Metamagic Question

[Caliber]

Could a Wizard who had memorized a spell metamagiced cast it 'normally', as it were, instead?

The question arises because tonight my Wizard met up with a Troll. He had a Fireball memorized but it was also Energy Substituted (Sonic). Obviously the Fireball (Fire) would be more useful but I wasn't sure if I could just forget the metamagic aspect like that.

Thanks for any replies.

 

[kreynolds]

Could a Wizard who had memorized a spell metamagiced cast it 'normally', as it were, instead?

The question arises because tonight my Wizard met up with a Troll. He had a Fireball memorized but it was also Energy Substituted (Sonic). Obviously the Fireball (Fire) would be more useful but I wasn't sure if I could just forget the metamagic aspect like that.

Thanks for any replies.

Nope. Once you metamagic a spell, it is immediately altered and locked into your spell slot. That's it, unfortunately. Don't get me wrong though, I have no desire to change this.

 

[Crothian]

Sorry, but no. You're stuck with the spell you have and with all (if any) modifications through meta magic.

I feel for you though. One week the party about strung up the player of the wizards when they needed fire damage against the troll, and he had it as a cold spell instead. It was real funny from my seat, though. Safely behind the DM's screen.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

I am finally going to play 3e (as opposed to DMing, that is). I created a frost barbarian (Greyhawk) wizard (necromancer) with a morbid desire to turn all his energy spells to cold spells using the energy substitution feat. Of course, I think I will always have at least one fire spell prepared, just in case. Either that, or carry lots of alchemists fire. Oh yeah, he also likes conjuring critters. I can't wait to conjure polar bears.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

No, the wizard can't undo metamagic once it's been applied. That's one of the advantages of the sorcerer, who can choose when and how to apply metamagic as the situation arises.