Best Metamagic Feats

[Xeoble]

I'm hopefully going to be playing a sorcerer or warmage in a 3.5e homebrew campaign and i was wondering what people thought of metamagic and the draconic heritage feats from CA. So either way, i think i'm going to focus on battlemagic.

What are some good metamagic feats to consider?

Is it worth going down the draconic heritage road?

Thanks.

 

[Crothian]

I like extend, but the feat is not as good for battle magic like you are aiming at. For the Sorcerer or Warmage I'd just figure out what spells you want to use and then find the meta magic feats tha can apply to the most spells you have.

 

[Shallown]

The sudden ones are cool. I like extend, empower and maximize myself. The most important thing is don't save that once a day use forever. If you have it use it. It may seem like a wasted use later but it may have saved resources you would have other wised used.

Extend is a great feat for those hour long spells and even the per round ones at low level are cool.

I have thought over the draconic heritage type stuff but not saw much that added to the character unless it was a flavor focusing use. Something that fleshed out the characters style.



Later

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

My personal faves are Silent Spell, Still Spell & Energy Substitution.

Silent spell keeps you from giving yourself away when you need to be quiet, and prevents the divine spellcaster or assassin with Silence from taking you out like a kitten on Valium.

Still spell lets you cast if bound/immobile, but can also be used if you don't want to be noticed casting a spell, like at a banquet.

Energy Substitution, though, is my favorite for Sorcerers because of the way it interacts with their style of spellcasting. It doesn't alter the spell's level, and unlike the mage, you can use it on the fly. Take it once, double the effective number of offensive spells you have (assuming you stick to things that have energy descriptors). Take it twice and you triple your effectiveness.

Potential sleeper (non-metamagic) feats for ANY PC (if allowed by the DM): Wild Psionic, Spellfire Wielder.

Wild Psionic (XPH) will qualify your charater for Pyrokineticist, one of the better Psionic PrCls. 4 levels will give your PC the ability to make his hands produce fire, his weapon produce fire, produce a flaming whip of ectoplasm, and fire bolts of fire at 1d6/level (of Pyro).

Spellfire Wielder (FR & MFR) qualifies the PC for a PrCl, but its pretty good by itself. He'd gain the ability to absorb magic cast at him and either heal with it or throw it back as bolts of raw magic (with NO descriptor)! It DOES require a good Con to be effective, though.

 

[the Jester]

Empower is fun. Quicken rules for a wizard, not so much for a spontaneous caster. I also dig on Maximize.

I am utterly in love with certain other metamagic feats from non-core sources, especially Transdimensional Spell and Explosive Spell. Not sure how often you'd actually use 'em though...

As Dannyalcatraz points out, Energy Substitution is really good for a sorcerer.

 

[green slime]

Quicken, Empower, and Extend IMO

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Just remember Quicken spell doesn't work with Sorcerers.

Spell Thematics is another one I enjoy, even though all it really does is affect spellcraft checks. Can't beat it for coolness!

Some of the racial heritage feats from the Planar Handbook could be useful.

VoP is useful for any PC not planning on wearing armor, but it DOES require comittment and DM approval.

Elemental Spellcasting gives you +1 lvl to air, earth, fire or water spells (choose at time of picking feat).

Dieties and Demigods reprints several feats from various sources that might interest you: Repeat Spell and Eschew Materials spring to mind.

Here's some questions for you...what kind of race are you playing? What books are being used in the campaign?

 

[Mistwell]

Elemental Spellcasting is from what source?

I personally think Heighten Spell is great for a sorceror (but rotten for a Wizard).

Heighten Spell + Earth Spell (from Races of Stone) is even better.

 

[Thanee]

Empower Spell
Sudden Maximize
Heighten Spell (for the sorcerer)
Extend Spell (for the sorcerer)
Sculpt Spell
Split Ray
Twin Spell
Quicken Spell + Arcane Preparation

Bye
Thanee

 

[KarinsDad]

Empower is fun. Quicken rules for a wizard, not so much for a spontaneous caster. I also dig on Maximize.

Maximize is not that good (for an extra spell level) unless combined with Empowered for most spells since most spells are D4 or D6 derivatives. Empowered is nearly as good for the one lower level spell slot (and better in some cases such as Cure spells).

D4 Maximized becomes 4, D4 Empowered averages 3.75 (7% increase)
D6 Maximized becomes 6, D6 Empowered averages 5.25 (14% increase)

Now, higher dice spells/powers end up with better results with Maximize.

For example, Mind Thrust does D10 damage.

D10 Maximized becomes 10, D4 Empowered averages 8.25 (21% increase)


On the other hand, Sudden Maximize is typically better than Sudden Empower. The exceptions to this are spells which have a significant add to the variable dice. For example, Cure spells.

4D8 + 15 Maximized is 47
4D8 + 15 Empowered averages 49.5

But, since Sudden Maximize works better for most spells, it is still better than Sudden Empower.


For some spells, Empower and Maximize are equal. For example, each missile of a Magic Missile spell.

1D4 + 1 Maximized is 5
1D4 + 1 Empowered averages 5