Metamagic Rods - Wiz vs Sor

[Thanee]

Is this correct?

Wizards can cast spells enhanced with a metamagic rod as a standard action while sorcerers need a full-round action?

That absolutely makes no sense...

Either the spell confers the ability to use the feat (in which case the sorcerer needs a full-round action, but the wizard would have to prepare a spell in advance, using the rod to metamagic it) or it enhances the spell being cast (in which case both should need just a standard action, as the rod does the necessary manipulation).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Humanophile]

I agree, and I've houseruled it as such in my game. My guess is that one of the designers wanted to include spontaneous metamagic (that holy grail of D&D magic) and took the sorcerer's restriction a little too literally.

 

[Gizzard]

That absolutely makes no sense...

It's surely for game-balance reasons. If you've ever seen a Sorcerer throw 6 Maximized, Empowered Lightning Bolts in a row you know what I am talking about. The Wizard just doesn't have the same synergy with a Maximize Rod that a Sorcerer does.

 

[Falling Icicle]

I agree, and I've houseruled it as such in my game. My guess is that one of the designers wanted to include spontaneous metamagic (that holy grail of D&D magic) and took the sorcerer's restriction a little too literally.

Or they wanted to punish Sorcerers.

It is totally unfair that these rods allow the Wizard to get around his main disadvantage with metamagics (having to prepare them before hand), but the Sorcerer still gets stuck with his disadvantage (taking longer to cast them).

The Instant metamagic ability of the Incantatrix prestige class seems to be the same way.

So, even with an item, Sorcerers can't quicken.

Ridiculous...

 

[Falling Icicle]

It's surely for game-balance reasons. If you've ever seen a Sorcerer throw 6 Maximized, Empowered Lightning Bolts in a row you know what I am talking about. The Wizard just doesn't have the same synergy with a Maximize Rod that a Sorcerer does.

That's simply part of the advantage of playing a Sorcerer. And they pay for that advantage with:

A) Having Charisma as their primary spellcasting attribute

B) Having an extremely limited spell selection

C) Getting a new level of spells one level later than other spellcasters

D) Missing out on all those wonderful bonus feats that Wizards get

Yeah, a Sorcerer can throw six lightning bolts in a row. A Wizard, on the other hand, can throw six totally different spells in a row. And that can be much, much more powerful in many instances.

 

[Thanee]

It's surely for game-balance reasons.

That's good enough, but then please have it balanced for all classes, not just one (or in other word, the first option I wrote up there, that the rods just give feat access and no "spontaneous metamagic" ability at all)!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

Funny enough, bards do not need to increase the casting time when using metamagic rods!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Funny enough, bards do not need to increase the casting time when using metamagic rods!

Bye
Thanee

I doubt any of the designers are quaking in their boots at the thought of a few maximized Sound Bursts.

 

[Shadowdweller]

It's surely for game-balance reasons. If you've ever seen a Sorcerer throw 6 Maximized, Empowered Lightning Bolts in a row you know what I am talking about. The Wizard just doesn't have the same synergy with a Maximize Rod that a Sorcerer does.

Uhh....considering that all metamagic rods have a usage limit per day, you realize this doesn't make a whole lot of sense, right? That is to say, a sorceror can't use his Maximize rod any more times per day than a wizard can.

I'm personally convinced that the 3.5 designers simply did not think about the balance between Wizards and Sorcerors. The fact that a 3.5 wizard can spontaneous quicken 9th level spells (or spontaneously maximize, or empower spells that a sorceror can't even cast yet) is a BIG power differential.

 

[Thanee]

Yep, looks like they screwed that one up royally.

Wizards (and clerics, druids) already have pearls of power, which sorcerers cannot use.

Bye
Thanee