I was looking up some interesting feats to add to my magus build, and ran into intensified spell. I was wondering in which way the feat is actually applied, however. I understand its effects from a mechanic standpoint on a single, but I was wondering how I apply it to my spells.
- Do I choose a single spell, and from that moment on, every time its caster level is +1?
- Do I choose a spell (always the same) and apply it if I want it to, when studying my spells at night?
- Do I choose a single spell (can be different ones, depending on which one I want to prepare) and apply it if I want it to, when studying my spells at night?
- Can I select a number of my spells ((can be different ones, depending on which ones I want to prepare) and apply it if I want it to, when studying my spells at night?
The reason why I ask is because I would feel bad about spending a feat on a spell which I might not use again later on (as in, level 15 – 20).
Best Answer
Metamagic feats are usually more versatile than that
When a prepared caster like a magus that possesses a metamagic feat like Intensified Spell prepares his spells for the day he can opt to modify any number of his spells—including multiple different iterations of the same spell—using that metamagic feat. Preparing a spell modified by a metamagic feat increases the spell slot level the modified spell occupies by the amount listed in the feat's level adjustment. (However, except in the case of, like, the feat Heightened Spell, this spell slot level increase does not change the spell's actual level that's used, for example, to determine a spell's saving throw DC.)
A metamagic feat usually is not usually limited to, for example, only one spell picked when the feat's gained nor to only one spell in the caster's daily repertoire.
Thus, for example, a magus could prepare the spell shocking grasp modified using the metamagic feat Intensified Spell, and that intensified shocking grasp spell occupies one of the magus's 2nd-level spell slots (instead of a 1st-level slot like shocking grasp normally occupies). After casting that intensified shocking grasp, the magus won't be able to cast that intensified shocking grasp again either until he prepares intensified shocking grasp again the next day or unless he's also prepared a second or more intensified shocking grasp as a 2nd-level spell.