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Message: <blockquote data-quote="RainOfSteel" data-source="post: 3234808" data-attributes="member: 24460">What do you consider the sentence "The wielder can cast up to three spells per day that are empowered as though using the Empower Spell feat." to mean, if not "The wielder can cast up to three spells per day that are empowered as though using the Empower Spell feat."?  (This sentence is repeated once per type of metamagic feat.)"Can cast" is about as crystal clear as it comes.It does not say "Can prepare".-------------------------------------However, back to Flame Blade:I consider the entire description, instead of individual sentences.The sentence "You wield this bladelike beam as if it were a scimitar." is followed by "Attacks with the flame blade are melee touch attacks."Since a character wielding a real scimitar does not use a melee touch attack (melee touch attacks do not suffer from non-proficiency penalties as far as I know), I can conclude that wielding it isn't really like wielding a scimitar after all, and that it is only speaking in general in that regard, as it is followed immediately by a game mechanic instruction that covers the situation.If pressed, I might consider allowing a character to take Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Flame Blade) and then take Weapon Focus (Flame Blade) to obtain a bonus, but apply a non-proficiency penalty?  No, I wouldn't do that.----------------------------------Since spell preparation cannot be conducted in combat, and the description of metamagic rods contains an all-cases reference to combat . . ."All the rods described here are use-activated (but casting spells in a threatened area still draws an attack of opportunity).". . . that would not even remotely be necessary, not even as an off-hand reminder, if it could not be used in combat on-the-spot (in all cases).Any attempt to prepare a spell when combat is even nearby disrupts the preparation.I'll update my list, then:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There is no restriction on when metagmagic rods may be used listed anywhere.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spell preparation is not mentioned anywhere in the description of metamagic rods.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The phrase, "[...] the spell being cast" at the end of paragraph one of the item description.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The phrase in each separate item description, emphasis mine, "The wielder can cast [...] as though empowered* by using the Empower* feat".  This clearly indicates, for all cases, that the caster is not using the Empower feat, but casting the spell as though it had been empowered using it.  The rods aren't giving the feats over to the spellcaster, the rods are applying the feat in question to a spell as it is being cast.  (* Or any of the other feat names.)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The description of metamagic rods contains an all-cases reference to combat usage, namely "All the rods described here are use-activated (but casting spells in a threatened area still draws an attack of opportunity).".  Spell preparation cannot be conducted when combat is even nearby.  There would be no purpose to this statement, not even as an off-hand reminder, if the rods could not be used to cast spells in combat for all spellcasting wielders (if it were related to Sorcerers only, it would be listed as a Sorcerers only exception).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If metamagic rods are used by prepared spell spellcasters at spell preparation time, then this requires the assumption of new game mechanics to cover the complexities that arise from this situation.  If metamagic rods are used at casting time, no new game mechanics need be introduced.  (Thus, new entities beyond those necessary are not generated.)</li> </ul>I feel that the overwhelming majority of indicators in the description of this type of magic item indicate they may be used to cast spells at any time with no prior preparation on the part of the wielder and that the spells cast in association with the a metamagic rod's use receive the enhancement benefits indicated.</blockquote>

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