Can a sorcerer learn a 5th-level spell early by creating spell slots using the Font of Magic feature?

Question

Per the Font of Magic feature, sorcerer can use Flexible Casting to create 5th-level spell slots at level 7, even though they are not typically available until level 9.

You can transform unexpended sorcery points into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of [5th level is 7]

If such a sorcerer levels up while still having this 5th-level spell slot, can they choose a 5th-level spell as the spell they gain upon levelling up?

The Spellcasting feature states:

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the sorcerer spells you know and replace it with another spell from the sorcerer spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

I thought this question was going to be easy to answer at first, but it raises an interesting point. Going to have to check some details. — Gandalfmeansme, Jan 29 '19 at 18:14
I don't think it does, @Bloodcinder. A sorcerer can't have 6 Sorcery points until 6th level. So they can create a 4th level spell slot as a sixth level character (and not before), but when they level up to 7th they'd get access to 4th level spells anyway. So there's no exploit to creating a 4th level spell slot just as you're about to level up. — Gandalfmeansme, Jan 29 '19 at 18:24
@Gandalfmeansme, could they not convert lower spells slots into the extra points they need? At 6th level, you have 6 points. Redeem one 1st level spell for a 7th point. — MivaScott, Jan 29 '19 at 19:33
@MivaScott your number of sorcery points can never exceed your level — David Coffron, Jan 29 '19 at 19:40
@MivaScott Good question. That would be doable except for one thing (PHB, p. 101) "You can never have more sorcery points than shown on the table for your level." — Gandalfmeansme, Jan 29 '19 at 19:40

score 27 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 07 '21 at 02:49

27

Nothing in the standard rules seems to forbid it.

Flexible casting allows you to create spell slots:

You can transform unexpended sorcery points into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn.

These slots are treated no differently to the rules than normal spell slots.

The rules for learning spells say:

Each of these spells [you learn] must be a level for which you have spell slots.

Since you have a 5th level slot, by a strict reading you could do this.

There are no other rules¹ that I can find or think of that have any effect on the ability to do this, thus it seems to be permissible (or at least not explicitly excluded) by the rules.

It may not work depending on how the DM does leveling

There are no normal rules about when level up occurs, but many DMs allow leveling at the end of a long rest.

Since created spell slots vanish when you long rest, they would be gone before you could level and choose your spell.

Any spell slot you create with [Flexible Casting] vanishes when you finish a long rest.

If your table levels after a long rest, then this strategy won't work.

Almost certainly not intended (or at least planned for)

This is clearly a loophole use of the ability and is almost certainly not intended to work this way.

For example the following sentence of the rules about learning new spells says:

For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

This is referring to the spellcasting table for Sorcerer which outlines the slots a Sorcerer has at each level (and number of spells known). Note that there is no qualification here (eg "...unless some other feature grants you more slots"). The implication in the rules, though it is not explicitly stated, is that when the rules say "level for which you have slots" they mean "level for which you have slots according to the table".

Probably not worth it

A DM can certainly allow this and I don't think it would destroy their game alone (though I have not and likely will not ever play with this ruling). The exploit only seems to exist for 5th level spells so the impact, at least, is contained to that alone. In the end the sorcerer is trading almost all of their sorcery points just for the chance to cast up to two 5th level spells one level earlier. Even so, I would think hard before allowing it unless you think this will enhance the fun at your table.

edited Mar 07 '21 at 02:49

SpiderWaffle

454
1
3
11

answered Jan 29 '19 at 18:27

Rubiksmoose

94,696
21
483
580

This may be of interest: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/103545/when-are-sorcery-points-calculated. There's a discussion of concurrency which may or may not contribute here. Also relevant may be the rule about when sorcery points refresh under Creating Spell Slots. I think the question would ultimately come down to exactly when leveling takes place (long rest, short rest, arbitrary, etc) – Lauren Moylan Jan 29 '19 at 18:36
1

Seems RAI that "Each of these spells [you learn] must be a level for which you have spell slots." could say "Each of these spells [you learn] must be a level for which you innately have spell slots." – Stickyz Jan 29 '19 at 18:40
4

If you have a DM that only levels players up after a long rest, it may not work, according to the discussion here, but if you have the slot made and level up outside of a long rest it should be possible. – RallozarX Jan 29 '19 at 18:42
@RallozarX Indeed! I mention that in my footnote. – Rubiksmoose Jan 29 '19 at 18:44
1

@RallozarX Except that as a DM, I would rule you'd have to create slots every day just to use the spell, which would be far more expensive than simply waiting to level up. – phyrfox Jan 29 '19 at 18:44
If it's based as how someone would rule as a dm I would state that you can only create spells of levels your already capable of having normally, and that you can't create more than the max the amount of each the table states. Anything else just unleashes munchkining I don't like at my table. Such as a level 7 sorc 13 warlock who does nothing but shortrest and make slots since there's no RAW max number of slots. But Idk would be fun to do a one shot of crazy and silly builds. – Deceptecium Jan 29 '19 at 18:53
@Deceptecium You're free to create an answer to that effect (or to rule that way personally), but know that it contradicts answers to another question on this topic. – Gandalfmeansme Jan 29 '19 at 19:01
Ya it does that's why I am not making an answer I don't want it confusing people who look it up. But it is also something that can very much be abused that is easily avoided without punishing normal play – Deceptecium Jan 29 '19 at 19:09
@Rubiksmoose I'm slightly confused when you say "it wouldn't work in Adventurers League play." The rule we quoted states three times you could level up: at the end of a long rest, the end of an episode, or the end of an adventure. It seems to me that only one of these three times would stop this strategy from working: or am I missing something? Is there a rule that says that ends of episodes count as long rests, or something? – Gandalfmeansme Jan 29 '19 at 19:14
@Gandalfmeansme Nope that was just me having reading comprehension issues! thanks for pointing it out. I also forgot to attribute the quote to you. – Rubiksmoose Jan 29 '19 at 19:24
"Probably not worth it" -- generally, higher level spells are a pretty large power upgrade. – Yakk Jan 30 '19 at 14:54
@Yakk but they are sacrificing nearly all their SP to cast it just once. And only a level or two ahead of when they would normally be able to. But obviously it could be worth it in some cases which is why I said it probably isn't worth it. – Rubiksmoose Jan 30 '19 at 14:56
@Rubiksmoose first off, great answer. Can't seem to find your footnote though so I might be missing some info. Have you considered this answer as well? Stating that (in this case of Multiclassing) the higher level spell slots can only be used for the casting of lower level spells? – SpaceCoon Jan 31 '19 at 07:53
It's not just for 5th level spells. You can also use it to get 4th level spells at lvl 6 (one level early). Polymorphing a friend into a Mammoth (CR 6) could be a valid solution to a number of problems. – Ben Barden Mar 07 '21 at 05:44

Gandalfmeansme · Answer 2 · 2019-01-29T19:16:28.993

Maybe? Under two conditions

1.) You'd need to level up at a time other than the end of a long rest.

This is because, after an errata to the PHB (p. 101, post errata)

Any spell slot you create with this feature [Flexible Casting] vanishes when you finish a long rest.

There is nothing in the standard rules that link leveling up to long rests, but it is often done in games by default (so that issues of the new max hit points or how many spell slots you have are easily dealt with). And in Adventurers League play, it's part of the rules... almost.

According to the Adventurers League player's guide:

A character who earns enough XP to advance a level does so at the end of a long rest or at the end of an episode or an adventure.

A lot of leveling up will probably happen at the end of long rests, and that would mean that your created 5th level slot would not be available (you wouldn't "have" a 5th level slot when you gained the level). However, even in Adventurer's League it's possible to gain a level at a time other than the end of a long rest, so this strategy could possibly work, some of the time. As long as you also satisfy the second condition:

2.) Your DM would have to let you

I feel silly putting this condition in, because it's a condition of anything you would ever want to try, so it hardly seems necessary to point out. But in this particular case, it's so unlikely for a GM to permit this strategy that you should factor that into your plan.

That being said...

RAW, there is nothing stopping this strategy from working. And honestly, it might not even be worth the trouble. Sorcerers know fewer spells than any other full caster (Warlock being a bit of a weird case), so the spells they can cast need to be carefully chosen. Selecting a spell that you can only cast through created spell slots might be enough of a downside to balance out the advantage of gaining a higher level spell earlier than expected. That being said, you'd need to satisfy both of the above conditions to even attempt this: and the second one is a doozy.