(PF) Sorceror metamagic (Rods and Feats)

[Rainshine]

I'm trying to judge what metamagic I should be picking up for my Arcane Sorceror. I'm mostly doing field control -- grease, glitterdust, illusions here and there, and some cold damage (snowball) on the side. I obviously want to pick up some metamagic for synergy with my bloodline abilities, but which would I be using often enough to take it as a feat, as opposed to a rod? And which should I buy a rod for?
Quicken, for example, seems like something I should probably feat, whereas selective spell, while nice looking, isn't something I think I'd use enough for the feat to be worth it, but a rod would be nice. Enlarge Spell? Skip for both, I'm guessing.

[gr8artist]

My favorite is Extend spell. It works on pretty much anything, has a low adjustment, and literally doubles the spell's usefulness.

[Amphetryon]

For your damaging spells, you want Dazing Spell.

Ectoplasmic Spell may prove useful for your BFC choices.

[chaos_redefined]

Actually, if he's specifically after cold spells, he wants Rime Spell, not Dazing...

As for extend... it doubles the usefulness of anything with duration 1 min/lvl or higher. For stuff with 1 rnd/lvl, I generally find that 2 rnd/lvl doesn't make it that much more useful. It lasts for a combat, and doesn't last for a second. This changes when you get to high enough levels, in which you can get another combat within a minute after a first one.

[Amphetryon]

Actually, if he's specifically after cold spells, he wants Rime Spell, not Dazing...


He may well want both; Daze is still a somewhat harder condition to overcome than Entangled, and both together should be effective at removing enemies from the combat entirely.

[Negher]

If you have access to high level spell you can take echoing spell. Its a +3 level adjust but you can use a third level spell at will if you have a sixth level spell slot free.(if I have correctly interpreted the feat)

[Rainshine]

I may pick up an ectoplasmic rod, but I don't see it being useful enough for me to take it as a feat.

[gr8artist]

I believe Echoing spell only gets one free recast.

[Psyren]

Actually, if he's specifically after cold spells, he wants Rime Spell, not Dazing...

As for extend... it doubles the usefulness of anything with duration 1 min/lvl or higher. For stuff with 1 rnd/lvl, I generally find that 2 rnd/lvl doesn't make it that much more useful. It lasts for a combat, and doesn't last for a second. This changes when you get to high enough levels, in which you can get another combat within a minute after a first one.

Don't forget 10 min./level spells - Extending those gives you access to some useful buffs that can potentially carry you between two combats.

[Negher]

I believe Echoing spell only gets one free recast.

That's why I'm not sure about the interpretation of the feat.
Is not clear how is considered the recasted spell. If, for example, I'm a sorcerer that casts Echoing Fireball using a 6th level spell slot I can cast another fireball without using spell slot. But I must cast fireball or I can cast another Echoing Fireball? The feat is not clear about using metamagic feats on the echospell. This interpretation may be incorrect but the feat description is not clear.

[Cog]

I obviously want to pick up some metamagic for synergy with my bloodline abilities, but which would I be using often enough to take it as a feat, as opposed to a rod?
It's worth noting that your bloodline arcana only triggers off an actual metamagic feat; rods merely provide the effect.

[Psyren]

It's worth noting that your bloodline arcana only triggers off an actual metamagic feat; rods merely provide the effect.

This is debatable. The rod does not give you the feat, but explicitly lets you use the feat - thus it would be a DM call whether your bloodline would trigger from it.

[Drachasor]

It is weird that largely you either mildly inconvenience monsters, or you completely remove them from combat.

Not much middle ground with status effects.

[Amphetryon]

It is weird that largely you either mildly inconvenience monsters, or you completely remove them from combat.

Not much middle ground with status effects.

HP damage is generally even more binary; either the enemy fights just as effectively as before, or the enemy is dead/dying/helpless, with no middle ground or condition of "mildly inconvenience[d]."