Just to throw my oar in, here are the wordings that will be used for a few metamagic feats in my next game. Note that all casters will use sorcerer-style casting (no preparation, or non-Vancian, Arcana Unearthed style preparation, I haven't decided which yet) and that metamagic Feats don't increase casting time except as specifically noted in the descriptions of these Feats.
Still Spell
You may cast a spell that would normally have somatic components without them, allowing you to cast while bound, in heavy armor (with no spell failure chance), etc. You may do this once per day with no special conditions or additional cost. If you need to do this more than once per day, you may do so by any of the following methods:
1. Laden the spell
2. Use a spell slot one level higher than you would normally require.
3. Increase the casting time to one minute per phase the spell would normally require. Spells with casting times that are not measured in phases cannot be cast using this option.
(Notice that in this case, the one free use per day can be applied to a spell of the highest level you can cast. Also, I like the third option because it introduces something vaguely like ritual magic with only minimal new rules overhead. I may drop the phase system it refers to - if I keep it, it would mean the overwhelming majority of spells would take five minutes if you used this option, as five phases = one standard action for most purposes.)
Equivalent of Quicken Spell:
You may cast a spell whose casting time is normally 6 phases or less as a free action. You may do this once per day with no special conditions or additional cost, provided the spell you are so modifying is not of the four highest levels you can cast. If you need to do this more than once per day or to a spell of one of the four highest levels you can cast, you may do so by either of the following methods:
1. Laden the spell
2. Use a spell slot four levels higher than you would normally require. (Obviously this doesn't work for spells that are already of your four highest levels).
(Notice that where the "slot requirement" in the normal rules is two or more levels higher, I *do* build that limitation into the one free use per day. Also, this one has no option 3 since that would defeat the whole purpose of this Feat!)
And the one that works completley differently from the rest, Heighten Spell:
When you cast a spell using a spell slot of a higher level than necessary (except for the purpose of paying for metamagic feats other than Heighten Spell), the spell is treated as though it were of the higher level for all purposes. Its saving throw DC increases, and effects such as Globe of Invulnerability which care about the spell level treat it as a spell of the higher level.
Though the wording is a little awkward, this is actually something of a simplification over the PH version.
Am I taking "options, not restrictions" too far? I often worry about that when it comes to my variants - some players seem to feel overwhelmed by the number of choices I give them, sometimes.
