Impressed by rods

[Plane Sailing]

My 8th Sorcerer has recently aquired a rod of lesser maximising, and it has proven tremendous on the first adventure. Being able to cast a fireball for 48 damage or launch a couple of scorching rays which did 24 damage each was excellent in the final big battle.

I don't know if there are limitations with using it in conjunction with other feats - our current assumption is that my sorcerer could have an empowered scorching ray (2nd level spell, 4th level slot) and then maximise it with the rod (affects 1st-3rd level spells) so that each ray does 24+2d6 damage. If this is wrong, please keep quiet about it

Cheers

 

[Rel]

It is predictable that the wizard will get a relative power boost if you typically have few combats per day. Metamagic rods enhance this effect but are hardly the only problem item, e.g. Bead of Karma.

I wasn't trying to suggest otherwise. It's just that, until recently, we had a relatively small game group with the DM and three players. This meant that the characters tended to be more conservative with their spell use and were also more inclined to prepare utility spells to cover areas where the party was weak.

Now the group is up to 5 players and having a dedicated Wizard who mostly preps protective spells for himself and saves the rest for blasting means that he tends to unload his spell payload very quickly and with devastating results. I've learned my lesson however and plan to throw them up against more encounters with the threat of attack at other times so that he'll be a bit more willing to conserve spells for important moments.

 

[Storminator]

My 8th Sorcerer has recently aquired a rod of lesser maximising, and it has proven tremendous on the first adventure. Being able to cast a fireball for 48 damage or launch a couple of scorching rays which did 24 damage each was excellent in the final big battle.

I don't know if there are limitations with using it in conjunction with other feats - our current assumption is that my sorcerer could have an empowered scorching ray (2nd level spell, 4th level slot) and then maximise it with the rod (affects 1st-3rd level spells) so that each ray does 24+2d6 damage. If this is wrong, please keep quiet about it

Cheers

That ain't how I'm interpreting it. My new PC is a Mageblade (variant to fit into my DM's standard D&D magic campaign), and I regularly have Empowered Scorching Ray memorized. IMO, neither my Maximize Rod or my Quicken Rod will work on it, as it's a 4th level spell slot.

My new favorite, tho, is the Empowered Ray of Enfeeblement with the Maximize Rod. 16 points of STR in one whack.

The other favorite: Quicken Rod in Glove of Storing, pull Rod (free action) cast Quickened True Strike (free action) stow Rod (free action), grab sword with 2nd hand and Power Attack for 20 ---> +40 damage at regular attack bonus.

PS

 

[dagger]

My 17th level wizard has a greater rod of extending (which he has had since Tome and Blood before 3.5 DMG came out) and then I picked up a lesser maxamize rod later.

They are nice, especially the extending rod, since my wizard is less of a nuker and more of a buffer /all purpose type. Since the stat buffing spells have been reduced in duration (cats grace etc..), it is not as useful, but it is still nice to have.

 

[Voadam]

That ain't how I'm interpreting it. My new PC is a Mageblade (variant to fit into my DM's standard D&D magic campaign), and I regularly have Empowered Scorching Ray memorized. IMO, neither my Maximize Rod or my Quicken Rod will work on it, as it's a 4th level spell slot.

My new favorite, tho, is the Empowered Ray of Enfeeblement with the Maximize Rod. 16 points of STR in one whack.

The other favorite: Quicken Rod in Glove of Storing, pull Rod (free action) cast Quickened True Strike (free action) stow Rod (free action), grab sword with 2nd hand and Power Attack for 20 ---> +40 damage at regular attack bonus.

PS

Your mage blade has a BAB of +20? Do they have full BAB or 3/4?

POWER ATTACK [GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Str 13.
Benefit: On your action, before making attack rolls for a round, you may choose to subtract a number from all melee attack rolls and add the same number to all melee damage rolls. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus. The penalty on attacks and bonus on damage apply until your next turn.
Special: If you attack with a two-handed weapon, or with a one-handed weapon wielded in two hands, instead add twice the number subtracted from your attack rolls. You can’t add the bonus from Power Attack to the damage dealt with a light weapon (except with unarmed strikes or natural weapon attacks), even though the penalty on attack rolls still applies. (Normally, you treat a double weapon as a one-handed weapon and a light weapon. If you choose to use a double weapon like a two-handed weapon, attacking with only one end of it in a round, you treat it as a two-handed weapon.)
A fighter may select Power Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats.

 

[Trainz]

So what's the ruling on a metamagic rod:

- a lesser metamagic rod (lets say like quicken) can only boost a 3rd level spell slot (like an empowered magic missile or an unmodified fireball) OR;

- a lesser metamagic rod (lets say again like quicken) can boost a 3rd level spell, like a maximised fireball (level 6 slot) or an invisibility spell (level 2 slot).

Which one os true ?

 

[Voadam]

So what's the ruling on a metamagic rod:

- a lesser metamagic rod (lets say like quicken) can only boost a 3rd level spell slot (like an empowered magic missile or an unmodified fireball) OR;

- a lesser metamagic rod (lets say again like quicken) can boost a 3rd level spell, like a maximised fireball (level 6 slot) or an invisibility spell (level 2 slot).

Which one os true ?

Since it says spells of a certain level and not spell slots of a certain level, I'd rule the second option.

Metamagic Rods: Metamagic rods hold the essence of a metamagic feat but do not change the spell slot of the altered spell. All the rods described here are use-activated (but casting spells in a threatened area still draws an attack of opportunity). A caster may only use one metamagic rod on any given spell, but it is permissible to combine a rod with metamagic feats possessed by the rod’s wielder. In this case, only the feats possessed by the wielder adjust the spell slot of the spell being cast.
Possession of a metamagic rod does not confer the associated feat on the owner, only the ability to use the given feat a specified number of times per day. A sorcerer still must take a full-round action when using a metamagic rod, just as if using a metamagic feat he possesses.
Lesser and Greater Metamagic Rods: Normal metamagic rods can be used with spells of 6th level or lower. Lesser rods can be used with spells of 3rd level or lower, while greater rods can be used with spells of 9th level or lower.

Applying a metamagic feat does not change the spell's level:

METAMAGIC FEATS
As a spellcaster’s knowledge of magic grows, she can learn to cast spells in ways slightly different from the ways in which the spells were originally designed or learned. Preparing and casting a spell in such a way is harder than normal but, thanks to metamagic feats, at least it is possible. Spells modified by a metamagic feat use a spell slot higher than normal. This does not change the level of the spell, so the DC for saving throws against it does not go up.

 

[Storminator]

Your mage blade has a BAB of +20? Do they have full BAB or 3/4?

POWER ATTACK [GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Str 13.
<snip>

He's an Unfettered 12/Mageblade 12, which gives him a BAB of 18, and and Epic attack bonus of 2. Our DM rules that EAB stacks with BAB for everything except extra attacks. So it adds to grapples, etc.

Probably shouldn't sidetrack the thread with this tho...

PS

 

[Storminator]

Since it says spells of a certain level and not spell slots of a certain level, I'd rule the second option.
<SNIP>

Despite the text, I'd rule the other way. I don't think an Empowered, Maximized Sculpted Fireball should be Quickened with a Lesser Rod. While my DM hasn't ruled on this one, I wouldn't even bring it up with him.

PS

 

[the Jester]

So what's the ruling on a metamagic rod:

- a lesser metamagic rod (lets say like quicken) can only boost a 3rd level spell slot (like an empowered magic missile or an unmodified fireball) OR;

- a lesser metamagic rod (lets say again like quicken) can boost a 3rd level spell, like a maximised fireball (level 6 slot) or an invisibility spell (level 2 slot).

Which one os true ?

I'm with Storminator on this one- despite the letter of the rules, I'd rule that these work only on spell slots of a given level or less. Much like wands can be of spells in slots of 4th or lower level.