Spell Perfection disambiguation

Question

The Spell Perfection feat:

Pick one spell which you have the ability to cast. Whenever you cast that spell you may apply any one metamagic feat you have to that spell without affecting its level or casting time, as long as the total modified level of the spell does not use a spell slot above 9th level. In addition, [...]

If applying the metamagic feat doesn't modify the spell's level, why is it saying the modified level can't be higher than 9? I presume that actually means: The modified level plus the modifier of the metamagic feat being applied can't be higher than 9.

Right?

Answer 1

It means you can't exceed what would be the usual limit of spellcasting - no quickened wish, for example, as that would normally be 9th level + 4 for quicken = level 13 effective, and there is no such thing. The level of the spell plus the metamagic feat modifier can't be over 9 before Spell Perfection negates the additional level requirement from the metamagic feat.

Answer 2

The way I understand it was that if you were going to use that feat with say.. Quicken. You could quicken a spell ( which typically adds four levels to the spell you're casting ) you choose a spell of a level less than 6 ( because 6 + 4 = 10, which breaks the wording of the feat ) and with that spell you can apply the metamagic to that single spell and when doing so the level of the spell is unmodified, but gains the quickened effects.

So a Perfected Quickened Haste spell ( which is a 3rd level spell, plus the four from Quicken ) Would still remain a 3rd level spell but would be able to cast as a swift action. ( Instead of a Standard Action )

Or a Perfected Empowered Fireball spell ( Also 3rd level, but Empower uses a slot 2 greater ) would remain a 3rd level spell but would have its dice damage increased by half.