How often are metamagic feats used by PCs in your campaign?

[Gez]

I was going to say never, then I suddenly remembered... One bard in a campaign that has been ended long ago did have the Still Spell feat and used it maybe twice, over the course of 7 levels.

Oh, and another has a wu-jen in a still-living campaign, and so has a metamagic feat, but as far as I know, he don't use it. He just got it freely. He has a spell with a spell secret (a free +1 metamagic feat that is constantly applied on one spell, without any extra price) and elemental masteries.

That's all.

I plan to change the metamagic rules IMC to this: When you get a metamagic feat that has a +X cost, you can freely use it (without advance preparation, without longer casting time, without higher spell slot) a number of time equal to 4-X, on a spell of maximum level Y-X. (Y being the maximum level of spell you can cast.)

So, you could silent a spell 3 times a day for free -- the cost was in using a feat slot for buying the metamagic. If you want to use it more often, you'll have to pay the higher spell slot, prepare in advance, waste a full round, whatever the normal cost of metamagic.

If the feat brings in a cost higher than +3, you don't get free metacasting.

In effect, I'm somewhat bundling the "traditional" metamagic feats with their variant proposed in the Miniatures Handbook.

 

[d4]

My sorc's favorite opening spell is an empowered fireball. His favorite single target spell is a double empowered MM. He loves to use empowered bull's strength (3.0)to buff his allies.

double-empowered sonic fireball! GO!!!

and in 3.0e, double-empowered bull's strengths are a barbarian's best friend.

 

[Psion]

Literally never.

I can sort of understand -- it's not nearly as advantageous for sorcerers, and I have no PC wizards in any of my games high enough level to use them.

That said, I create a ton of NPCs with them and try to demonstrate their usefulness. In particular, NPC wizard villains make good use out of quickened spells to increase their quick combat punch, and the NPC cleric cohort likes maximized heals via rituals*.

* - I optimize them a little by allowing the Relics & Rituals ritual rules, which lets you add metamagic at the expense of time and components.

 

[gfunk]

In 3.0, the metamagic system was a must-have and no-brainer for sorcerers. The Empower feat (with doubling and triplings) as well as the Energy Substitution feat were a great way for a sorcerer to make up for a lack of versatility.

In 3.5, metamagic is nigh useless. No stacking feats is stupid.

 

[Pants]

My players are just getting into the higher levels now, so metamagic feats are seeing much more use. The Druid likes to use Empowered Flame Strikes and Ice Storms and the Wizard uses Sonically Substituted EVERYTHING since they have been fighting Demons and other critters that are immune to regular energy damage. He also uses Silent spell every once in a while, but not too much.

Overall, I think that Metamagic is nigh useless at lower levels, but it becomes incredibly useful at higher levels when you get more spell slots to sacrifice.

 

[Nifft]

Only once so far... but the main caster is currently a 6th level Sorcerer, with only one Metamagic Feat.

-- N

 

[Olive]

I said never, but I lied.

One of the PCs (conj5/Alienist2) uses energy substitution ALL THE TIME. But I forgot about it. He also took extend spell, but never uses it, and in fact I'm going to let him swap it out for another metamagic.

 

[The Forsaken One]

I ALWAYS prepare spells with the - Explosive Spell - Transdimensional Spell - Energy substitution - Energy Admixture - Quicken Spell- Extend Spell.

Feats so, in my games and in the games in which I play there isn't a wizard or even a druid or most clerics for that matter who don't use them.

 

[Chroma]

He's so charming...

...and no one knows why!

Our party sorceror often uses Silent Spell with his Charm Person, especially in social situations... quite effective use of metamagic.

Oops... I meant Silent Spell!

 

[johnsemlak]

Hmm, I'm playing a wizard and this thread tells me how useless metamagic feats can be...

I'm planning on advancing to the Loremaster PrC--doesn't it require 3 metamagic feats (I dont' ave access to my DMG right now)?