Reserve feats

[Trollcranked]

Particularly speaking about fire burst. I understand the mechanics behind it (damage, requirements, etc).
But what I do not know is if it gives AoO's, requires concentrations, what it actually is.
Is this nothing more than a supernatural ability? Dm wants answers and I really do not know e.e

[eggynack]

As you noted, the section on reserve feats defines reserve feats as supernatural abilities (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#supernaturalAbilities). As the section on supernatural abilities states, supernatural abilities don't provoke attacks of opportunity, and they require no concentration checks. So, that answers both of the questions you asked, and probably some other ones besides.

[DeltaEmil]

Each reserve feat's primary benefit is a supernatural ability usable at will. Unless stated otherwise, it requires a standard action to activate and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.And on the SRD

Supernatural abilities are magical and go away in an antimagic field but are not subject to spell resistance, counterspells, or to being dispelled by dispel magic. Using a supernatural ability is a standard action unless noted otherwise. Supernatural abilities may have a use limit or be usable at will, just like spell-like abilities. However, supernatural abilities do not provoke attacks of opportunity and never require Concentration checks.
That information is of course written in the book where the feat is introduced.

[Ellowryn]

Also of note, because it is a supernatural ability you can use it in while grappled and also cast it into an anti-magic zone or attack a creature that is SR heavy or flat immune to magic (looking at those annoying arcane hating golems >.>). All in all very fun and useful feats.

[Zweisteine]

Supernatural abilities blink out in A-M fields, just like a spell.

[Sir Chuckles]

Supernatural abilities blink out in A-M fields, just like a spell.

I think there was some kinda rules debate that resulted in that you could use them to fire into, but not in.

I'm not certain of it, though.

[ryu]

I think there was some kinda rules debate that resulted in that you could use them to fire into, but not in.

I'm not certain of it, though.

I believe you're thinking of the spontaneous creation conjuration school debate.

[Drachasor]

I believe you're thinking of the spontaneous creation conjuration school debate.

And there's only room for discussion there because AMF explicitly mentions instantaneous Creation spells.

[ryu]

And there's only room for discussion there because AMF explicitly mentions instantaneous Creation spells.

And the fact that AMF is a terribly written spell right down to the base. Don't forget that.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Of all the reserve elemental attack feats, fiery burst is certainly the most fun one, albeit the worst energy type.

Aside from being able to use it while bound and gagged, it's also unique from the others in that it has no visual/audio/whatever clue to indicate that it originated from you (the others all shoot out from you) -- it's Su, so you don't need to make any sounds or motions to use it.

So you can set stuff on fire from a short distance away w/o anyone knowing it was you. Great fun!

[Valtu]

I was actually just going to start a thread with a question relating to reserve feats, then I came across this one.

Like the OP I also get the basics of how reserves work, and from what I've read I agree with those that say a sorcerer (or other spontaneous caster) with Heighten Spell should be able to consider their reserve ability the highest level spell they have, as long as they leave at least one spell slot open.

That being said, how does that particular function work? If I chose Fiery Burst, which requires a fire spell of at least 2nd level, IIRC, and I had the spell Fireball, which is 3rd level, I'd be able to use it.

Say I have Heighten Spell and the ability to cast 5th level spells. That means my Fireball is effectively 5th level. What if I ran out of 3rd level slots? Could I still cast it, as long as I heightened it to 4th or 5th level?

I suppose that's more of a metamagic question, really, but how about this? If Fiery Burst requires a fire spell of 2nd level or higher, and I have both Combust and Fireball, can I use my reserve off of either as long as one of them remains? (Regardless of Heighten Spell or anything of that nature)

Not sure if you have to pick one spell to dedicate to that feat, or if any will suffice.

[HammeredWharf]

Say I have Heighten Spell and the ability to cast 5th level spells. That means my Fireball is effectively 5th level. What if I ran out of 3rd level slots? Could I still cast it, as long as I heightened it to 4th or 5th level?

I suppose that's more of a metamagic question, really, but how about this? If Fiery Burst requires a fire spell of 2nd level or higher, and I have both Combust and Fireball, can I use my reserve off of either as long as one of them remains?

Yes to everything. As a sorcerer, you've got access to a Heightened Fireball as a 5th level spell. You don't lose that access by expending all of your lvl 3 slots. Reserve feats don't depend on a specific spell, because they would state so otherwise, like Arcane Thesis does.

[Segev]

Do any of the "cast this spell and expend another spell slot: gain two spell slots of lower level" style spells enable you to spend a spell of arbitrary level? If so, could you use this to "create" a higher level slot than you normally have by using Heighten along with any of the methods to get free metamagic adjustments on the slot you burn to fuel it?

As an example, let's pretend there's a spell that allows you to burn a spell of arbitrary level to get 2 spells whose levels sum to the burned one's. You can cast 3rd level spells, and have a means of adding +3 free levels of metamagic to a spell. You burn a 3rd level spell Heightened to 6th, and gain a 5th and a 1st level slot.

Is there any way to achieve anything like this?

(Psionics can do it with Overchannel or Wild Surge or the like.)

[Valtu]

Yes to everything. As a sorcerer, you've got access to a Heightened Fireball as a 5th level spell. You don't lose that access by expending all of your lvl 3 slots. Reserve feats don't depend on a specific spell, because they would state so otherwise, like Arcane Thesis does.

Oh, nice, thanks! Suddenly I'm really wanting to take a reserve feat now :P

[Valtu]

Oh, I would also think that with the Energy Substitution feat you could probably use just about any energy spell to power one of the reserves requiring a specific energy type. So a Scorching Ray or Fireball could be used to fuel Fiery Burst or that acid one, yes?

I don't have Heighten or Energy Substitution on my current character, but I will on my next. I am considering taking one of those now (although either way, no reserves for this character). Just hit 12, so it's time to pick a feat!

[Snow Savant]

I would think that a Wizard with:

1. A Belt of Wide Earth (MIC) or a Runestaff with the spell Teleport on it ... both with the final use saved for the day.
2. An open spell spell slot of 5th level or higher for the day.
3. The Heighten Spell metamagic feat.
4. The Dimensional Jaunt reserve feat.

... would be able to use Dimensional Jaunt all day long without directly reserving a spell slot assigned to a Conjuration/Teleport spell.

...

I only mention this because my Wizard uses a Belt or Runestaff. She uses Heighten Spell with Spontaneous Divination (for Unlucks and VoP attack spells). She was considering the Dimensional Jaunt feat specifically because she already has the base combo (mentioned above) setup.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Like the OP I also get the basics of how reserves work, and from what I've read I agree with those that say a sorcerer (or other spontaneous caster) with Heighten Spell should be able to consider their reserve ability the highest level spell they have, as long as they leave at least one spell slot open.

That being said, how does that particular function work? If I chose Fiery Burst, which requires a fire spell of at least 2nd level, IIRC, and I had the spell Fireball, which is 3rd level, I'd be able to use it.

Say I have Heighten Spell and the ability to cast 5th level spells. That means my Fireball is effectively 5th level. What if I ran out of 3rd level slots? Could I still cast it, as long as I heightened it to 4th or 5th level?

I suppose that's more of a metamagic question, really, but how about this? If Fiery Burst requires a fire spell of 2nd level or higher, and I have both Combust and Fireball, can I use my reserve off of either as long as one of them remains? (Regardless of Heighten Spell or anything of that nature)

Not sure if you have to pick one spell to dedicate to that feat, or if any will suffice.

I actually think by RAW, heighten spell doesn't work for spont. casters, because in that case heightened fireball (for example) is not actually a "5th level fire spell" until the moment you cast it and apply the metamagic on the fly. You need one of the (almost universally crappy) methods of preparing some spells as a spont. caster to utilize such a combination.
But...that's a really stupid rule and I never follow it myself; letting heighten apply for spont. casters as it would for prepared casters is fine to me. Likewise, using Energy Substitution to say...make Cone of Cold acid so as to count as having a 5th level acid spell in reserve.

As for your last question, no. You don't need to pick one spell to dedicate to the feat. Its parameters are based off the highest level applicable spell you still have left to cast, and then drops down to the next highest spell level of spell that applies, etc... Until you no longer have spells of sufficient level (for example, your only lightning spells left are 1st level or lower; Storm Bolt requires 3rd level lightning spells, so the Su attack portion becomes unusable [the +1 CL benefit remains].)