Alacritous Cogitation + metamagic feat = ?

[Dingleberry]

Can a wizard use Alacritous Cogitation to cast a metamagicked spell, assuming he has the appropriate metamagic feat? For example, could he cast a silent grease using an open 2nd-level slot, or a substituted (lightning) fireball using a 3rd-level slot?

I like the flexibility of the Alacritous Cogitation feat for my wizard, but the 1/day limitation is a concern. If I could also use it to spontaneously apply metamagic, that would probably put it over the top for me.

 

[Jack Simth]

Unspecified in RAW. Potentially.

Of course, it's worth it just for the little issue that it can turn 1-round casting times (such as the Summon line, Enlarge Person, or Sleep) into a full-round action at no particular additional cost ... at level 1 (the Errata prevents it from functioning this way on anything with a casting time of longer than 1 round). The distinction? With a 1-round casting time, you're vulnerable to disruption when someone else's turn comes around, and the spell doesn't take effect until your next turn. With a full-round action, it takes effect the same round you begin casting, and you're not subject to being disrupted by someone's normal turn.

 

[Dingleberry]

Thanks, Jack.

Let's try this a different way: does anyone think it would be a bad idea to permit the application of metamagic to spells spontaneously cast with the Alacritous Cogitation feat?

 

[Thanee]

Well, if you can cast a spell spontaneously, you can spontaneously apply metamagic to it. That's the general rule.

It works for spontaneous casters, like the Sorcerer, and for spells cast spontaneously by a prepared caster, like the Cleric casting cure/inflict spells or the Druid summoning nature's allies.

Don't see why this should be any different.


The casting time reduction (for some spells with really long casting times, like hours) could potentially be pretty crazy, BTW.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Jack Simth]

The casting time reduction (for some spells with really long casting times, like hours) could potentially be pretty crazy, BTW.

That loophole was mostly Errata'd out; no Planar Binding with 1 full-round action anymore, sorry. You can do it with 1 round spells like Summon Monster, Sleep, or Enlarge Person, but that's the limit.

 

[Thanee]

Ah, now I see, that you already wrote about the errata above. My bad!

Good to know.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Flatus Maximus]

IMHO once per day won't be a problem.

 

[Flatus Maximus]

I like the flexibility of the Alacritous Cogitation feat for my wizard, but the 1/day limitation is a concern. If I could also use it to spontaneously apply metamagic, that would probably put it over the top for me.

I would guess that Alacritous Cogitation is less useful for narrowly defined wizards, and usually I, too, would turn my nose up at a 1/day feat or ability, but I really do love Alacritous Cogitation+Collegiate Wizard for my utility-focused wizard. And even when I have reason/need to prepare a narrow selection of spells, I still have the rest of my relatively bulky spell book to call upon when the unexpected comes up and I need a particular spell right now, which does seem to happen often....

 

[Herzog]

Have you considered Alacritous Cogitation + Heighten Spell + Reserve Feats?

Since you can (potentially) cast any spell you know using the slot, you can empower all Reserve Feats you have with it.

The Heighten Spell is, of course, to lift your spells to the level you have the open spell slot.

Additionally, if you are an elf and use the Generic Wizard racial substitution option, you always have an extra spell slot at your highest castable level which you can use for this.

 

[Dingleberry]

I would guess that Alacritous Cogitation is less useful for narrowly defined wizards, and usually I, too, would turn my nose up at a 1/day feat or ability, but I really do love Alacritous Cogitation+Collegiate Wizard for my utility-focused wizard. And even when I have reason/need to prepare a narrow selection of spells, I still have the rest of my relatively bulky spell book to call upon when the unexpected comes up and I need a particular spell right now, which does seem to happen often....

Exactly - my Wiz5 is an academic with the Collegiate Wizard feat who spends most of her cash on adding to her spellbook.

We're also using the Action Point mechanic for recovering spells just cast, so that + Alacritous Cogitation can give her several castings of a spell she didn't prepare. Great for, e.g., counterpelling a sorcerer who would otherwise be throwing multiple fireballs at the party.