Good metamagic for a bard?

[Cheapy]

I'm looking for a good metamagic feat for my archer bard. For a variety of reasons, I need to take at least one MM feat.

I was looking at Reach Spell for the versatility it'd provide, but I don't know which bard spells would best compliment that, if any.

[Carbon D. Metric]

Ok, it all depends on you how want to play the bard really.

There are an uncountable number of things you can create with a bard, from Capt' Hook, to Captain America.

If you need some metamagics, then I am going to assume some kind of arcane, or mystic magician guide artist thing....If you are going to be using any sonic spells (Which you should have a few at least) to help with some damaging, then I recommend taking a look at concussive spell. It is quite a heavy modification but once you get third level spells you will be able to make ear piercing scream giving a -2 penalty to the target for 3 rounds, on TOP of the damage you just did with the spell. There is always Magical Lineage as well which gives you this as a level 2 spell if you so choose to do that.

[Tarlane]

Since all bard spells are verbal, silent spell wouldn't be too bad.

[Joana]

Bards can't use Silent Spell. Not for bard spells, anyway; they could use it if they multiclassed to another caster class, I suppose.

[Wiggz]

Cheapy wrote:

I'm looking for a good metamagic feat for my archer bard. For a variety of reasons, I need to take at least one MM feat.

I was looking at Reach Spell for the versatility it'd provide, but I don't know which bard spells would best compliment that, if any.

At low levels, I find Extend Spell almost universally useful. At high levels, quite the opposite.

[CaptnB]

If you have an arsenal of buff spells for you and your party, I would recommend Extend Spell. Like mentioned above, the feat is not that great at higher levels.

On the other hand, if you intend on casting mostly debuff/crowd control spells, I would recommend Heighten Spells. Some low-level spells (like Hideous Laughter, Blindness/Deafness) are quite potent even at higher character levels.

If you cast a mix of both, I guess I'd go Heighten Spells and I would purchase a Rod of Extend.

[Tarlane]

Joana wrote:

Bards can't use Silent Spell. Not for bard spells, anyway; they could use it if they multiclassed to another caster class, I suppose.

Ah, that is what I get for answering a question when I haven't played a bard in forever. Thanks for the correction.

[Abraham spalding]

Intensify spell has potential for spells in the APG and ultimate magic for a bard.

[Cheapy]

Concussive spell would only be effective for 1 round on a 1st level spell.

This is for a level 13 bard by the way, and my bow will be my main source of damage, I think. I'm thinking mostly buff and control spells too.

Heighten Spell does sound pretty useful in that case.

[Flux Vector]

Persistent spell is IMO, hands-down the best metamagic feat available to any caster, period. The target(s) having to beat the save twice for just +2 to spell level is incredible considering the importance of 'save or lose' spells. And bards get access to a number of solid save-or-suck-and-lose spells, like stinking cloud and slow, or outright save or lose like hold or charm.

However I'd suggest considering an investment in metamagic rods - a rod of lesser quicken and/or a rod of lesser persistent are great additions to any caster, especially a bard who'll want to save his actual feats for a weapon.