowed is kinda a big deal.Why would you care about doing this? To torture someone?
Extra damage doesn't do anything. There are no negative hit points, so you don't need to pull punches to keep someone alive if that is what you want to do. Whether or not an enemy is outright dead is up to the GM if you wanted to take something alive.
Cantrips?
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I find it incredibly silly that anyone would use lore as a reason in a Rule thread.
Specially when "lore" wise cantrips should not be dealing more than 1d3 damage. Or have multiple effects outside Prestidigitation. Much less the whole "unit of energy" weirdness. "Lore" wise a lv1 Shocking Grasp from a 10th lv caster should be doing 10d6 damage. Heck "lore" wise you could cast spell at different caster levels to affect its strength.
So yeah careful about spending too much time in the hill of "lore" when in a "Rule" thread. Its not pretty, does not help, and it might very well not be RAW for PF2.
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Having said that it is my opinion that RAW, the answer cantrip or focus spells for lesser effect is no. You cannot do with the rules as currently written.
Now is it intended? Who knows if we could get an FAQ on it, great. Else I think its a huge oversight on Paizo, given that rules previous existence and the amount of stories it prevents.
You can't apply 1e "lore" to 2e. The whole first part of your post is basically just saying "Back in my day..."
But yes, the issue is not "It doesn't say I can't cast at a lower level" the issue is that the rules explicitly state cantrips and focus spells are automatically heightened, and there's no explicit exception to that, therefore you can not undercast cantrips and focus spells.
Also to the people suggesting you can cast a spell at a certain level with a lower level effect, no. You're explaining heightening spells incorrectly.
Lets take Invisibility for example. If you cast it as a level 2 spell it makes you invisible for 10 minutes, and making a hostile action breaks it. If you heighten it to level 3, it does the same thing. Once you heighten it to level 4 or higher, it changes how it works to be 1 minute but you can't break it. If you cast it at level 6, it's not casting with the effects of a level 4 invis, it's powered up because it's above the level at which it heightens. It's just a level 6 Invis.
Basically, the Heighten line says "The spell changes like this when it's level X or higher."
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2) I think its more than just a matter for automatic progression. A few times, not often, you would want to cast a spell prepared in a higher level slot, but with a lower level effect. Using your invisivility example, sometimes you want it to last 10 minutes because you don't want to attack. But prepared it in 6th level, just in case.
This thread seems to be about cantrips and focus spells, things that auto-heighten. The RAW is absolutely clear that if you prepared it at 6th level (or know it, as a sorcerer), it's 6th level. That's one of the key benefits of the sorcerer—they can downcast signature spells.