Can you choose which spell slots or power points you expend?

[RoboEmperor]

So lets say we have a 4th level sorcerer. He has 6 (Class) + 1 (Extra Slot) + 1 (Ability Score Bonus) = 8 1st level Spell Slots. When he casts spells, can he choose to expend the Extra Slot Spell Slot first?

So if he casts a 1st level spell and is down to 7 1st level spell slots left, and someone casts Embrace the Dark Chaos and replaces Extra Slot with an abyssal heritor feat, will he have 7 spell slots left or 6?



Same with power points. If a Psion has Skin of the Psion, can he choose to expend the bonus power points he got from Skin of the Psion first?



The reason I ask is because the FAQ made a claim

Do ability enhancing items (such as the headband of intellect, cloak of charisma, and periapt of wisdom) grant bonus spells to the appropriate spellcasters? The spells these items are based on would seem to prohibit it, but the only things specifically addressed in the item descriptions are skill points.
Yes, you can get extra bonus spells if you have an item that increases the ability score that governs your spellcasting. To get the extra bonus spells, you must wear the item while resting
to regain spells and all through your initial daily preparations for spellcasting. (Even characters who don’t prepare spells need to meditate a little while at the beginning of the day; see Daily
Readying of spells under the Sorcerers and bards section of Chapter 10 in the PH.)
If you lose the item, you immediately lose the bonus spell slots the item gave you, starting with any uncast spells you have of the appropriate levels.

And I was wondering if it was correct or not.

[Coventry]

So lets say we have a 4th level sorcerer. He has 6 (Class) + 1 (Extra Slot) + 1 (Ability Score Bonus) = 8 1st level Spell Slots. When he casts spells, can he choose to expend the Extra Slot Spell Slot first?

So if he casts a 1st level spell and is down to 7 1st level spell slots left, and someone casts Embrace the Dark Chaos and replaces Extra Slot with an abyssal heritor feat, will he have 7 spell slots left or 6?



Same with power points. If a Psion has Skin of the Psion, can he choose to expend the bonus power points he got from Skin of the Psion first?



The reason I ask is because the FAQ made a claim


And I was wondering if it was correct or not.

I am not finding anything official that covers this specific case. The FAQ you have quoted specifies "items", so you can try to argue that it does not apply ...

Except that hit points work the same way when losing constitution bonuses. Ask any barbarian player what can happen when rage ends, and suddenly that -2 hp/level affects both their maximum and current hit point totals.

My gut reaction to your question was, "what harm would there be to let the sorcerer have that extra first level spell for the rest of the day ... it's not like he will recover spells in the morning and have more than his new allotment of 7", but any time anyone brings up "Embrace the Dark Chaos", I start looking for game exploits that need to be shut down. A first level slot is not terribly game breaking. But and extra 8th level slot? Or a 9th for an Epic spellcaster?

Your DM may rule differently than I.
As a DM, I would say that you would end up at 7 first level slots, with one used for the day, leaving six.

[Crichton]

I'm pretty sure the FAQ, not being an actual rules source, doesn't have the technical authority to make that claim, purely from a RAW-only sense. If it cited some other actual rules text that said losing a bonus slot meant starting with losing uncast spells, then sure, it'd just be clarifying or interpreting the existing rules. I don't know of any actual rules text that says that, though, so I think the FAQ is just making it up? Having said that, while the FAQ isn't very highly respected around these hallowed halls of rules discussions, I think most people at most normal tables would take that as the way the rules work, and just go with it.


As an aside, the un-bolded part of your FAQ is also, so far as I can tell, mis-citing a bit of rules text to make another claim that's unsupported by the rules. They cite pg 179 of the PHB, referring to the process that sorcerers and other spontaneous casters regain the spell slots they used up the day before, and try to use that as support for their claim that casters who put on ability enhancing items don't gain access to the bonus spell slots the increased ability grants until after they rest and do their daily preparations. Thing is, there's no rules text that says that either, and the section they cite specifically says it only refers to how the sorcerer 'regains the spell slots he used up the day before.' A new bonus spell slot from an increased ability score isn't a spell slot used up the day before, so that text doesn't apply.

[RoboEmperor]

I'm pretty sure the FAQ, not being an actual rules source, doesn't have the technical authority to make that claim, purely from a RAW-only sense. If it cited some other actual rules text that said losing a bonus slot meant starting with losing uncast spells, then sure, it'd just be clarifying or interpreting the existing rules. I don't know of any actual rules text that says that, though, so I think the FAQ is just making it up? Having said that, while the FAQ isn't very highly respected around these hallowed halls of rules discussions, I think most people at most normal tables would take that as the way the rules work, and just go with it.


As an aside, the un-bolded part of your FAQ is also, so far as I can tell, mis-citing a bit of rules text to make another claim that's unsupported by the rules. They cite pg 179 of the PHB, referring to the process that sorcerers and other spontaneous casters regain the spell slots they used up the day before, and try to use that as support for their claim that casters who put on ability enhancing items don't gain access to the bonus spell slots the increased ability grants until after they rest and do their daily preparations. Thing is, there's no rules text that says that either, and the section they cite specifically says it only refers to how the sorcerer 'regains the spell slots he used up the day before.' A new bonus spell slot from an increased ability score isn't a spell slot used up the day before, so that text doesn't apply.

It's not entirely out of the blue as Energy Drain has similar language


If the victim casts spells, she loses access to one spell as if she had cast her highest-level, currently available spell. (If she has more than one spell at her highest level, she chooses which she loses.) In addition, when she next prepares spells or regains spell slots, she gets one less spell slot at her highest spell level.

so losing highest uncast slot first is consistent. But like you said there are no direct rules for it so... w.e, since I doubt I'll meet a DM who would rule this any other way I'm a just accept it.

[Phillyg]

In the case of Psionics, I would say, "Yes!".

First: Psionics has the "one source" rule, that requires a Psion to choose where he draws his power points from. The mechanical precedent is there.

Second: In the case of Vigor and hit points, Psions lose the temporary hit points first.

[gogogome]

I think skin of the psion proves you can't choose which power points to expend. The item does not store any power points. It gives and takes away power points to you. So like something that gives and takes away constitution, hit points, or the like, nothing is stored on the item.

[Jay R]

There is no clear, unambiguous answer in the rules, so ask your DM how he would rule.

were a clear, unambiguous answer in the rules, then you should ask your DM if he would rule that way.]