Sudden Metamagic Feats

[catsclaw227]

I posted in another Metamagic feat thread, but my questions really specifically discuss Sudden Metamagic feats.

Do they require a longer casting time (i.e. full round action)? If not, can you stack Sudden Metamagic Feats like Sudden Maximize and Sudden Empower to a spell?

Don't they seem a bit overpowered, due to the fact that they don't require knowledge of spells of a higher level (i.e. you can Sudden Maximized, Sudden Empowered Disintegrate at 11th level, doing 132 + 11d6 damage? That's an average of 170 damage at 11th level with a single spell, if the Fort save is failed (DC 22+ likely).

 

[moritheil]

No, they don't require longer casting time. Yes, you can stack them.

Kinda makes BBEG battles less fun.

Which is why you don't tell him which one is the BBEG fight. To be fair, a diplomancer build could handle the entire campaign without combat, if you run Diplomacy RAW.

Overpowered is always a relative measure. Compared to a build that can kill anything within its CR range with no save and no realistic way of resisting, for example, I would hardly bat an eye at this.

 

[jaelis]

If you only fight one battle a day, sudden feats are kind of overpowered. At 4/day, I think they are pretty reasonable.

But they are loads of fun to give to the bad guys. No reason for them not to go nova!

 

[Maleketh]

Note that Sudden Maximize and Sudden Empower will not result in a spell that deals 150% of the spells base maximum damage - the extra damage from Empower isn't maximized, as noted in the description for Maximize Spell in the PHB.

 

[Jhulae]

Note that Sudden Maximize and Sudden Empower will not result in a spell that deals 150% of the spells base maximum damage - the extra damage from Empower isn't maximized, as noted in the description for Maximize Spell in the PHB.

Oh, good catch. That's something that's easy to get lost in the 'sudden shuffle' when a Warmage does a big blast.