Stripped Spell [metamagic feat] - thoughts?

[aglondier]

You see so many feats that add levels to a spell that I sat down and considered what it would take to lower the effective spell level...this was the result.

Stripped Spell [metamagic]
Always seeking a faster path to power, your habit of taking shortcuts has benefitted you...at a cost...
Prerequisites: Human
Effect: By stripping back the protective buffers and runic sequences built into your spell matrix, you have reduced the amount of effort it takes to memorise and store a spell, effectively reducing its level by 1 for the purposes of memorisation or spontaneous casting. On the other hand, casting a spell without those protective buffers is dangerous, causing the spell level in hit points of damage, and potentially interupting the casting, requiring a Concentration check.

Thoughts?

 

[Empirate]

At very low levels, a godsend, though with justifiable risks. At higher levels, far too easily abusable. In conjunction with other metamagic feats and one of a hundred methods of gaining temporary HP, you won't even notice any drawbacks and simply drool over your cheap metamagic. How about some more massive drawbacks, like a -2 penalty to save DCs and caster level, and increasing casting time one step?

 

[delericho]

As written, this also allows early access to a lot of other feats, Prestige Classes, etc - basically, anything with the prerequisite "must be able to cast X".

 

[N'raac]

Seems easy enough to deal with the Prestige Class issue by ruling the ability to cast X means the ability to cast the specific spell(s) without a negative level feat (ie the ability to cast 3rd level spells means having a 3rd level spell slot; the ability to cast Divination means the ability to cast it normally, not with this or another negative feat).

What's so special about Humans? Seems this would be a go-to feat for humanoid Shamans like Orcs and Goblins.

I do agree with Empirate - this seems extremely powerful with no restrictions on the spell itself. It seems like it would be quite useful for accessing longer duration spells of the next level up. Since that's out of combat, a quick CLW or three off the Wand gives the character, or the party, some abilities they would not otherwise have access to. It should also be specified whether you can apply the feat multiple times (eg. can my L3 Wizard access Overland Flight by applying this feat twice?)

Which spells can I choose? The label says I get a spell of a level higher, but my 1st level Sorcerer doesn't know any 2nd level spells, and it's questionable whether my 1st level Wizard can have higher level spells in his spellbook. A divine caster, however, could access the entire repertoire, I expect. They also have more hit points, buff spells to boost CON, and therefore concentration, and access to curative spells.

 

[delericho]

It should also be specified whether you can apply the feat multiple times (eg. can my L3 Wizard access Overland Flight by applying this feat twice?)

None of the other metamagic feats specify this. In fact, the SRD states: "You can’t apply the same metamagic feat more than once to a single spell."

Which spells can I choose? The label says I get a spell of a level higher, but my 1st level Sorcerer doesn't know any 2nd level spells, and it's questionable whether my 1st level Wizard can have higher level spells in his spellbook.

There's no requirement that a Wizard be a high enough level to cast a spell before adding it to his spellbook.

(One of the benefits of all those arguments with C_J is that I had to look up a whole bunch of stuff.)

 

[radja]

it seems a bit too powerful to me. A first level sorcerer can fill up his 0th lvl slots, gaining effectively 5 first lvl spells per day.

 

[the Jester]

Fireball as a 2nd level spell for a concentration check? YES PLEASE!

Invisibility as a 1st level spell... for a concentration check? YES, YES PLEASE!!

Wish as an 8th level spell- that can reproduce most 8th level spells already!- for the mere price of a Concentration check???

I think you overestimate how much of a cost a Concentration check really is (which is to say, none).

 

[Jack Daniel]

This is what I thought when I first saw this thread title:

Striped Spell [Metamagic]
How in the world did you wind up a wizard and not, like, a confectioner or a fashion designer?
Prerequisites: Cha 13+
Effect: Choose two colors. When you cast a spell with any visible effect, the effect has stripes in those two colors. If the colors chosen are red and white, the spell also smells like peppermint. A striped spell uses up a spell slot no higher or lower in level than usual; it's enough that you spent a feat slot on the ability to cast candy cane lightning bolts.

 

[Ragmon]

Remove the requirement.

Add a significant penalty for casting at a lower level, mentioned that you can only apply this meta magic feat to spell that you are already able to cast.

Penalty ideas:
- Reduced caster level by 2.
- Reduced DC by 2.
- Halved duration.
- Can't be applied to fixed duration spells.
- Or all of the above.

 

[Dandu]

Remove the requirement.

Add a significant penalty for casting at a lower level, mentioned that you can only apply this meta magic feat to spell that you are already able to cast.

Penalty ideas:
- Reduced caster level by 2.
- Reduced DC by 2.
- Halved duration.
- Can't be applied to fixed duration spells.
- Or all of the above.

Arcane Thesis