Stable Spell

[andargor]

My wizard is up for some feats soon, and I'd like your opinion on some feats from the Netbook of Feats.

Yes, some are munchkiny, but I like their rating system, and some feats seem to be very useful without being unduly overpowered.

I'd like to propose the following feat for my character to my DM:

STABLE SPELL [Metamagic]
COPYRIGHT 2001, Carl Cramér
You need not concentrate to maintain spells.
Benefit: A stable spell does not need concentration. Any (C)
note in the duration field is replaced with a (D) note instead,
which allows you to end the spell at will. A Stable Spell uses
up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell’s actual level.
Special: If you want to control aspects of the spell, such as
controlling the movement of an illusion, you must still
concentrate while in control. If you don’t concentrate, the
spell effect will still remain, without changing in any way.
Balance: 4.55 (Purp 4.50, Pow 4.25, Port 4.25, Comp 5.00,
Rule 4.75)

I am however a little wary of the abuse that such a feat could cause.

For example, casting an Emotion (Hope) spell on the party (+2 to Saves, AC, Attacks, Damage, Skill checks, Ability checks) with this feat would make the effect permanent. Overpowered.

What I was thinking of suggesting to my DM is to allow a maximum duration of 24 hours. This would mean the caster would "power" the effect using a spell slot.

Thoughts? Any of you allow the use of the Netbook of Feats?

Andargor

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I allow outside feats pending approval by me. And I'd probably allow [Stable Spell]. The problem isn't with the feat, it's with the spell.

Flipping through the PH, I found that other spells that rely on concentration also list a maximum duration. For some odd reason, Emotion doesn't. So I'd simply slap an "up to 1 minute per level" on the thing, and we're all good.

Note that the feat does not allow you to extend a spell past the maximum duration, but simply allows the spell to continue working, while the wizard does other things, such as casting other spells.

 

[andargor]

Here are possible spells that could be used with this feat:

Animal Trance [Brd 2, Drd 2] (PH p173)
Binding Winds [Drd 5] (MoF p80)
Blessed Aim [Clr 3, Pal 2] (DotF p81)
Contact Other Plane [Brd 5, Sor/Wiz 5] (PH p187)
Divine Storm [Clr 4] (DotF p85)
Emotion [Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 4] (PH p199)
Greater Mage Hand [Sor/Wiz 3] (MoF p97)
Hypnotic Pattern [Brd 2, Sor/Wiz 2] (PH p215)
Mage Hand [Brd 0, Sor/Wiz 0] (PH p223)
Major Image [Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 3] (PH p225)
Minor Image [Brd 2, Sor/Wiz 2] (PH p228)
Mirage Arcana [Brd 5, Sor/Wiz 5] (PH p229)
Nightmare Lullaby [Brd 2] (MoF p110)
Probe Thoughts [Mind 6, Wiz/Sor 6] (DotF p88)
Rainbow Pattern [Brd 4, Sor/Wiz 4] (PH p241)
Share Husk [Drd 2] (MoF p116)
Silent Image [Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1] (PH p252)
Summon Swarm [Brd 2, Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 2] (PH p261)
Veil [Brd 6, Sor/Wiz 6] (PH p269)
Wall of Fire [Drd 5, Fire 4, Sor/Wiz 4] (PH p269)

Indeed, a lot of these spells would need tweaking. Imagine a permanent Wall of Fire or permanent Illusion spells.

Andargor

EDIT: This is the full spell list, including the ones with a maximum duration:

Analyze Portal [Brd 3, Portal 2, Sor/Wiz 3] (FR p66)
Animal Trance [Brd 2, Drd 2] (PH p173)
Binding Winds [Drd 5] (MoF p80)
Black Blade of Disaster [Sor/Wiz 9] (MoF p81)
Blessed Aim [Clr 3, Pal 2] (DotF p81)
Calm Emotions [Clr 2, Law 2] (PH p182)
Contact Other Plane [Brd 5, Sor/Wiz 5] (PH p187)
Detect Animals or Plants [Drd 1, Rgr 1] (PH p192)
Detect Chaos [Clr 1, Rgr 2] (PH p192)
Detect Crossroads [Brd 0, Drd 0] (MoF p88)
Detect Evil [Clr 1, Rgr 2] (PH p192)
Detect Good [Clr 1, Rgr 2] (PH p193)
Detect Law [Clr 1, Rgr 2] (PH p193)
Detect Magic [Brd 0, Clr 0, Drd 0, Sor/Wiz 0] (PH p193)
Detect Secret Doors [Brd 1, Knowledge 1, Sor/Wiz 1] (PH p193)
Detect Snares and Pits [Drd 1, Rgr 1] (PH p194)
Detect Thoughts [Brd 2, Knowledge 2, Sor/Wiz 2] (PH p194)
Detect Undead [Clr 1, Pal 1, Sor/Wiz 1] (PH p194)
Discern Lies [Clr 4, Pal 3] (PH p195)
Divine Storm [Clr 4] (DotF p85)
Emotion [Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 4] (PH p199)
Greater Mage Hand [Sor/Wiz 3] (MoF p97)
Horizikaul's Versatile Vibration [Sor/Wiz 5] (MoF p101)
Hypnotic Pattern [Brd 2, Sor/Wiz 2] (PH p215)
Implosion [Clr 9, Destruction 9] (PH p217)
Know Greatest Enemy [Blk 3, Pal 3 (Savras)] (MoF p103)
Mage Hand [Brd 0, Sor/Wiz 0] (PH p223)
Major Image [Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 3] (PH p225)
Minor Image [Brd 2, Sor/Wiz 2] (PH p228)
Mirage Arcana [Brd 5, Sor/Wiz 5] (PH p229)
Nightmare Lullaby [Brd 2] (MoF p110)
Probe Thoughts [Mind 6, Wiz/Sor 6] (DotF p88)
Rainbow Pattern [Brd 4, Sor/Wiz 4] (PH p241)
Share Husk [Drd 2] (MoF p116)
Silent Image [Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1] (PH p252)
Storm of Vengeance [Clr 9] (PH p257)
Summon Swarm [Brd 2, Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 2] (PH p261)
Telekinesis [Sor/Wiz 5] (PH p264)
Veil [Brd 6, Sor/Wiz 6] (PH p269)
Wall of Fire [Drd 5, Fire 4, Sor/Wiz 4] (PH p269)

 

[Ravellion]

So "any spell that lists no duration gains a duration of 1 minute per level" just needs to be fixed to the end of that feat.

 

[Celebrim]

Change the feat so that spells gain a duration of some length per caster level AFTER concentration is relinquished.