Combining a metamagic rod and feats...

[Dwarmaj]

If a sorcerer with the empower spell feat has a metamagic rod (lesser), can they Maximize/Empower a 2nd level spell? Or would then need a regular Maximize Rod that is capable of Maximizing spells of up to 6th?

I guess I'm wondering if they can maximize the spell first with the rod (no level increase), then empower the spell so that a 2nd level spell will now take a 4th level slot.

Ideas...

 

[Hypersmurf]

I would take items that store spells - wands, scrolls, rings of spell storing, etc - as a precedent. You always use the higher metamagicked level when seeing if a spell is appropriate. So your Empowered Scorching Ray would be considered a 4th level spell for pricing a wand, and would take up four levels in a ring of spell storing.

I'd definitely apply that logic to a metamagic rod, as well - so you'd need a regular Maximize rod, not a Lesser, to Maximize an Empowered Scorching Ray.

-Hyp.