The price of metamagic

[weckar]

I've been thinking: How much would a character have to sacrifice in order to apply a certain type of metamagic to all their spells permanently? Well, I found a partial answer in Pathfinder. The oracle class provides a curse that deafens the character, and in exchange all their spells are treated as Silent spells, with no spell level increase. This applies also to spells not from the oracle class, so if it would be worth it to a wizard to be deaf but always cast silently, all he needs is a 1-level oracle dip.
Between 3.5 and PF, are there any similar abilities for other metamagicks? In particular Still Spell could be interesting for those who want to cast in heavier armours.

[Vedhin]

The Runesmith PrC in Races of Stone effectively Stills all spells at 1st level.

[weckar]

Limited to prepared Arcane spells, but yes, a good start.

[nedz]

You could do it with items. Rods of Metamagic exist, so just cost a permanent one.

[weckar]

True, but that would take quite an adventuring career to get available. Still, it allows us to put an actual gold value on metamagic.

[nedz]

Value ? Well price at least


Rod Metamagic, Silent

The wielder can cast up to three spells per day without verbal components as though using the Silent Spell feat.

Strong (no school); CL 17th; Craft Rod, Silent Spell; Price 3,000 gp (lesser), 11,000 gp (normal), 24,500 gp (greater).
Still Spell is presumably the same price.

I'm not sure how to convert this into use-activated ?

[sleepyphoenixx]

Value ? Well price at least


Still Spell is presumably the same price.

I'm not sure how to convert this into use-activated ?

Daily use items cost the same as unlimited use items at 5/day, according to the guidelines.
That obviously wont work very well since at that point you're basically getting an epic feat for 5000gp.
Even a normal feat with no prerequisites goes for 10000gp usually, and you're getting out of the metamagic adjustment on top of saving a feat with this.

A fair price comes to a sum where it's vastly more cost efficient to just buy a second rod if the first isn't enough. It's very doubtful you'll ever justify the cost for an unlimited use one.

[Vedhin]

Besides, making items that do that opens the possibility of Artificers doing their thing.

[weckar]

It may be mentioned in the overarching description for metamagic rods, but I assume they don't increase spell level?

[aleucard]

It may be mentioned in the overarching description for metamagic rods, but I assume they don't increase spell level?

Nope.

This (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?223438-3-5-Incantatrix-Handbook-(WIP)) handbook will have all the arcane metamagic you could possibly need, as long as you can make an admittedly high Spellcraft check. You can give your buddies the metamagic you know too.

Really, there's not too many ways to get no-adjustment metamagic built into the casting, and most of those are PrCs.

[nedz]

Daily use items cost the same as unlimited use items at 5/day, according to the guidelines.
That obviously wont work very well since at that point you're basically getting an epic feat for 5000gp.
Even a normal feat with no prerequisites goes for 10000gp usually, and you're getting out of the metamagic adjustment on top of saving a feat with this.

A fair price comes to a sum where it's vastly more cost efficient to just buy a second rod if the first isn't enough. It's very doubtful you'll ever justify the cost for an unlimited use one.

Do you have a source for this ?
In the DMG/SRD continuous use is only costed for Spell Effect items, not Specials.

But yeah, however you cost it, it's a bit like continuous use items of True Strike.

Though I have to ask, how many times a day do you actually need this ? A small collection of 3/day Rods may suffice.

[weckar]

Casters in Heavy Armour with all Still Spells. Because Badass.

[nedz]

Yes, but it's only a +1 Metamagic — so you could Prep some as +1 and Rod the others.

[weckar]

That effectively rules out spontaneous casters, though.

I wonder if, in the vein of the example in the first post, I could justify having no arms as always having still spell...

[HunterOfJello]

This was done to a certain extent with Psinoics. All powers that duplicate spells are effectively that spell with Silent and Still. You can then compare the two's level and limitations to get an idea on what the Expanded Psinoics Handbook creators thought of the idea.

Then again, it's somewhat obvious that bad judgement was exercised at times during the creation of that book. (ex: Soulknife) Some powers were also made a bit stronger (i.e. put at lower levels, etc.) comparatively since psionics was intended to be better at doing somethings than magic was.