If you did hear that, it was homebrew and not an official rule. You can’t swap slots.
The only thing that would be close is a sorcerer that can convert slots to sorcery points. I guess they could then convert those points to slots but you would lose out as the conversion isn’t 1:1
I thought I remember hearing this somewhere like from zee bashew, now I'm not sure if this was just my imagination
A better question is "why"?
Nearly every spell in the game can be upcast to a higher quality version of itself. So say you're out of 1st and 2nd level slots but you REALLY want to cast bless. No problem, cast it as a third level spell. Now you might not have all of the available targets (each level above 1st adds a target) but you can totally still do that and just not use all targets. No need to worry about 'turning' it into a lower level slot.
As above, you can’t swap slots but you can upcast. Many spells have increased benefits when upcast for example magic missile fires 3 missiles at level 1 and then an additional missile for each higher level slot you use. So at level 2 it fires 4, at level 9 it fires 11 separate missiles. Bane targets 3 people at 1st level, 4 at 2nd level and so on.
Some spells such as shield can be upcast but unfortunately they don’t improve, so if you run out of level 1 slots you could cast shield with a level 2 slot but there are no extra benefits.
I thought I remember hearing this somewhere like from zee bashew, now I'm not sure if this was just my imagination
A better question is "why"?
Nearly every spell in the game can be upcast to a higher quality version of itself. So say you're out of 1st and 2nd level slots but you REALLY want to cast bless. No problem, cast it as a third level spell. Now you might not have all of the available targets (each level above 1st adds a target) but you can totally still do that and just not use all targets. No need to worry about 'turning' it into a lower level slot.
That was my thought.
You can cast any spell at a higher level slot, it just may not give you anything extra. One spell, one slot. It can be a waste and often there are more powerful spells you can cast with that slot that give a similar effect (if the spell doesn't scale), but you can do it.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
As IamSposta says, Sorcerers can convert spell slots to sorcery points and back, but this is inefficient. If you just want to cast magic missile but don't have any first level spell slots remaining you can cast it using a higher level slot. If you do the higher level slot is used just as it would be if you had cast a spell of the slot's level and you gain no benefits from "left over" parts of the more powerful slot. Edit: Unless the spell specifies increased effects or other benefits for doing so, which actually does apply to magic missile, so that might not be the best example. Consider shield, which still only adds +5 AC with the same duration even if you spend a higher level slot to cast it.
From the PHB, page 201: "When a character casts a spell, he or she expends a slot of that spell's level or higher." This is on the first page of Chapter 10: Spellcasting. The chapter is only five pages long and I strongly recommend that anyone planning to spend multiple hours at a time on a long term recurring basis playing a character that casts spells take a few minutes to actually read those five pages. This "Ancient Sage's Secret Wisdom One Simple Trick" (TM) allows a player to not bog down actual gameplay by asking the DM to explain rules every time they want to do something that their character sheet says they can do then making them look it up to show them to prove their point. If you do this, you will no doubt be amazed how much faster, smoother, and more enjoyable for everyone involved your Dungeons and Dragons experience will be.
It’s not a thing in 5e because of the upcasting ability. Way back in 2e/3e there was an offshoot of the FR world set in the age of Netheril that had a mechanic like that. It looked great, but like the sorceror’s points conversion wasn’t always as practical as it initially looked - upcasting is the “improved” version.
I thought I remember hearing this somewhere like from zee bashew, now I'm not sure if this was just my imagination
A better question is "why"?
Nearly every spell in the game can be upcast to a higher quality version of itself. So say you're out of 1st and 2nd level slots but you REALLY want to cast bless. No problem, cast it as a third level spell. Now you might not have all of the available targets (each level above 1st adds a target) but you can totally still do that and just not use all targets. No need to worry about 'turning' it into a lower level slot.
I would imagine that perhaps a player might want to conserve their higher level slot for "later", i.e. the boss fight, and might be wanting to instead use up there lower level slots first over the course of the dungeon delve. They might be happy to take a power cut to their mid or higher level spell effect in order to downcast a spell that they needed to be a certain level before they could learn in the first place, without having to expend that precious higher level slot which they may be planning to use exactly for upcasting purpose when it really matters.
I don't know if 5e accomodates something like this, but I would allow it at my table as it adds a layer of tactical planning for spellcasters in the idea of conserving their more potent 'mana resevoirs' for the tougher fights, while still letting them use their full range of spells known over the course of standard play.
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Thank you for your time and please have a very pleasant day.
I thought I remember hearing this somewhere like from zee bashew, now I'm not sure if this was just my imagination
You might be thinking of the spell points variant rule in the DMG. Using spell points, a 4th level slot is equivalent to three 1st level slots. So you do get more overall casts if you stick to low level spells.
I thought I remember hearing this somewhere like from zee bashew, now I'm not sure if this was just my imagination
You might be thinking of the spell points variant rule in the DMG. Using spell points, a 4th level slot is equivalent to three 1st level slots. So you do get more overall casts if you stick to low level spells.
I thought I remember hearing this somewhere like from zee bashew, now I'm not sure if this was just my imagination
You might be thinking of the spell points variant rule in the DMG. Using spell points, a 4th level slot is equivalent to three 1st level slots. So you do get more overall casts if you stick to low level spells.
I thought I remember hearing this somewhere like from zee bashew, now I'm not sure if this was just my imagination
A better question is "why"?
Nearly every spell in the game can be upcast to a higher quality version of itself. So say you're out of 1st and 2nd level slots but you REALLY want to cast bless. No problem, cast it as a third level spell. Now you might not have all of the available targets (each level above 1st adds a target) but you can totally still do that and just not use all targets. No need to worry about 'turning' it into a lower level slot.
I would imagine that perhaps a player might want to conserve their higher level slot for "later", i.e. the boss fight, and might be wanting to instead use up there lower level slots first over the course of the dungeon delve. They might be happy to take a power cut to their mid or higher level spell effect in order to downcast a spell that they needed to be a certain level before they could learn in the first place, without having to expend that precious higher level slot which they may be planning to use exactly for upcasting purpose when it really matters.
I don't know if 5e accomodates something like this, but I would allow it at my table as it adds a layer of tactical planning for spellcasters in the idea of conserving their more potent 'mana resevoirs' for the tougher fights, while still letting them use their full range of spells known over the course of standard play.
OMG.
I totally misread that and totally missed the point. Dang.
Though I feel like this feeds back to the idea though that anything above first level in teh book is above first level because it's effects are significant enough that it's going to have more bang just by the nature of it (like incapacitating, or charming, or chaining damage, etc).
The slayer d20 for 3.5 has an unique magic system where you can. At level 1 you can cast fireball, it costed more mp then a normal 1st level spell and did 1d6 damage to a 20ft radius, which is still good for level 1.
In the 1D&D UA there is something like this allowed. I believe it’s for selected spells or is a feat.
It was part of the Ranger Expert class. I think just for the Hunter subclass, Multiattack feature (Conjure Barrage could be downcast). I don't recall if it was for the base Ranger as well.
I thought I remember hearing this somewhere like from zee bashew, now I'm not sure if this was just my imagination
If you did hear that, it was homebrew and not an official rule. You can’t swap slots.
The only thing that would be close is a sorcerer that can convert slots to sorcery points. I guess they could then convert those points to slots but you would lose out as the conversion isn’t 1:1
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
A better question is "why"?
Nearly every spell in the game can be upcast to a higher quality version of itself. So say you're out of 1st and 2nd level slots but you REALLY want to cast bless. No problem, cast it as a third level spell. Now you might not have all of the available targets (each level above 1st adds a target) but you can totally still do that and just not use all targets. No need to worry about 'turning' it into a lower level slot.
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As above, you can’t swap slots but you can upcast. Many spells have increased benefits when upcast for example magic missile fires 3 missiles at level 1 and then an additional missile for each higher level slot you use. So at level 2 it fires 4, at level 9 it fires 11 separate missiles. Bane targets 3 people at 1st level, 4 at 2nd level and so on.
Some spells such as shield can be upcast but unfortunately they don’t improve, so if you run out of level 1 slots you could cast shield with a level 2 slot but there are no extra benefits.
That was my thought.
You can cast any spell at a higher level slot, it just may not give you anything extra. One spell, one slot. It can be a waste and often there are more powerful spells you can cast with that slot that give a similar effect (if the spell doesn't scale), but you can do it.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Sorcerer’s can. But only sorcerers, and it’s not a terribly efficient thing to do most of the time.
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As IamSposta says, Sorcerers can convert spell slots to sorcery points and back, but this is inefficient. If you just want to cast magic missile but don't have any first level spell slots remaining you can cast it using a higher level slot. If you do the higher level slot is used just as it would be if you had cast a spell of the slot's level and you gain no benefits from "left over" parts of the more powerful slot. Edit: Unless the spell specifies increased effects or other benefits for doing so, which actually does apply to magic missile, so that might not be the best example. Consider shield, which still only adds +5 AC with the same duration even if you spend a higher level slot to cast it.
From the PHB, page 201: "When a character casts a spell, he or she expends a slot of that spell's level or higher." This is on the first page of Chapter 10: Spellcasting. The chapter is only five pages long and I strongly recommend that anyone planning to spend multiple hours at a time on a long term recurring basis playing a character that casts spells take a few minutes to actually read those five pages. This "Ancient Sage's Secret Wisdom One Simple Trick" (TM) allows a player to not bog down actual gameplay by asking the DM to explain rules every time they want to do something that their character sheet says they can do then making them look it up to show them to prove their point. If you do this, you will no doubt be amazed how much faster, smoother, and more enjoyable for everyone involved your Dungeons and Dragons experience will be.
It’s not a thing in 5e because of the upcasting ability. Way back in 2e/3e there was an offshoot of the FR world set in the age of Netheril that had a mechanic like that. It looked great, but like the sorceror’s points conversion wasn’t always as practical as it initially looked - upcasting is the “improved” version.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
I would imagine that perhaps a player might want to conserve their higher level slot for "later", i.e. the boss fight, and might be wanting to instead use up there lower level slots first over the course of the dungeon delve. They might be happy to take a power cut to their mid or higher level spell effect in order to downcast a spell that they needed to be a certain level before they could learn in the first place, without having to expend that precious higher level slot which they may be planning to use exactly for upcasting purpose when it really matters.
I don't know if 5e accomodates something like this, but I would allow it at my table as it adds a layer of tactical planning for spellcasters in the idea of conserving their more potent 'mana resevoirs' for the tougher fights, while still letting them use their full range of spells known over the course of standard play.
Thank you for your time and please have a very pleasant day.
You might be thinking of the spell points variant rule in the DMG. Using spell points, a 4th level slot is equivalent to three 1st level slots. So you do get more overall casts if you stick to low level spells.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
How much is each spell slot of each level?
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dmg/dungeon-masters-workshop#VariantSpellPoints
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OMG.
I totally misread that and totally missed the point. Dang.
Though I feel like this feeds back to the idea though that anything above first level in teh book is above first level because it's effects are significant enough that it's going to have more bang just by the nature of it (like incapacitating, or charming, or chaining damage, etc).
Still my bad for reading.
"Teller of tales, dreamer of dreams"
Tips, Tricks, Maps: Lantern Noir Presents
**Streams hosted at at twitch.tv/LaternNoir
The slayer d20 for 3.5 has an unique magic system where you can. At level 1 you can cast fireball, it costed more mp then a normal 1st level spell and did 1d6 damage to a 20ft radius, which is still good for level 1.
In the 1D&D UA there is something like this allowed. I believe it’s for selected spells or is a feat.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
It was part of the Ranger Expert class. I think just for the Hunter subclass, Multiattack feature (Conjure Barrage could be downcast). I don't recall if it was for the base Ranger as well.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?