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Spell Immunity:

The warded creature is immune to the effects of one specified spell for every four levels you have. The spells must be of 4th level or lower. The warded creature effectively has unbeatable spell resistance regarding the specified spell or spells.

Heighten Spell:

heightened spell has a higher spell level than normal (up to a maximum of 9th level). Unlike other metamagic feats, Heighten Spell actually increases the effective level of the spell that it modifies. All effects dependent on spell level (such as saving throw DCs and ability to penetrate a lesser globe of invulnerability) are calculated according to the heightened level.

Would heightened spell bypass Spell Immunity? For example, if a character were immune to Fireball, would she be immune to a fireball that had been heightened to fifth level?

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Spell Immunity would still protect from the spell.

  • Heightened Spell alters the level, but not the identity of the spell.
  • The level cap of 4th is only in regards to choosing the spell protected against. Once chosen, level is not checked when Spell Immunity's protection against that specific spell is put to the test. Spell Immunity instead checks only the identity of the incoming spell.

As you can see, the levels don't actually interact at the time when (e.g.) a heightened Fireball is cast on someone protected by Spell Immunity from Fireball: the spell is still “Fireball” regardless of its changed level and is subject to the “unbeatable spell resistance.”

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    \$\begingroup\$ To be clear, the spell picked for spell immunity must have at least one spell list on which the spell appears at level 4 or below to be eligible to be picked for the spell spell immunity, and, once picked, the immunity spell's actual level for the caster irrelevant? So, for example, spell immunity could be picked to affect wail of the banshee if a class has that as a 4th-level spell, and spell immunity would then protect against any caster's wail? \$\endgroup\$
    – Hey I Can Chan
    Nov 9, 2015 at 9:15
  • \$\begingroup\$ By the way, Skip Williams in his role of the Sage for Dungeons and Dragons, Third Edition agrees: In response to a very similar question about spell immunity, Heighten Spell, and fireball, he says, "A fireball that has been modified by metamagic is still a fireball. The modified fireball can also be counterspelled by a normal fireball" (Dragon #284 120). Whether this withstands Pathfinder levels of scrutiny is something else altogether. \$\endgroup\$
    – Hey I Can Chan
    Nov 11, 2015 at 16:24
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The answer is already quoted.

The warded creature is immune to the effects of one specified spell for every four levels you have. The spells must be of 4th level or lower. The warded creature effectively has unbeatable spell resistance regarding the specified spell or spells.

If I have a 5th level Fireball, it is ineligible for Spell Immunity.

A regular 3rd or even 4th level Fireball will be stopped by it. But by the letter of the ability, the named spell must be 4th level or lower in order to be affected by Spell Immunity.

SevenSidedDie's answer about 'checking for' is not supported by the rules. If the text of the ability said 'the selected spell must be 4th level or lower', it would be unclear, and could be read either way - but it specifically states that the spells must be 4th level or lower - not to be chosen - but absolutely, to be stopped at all. In English, there is no other way to read the sentence.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I have to agree with you except for one thing. The spell must either be a 5+ level on your spell list, or have been prepared with a heighten spell effect. Otherwise the spell still counts as its lower form. \$\endgroup\$
    – Fering
    Sep 23, 2016 at 0:31

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