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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Other +1 Metamagic Feat: Inflate Spell (PEACH, 2 versions)



johnbragg
2018-02-02, 12:58 PM
Inflate Spell (Metamagic, +1 cost)

For all variable, numeric effects of a spell modified by this feat, increase the die size by one increment. Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are spells without random variables. An inflated spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level.

Ex. d2 > d3 > d4 > d6 > d8 > d10 > d12 > 2d6

Questions:
1. How would this stack awkwardly with Empower and MAximize? An Empowered MAximized 10d6 fireball does 60 (maximized) plus 10d6/2 (empower) damage, applied separately. Should Augmented apply to one or the other? Does the caster choose? Or roll 10d8 to see if the Maximize had any effect (10d8 will often be less than 60)? (A lot of tables won't have this problem because they don't read the text closely--they'll just drop a 120 HP fireball and call it done.)

The no-stacking text is in the Maximize description, not the Empower description. Although there is book text saying that metamagicked spells are supposed to be not-as-good as spells that are that spell level natively. So maybe the right call is that Embiggen only technically stacks with MAximize (roll damage, only use result if more than normal MAximized result) and not directly with Empower. (So an Augmented Empowered fireball would do 10d8 + 10d6/2 damage)

2. Arcane Thesis makes this a +0 metamagic, but that's really an Arcane Thesis problem, isn't it?

3. What about the draft alternate version, adding +1 to each die rolled?
ANSWER: BORING.

gooddragon1
2018-02-02, 01:11 PM
1. It depends on the DM I think. I don't know of any ruling on how they stack.
2. Arcane thesis applies to one spell, but this does give a damage boost so I don't know.
3. Less maximum potential and more minimum potential except when paired with maximize.

Also, maybe magnify spell? Just sounds better imo.

jqavins
2018-02-02, 03:19 PM
The no-stacking text is in the Maximize description, not the Empower description.
So, I would interpret this that Maximize gives 60 points (maximum of 10d6 and the dies size is not increased since Maximize does not stack) + (10d8)/2 (die size increased because Empower does stack). Average damage is then only 5 higher than a Maximized Empowered Fireball without Embiggen. You seem worried that it's overpowered, but actually it's badly underpowered in this application.

You could also argue that, since no die is thrown for the damage on the Maximized spell, and it does a flat 60, Embiggen simply does not apply. Either way you look at it, Embiggen does not add anything to a Maximized spell, and to Embiggening only the Empower portion is a waste.

Now, Embiggening an otherwise unmodified Fireball, getting up to 10d8 instead of 10d6, adds 10 points damage on average and 20 maximum. So that could be worth it.

Also, maybe magnify spell? Just sounds better imo.
I assume that "Embiggen" is a deliberately silly name, meant to sound like something Prof. Frink or Donald Trump would say. If that's not so, then yes, "Magnify Spell" is a few hundred percent better.

johnbragg
2018-02-02, 10:05 PM
I used "embiggen" because I thought we were out of real English words to use to name 3.5 feats. Magnify is better than "Embiggen", because it's a real word, but it sounds like you're applying some sort of illusion--magnified things only LOOK bigger. (Professor Frink was a good guess if you don't know the word. It's a quote from Simpsons' town founder Jebediah Springfield--"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.")

I never realized that Maximize and Empower didn't stack, until I was cutting-and-pasting the MAximize text to write the Augmented Spell feat.

I think it's a solid +1 feat. As usual with metamagic, the problems come in when you start stacking it, or getting it for free. And even there, if you spent two feats to get Easy or PRactical MEtamagic: Augmented Spell, that's not ridiculous. The problem is Arcane Thesis, but even that in only applies to one spell, so in real games it's a limited problem. (Unfortunately, it's the only spell the NPC is going to be casting at the party....)

Fireball isn't the most abusive use of stacking, it was just one that the math was easy for. Enervation is the one to watch out for.

Enervate, d4 negative levels. (4th)
Augmented Enervate, d6 (5th, 4th with Arcane Thesis)
Empowered Enervate, d4 *1.5 (6th, 5th with AT)
MAximized Enervate, 4 (7th, 6th with AT)
MAximized Empowered Enervate 4 + d4/2 (9th, 7th with AT)
Augmented Maximized Empowered Enervate 4 + d6/2 (9th, 7th with AT))

Enervate, d4 negative levels.
Augmented Enervate, d6 (5th, 4th with Arcane Thesis)
Twinned Enervate, 2d4 (8th, 7th with ARcane Thesis.
Augmented Twinned Enervate, 2d6 (9th, 7th with Arcane Thesis)
Augmented Empowered Twinned Enervate 2d6 *1.5 (10th, 8th with ARcane Thesis)

jqavins
2018-02-03, 11:04 AM
I used "embiggen" because I thought we were out of real English words to use to name 3.5 feats. Magnify is better than "Embiggen", because it's a real word, but it sounds like you're applying some sort of illusion--magnified things only LOOK bigger. (Professor Frink was a good guess if you don't know the word. It's a quote from Simpsons' town founder Jebediah Springfield--"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.")
Magnify isn't just the optics thing. It comes from the same root as magnum, and just means to make bigger. Other uses are uncommon nowadays, but you'll still occasionally hear things like "His esecially heinous motive serves to magnify his crime." The crime doesn't just look bigger, it really is bigger.

How about "Inflate"?

I didn't know the the Jebediah Springfield quote. Actually, Trump was my first guess (this feat makes spells work more bigly, or rather, biglier) then I rememnered the debigulator and rebigulator that not-exactly-Frink built.

johnbragg
2018-02-03, 11:36 AM
Magnify isn't just the optics thing. It comes from the same root as magnum, and just means to make bigger. Other uses are uncommon nowadays, but you'll still occasionally hear things like "His esecially heinous motive serves to magnify his crime." The crime doesn't just look bigger, it really is bigger.

How about "Inflate"?

I didn't know the the Jebediah Springfield quote. Actually, Trump was my first guess (this feat makes spells work more bigly, or rather, biglier) then I rememnered the debigulator and rebigulator that not-exactly-Frink built.

Inflate is perfect, actually. Connotation matters, as well as denotation, and magnify-magnifying glass-microscope-camera zoom, which isn't what this spell does. 'Inflate' is perfect. Thanks immensely.

Whereas Augment could be almost anything--extend, enlarge, empower, twin--anything, really. See Mutants and Masterminds Augmented Humans.