Variant Metamagic Systems

[pwykersotz]

So, just for fun I've been going over different systems of applying metamagic, specifically the variants mentioned on the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/spontaneousMetamagic.htm). Does anyone have any experience using these and any comments on the practical usage of them?

From a simple look, the Extra Slots variant seems to penalize this more than I would be inclined to do. My impulse would be to sacrifice a spell slot with a level equal to the adjustment that the metamagic requires, such as sacrificing a first level spell for Still, two first levels for Still and Silent, or a third level spell for Maximize. I admit I haven't run the math yet, however. This might be imbalanced.

[Fax Celestis]

I have been toying with making metamagic feats into swift-action-cast spells of their own right. Something like:


Empower Spell
Level: Bard 2, Clr 2, Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round or until discharged (see text)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The next spell you cast is empowered via arcane energies: any variable, numeric effects of the spell are increased by 50%. Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are spells without random variables.


This has the "downside" of killing Quicken Spell in a fire.

[pwykersotz]

That's pretty slick, it also eliminates the feat tax. The only real downside I see is that it penalizes spontaneous casters due to the whole spells known issue. Still, very nice.

[Greenish]

I have been toying with making metamagic feats into swift-action-cast spells of their own right.But how do we stack several metamagic effects and metamagic reducers on a single spell now? :smalltongue:

[Fax Celestis]

Only if you let it. You could easily hand out a class feature that gives you a free metamagic spell, and/or have feats that add 2-3 metamagic spells to a spell list. Not like the sorcerer is swimming in class features anyway.

[Fax Celestis]

But how do we stack several metamagic effects and metamagic reducers on a single spell now? :smalltongue:

That is part of the point, quite frankly.

[pwykersotz]

Only if you let it. You could easily hand out a class feature that gives you a free metamagic spell, and/or have feats that add 2-3 metamagic spells to a spell list. Not like the sorcerer is swimming in class features anyway.

Excellent point.

You know, this opens up a different thought. If you change the range to touch instead of personal, it would be possible to metamagic other spells more efficiently. It's an interesting thought to keep a low level hireling or cohort Wizard around to empower/maximize all your spells for you. Of course, as this was introduced with the intent to prevent abuse, that might not fall into normal use. :smallsmile:

[TuggyNE]

This has the "downside" of killing Quicken Spell in a fire.

Not so! Just make quicken spell a swift-action spell that allows you to cast a single spell as a free action. :smallwink:

[NichG]

I really like this metamagic-as-spells idea, especially the idea that some of them could be non-personal range. It seems to fix tons of the problems with metamagic - both that sometimes metamagic just doesn't seem worth it without metamagic reducers, and that metamagic reducers then can make it utterly ridiculous.

One thing I'd be worried about in this system though is Persistent Spell. Under normal circumstances, you'd need 7th level slots to persist a 1st level spell. Under this system, you could persist any spell level you can cast as soon as you get Persistent Spell. That said, metamagic reducers mess with this anyhow, and perhaps no one actually uses Persistent Spell without stuff like Divine Metamagic, so maybe its not such a big deal. It does kind of remove the expensive feat chain needed to be a DMM-Persist CoDzilla though.