Heighten Spell — An Unanswerable Command
A master’s command can become harder to resist when the magic itself is heightened. The method varies with the caster’s training: a Sorcerer can undermine a target’s saving throws, while a wizard of the older traditions can raise a spell’s effective level.
At a Glance
| D&D 2024 | Heightened Spell, Sorcerer Metamagic: 2 Sorcery Points; one target has Disadvantage on saves against the spell |
|---|---|
| D&D 2014 | Heightened Spell, Sorcerer Metamagic: 3 Sorcery Points; one target has Disadvantage on its first saving throw against the spell |
| Pathfinder 1e | Heighten Spell, Metamagic feat: raise effective spell level, including save DC calculations |
| D&D 3.5e | Heighten Spell, Metamagic feat: raise effective spell level, including save DC calculations |
Heighten Spell Rules by Edition
Heightened Spell — D&D 2024
Type: Sorcerer Metamagic option. Cost: 2 Sorcery Points. When casting a spell that forces a creature to make a saving throw, choose one target of the spell. That target has Disadvantage on its saving throws against the spell.
Example: A chosen target affected by a spell that allows an initial saving throw and later saving throws to end its effect has Disadvantage on those saves against this heightened casting. Other creatures affected by the same spell do not automatically suffer the penalty.
Heightened Spell is not a generic feat and does not increase the spell’s actual level or automatically raise its saving-throw DC.
Heightened Spell — D&D 2014
Type: Sorcerer Metamagic option. Cost: 3 Sorcery Points. When casting a spell requiring a saving throw, select one of its targets. That creature has Disadvantage on the first saving throw it makes against the spell.
Example: A target makes its initial saving throw at Disadvantage, but if the spell later permits a saving throw at the end of each turn, those later saves do not automatically receive Disadvantage from this Metamagic option.
The option does not change the spell’s level, damage or casting time.
Heighten Spell — Pathfinder 1e
Type: Metamagic feat. Prerequisites: None. You may cast a spell as a higher-level spell, to a maximum effective spell level of nine. Unlike most other metamagic feats, Heighten Spell changes the spell’s effective level for all effects dependent on that level, including saving-throw DC and interaction with protective effects.
Example: A first-level spell heightened to fourth level uses a fourth-level slot and calculates its saving-throw DC as a fourth-level spell, a three-point increase before other modifiers.
The feat does not grant access to spell slots that the caster has not earned. Normal metamagic casting-time rules apply where applicable.
Heighten Spell — D&D 3.5e
Type: Metamagic feat. Prerequisites: None. Select an effective spell level higher than normal, up to ninth level. Prepare or cast the spell in the correspondingly higher slot. This feat raises the spell’s effective level for saving-throw DCs and interactions that depend on spell level.
Example: A caster heightens a first-level enchantment to fourth level, using a fourth-level slot and increasing its base saving-throw DC by three, other factors unchanged.
Other metamagic feats do not automatically increase the effective spell level simply because they use higher-level slots. Heighten Spell specifically does.
When to Heighten a Spell
The ability is especially useful when the target is dangerous enough that a failed saving throw could decide the fight. Choose a legal spell, identify which creature will be affected and check the edition’s resource cost before resolving its saving throw.
Related metamagic: Empower Spell · Maximize Spell · Quicken Spell · Spell Components.
Sources and Licensing
Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e feat mechanics are based on their respective published legacy game rules. The modern panels distinguish separately published Sorcerer Metamagic features. Original examples are provided to show the mechanics in play.
Keep this reference growing
If this page helped with your reading or game, you can support its upkeep or explore the curated books.
Explore the Bookshop — epics, classics and stories behind imagined worlds.