Metamagic Rods of Quicken and you - Or: living in the spontanous caster gheto.

[Fruan]

Quoting the SRD: "A sorcerer still must take a full-round action when using a metamagic rod, just as if using a metamagic feat he possesses."

So, basicly this means a sorcerer can't use a metamagic rod of quicken. Which seems keeping in line with the inability to use the quicken spell feat at all (Without variants, etc).

However, something seems wrong here - Sorcerers take extra time to metamagic something because they don't prepare spells with metamagic on them ahead of time like a wizard does. This seems entirely reasonable. But... why then does this penalty apply to metamagic rods as well? Wizards aren't preparing anything special in advance and they quicken from a rod just fine. It seems odd to me.

Now, as this forum seems to think that wizards are the greatest thing to happen to anyone anywhere anywhen I'm sure I know what the answer to this next question will be anyway, but: Is there any major balancing issue that I'm missing that would mess up my games were I to allow a sorcerer to use metamagic rods of quicken?

(As a total aside, as written there's nothing stopping, say, bards from using rods of quicken despite them also having to normally spend time on metamagic. Heh. I love copy editing and the lack thereof)

[BRC]

Quoting the SRD: "A sorcerer still must take a full-round action when using a metamagic rod, just as if using a metamagic feat he possesses."

So, basicly this means a sorcerer can't use a metamagic rod of quicken. Which seems keeping in line with the inability to use the quicken spell feat at all (Without variants, etc).

However, something seems wrong here - Sorcerers take extra time to metamagic something because they don't prepare spells with metamagic on them ahead of time like a wizard does. This seems entirely reasonable. But... why then does this penalty apply to metamagic rods as well? Wizards aren't preparing anything special in advance and they quicken from a rod just fine. It seems odd to me.

Now, as this forum seems to think that wizards are the greatest thing to happen to anyone anywhere anywhen I'm sure I know what the answer to this next question will be anyway, but: Is there any major balancing issue that I'm missing that would mess up my games were I to allow a sorcerer to use metamagic rods of quicken?

(As a total aside, as written there's nothing stopping, say, bards from using rods of quicken despite them also having to normally spend time on metamagic. Heh. I love copy editing and the lack thereof)

I'm pretty sure that with a rod, wizards use the rod's power to prepare the spell as quickened, they don't quicken it as they cast it like sorcerors do.

[Arbitrarity]

No. There's a feat in complete arcane removing the extra casting time, and a PHB2 variant removing it for 3+INT (IIRC) times/day (trades familiar). Getting it for free doesn't seem like a major issue at all. The only thing that makes it potent is the choice the sorceror has with other metamagics, such as shape.

[RTGoodman]

I'm pretty sure that with a rod, wizards use the rod's power to prepare the spell as quickened, they don't quicken it as they cast it like sorcerors do.

Nope, you use rods "on the fly." Or, at least, that's what it seems like it says to me. "All the rods described here are use-activated (but casting spells in a threatened area still draws an attack of opportunity)." Wouldn't "use-activated" mean that you just use it when you need it?

I don't really think it'd be unbalanced to just allow them to use rods. I mean, the rods are still limited to a specific number of times per day, so the Sorcerer's "big advantage" (spells per day) doesn't really change anything.