Shadowcaster shadow reservoir and heightening spells

[umopapisdnupsidedown]

I've been going back and forth on this one, and I could see it going either way...For a Shadowcaster's shadow reservoir, can spells be heightened in the normal fashion (spending a spell slot of the appropriate level to cast the heightened version of the spell), or must the heightened version of the spell be specifically a part of the shadow reservoir (a la a sorcerer learning a spell at multiple levels)?

Right at this moment I'm leaning toward the former interpretation (shadow reservoir spells can be heightened by spending appropriate spell slots), but this might make it slightly more powerful than intended.

Any thoughts?

(Also I wonder about swapping spells out—retrainable, or are they fixed? So if a shadowcaster gets a heightened version, can they swap out the lower level version? This would be applicable to either interpretation, in the case of a spell one no longer wants in one's shadow reservoir.)

[Baarogue]

Giving a whole list of extra signature spells seems a bit much. I'd go with the latter. If you want to cast a heightened spell from your shadow reservoir it needs to be present in the reservoir at that level and only spell slots of that level can be expended to cast it

I'd say retraining is also doable, just like repertoires, since it doesn't say anything about daily preparations

resertoire... repervoir... nah neither of those work for a portmanteau

also I like your username

[Errenor]

umopapisdnupsidedown wrote:

can spells be heightened in the normal fashion (spending a spell slot of the appropriate level to cast the heightened version of the spell)

That's never been 'normal' in PF2e. You'd better forget it. 'Normal' in PF2 is either classic Vancian casting, when you specifically prepare a spell in a specific level slot, or you must know it at the specific level to cast it from that level slot for spontaneous casting. Anything else are exceptions and they are always writen explicitly.

So yeah, Shadowcaster should work like a small and limited sorcerer's repertoire by the book.
Retraining is obviously not defined, but your GM could (and should) allow it to work analogously to sorcerer's repertoire in this too.

[breithauptclan]

Errenor wrote:

'Normal' in PF2 is either classic Vancian casting, when you specifically prepare a spell in a specific level slot, or you must know it at the specific level to cast it from that level slot for spontaneous casting. Anything else are exceptions and they are always writen explicitly.

Yes. The biggest and most common exception being Signature Spells from various spontaneous casting classes.

[AlastarOG]

My main question would be what happens when you cast a shadow reservoir spell with a ranged touch attack using a shadow signet.

Is it the highest of fort/ref DC or will DC?

(I concur with everyone else, this basically allows you to have more spells in your repertoire)

[umopapisdnupsidedown]

Baarogue wrote:

Giving a whole list of extra signature spells seems a bit much. I'd go with the latter. If you want to cast a heightened spell from your shadow reservoir it needs to be present in the reservoir at that level and only spell slots of that level can be expended to cast it

I'd say retraining is also doable, just like repertoires, since it doesn't say anything about daily preparations

resertoire... repervoir... nah neither of those work for a portmanteau

also I like your username

"Repervoir" has a bit of a ring to it, to be fair.

Nice, thanks all for your responses. The sorcerer-esque interpretation was my initial one, but then I thought, "Wait a second..." I agree with your commentary, it makes a lot of sense and is internally consistent with other parts of the game, so I'll go with it.

Re: username, the board keeps telling me I can change my username until I make ten posts. I keep telling the board, "I'm squatting on this username until I die."

[breithauptclan]

umopapisdnupsidedown wrote:

I keep telling the board, "I'm squatting on this username until I die."

Good choice.