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Energy Fusion states:

You fuse two spells together, combining their energy types. If the next action you use is to Cast a Spell that deals acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage, select a non-cantrip spell in your spell repertoire that deals a different type of energy damage from that list, and expend an additional spell slot of the same level as this secondary spell. The spell you cast deals additional damage equal to the level of the secondary spell slot expended. The spell's total damage is divided evenly between the energy type of the spell you cast and the energy type of the secondary spell.

Can this be used on a cantrip? (question inspired by disagreements in comments on this question)

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  • \$\begingroup\$ @András - what are you looking for with a bounty here? Seems like we have every possible answer variant I can think of. \$\endgroup\$
    – ESCE
    Commented Sep 29, 2022 at 16:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ this is exactly my problem, more attention might draw more votes, and hopefully not so evenly distributed \$\endgroup\$
    – András
    Commented Sep 29, 2022 at 18:13

3 Answers 3

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I'd say that it is possible. The way I interpret that rule, you are using an action to Cast a Spell and using an additional spell slot to power up the spell. RAW, it is possible - but it is kind of a waste, isn't it? You could use that spell slot for something else that could probably do more damage than just 4 HP.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ "ought to be feasible" - does that mean that you think, as it is written, it isn't able to be used on a cantrip? But that you think it should be allowed? (Not disagreeing, just checking to be clear). \$\endgroup\$
    – ESCE
    Commented Sep 23, 2021 at 23:24
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    \$\begingroup\$ I agree with @Milarqui in that the requirements are in the "If the next action you use is to Cast a Spell that deals acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage" part, so even Focus Spells qualify. The rest is just unfortunately phrased, because the author did not think past spell slots. So in my opinion strict RAW no, RAI yes. \$\endgroup\$
    – András
    Commented Sep 24, 2021 at 12:08
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    \$\begingroup\$ @ESCE, I also agree with you, that Milarqui's answer is also a bit unclear \$\endgroup\$
    – András
    Commented Sep 24, 2021 at 12:09
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No. You cannot expend an "additional" spell slot if you have not yet expended one spell slot.

The feature description assumes that the first spell cast is a non-cantrip:

expend an additional spell slot of the same level as this secondary spell

You cannot expend an additional spell slot if you have not already expended a first spell slot.

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    \$\begingroup\$ While this is technically correct (the best kind of correct, according to some), I think it's too pedantic with Paizo officially adopting a plain language stance on their writers. I think the single word "additional" is not enough to justify restricting the ability, since they didn't use the verbage " If the next action you use is to Cast a Spell from a spell slot that deals acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage," or " If the next action you use is to Cast a non-Cantrip Spell that deals acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage," on the requirement \$\endgroup\$
    – Ifusaso 'he-him'
    Commented Sep 25, 2021 at 2:21
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Can you do this? Sure.

As written, I guess there's nothing stopping you from, say, burning a 5th level spell slot, wasting a Cone of Cold to let your Electric Arc do half of it's damage as Cold.

Should you do this? Absolutely not.

So, you're a level 10 sorcerer. You're casting Electric Arc, but you wish it did Cold Damage. Since you're 10th level, your Electric Arc is a 5th level spell, so to use Energy Fusion with it, you'll need to use another 5th level spell to modify it. Your Electric Arc now does 5d4+4 damage, half as Electricity, half as cold.

You could have just cast Cone of Cold though, and done 12d6 damage.

Energy Fusion shines in that it allows you to blend low level spells to target weaknesses and shift single target spells into area effects that do so. For example, you can burn 2 1st level slots, to create a Shocking Burning Hands that does a cone of half electrical damage, instead of it's usual fire. As a means of modifying cantrips it is... expensive and wasteful.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Using an equal/higher level spell for the second spell is not a requirement. They could expend a 1st level spell slot if they know chilling spray for +1 damage and hitting weakness: cold. "...expend an additional spell slot of the same level as this secondary spell" \$\endgroup\$
    – Ifusaso 'he-him'
    Commented Sep 24, 2021 at 16:14

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