Reducing a spells level

[AOKost]

I can't think of anything off hand, but does anyone know of a class feature or feat that allows a character to actually reduce the level of a spell.

For example, say I want to reduce the level of Magic Missile from spell level 1 to spell level 0, or Fireball from spell level 3 to spell level 2.

I feel it should be easy enough to whip something up. Maybe have Arcane Thesis (Spell) to be able to reduce the actual level of the spell...

[Gildedragon]

Lower spell slot: not that I know of
Lower the spell level: sanctum spell

[ATHATH]

+0 metamagic feats+metamagic cost reducers that don't have that clause about not reducing metamagic costs below +0

[Lazymancer]

I can't think of anything off hand, but does anyone know of a class feature or feat that allows a character to actually reduce the level of a spell.

For example, say I want to reduce the level of Magic Missile from spell level 1 to spell level 0, or Fireball from spell level 3 to spell level 2.

I feel it should be easy enough to whip something up. Maybe have Arcane Thesis (Spell) to be able to reduce the actual level of the spell...
Other than metamagic shenanigans, no such thing exists.

IIRC, you can grab spell from other spell list where it is lower, but that's for specific spells.

[AOKost]

Sanctum Spell is a possible solution but not what I was hoping for due to the lowered DCs and other variables...

The suggestion for adding +0 metamagics with reducers that don't have a minimum +0 bonus is another good possibility... Could someone give a few of those options?

The last option I see would be to homebrew a feat something along the lines of:

SPELL MASTERY
You have studied and practiced with a particular spell so much and so intensely that you have figured out how to use less magical energy to cast the spell without reducing it's effects.

Prerequisites: Knowledge (Arcana) 9 ranks, Spellcraft 9 ranks, and Spell Thesis (Spell), maybe Practiced Caster &/or Spell Focus (spells school)

Benefits: The chosen spell can be prepared and cast as a spell of one level lower than normal. The other benefit of this feat is that it allows a spell to keep it's DCs (if applicable) of a spell of it's normal level. A spell mastered with Spell Mastery may be modified by any other metamagic feat as normal (including Heighten Spell).

For example, if Magic Missile is chosen, it can be prepared and cast as a 0-level spell or cantrip. Likewise, Fireball would be considered a 2nd-level spell instead of a 3rd level spell.

It might be a breakable, but I feel that with it only affecting a single spell, and being so feat and skill intensive, that it shouldn't have too many detractors. The biggest 'abuse' I can see is making a spell like Magic Missile a 0-level spell, and thus, in Pathfinder, it could be used all day long, and at higher levels it out-paces the damage of other 0-level spells... As it should still being a 1st level spell in all ways other than it's actual spell level. The level at which this becomes available will keep it out of the hands of the masses and in the ranks of Hero-level characters anyway.

[Mordaedil]

I can't think of anything off hand, but does anyone know of a class feature or feat that allows a character to actually reduce the level of a spell.

For example, say I want to reduce the level of Magic Missile from spell level 1 to spell level 0, or Fireball from spell level 3 to spell level 2.

I feel it should be easy enough to whip something up. Maybe have Arcane Thesis (Spell) to be able to reduce the actual level of the spell...

It would be really hard to balance correctly. A cantrip from the evocation school, ray of frost, requires both a ranged touch attack roll and deals 1d3 cold damage on hit. Having magic missile as a cantrip dealing 1d4+1 force damage with no roll to hit would simply render equivalent spells irrelevant.

[AOKost]

It would be really hard to balance correctly. A cantrip from the evocation school, ray of frost, requires both a ranged touch attack roll and deals 1d3 cold damage on hit. Having magic missile as a cantrip dealing 1d4+1 force damage with no roll to hit would simply render equivalent spells irrelevant.

At higher levels, cantrips are virtually useless, and even at lower levels for that matter. At he level you're able to get this at, you've got access to 4th level spells, or maybe 5th. You're far exceeding things that you could possibly hope to be doing with a cantrip to begin with at that point. Most cantrips or orrisons you're memorizing or taking are just handy, like Resistance, or Prestidigitation. There are some good 0-level spells, but nothing that will every level.

By spending the time, effort and quite probably money in learning a feat to master a spell by this point should be acceptable. It's a single spell, and go a huge distance to help players that want to play the iconic Force Missile Mage / Abjurant Champion / Wizard (or whatever) that specializes in Magic Missile and Shield, so it would go a long way to make them more viable to allow them to take certain spells and figuring out after spending so much time and practice casting them to learn how to make them easier. Force Missile Mage does this to a small extent, but not really, and should have been boosted a bit because by the time a character's level 20... their abilities are a bit lacking...

Maybe there should be some limitations, such as it can't be used with Wish, and each time it's taken it applies to a new spell? How about the level of spell that can be Mastered in this way is equal to 1/3rd the level of spell they are able to cast. Thus if you can cast 6th level spells, you can only master in this way 1st and 2nd or learning a 0-level as a spell-like ability usable at will? How about including that they must have the selected spell as part of Spell Mastery (just realizing I usurped the feat name *DOW*)?

[zergling.exe]

SPELL MASTERY

Just going to point out that a feat with that name already exists. It's the one that lets a Wizard prepare some spells without their spell book.

[lbuttitta]

Easy Metamagic (Invisible Spell), and Practical Metamagic (Invisible Spell) if you're a spontaneous caster.