Popinjay
2016-10-24, 09:43 PM
I have worked up the following new metamagic ability for sorcerers. I would love some feedback.
I really like the idea of having the flexibility of placing some conditions on spells and setting up some out of combat or trap-type use. That is what this feat is for. A player could, for example, use this feat to cause a telepathic message to be sent only when a specific npc touches an item, or to leave an illusory message for a friend or enemy, or set any number of different traps.
Conditional Spell: In order to make a spell conditional the sorcerer expends the slot for the spell and a number of sorcery points equal to half the spell level (rounded up, min 1).
Effect:
The spell can be given a simple triggering effect: For example, “Trigger at midnight tonight” or “Trigger when Eidrich Ironfist enters the room.”
The trigger must be one simple condition which the caster herself could detect if present. If the ability for the caster to detect the stimulus is questionable, then a perception roll must be made using the caster’s stats and normal sense abilities.
Example: If Eidrich Ironfist was wearing a disguise the effect might not go off.
The condition must be one appropriate for a perception roll, not a skill check.
The sorcerer is aware of when the spell is triggered or dispelled but not which of these happened nor the effects of the spell if it was triggered (or if it went off as a matter of a false-positive).
The trigger CAN be an exact amount of time even if one does not have an absolute sense of time.
Cost of use:
For as long as the spell remains untriggered, neither the sorcerer’s spell slot nor the expended sorcery points can regenerate by any means.
If a cantrip is made conditional, then the sorcerer cannot cast that cantrip again until the spell is triggered or released.
The spell can be released/dismissed remotely by the sorcerer at any time.
Casting:
Any spell made conditional takes twice as long to cast.
Any duration based spell must have the entire duration that the spell is desired to operate expended as part of the casting time (taking 2x as long).
Any variable effect that the spell has must be specified ahead of time.
Example 1: The nature of an illusion must be specified.
Example 2: Valid: "The target or location (e.g. 20 ft north)" of the spell must be specified. But the specific target cannot require any additional perception.
Example of above: If the trigger is “When three or more humanoids walk through the hall.” the target could not be “The one that looks strongest.” but it could be “The first, the second, or the third.”
The spell can only be cast onto non-magical objects, though such objects can be carried.
Boost: A sorcerer can pay the same number of sorcery points again (any number of times) each time to add a new condition to a single spell. These sorcery points also do not regenerate until the spell is released, triggered or deactivated, and each new condition adds 1 to the casting time multiplier. So two conditions costs a number of spell points equal to the spell level and takes 3x as long to cast.
Thanks for your time,
Pop
P.S. I'm not sure why but the formatting of bullets isn't working quite right. This originally looked a bit neater.
I really like the idea of having the flexibility of placing some conditions on spells and setting up some out of combat or trap-type use. That is what this feat is for. A player could, for example, use this feat to cause a telepathic message to be sent only when a specific npc touches an item, or to leave an illusory message for a friend or enemy, or set any number of different traps.
Conditional Spell: In order to make a spell conditional the sorcerer expends the slot for the spell and a number of sorcery points equal to half the spell level (rounded up, min 1).
Effect:
The spell can be given a simple triggering effect: For example, “Trigger at midnight tonight” or “Trigger when Eidrich Ironfist enters the room.”
The trigger must be one simple condition which the caster herself could detect if present. If the ability for the caster to detect the stimulus is questionable, then a perception roll must be made using the caster’s stats and normal sense abilities.
Example: If Eidrich Ironfist was wearing a disguise the effect might not go off.
The condition must be one appropriate for a perception roll, not a skill check.
The sorcerer is aware of when the spell is triggered or dispelled but not which of these happened nor the effects of the spell if it was triggered (or if it went off as a matter of a false-positive).
The trigger CAN be an exact amount of time even if one does not have an absolute sense of time.
Cost of use:
For as long as the spell remains untriggered, neither the sorcerer’s spell slot nor the expended sorcery points can regenerate by any means.
If a cantrip is made conditional, then the sorcerer cannot cast that cantrip again until the spell is triggered or released.
The spell can be released/dismissed remotely by the sorcerer at any time.
Casting:
Any spell made conditional takes twice as long to cast.
Any duration based spell must have the entire duration that the spell is desired to operate expended as part of the casting time (taking 2x as long).
Any variable effect that the spell has must be specified ahead of time.
Example 1: The nature of an illusion must be specified.
Example 2: Valid: "The target or location (e.g. 20 ft north)" of the spell must be specified. But the specific target cannot require any additional perception.
Example of above: If the trigger is “When three or more humanoids walk through the hall.” the target could not be “The one that looks strongest.” but it could be “The first, the second, or the third.”
The spell can only be cast onto non-magical objects, though such objects can be carried.
Boost: A sorcerer can pay the same number of sorcery points again (any number of times) each time to add a new condition to a single spell. These sorcery points also do not regenerate until the spell is released, triggered or deactivated, and each new condition adds 1 to the casting time multiplier. So two conditions costs a number of spell points equal to the spell level and takes 3x as long to cast.
Thanks for your time,
Pop
P.S. I'm not sure why but the formatting of bullets isn't working quite right. This originally looked a bit neater.