Why do Sorcerers have to take a full round action to use a metamagic rod?

[KarinsDad]

WOTC openly hates sorcs, that's why.

Sure. That's why they created the Incantrix. For Wizards (uh huh).

Warmages/Beguilers/Dread Necromancers: These classes make any "theme" sorcerer a complete joke. Want to play an illusionist or enchantress type? Beguiler, and wear armor doing it! With skills! Did you want to play sorcerer just to blast things over and over? Why bother when you can be a warmage! Fancy playing a spontaneous casting necromancer type? Again, who needs sorcerers!

Maybe players who enjoy casting spontaneous spells from more than just one or two schools of magic.

One trick ponies tend to die.

But yeah, god forbid the sorcerer be able to use quicken spell.

Spontaneous Metamagic is huge. Sorcerers cast not only what they want when they want, but they can throw whatever metamagic they know on it when they want. With the exception of Quicken.

With the ability to cast Spontaneous Metamagic Quicken, high level Sorcerers will often cast two spells per round, virtually every round. Non-spontaneous casters could do this as well, but there are a lot of situations where their Quickened, Swift, or Immediate spells are not applicable. That's rarely the case with Sorcerers.


And, WotC did give Sorcerers the ability to cast Quicken. In order of when the books came out: Arcane Preparation, Sudden Quicken (admitedly, pretty worthless due to the feat chain), PHB II Metamagic at normal casting time x/day, and finally Instant Metamagic (which sounds broken). As time has gone on, WotC has made it easier for Sorcerers to gain this capability.

They just did not allow Sorcerers to do quicken metamagic when they want as often as they want for free.

 

[anon]

Without meaning to hijack, based on my reading of the SRD it appears that a spontaneous caster can apply a metamagic to an immediate or swift spell with no casting time increase.

True?

If the spell’s normal casting time is 1 standard action, casting a metamagic version is a full-round action for a sorcerer or bard.

Of course a strict reading of the SRD means the casting-time increase doesn't apply to anyone but sorcerers or bards. Happy beguilers and warmages!

 

[Mistwell]

Sure. That's why they created the Incantrix. For Wizards (uh huh).

You mean the IncanTAtrix? A prestige class that is in fact a good one for Wizards?

 

[Twowolves]

On the one hand, I'm happy to see WotC backs my interpretation of how the rods work, after the many multi-page debates I participated in on these boards.

On the other hand, it IS still the FAQ. :\

 

[Plane Sailing]

I see no good reason for allowing the rods to be spontaneously used by wizards (greatly empowering wizards) but not effectively used by sorcerers.

If the cost is paid for the rod, it ought to give the same benefits to both. I can see no reasonable grounds for smacking sorcerers who have the temerity to attempt to use a metamagic rod.

Out of interest, I've not got any book with the 'sudden' metamagic feats in. How do those work for sorcerers? Are they able to use them normally or do they restrict sorcerers with those too?

Cheers

 

[Sithobi1]

They don't increase the time, but the prereqs for Sudden Quicken are(IIRC) 6 feats, including the useless Quicken Spell feat. All for 1/day quicken without time/slot increase.

 

[KarinsDad]

You mean the IncanTAtrix? A prestige class that is in fact a good one for Wizards?

Good for Wizards.

But, it's great for Sorcerers.

 

[KarinsDad]

I see no good reason for allowing the rods to be spontaneously used by wizards (greatly empowering wizards) but not effectively used by sorcerers.

They are effective for Sorcerers. They do not increase the level of the spell being metamagicked.

 

[irdeggman]

Don't forget those Draconic feats (from Complete Arcane) which sorcerers specifically can take, while wizards can't.

 

[Thanee]

Good for Wizards.

But, it's great for Sorcerers.

No, it's the other way around. It's great for Wizards and good for Sorcerers.

Wizards gain a lot more from this PrC.

Bye
Thanee