Do You Use Metamagic Feats?

[Slaved]

Your numbers are a little off karechar. A spell with both Maximize and Empower on it does not Maximize the Empowered portion and the average of 20d6 is 70, not 60.

Since the Saving Throw for Delayed Blast Fireball would be 4 higher than a Maximized, Empowered Fireball I would rather just use the Delayed Blast Fireball.

 

[Doug McCrae]

This means that at 6th level he can do 36 damage fireball without any extra cost to spell level? Granted he can do it only once per day, that seems like a lot, especially when you start talking about spells like Disintegrate. That's a lot of damage at once.

Kinda makes BBEG battles less fun.

With splats, 36 damage really isn't a lot by 6th level.

A charging raging half-orc barbarian with the pounce ability from Complete Champion, the feat Leap Attack and a Valorous weapon (double damage on charge) could deal over 150 points of damage if both attacks hit -

Str 26 (18 base, +2 from race, +2 from item, +4 from raging)
+1 Greatsword damage = 2d6+13 (average 20)
Power Attack = 18 (tripled from Leap Attack)

38 doubled by valorous weapon = 76.
Times two for two attacks = 152.

In the fights where he isn't raging, it's only 140 damage.

 

[Nifft]

combine empower and maximize to get 150% dmg from a spell making a fireball hit for 90 dmg.

That's not how those two effects combine.

Cheers, -- N

 

[catsclaw227]

With splats, 36 damage really isn't a lot by 6th level.

A charging raging half-orc barbarian with the pounce ability from Complete Champion, the feat Leap Attack and a Valorous weapon (double damage on charge) could deal over 150 points of damage if both attacks hit -

Str 26 (18 base, +2 from race, +2 from item, +4 from raging)
+1 Greatsword damage = 2d6+13 (average 20)
Power Attack = 18 (tripled from Leap Attack)

38 doubled by valorous weapon = 76.
Times two for two attacks = 152.

In the fights where he isn't raging, it's only 140 damage.

Sheesh.... What book is the Valorous weapon enhancement in, and how do I keep it out of my game?

 

[rgard]

Just as an FYI, you can't Chain a Disintegrate

Chain Spell only works on spells with a single 'Target:' entry.

Ray spells (Disintegrate, Enervation, etc) are 'Effect: Ray' and no 'Target:' entry and so are not eligible for Chain Spell. You need Split Ray instead.

My Wizard has used Split Ray with Disintegrate and Polar Ray...alot. We call it the 'Double Tap.'

Edit: Forgot one for the same Wizard. Took Vile Lightning Bolt. Probably not one of my best feat selections. Unfortunately, most of the party's foes fought to the death and as a result we never had the chance to pursue folks who were low on hit points looking for consecrated ground to cast cures on.

 

[moritheil]

With splats, 36 damage really isn't a lot by 6th level.

A charging raging half-orc barbarian with the pounce ability from Complete Champion, the feat Leap Attack and a Valorous weapon (double damage on charge) could deal over 150 points of damage if both attacks hit -

Str 26 (18 base, +2 from race, +2 from item, +4 from raging)
+1 Greatsword damage = 2d6+13 (average 20)
Power Attack = 18 (tripled from Leap Attack)

38 doubled by valorous weapon = 76.
Times two for two attacks = 152.

In the fights where he isn't raging, it's only 140 damage.

I assume you've checked to ensure that those doublings stack? Otherwise doubling a doubling is just 3x, per DnD math rules.

 

[the Jester]

That's not how those two effects combine.

Cheers, -- N

...but I bet that it is commonly played that way, either via house rule or simply not realizing how it's supposed to work.

Me, I house rule.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I actually prefer Metamagic to Item Creation, personally.

 

[moritheil]

...but I bet that it is commonly played that way, either via house rule or simply not realizing how it's supposed to work.

Me, I house rule.

Which, IIRC, effectively gives an epic level feat result (intensify spell.)

 

[RigaMortus2]

Just out of curiousity, do you commonly use metamagic feats?

I just find that the added cost makes them prohibitively expensive. Sudden metamagics maybe, but I don't find myself using the regular metamagics.

I too try to avoid them at all costs, for just the reasons you give.