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View Full Version : What exactly is meta magic?



R. Shackleford
2009-12-01, 03:41 PM
When I hear the word, I think of it as magic that operates on either the spell or caster being aware that they're fictional characters in a game, but then I read up on it, and still don't really get it. Maybe its just a lack of sleep, or maybe its my 4e trained brain.

Can someone enlighten me?

mikeejimbo
2009-12-01, 03:43 PM
Metamagic is in fact magic that affects magic. Very specifically in game terms though, it means things you do to spells that make them harder to cast, but better.

I firmly believe some spells (such as the dispel line) could be considered metamagic (though not in game terms and in fact one should avoid calling them such to avoid confusion.)

Edit: Harder to cast is a bit misleading. As was said, it increases the spell level.

Eldariel
2009-12-01, 03:45 PM
In 3.5, there's a bunch of Metamagic Feats you can learn. These allow you to modify existing spells by either modifying or empowering their existing attribute but you have to prepare them at higher level slots than the vanilla spell.

Examples include Extend Spell, which makes a spell last twice as long as normal by requires 1 level higher slot, Quicken Spell which turns spell's casting time to 1 swift action but requires 4 levels higher slots than the vanilla spell, Empower Spell which multiplies all dice rolls by 1.5, but requires 2 levels higher slot and Sculpt Spell which allows converting the spell's effect area into a variety of options but requires 1 level higher slots.


So yeah, it's basically magical customization done to stock spells.

ericgrau
2009-12-01, 03:46 PM
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#metamagicFeats

It is casting a spell differently from the way it was originally designed. "Customization" as described above is a good term.

peacenlove
2009-12-01, 04:27 PM
I only want to add that in 2nd edition, certain spells (The precursor to metamagic and item creation feats) affected other spells (and could craft items).

Lapak
2009-12-01, 04:34 PM
When I hear the word, I think of it as magic that operates on either the spell or caster being aware that they're fictional characters in a game, but then I read up on it, and still don't really get it. Maybe its just a lack of sleep, or maybe its my 4e trained brain.

Can someone enlighten me?It's not about your 4e-trained brain; it's about how people have used and misused the 'meta' prefix in the last couple of decades. Meta-anything means a process or field or whatever referencing itself. Meta-philosophy, for example, would be philosophers talking about the process of philosophy - how does it get formed and what is it for. Meta-magic is magic that has an affect on other magic.

The use that's confusing you is meta-fiction, which has become so popular lately - fiction that talks about itself as fiction, that uses devices which force the reader to recognize that it is fiction, that breaks the fourth wall. It's become so common that it's starting to grab the whole category of 'meta' in most people's heads.

Eldan
2009-12-01, 04:39 PM
Fun fact: when my group first opened the 3.0 players handbook and decided to play DnD, we did indeed read "metagamic" feats. No idea how we managed that.

Mewtarthio
2009-12-01, 04:39 PM
When I hear the word, I think of it as magic that operates on either the spell or caster being aware that they're fictional characters in a game, but then I read up on it, and still don't really get it. Maybe its just a lack of sleep, or maybe its my 4e trained brain.

You're confusing the "meta-" prefix with "metafiction" (or at least the popular conception of metafiction), which is colloquially shortened to "meta," so the mistake's not really your fault. Basically, in the same way that metafiction is fiction that addresses the devices of fiction itself, metamagic is magic that alters the power of magic (in DnD, by letting the metamagically skilled cast more powerful or more versatile spells).

EDIT: Know what's worse than being ninja'd? Writing a confusing post, then being ninja'd by someone who puts it better.

Anonymouswizard
2009-12-01, 06:00 PM
Where did you find this thing called meta magic? In my reading of my books (core, CArc, CS, and DM) I have never encountered it.

However, as stated, metamagic is in 3.x a set of feats that allow you to alter the nature of the spell through some expenditure. The standard system is extra spell levels, although the SRD does talk about extra spell slots (or /day uses, but that's bland and boring).

R. Shackleford
2009-12-01, 06:02 PM
Ah, thanks everyone.

This was informative.

Zeta Kai
2009-12-01, 07:57 PM
Oh, no one's gonna say it? Fine, I'll say it then. :smallsigh:


I never meta magic I didn't like.
:biggrin:

Siosilvar
2009-12-01, 08:06 PM
Oh, no one's gonna say it? Fine, I'll say it then. :smallsigh:


I never meta magic I didn't like.
:biggrin:

...No.

Your head cut off.

rockdeworld
2009-12-01, 08:20 PM
Oh, no one's gonna say it? Fine, I'll say it then. :smallsigh:


I never meta magic I didn't like.
:biggrin:
Funny :smallbiggrin: