Metamagic feats for Druid lvl 9

[Morphie]

Hi guys,
So, I'm planning on choosing the Energy Substitution feat when I reach 15th lvl (12th lvl will be for Dragon Wild Shape), but it needs to have another metamagic feat as a prerequisite.
Both Extend and Empower will be handled with Metamagic Rods, so I wanted to ask for your advice as to what other Metamagic Feat should I choose at 9th lvl as the first one and what uses could it have on the Druid's spell list. Druids aren't as dependant on feats as other classes, but wasting a feat just to get another one 6 lvls later just doesn't sound right to me.
So, metamagic feats with no prereqs and useful for druids at 9th lvl, what do you say?
Thanks in advance :smallsmile:

[sleepyphoenixx]

Quicken Spell is useful for every spellcaster. Rapid Spell lets you summon as a full-round action instead of the normal 1 round casting time and can be combined with a Ring of the Beast to negate the higher level.
Both have no prerequisites.

[A_S]

Is there anything you're planning on doing with your swift actions every round? If not, Quicken is a pretty obvious choice.

[Morphie]

Yes, I've thought about Quicken, but at 9th level I could only use it with level 1 spells (sure, a Quickened Shillelagh followed by Spikes is nice, but I'll probably be busy wildshaping into a brown bear and I can use the 5th level spell slot to cast bite of the weretiger to really deal damage). I know I can use it later when I have higher spell slots, it is a good suggestion, thanks :smallsmile:

What druid spells could benefict from Quicken spell on middle levels - 9-12 ?

Any other thoughts/ suggestions?
Thanks for your input, guys :)

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Fell Drain Spell, from Libris Mortis. Use it with Produce Flame or Flame Blade or similar, deal a negative level per hit.

[Morphie]

Fell Drain Spell, from Libris Mortis. Use it with Produce Flame or Flame Blade or similar, deal a negative level per hit.

That's amazing. But the wording confounds me: I'm not sure if the feat just gives one negative level to everyone that's damaged by it (1 or more if it is an area spell) or if it does so by each hit.
But a really great feat, anyway :) Thanks.

[Rebel7284]

Sculpt Spell is nice but is also obtainable from a rod.

I think quicken spell is still win. Quickened Entangle is still pretty nice and it just grows in power from there.

[Morphie]

What about the Sudden metamagic feats?

As a side note: I've found a previous thread here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=238299) about the Fell Drain thing, I'm inclined to think the negative level would just be applied once for each subject damaged by the spell. It's still good, though.

Quicken and Fell Drain are great options, so far.

[Rebel7284]

What about the Sudden metamagic feats?


They are pretty weak. 1/day is not very reliable when you're supposed to have 4 encounters a day. When a feat can be replaced 3 times over by a cheap magic item, it's a sign of a bad feat.

Edit: what are your plans for energy sub anyway? Any particular spells you want to use it with?

[Morphie]

They are pretty weak. 1/day is not very reliable when you're supposed to have 4 encounters a day. When a feat can be replaced 3 times over by a cheap magic item, it's a sign of a bad feat.

Edit: what are your plans for energy sub anyway? Any particular spells you want to use it with?

Agreed on the first point, though being able to decide on the fly which spell to apply the feat to and not having to expend a higher level spell slot has its advantages.

For energy sub I'm planning on choosing Acid, as Fire and Cold Immunity/Resistance are usually common among monsters, but I'm still not sure of the energy type to choose. Just want to add a bit more flexibility to my spells :smallsmile:

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The standard ruling on Fell Drain is no more than one negative level per creature per round. So a Fell Drain Flame Blade that you full attack with for several rounds only deals one negative level to a given creature each round no matter how many times you hit them. Use it on (Extended) Creeping Cold and they take 21d6 damage and six negative levels over six rounds. Use it on Call Lightning (Storm) and each round you can make a lightning bolt hit for another negative level on top of its damage.

Sudden Metamagic feats are never worth it, unless your DM allows all 1/day to be 1/encounter instead, or if you only expect one encounter per day.

Druids have plenty of variety in their damage types. Fire and Cold are pretty common, but there are powerful Electricity spells (Call Lightning, Arc of Lightning), physical damage (Splinterbolt, Wall of Thorns, Summon Nature's Ally), and then good old fashioned face-smashing in animal forms buffed with a Bite of the Werecreature. I wouldn't consider Energy Substitution necessary at all.

[fishyfishyfishy]

Fell Drain for now and for your energy sub I suggest choosing electricity so that you can qualify for Born of the Three Thunders and Energy Admixture (Electricity), both of which are in Complete Arcane with energy sub. It's actually a combo I'm working up towards with my own Druid character. Just imagine the cool factor of call lightning, and then slap those three metamagic effects on top. :smallcool:

Edit: By three metamagic effects I was referring to Fell Drain, Born of the Three Thunders and Energy Admixture all on Call Lightning.