Metamagic Feats

by Jim Butler

October. 11th, 2004

A Cautionary Remark...

Even though we're all using the same d20 magic system, the changes detailed below can have wildly different impacts across various campaign worlds. The system makes metamagic use more common (primarily because it makes using them easy), and at higher levels, the heroes will have greater and greater access to metamagic. As a DM, make sure to plan encounters accordingly and have the villains make the best use of the metamagic rules as well.

In addition, the feats listed below are certainly not all the metamagic feats that exist in the wide world of d20ville. After looking at a few base feats, you shouldn't have any trouble extrapolating them to this new system.

The World of Metamagic

Metamagic represents the ability of some spellcasters to augment their spells, making them strike for more damage, impact a larger area of effect, harder to resist, or some other enhancement. There is no preparation required to use metamagic feats with spells, so spellcasters of all persuasions can energize their spells to suit their own tastes.

How it Works: When a metamagic feat is selected by a spellcaster, the creature gains the ability to use that feat with any known spell. A few feats apply to just a single spell; these are detailed below. Casting a spell with metamagic qualities works just like regular casting (so casting an Empowered magic missile causes a wizard to lose a first-level magic missile spell from memory). Keeping track of which spells have metamagic qualities is no longer required.

Uses per Day: A spellcaster gets to use metamagic feats a number of times per day equal to their modified ability score modifier that governs their spellcasting (Intelligence for wizards; Wisdom for clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers; or Charisma for sorcerers and bards). In addition to this number, he also gains one extra use each day for every metamagic feat he knows. For every 5 known metamagic feats, the number of uses per day increases by an additional +1 per feat. Each metamagic feat applied to a spell counts as a single use (so an empowered/maximized/quickened fireball spell counts as three uses).

Example: Thanatos is a 9th-level wizard with an Intelligence score of 21 (19 base, +2 headband of intellect) knows the Empower, Maximize, and Quicken feats. As a score of 21 grants a +5 ability modifier and he knows 3 metamagic feats, he can use his metamagic feats 8 times each day.

Later in his career, Thanatos achieves 15th level with an Intelligence score of 26 (+8 ability modifier). He's learned the Widen and Persistent spell feats, so his feat bonus now doubles (to +10). He now gets 18 uses per day.

Spell Level Adjustment: Each metamagic feat has a Spell Level Adjustment (SLA) associated with it, and a caster can’t add metamagic qualities to a spell until they’ve reached a level where they could cast the higher-level magic.

Example: Thanatos is a 9^th-level wizard who has just purchased the Quicken metamagic feat, which has a SLA of +4. He can cast up to fifth-level spells at this point in his career, so he can choose to Quicken any first-level spell he has memorized that day. At 11^th level, he’ll be able to Quicken any first- or second-level spell.

Multiple Metamagic Feats: You can purchase the same metamagic feat multiple times, each time applying that feat to a new spell. Feats that apply to all known spells can’t be purchased a second time.

Multiple Metamagic Feats on a Spell: A spellcaster can apply multiple metamagic feats to a single spell during the casting. Changes to its level are cumulative. You can’t apply the same metamagic feat more than once to a single spell.

Magic Items and Metamagic Spells: The application of metamagic can’t be applied to magic items, though artifacts have been known to possess metamagic qualities.

Counterspelling Metamagic Spells: Whether or not a spell has been enhanced by a metamagic feat does not affect its vulnerability to counterspelling or its ability to counterspell another spell.

Table 1: Metamagic Feats

Applies to All: This indicates that the given feat applies to all known spells of the caster.

Applies to Single: This indicates that the given feat applies only to the single spell selected.

Spell Level Adjustment: Add this number to the spell level. A spell with an effective level of 10 or higher requires an available spell slot (refer to the Epic Level Handbook for information on how to obtain spell levels beyond 9^th).

Chain Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: A damage-dealing spell with a range greater than touch acts just like the chain lightning spell. Spells that don’t cause damage can’t be chained.

Disguise Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: Spells cast by you are virtually impossible to discern, unless there is some obvious visible effect from its casting. This ability only works when you’re engaged in a performance, show, or other activity that other creatures wouldn’t find threatening.

Prerequisite: Bardic music ability or a successful Perform skill check.

Elemental Independence [Metamagic]

Benefit: Your spells can strike with pure magical force instead of a specified energy type. Doing so reduces the damage die for a spell by one (d8 to d6, for example). Damage is considered the same as a magic missile spell (so it can be blocked by a scarab of protection or a shield spell).

Empower Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: All variable, numeric effects of an empowered spell are increased by one-half. Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are spells without random variables.

Energy Substitution [Metamagic]

Benefit: You can alter the type of magical energy for a given spell to that of any other type of magical energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). You’re free to change this energy type on the fly for your selected spells. The primary damage and effect of these spells now inflicts the new energy type. Your decision might affect the way spells behave (such as flaming sphere no longer setting items ablaze if it’s now based on sonic energy).

Prerequisite: Must know any other metamagic feat; 5 ranks of Knowledge (arcana).

Enlarge Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: You can alter a spell with a range of close, medium, or long to increase its range by 100%. An enlarged spell with a range of close now has a range of 50 ft. + 5 ft./level, while medium-range spells have a range of 200 ft. + 20 ft./level and long-range spells have a range of 800 ft. + 80 ft./level. Spells whose ranges are not defined by distance, as well as spells whose ranges are not close, medium, or long, do not have increased ranges.

Eschew Materials [Metamagic]

Benefit: You can cast spells without material components as long as the cost of that component is less than 10 gp.

Extend Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: An extended spell lasts twice as long as normal. A spell with a duration of concentration, instantaneous, or permanent is not affected by this feat.

Fortunate Summons [Metamagic]

Benefit: Creatures summoned by you arrive with maximum hit points.

Heighten Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: Unlike other metamagic feats, Heighten Spell actually increases the effective level of the spell that it modifies by +4 levels. All effects dependent on spell level (such as saving throw DCs and ability to penetrate a lesser globe of invulnerability) are calculated according to the heightened level.

Last Blast [Metamagic]

Benefit: If you are brought to less than 0 hit points (but not killed outright), you can cast a single spell before lapsing into unconsciousness. This spell must be a damage-causing spell (and not a healing spell). Its effects go off at the time you drop below zero hit points. It can be used once per day.

Prerequisites: Concentration 10 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks; Combat Casting.

Maximize Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: All variable, numeric effects of a spell modified by this feat are maximized. Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are spells without random variables. An empowered, maximized spell gains the separate benefits of each feat: the maximum result plus one-half the normally rolled result.

Persistent Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: Any single spell known that has a range of Personal now has a duration of 24 hours.

Special: You can purchase this feat multiple times. Each time, you select a new spell.

Quicken Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: Casting a quickened spell is a free action. You can perform another action, even casting another spell, in the same round as you cast a quickened spell. You may cast only one quickened spell per round. A spell whose casting time is more than 1 full round action cannot be quickened. Casting a quickened spell doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity.

Silent Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: A silent spell can be cast with no verbal components. Spells without verbal components are not affected.

Split Ray [Metamagic]

Benefit: You can split spells that specify a single target and make a ranged touch attack. Only damage-dealing spells can be affected. Each target of the split ray attack get a standard saving throw versus the given spell and suffer only half normal damage.

Still Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: A stilled spell can be cast with no somatic components. Spells without somatic components are not affected.

Superior Summoning [Metamagic]

Benefit: Spells such as protection from evil do not keep summoned creatures that you control at bay, allowing their natural weaponry attacks to strike as normal.

Widen Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: You can alter a burst, emanation, line, or spread shaped spell to increase its area. Any numeric measurements of the spell’s area increase by 100%. Spells that do not have an area of one of these four sorts are not affected by this feat.

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