(3.5) Metamagic Applied to High-Level Spells?

[Forged Fury]

What ways are there to effectively quicken or empower 8th and 9th level spells without going into epic?

I've only managed to find one fairly easy way so far, I was wondering if there were others.

Thanks in Advance!

[aeauseth]

Need to use metamagic offset abilities. Some examples are the Divine Metamagic feat, Spelldancer (prc), Rods of metamagic, I'm sure there are more. Might help if you tell us arcane/divine and your primary class.

[arguskos]

Use metamagic reductions, such as Incantrix 10, Easy Metamagic, Practical Metamagic, and Arcane Thesis, along with Metamagics such as Sanctum Spell to drop the level of the spell somewhat. That could do it.

The Sudden Metamagic's would do it as well.

[Forged Fury]

Sorry: Arcane Spellcasting

ETA: I was primarily thinking about going with Escalation Mage from Faiths of Eberron. No outlandish feat or skill investment required, Full caster 6-level PrC, gain a maximum of 10 pseudo-metamagic escalations requiring caster level checks to avoid damage from using the escalation. Presumably, one could use Eberron Action Points to extend this ability.

[jiriku]

Metamagic rods are an easy way. Metamagic school focus. Any of the Sudden metamagic feats. The Residual Magic tactical feat.

[CyMage]

Need to use metamagic offset abilities. Some examples are the Divine Metamagic feat, Spelldancer (prc), Rods of metamagic, I'm sure there are more. Might help if you tell us arcane/divine and your primary class.

Just to clarify something, if you definately need Quicken, Spelldancer won't do. Still and Quicken are the two metamagics clearly spelled out not to work with the ability, and so are Invocation and Necromancy spells.

[Malbordeus]

Ultimate Magus will do it, i think.

[Eldariel]

Yeah, quick list of easy options:
- Greater Metamagic Rods
- Sudden Metamagic Feats [Complete Arcane]
- Metamagic Cost Bypassing Class Features:
Incantatrix [PGtF]
Ultimate Magus [CM]
Spelldancer [MoF]
Tainted Scholar [HoH]
Anything with Circle Magic (Red Wizard of Thay [DMG], Hathran [PGtF], Halruaan Elder [SS])
- Metamagic Cost Reducing Feats & Class Features:
1. Classes such as Incantatrix [PGtF], Dweomerkeeper [CDiv Web Enhancement] & Halruaan Elder [SS]
2. Feats such as Metamagic School Focus [CM], Practical Metamagic [RotD], Easy Metamagic [DR325] & Arcane Thesis [PHBII]


Off the top of my head. There's of course more (Metamagic Song [RoS], Improved Metamagic [SRD, Epic], Divine Metamagic [CDiv], etc.) but they aren't probably relevant to the point at hands.

[Keld Denar]

UM caps at 5th level spells (1/2 class level), so you can't burn a 4th level slot to quicken a 9th level spell. If you had some other shanananigans like Sanctum Spell (which would make a 6th level spell effectively a 5th level spell, and thus applicable for UM), or you had some way to progress "effective" UM levels (Uncanny Trickster or Legacy Champion) by another 8 levels (impossible pre-epic), you'd have a hard time pulling free metamagic on 9s with UM.

[avr]

Recaster (Races of Eberron) is all about metamagic, too. Besides the obvious class features you can also use the 2 spells you get to pick from other class lists for versions of spells which happen to be lower level on that other classes' lists.

Edit; Also, Jade Phoenix Mage (ToB) lets you empower or quicken spells for free after a successful strike.