How many?

[Idea Man]

I'm looking to maximize my little one-trick pony, and I was wondering; how many metamagic feats is it possible to rack up by level twenty?

Base class is wizard, unless something else would be much better (scribe scoll is pretty useful to this build). Seven feats from straight leveling, plus one if you're human, is a given.

I'm staying away from the "sudden" feats for my build, as I plan on devoting the majority of available spell slots to this and won't need "quickies". First level damage spell, if that matters.

[Kizara]

I'm looking to maximize my little one-trick pony, and I was wondering; how many metamagic feats is it possible to rack up by level twenty?

Base class is wizard, unless something else would be much better (scribe scoll is pretty useful to this build). Seven feats from straight leveling, plus one if you're human, is a given.

I'm staying away from the "sudden" feats for my build, as I plan on devoting the majority of available spell slots to this and won't need "quickies". First level damage spell, if that matters.

You forgot to mention it in your accounting, but you obviously realize that wizard is going to net you four more metamagic feats?

[tyckspoon]

You'll probably be taking Wizard up to 5 at least just to qualify for most PrCs unless you're planning to do Master Specialist instead, so that's 1 bonus you can probably count on. I don't recall any prestige classes that grant extra metamagic feats off the top of my head (doesn't mean there aren't any. Somebody with a better memory will probably suggest some.) Archmage is always worth looking at for an arcane caster; the high arcana are very much like metamagic feats, although they probably will only be recouping the cost of the prerequisite feats to enter the class.

What spell are you looking to optimize?

[The_Snark]

Incanatrix gives four metamagic feats in 10 levels, and the only drawback is that you would need Iron Will. Given that it's focused around metamagic, it's probably a good class for you.

Arcane Thesis will take up another feat slot, but it's probably worth it if you plan on casting that one spell over and over.