I know the language states that at X Level you get to pick one X-level spell, but is it possible, rather than picking for instance, a 7th Level spell when the time comes, can you pick another 6th Level spell? Basically I'm wondering if I could pick Soul Cage at Level 11 and then Create Undead at Level 13? Overall I'd love to be able to have Soul Cage, Create Undead, and Finger of Death for a late-level Warlock. For RP purposes I like the idea of having a late-game Hexblade/Pact of the Blade Shadowfell Warlock who, through hard work in service of their Patron, is bestowed the abilities to creature undead, control them, and exact information and power from the souls of the vanquished (possibly even capturing the soul of a creature they just killed with Finger of Death and now they have their undead body and their soul). I'm also perfectly alright just using Soul Cage and Finger of Death, but having three lackeys as melee support while on the front lines, more with Finger of Death, would be kinda cool even if they are just meat shields or act as an annoyance to high level creatures.
I'm wondering if mechanically, this is allowed? I know with homebrew games it's up to a DM, but does the player handbook explicitly prohibit taking two same-level spells for the Arcanum?
The spellcasting rules in the PHB state that when a spell is upcast at a higher level, it's treated as a spell of that level. So a 6th level spell upcast at 7th level could be considered a valid pick for a 7th level Mystic Arcanum. See the PHB p201, "Casting a Spell At a Higher Level."
Mystic Arcana aren't specifically covered by this rule, nor are they disallowed; it's a GM's call. (My DM decided against it.) In my game, I'd allow it. Personally, I haven't found any spell picks which would unbalance the game using this option.
The spellcasting rules in the PHB state that when a spell is upcast at a higher level, it's treated as a spell of that level. So a 6th level spell upcast at 7th level could be considered a valid pick for a 7th level Mystic Arcanum. See the PHB p201, "Casting a Spell At a Higher Level."
Mystic Arcana aren't specifically covered by this rule, nor are they disallowed; it's a GM's call. (My DM decided against it.) In my game, I'd allow it. Personally, I haven't found any spell picks which would unbalance the game using this option.
Thanks for the responses, guess I'll see what a DM thinks when I find a game. I was thinking of keeping both at 6th level and skipping 8th, so I'd end up with two 6th level spells, one 7th, and one 9th. No upscaling, no shenanigans, just a 6th level Soul Cage and a 6th level Create Undead.
I seem to recall either Mearls or Crawford responding to a tweet asking this same basic thing, can you choose a lower-level spell your Mystic Arcanum, such as another 6th-level spell at Level 13. I believe their response was basically "Officially no, but I'd probably allow it". If I were the DM, I'd probably allow it too, but it would have to be cast at the spell's default level, NOT the level that they would normally pick for that Mystic Arcanum.
I know the language states that at X Level you get to pick one X-level spell, but is it possible, rather than picking for instance, a 7th Level spell when the time comes, can you pick another 6th Level spell? Basically I'm wondering if I could pick Soul Cage at Level 11 and then Create Undead at Level 13? Overall I'd love to be able to have Soul Cage, Create Undead, and Finger of Death for a late-level Warlock. For RP purposes I like the idea of having a late-game Hexblade/Pact of the Blade Shadowfell Warlock who, through hard work in service of their Patron, is bestowed the abilities to creature undead, control them, and exact information and power from the souls of the vanquished (possibly even capturing the soul of a creature they just killed with Finger of Death and now they have their undead body and their soul). I'm also perfectly alright just using Soul Cage and Finger of Death, but having three lackeys as melee support while on the front lines, more with Finger of Death, would be kinda cool even if they are just meat shields or act as an annoyance to high level creatures.
I'm wondering if mechanically, this is allowed? I know with homebrew games it's up to a DM, but does the player handbook explicitly prohibit taking two same-level spells for the Arcanum?
Unfortunately, mystic arcanum does not allow picking a lower level spell and upcasting it.
The spellcasting rules in the PHB state that when a spell is upcast at a higher level, it's treated as a spell of that level. So a 6th level spell upcast at 7th level could be considered a valid pick for a 7th level Mystic Arcanum. See the PHB p201, "Casting a Spell At a Higher Level."
Mystic Arcana aren't specifically covered by this rule, nor are they disallowed; it's a GM's call. (My DM decided against it.) In my game, I'd allow it. Personally, I haven't found any spell picks which would unbalance the game using this option.
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This rule (found here: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules/spellcasting#CastingaSpellataHigherLevel) is actually part if the problem.
It says a spell cast with a higher level slot becomes that level. Mystic arcana are not spell slots.
Moreover that rule applies after the spell is cast not before. So level 6 spells cannot be level 7 spells for the purpose of selecting that spell.
Thanks for the responses, guess I'll see what a DM thinks when I find a game. I was thinking of keeping both at 6th level and skipping 8th, so I'd end up with two 6th level spells, one 7th, and one 9th. No upscaling, no shenanigans, just a 6th level Soul Cage and a 6th level Create Undead.
For what it is worth, the character sheet on DDB will not let you select a lower level spell.
I seem to recall either Mearls or Crawford responding to a tweet asking this same basic thing, can you choose a lower-level spell your Mystic Arcanum, such as another 6th-level spell at Level 13. I believe their response was basically "Officially no, but I'd probably allow it". If I were the DM, I'd probably allow it too, but it would have to be cast at the spell's default level, NOT the level that they would normally pick for that Mystic Arcanum.
Its slightly off topic but i always felt that they missed something huge with Mystic Arcanums...
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Kain de Frostberg- Dark Knight - (Vengeance Pal3/ Hexblade 9), Port Mourn
Kain de Draakberg-Dark Knight lvl8-Avergreen(DitA)