I was looking at how limited the Mystic Arcanum spell list is for Warlocks, and wondered if it would make sense if a few upcasted spells were in the list, like a fireball for warlocks with a fiend patron, A Smite spell for hexblades, A Cause Fear that targets 7 opponents, etc.
I feel like the options that exist can already do similar things as far as damage or abilities, but that this could be a fun possibility for homebrew or future modules.
Edit: The upcasted smite for an arcanum is one I could imagine being potentially broken if it goes off without a hitch, but that is a thing with most high level spells.
Letting Mystic Arcanum have upcasted lower-level spells in it shouldn't break anything, balance-wise; an upcasted 5th level spell is supposed to be worse than an actual 6+ level spell, and the game is designed around that assumption, so putting a worse spell in your permanent arcanum shouldn't be overpowered, if that's what drives you. Just remember the spell level the spell is cast at is utterly static once assigned.
Honestly they should just let you upcast all spells into mystic arcanums and allow the arcanums to upcast.. If you really want to use your 9th level slot with a 14d6 fireball go for it. The arcanums are incredibly restrictive and they really don't need to be.
Honestly they should just let you upcast all spells into mystic arcanums and allow the arcanums to upcast.. If you really want to use your 9th level slot with a 14d6 fireball go for it. The arcanums are incredibly restrictive and they really don't need to be.
"When a spellcaster casts a spell using a slot that is of a higher level than the spell, the spell assumes the higher level for that casting. For instance, if Umara casts magic missile using one of her 2nd-level slots, that magic missile is 2nd level."
So an upcasted spell that is on the warlock spell list would be fine. However you could not cast that spell at any other level. If you picked Armour of Agythis at L7, it would only be castable at L7, not 8, not 9, and not 5 wwith your regular spellslots. (It uses your arcanum, and is not added to your spell list)
No, you can't do that (But your DM might let you do it beyond what the rules say).
You're not using a spell slot if you're using Mystic Arcanum, you're using a feature. And the feature tells you to choose a level x spell. Armor of Agathys, for example, is a lvl 1 spell and it wouldn't be possible to cast it with lvl6 Mystic Arcanum since it's not a lvl6 spell (although you could cast it with a lvl6 spell slot if you had one).
In any case, since I already see that there are people who will try to misinterpret the rules to make this possible, I leave a Jeremy Crawford word about it:
The Mystic Arcanum feature says to Choose "one 6th-level spell" from the warlock spell list as this arcanum, and since as Mortisfilia pointed out, per the rules, an upcasted spell, is the level it is casted at.
It does not say Choose one spell from the "6th-level spell list" as this arcanum.
Rules as written. If they meant otherwise, they could have clarified, which to my knowledge has never been done. I could be wrong, but I've never seen an errata clarifying this.
And Jeremy Crawford is not an authority on the rules, he's just a guy with an opinion.
My 2 cents.
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I was looking at how limited the Mystic Arcanum spell list is for Warlocks, and wondered if it would make sense if a few upcasted spells were in the list, like a fireball for warlocks with a fiend patron, A Smite spell for hexblades, A Cause Fear that targets 7 opponents, etc.
I feel like the options that exist can already do similar things as far as damage or abilities, but that this could be a fun possibility for homebrew or future modules.
Edit: The upcasted smite for an arcanum is one I could imagine being potentially broken if it goes off without a hitch, but that is a thing with most high level spells.
Letting Mystic Arcanum have upcasted lower-level spells in it shouldn't break anything, balance-wise; an upcasted 5th level spell is supposed to be worse than an actual 6+ level spell, and the game is designed around that assumption, so putting a worse spell in your permanent arcanum shouldn't be overpowered, if that's what drives you. Just remember the spell level the spell is cast at is utterly static once assigned.
Honestly they should just let you upcast all spells into mystic arcanums and allow the arcanums to upcast.. If you really want to use your 9th level slot with a 14d6 fireball go for it. The arcanums are incredibly restrictive and they really don't need to be.
Im just happy to get that 3rd spell slot lol
Yes. You can.
From rulebook on Upcasting.
"When a spellcaster casts a spell using a slot that is of a higher level than the spell, the spell assumes the higher level for that casting. For instance, if Umara casts magic missile using one of her 2nd-level slots, that magic missile is 2nd level."
and from warlock
"Choose one 6th-level spell from the warlock spell list as this arcanum."
So an upcasted spell that is on the warlock spell list would be fine. However you could not cast that spell at any other level. If you picked Armour of Agythis at L7, it would only be castable at L7, not 8, not 9, and not 5 wwith your regular spellslots. (It uses your arcanum, and is not added to your spell list)
No, you can't do that (But your DM might let you do it beyond what the rules say).
You're not using a spell slot if you're using Mystic Arcanum, you're using a feature. And the feature tells you to choose a level x spell. Armor of Agathys, for example, is a lvl 1 spell and it wouldn't be possible to cast it with lvl6 Mystic Arcanum since it's not a lvl6 spell (although you could cast it with a lvl6 spell slot if you had one).
In any case, since I already see that there are people who will try to misinterpret the rules to make this possible, I leave a Jeremy Crawford word about it:
https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/552621077847760897
"As written, Mystic Arcanum doesn't allow spells of lower levels, but a DM could certainly allow it."
Sorry, bit of a Necro post here...
But, I've not seen anyone mention this anywhere.
The Mystic Arcanum feature says to Choose "one 6th-level spell" from the warlock spell list as this arcanum, and since as Mortisfilia pointed out, per the rules, an upcasted spell, is the level it is casted at.
It does not say Choose one spell from the "6th-level spell list" as this arcanum.
Rules as written. If they meant otherwise, they could have clarified, which to my knowledge has never been done. I could be wrong, but I've never seen an errata clarifying this.
And Jeremy Crawford is not an authority on the rules, he's just a guy with an opinion.
My 2 cents.