Replacing Metamagic feats with Spellcraft checks.

[TessarrianDM]

Proposal:
A. Replace metamagic feats with metamagic spell enhancements based on Spellcraft skill checks.

B. Eliminate the difference between casters who memorize spells (who prepare metamagic-enhanced spells in advance) and those who do not (requiring a full-round action to enhance the spell) by making metamagically enhancing a spell a move action.

C. Eliminate Sudden metamagic feats completely.

D. Reduce the prerequisites necessary to use the metamagic enhancements.

E. Allow "pre-casting" of a single spell; basically, ready a specific spell to cast as a swift action later.

See attachment for details.

 

[avr]

Interesting idea

The first thing I noticed was that you suggested failing the skill check would automatically mean that the spell would be cast without the enhancement. I'd suggest this should be an option as sometimes there are few things worse than casting a non-silent charm person spell!

Running the numbers; a 1st level wizard with the skill focus (spellcraft) & magical affinity feats, 16 INT and 4 ranks spellcraft has a +12 skill and can use any one +1 metamagic feat more than half the time, or any time he or she can take 10.

By 10th level, with a +4 headband of intellect & +2 synergy from know. (arcana), spellcraft +25 does the same for any metamagic up to +3 equivalent (or 2 +1 metamagics) and makes single +1 metamagics automatically succeed. There are probably non-core feats which could pump spellcraft skill higher.

I'm not sure I'd like the system for myself as written; I think wizards would tend to use a move action to try to empower everything (& usually succeed) unless they needed to substitute energy in a damaging spell. Also, you'd lose one of the distinguishing features between different spellcasters.

My suggestion; bundle some metamagic feats together into themed packages, say 3-4 per new feat, or make individual metamagics skill tricks (2 skill points each). This'd avoid losing the distinctions between different spellcasters entirely. Of course, reducing differences may be an aim of your system?

 

[Kmart Kommando]

Adopt the psionic way, use Arcane Focus, the same as Psionic Focus, using Spellcraft instead, and each metamagic effect takes a feat and the expenditure of 0 or more mana/whatever you're using and expending of their Arcane Focus. Cost is a skill check and a fullround action (or move action with that feat) beforehand, and the same thing again before they can do it again.

Then add in something like "As long as you hold your arcane focus, you can cast any cantrip you know at half your caster level at will." I like little things like that, where it's not just "oh, I can't fix this hole in my pants until tomorrow, I cast detect magic too many times today"

 

[Jack Simth]

The Wizard:
The Good:
Gains spontaneous Metamagic, gains pseudo-extra feat slots (no need to spend feats on metamagic, so more for other stuff), and still needs only three stats: Int, Dex, and Con (as normal).
The Bad:
As the Wizard has to have a high Intelligence score and Spellcraft ranks anyway, this puts no particular limitations on a Wizard. It's all good for Mr. Wizard.

The Druid:
The Good:
Gains spontaneous Metamagic on all spells, gains pseudo-extra feat slots (no need to spend feats on metamagic, so more for other stuff)
The Bad:
Has an extra attribute they need to have (Intelligence), and extra skill ranks they need to spend (Spellcraft, not previously needed), but with 4 +Intelligence skill points per level, this isn't as much of a hardship as it is for the Cleric.

The Cleric:
The Good:
Gains spontaneous Metamagic on all spells, gains pseudo-extra feat slots (no need to spend feats on metamagic, so more for other stuff)
The Bad:
Has an extra attribute they need to have (Intelligence), and extra skill ranks they need to spend (Spellcraft, not previously needed) with only 2 +Intelligence skill points per level.

The Sorcerer:
The Good:
Gains pseudo-extra feat slots (no need to spend feats on metamagic, so more for other stuff)
The Bad:
Has an extra attribute they need to have (Intelligence), and extra skill ranks they need to spend (Spellcraft, not previously needed) with only 2 +Intelligence skill points per level.

Mathy stuff
A 6th level caster wants to Extend a Rope Trick (DC 10 + Spell Level + 10 for Extend Spell = DC 22) (or any other 2nd level spell).

The Non-Wizard with max ranks in Spellcraft, an Intelligence score of 10, taking 10, and no feat investment, makes a DC 19 - not enough, requires Skill Focus(Spellcraft) to pull it off reliably out of combat.

The Wizard with max ranks in Spellcraft, an Intelligence score of 18, taking 10, and no feat investment, makes a DC 22.

A 10th level caster wants to Empower a Fireball (or any other 3rd level spell; DC 10+Spell Level + 15 for Empower Spell = DC 28)

The Non-Wizard with max ranks in Spellcraft, an Intelligence score of 10, taking 10, and no feat investment, makes a DC 23 - not enough; Skill Focus(Spellcraft) put him to 26; doesn't put him over - the Non-Wizard can't do this reliably without at least an Intelligence score of 14 or better, or an investment in a second feat into Magical Aptitude.

The Wizard with max ranks in Spellcraft, an Intelligence score of 22, taking 10, and no feat investment, makes a DC 28 - just enough.

This house rule favors the Wizard more than any other primary spellcaster; the Druid makes out a little better than the Cleric, and the Cleric makes out slightly better than the Sorcerer.

 

[Connorsrpg]

We have always used a spell roll, much like an attack roll for fighting.

Armor % failure becomes a penalty on the spell roll. Adding a metamagic feat increases the DC by a fair degree.

We have grouped several minor meta-magic feats (using the one from MCAU/E).

Failure = spell does not go off.

Crit fail = roll on % chart for any number of effects.

C