7 Metamagic questions

[Dystarin]

Hi again all,

Today, i seek confirmations about some mechanics i do not master yet.
Trying to clarify my questions, i tried to write them to wait for "yes or no" answers.

Here we go :

1. Cure Wounds spells are affected by Empower Spells and Maximize Feats.

2. Heal and Mass Heal spells are only affected by Empower Healing Feat. No Empower Spells, no Maximize.

3. Only the best of Ardor / Devotion / Potency effects applies to Healing Spells (Cure and Heal)

4. A spell that has be Heightened still use its original level to determine if it is effected by Potency/Efficacy.
(Thus a V Spell, Heightened to IX, will still be enforced by a Superior Potency VI)

5. You dont have to endlessly click on your metamagic stances :

a- Only DC generators spells can be heightened. All the others wont 'use' Heighten and so wont cost more when casted.

b- Only Defensive spells can be extended. All the others wont 'use' Extend and so wont cost more when casted.

c- Only variable* spells can be Empowered / Maximized. All the others wont use these Feats and so wont cost more when casted.
(*variable : spells that use dices to get their base damage, opposed to 'static' spells that have fixed outputs. Note that a 1d6+20 would be considered as variable, even if there is a static component into its formula)

5. Enlarge only affect range, not area radius, for each and every spell. No exception.

6. Using a DoT spell, each occurence can critic independantly.

7. To debuff a Fort. Save, arcanists can only use Curse, Cloudkill or Energy Drain spells. No other Spell that Cloudkill lowers the target's CON without giving a Fort. Save before taking effect.

Thank you very much, in advance, for your answers.

[Angelus_dead]

Yes to most all of the questions. Exceptions:
3. Note that Ardor items tend to have an incorrect description, and have been giving a higher bonus than is listed.

5a. There have been a few spells here and there that were wrongly paying the cost for Heighten even though there's no save.

5c. That is false, and resembles a D&D rule (but isn't quite correct in that game either). In DDO, you can use Maximize and Empower on spells that have a primary function of additive hitpoint adjustment, minus Heal and Harm. For example, Ray Of Enfeeblement and Phantasmal Killer have a variable formula for the effect, but won't take Maximize and Empower.

7. Fear, Crushing Despair, and Enervate are among the other spells that cause a generalized saving throw penalty. Contagion can also reduce Fortitude, although it has a fort save to work.

[Dystarin]

Thank you for these answers, especially for having clarified the 5c.
It makes me think about False Life... I realized i never tried to Maximize it. I shall test that.

I will also keep in mind that Crushing Despair should be considered as a very good debuff now it also gained a Will Save debuff component.

For all the "yes", i'm glad i finally got something out of my readings :) Definitly a wizard way of learning.

That should help to finish this spell spreadsheet i have in mind for a long time

[Matuse]

1. Cure Wounds spells are affected by Empower Spells and Maximize Feats.

Yes.


2. Heal and Mass Heal spells are only affected by Empower Healing Feat. No Empower Spells, no Maximize.

Limiting it to only feats, yes. But Heal and Mass Heal are affected by Life Magic enhancements, and Devotion/Potency items.


3. Only the best of Ardor / Devotion / Potency effects applies to Healing Spells (Cure and Heal)

Yes.


4. A spell that has be Heightened still use its original level to determine if it is effected by Potency/Efficacy.
(Thus a V Spell, Heightened to IX, will still be enforced by a Superior Potency VI)

Yes.


5. You dont have to endlessly click on your metamagic stances :

Not to keep them active. But sometimes you want them off and other times you want them on...and in that case you'll be clicking them as appropriate.


a- Only DC generators spells can be heightened. All the others wont 'use' Heighten and so wont cost more when casted.

There are some spells which use Heighten and shouldn't. Bug them if you find them.


b- Only Defensive spells can be extended. All the others wont 'use' Extend and so wont cost more when casted.

As of Update 9, yes. But not just defensive spells, buffs in general. Divine Favor is not defensive in the least, but it will take Extend.


c- Only variable* spells can be Empowered / Maximized. All the others wont use these Feats and so wont cost more when casted.

Yes.


5. Enlarge only affect range, not area radius, for each and every spell. No exception.

For the spells that Enlarge works on at all, yes. Only changes the distance from yourself you can put the target of the spell.

Widen spell (not present in DDO) is the one that changes area of effect.


6. Using a DoT spell, each occurence can critic independantly.

Yes.


7. To debuff a Fort. Save, arcanists can only use Curse, Cloudkill or Energy Drain spells. No other Spell that Cloudkill lowers the target's CON without giving a Fort. Save before taking effect.

Level 4: Bestow Curse. Will Save, effect: -4 penalty to all saves. <--- You had the spell right, but not the save involved.
Level 5: Prismatic Ray: Green Beam, causes instant death on a failed fort save, con damage on a successful fort save.
Level 5: Symbol of Pain. Fort save, save fail means -4 penalty to all saves. Area effect spell, with a duration...if you can kite the target in and out a few times, they will be subjected to multiple save attempts.
Level 6: Necrotic Ray. Fort save. In addition to damage, this mentions giving 1 negative level. The description I read doesn't say anything about the negative level being savable, just the damage. This may not be accurate.
Level 7: Prismatic Spray. As Prismatic Ray, but area effect.
Level 8: Symbol Of Death. Like symbol of pain, but gives negative levels on a failed save.