Prepared Empowered Fireball and Lesser Metamagic Rod

[Allegro]

Can a lesser metamagic rod affect a prepared empowered fireball? The fireball is still treated as a third level spell for DC but it is in a 5th level slot.

 

[moritheil]

Can a lesser metamagic rod effect a prepared empowered fireball? The fireball is still treated as a third level spell for DC but it is in a 5th level slot.

I believe you have answered your own question - yes. It is still treated as a third level spell. It just takes up a higher level slot due to metamagic.

Also, in answering your question I assumed you meant "affect," since to "effect" the fireball would imply the rod is casting it.

 

[mvincent]

Can a lesser metamagic rod affect a prepared empowered fireball?

From my readings in previous discussions:
By RAW: yes
By RAI: likely no

 

[NightCrawler]

Why not?

 

[moritheil]

By RAI: likely no

How do you figure?

It's still got the vulnerabilities of a 3rd-level spell (i.e. subject to globe of invulnerability, lower save DC), so why shouldn't it also get the benefits?

 

[Corsair]

How do you figure?

It's still got the vulnerabilities of a 3rd-level spell (i.e. subject to globe of invulnerability, lower save DC), so why shouldn't it also get the benefits?

Indeed. Metamagic does not change the level of the spell (heighten not included) for any purpose. It only makes it take up a higher level slot.

 

[mvincent]

How do you figure?

Because magic items usually treat metamagic'ed spells at the higher level for things like pricing and such. It doesn't appear that metamagic rods were intended to be used on spells significantly more powerful than their rating.

I'm surprised this is unexpected to you. As always, I'm all for playing as you like, but I'm fairly sure that if I tried such a trick in any game I was in, the DM would laugh at me.

If WotC (Sage advice) were asked about this, I think I know what the response would be. Example: Pearl of power has similar RAW wording (i.e. it recovers a spell of a certain level, rather than one that occupies a certain slot), yet the 3.5 FAQ says:
"Any metamagic effects (or other effects that altered the
spell’s level) apply, so a 5th-level pearl of power can recall the
quickened magic missile you’ve already cast, but not the
empowered cone of cold (since that’s a 7th-level spell)."