Hi, I'm trying to figure out how a Magus would take advantage of Meta-rods. Sure, he can use one to help with non-touch spells, like any wizard, but is there any way to use them along with Spell Combat and spellstriking? You have to have the off-hand free to cast the spell, and the other is holding a weapon.
Dip into syntesist or alchymist for extra limbs?
Cast a spell with a meta rod - take a move action towards the enemy - drop the rod, draw your weapon as pat of the move action - use the free action to make deliver the spell with the now drawn weapon - remember to pick up the rod after the fight is over...
Could you attach the rod to a weapon cord and drop it after activating it on the spell to be cast?
Spellcombat is a full round action - spellstrike isn't...
So no you can't use meta-rods without have and extra arm in spellcombat, but you could use empowering metamagic rod on a shocking grasp - take a move action and THEN use a free action to deleiver the spell.
That being said- there's nothing stopping you from just enchanting a rod as a club and using it as both a metamagic rod, and as your magic weapon.
Benefit: No weird stuff to get it to work.
Drawback: Expensive as heck. :\
-S
That being said- there's nothing stopping you from just enchanting a rod as a club and using it as both a metamagic rod, and as your magic weapon.
Only certain rods function as weapons: "Many, as noted in their descriptions, can function as light maces or clubs due to their hardy construction."
The metamagic rods do not.
You could try to cheese it by claiming the rod is an improvised weapon, casting your spell, then dropping the rod and drawing a real weapon for your attacks.
I wasn't trying to cheese anything actually.. just enchant it like a weapon and go from there.
It would surely be a custom item, and as such would require DM vetting and all that, but as long as you have the cash to spend there's really no reason not to allow it.
(I mean really- a light mace or club? not exactly tweaking the numbers..)
-S
| 3 people marked this as FAQ candidate. |
Ah, I see... Paizo borked the rod rules. Nice!
In 3E, rod activation was detailed in each description, there was no general rule about having it in hand:
"Activation
Details relating to rod use vary from item to item. See the individual descriptions for specifics."
"Metamagic Rods
Metamagic rods hold the essence of a metamagic feat but do not change the spell slot of the altered spell. All the rods described here are use-activated (but casting spells in a threatened area still draws an attack of opportunity). A caster may only use one metamagic rod on any given spell, but it is permissible to combine a rod with metamagic feats possessed by the rod’s wielder. In this case, only the feats possessed by the wielder adjust the spell slot of the spell being cast.
Possession of a metamagic rod does not confer the associated feat on the owner, only the ability to use the given feat a specified number of times per day. A sorcerer still must take a full-round action when using a metamagic rod, just as if using a metamagic feat he possesses."
Compare to PF:
"Activation: Details relating to rod use vary from item to item. Unless noted otherwise, you must be holding a rod to use its abilities. See the individual descriptions for specifics."
"Metamagic Rods
Metamagic rods hold the essence of a metamagic feat, allowing the user to apply metamagic effects to spells (but not spell-like abilities) as they are cast. This does not change the spell slot of the altered spell. All the rods described here are use-activated (but casting spells in a threatened area still draws an attack of opportunity). A caster may only use one metamagic rod on any given spell, but it is permissible to combine a rod with metamagic feats possessed by the rod's wielder. In this case, only the feats possessed by the wielder adjust the spell slot of the spell being cast.
Possession of a metamagic rod does not confer the associated feat on the owner, only the ability to use the given feat a specified number of times per day. A sorcerer still must take a full-round action when using a metamagic rod, just as if using a metamagic feat he possesses (except for quicken metamagic rods, which can be used as a swift action)."
Metamagic rod text is basically the same (plus the Quicken note, in line w/ their changes to the feat), but they added in that pesky general rule under activation. I could see an argument that, "Possession of a metamagic rod does not confer the associated feat on the owner, only the ability to use the given feat a specified number of times per day." means that you need only possess a metamagic rod to use it, and this overrides the general rule under activation, as it is an exception noted in the item description
I could also see it argued that they basically copy/pasted the metamagic rod text and a different writer changed the activation rules, there was a lack of coordination, and the whole thing was an oversight.
In any case...hit FAQ?
just enchant it like a weapon and go from there.
Creating Magic Weapons: "To create a magic weapon, a character needs a heat source and some iron, wood, or leatherworking tools. She also needs a supply of materials, the most obvious being the weapon or the pieces of the weapon to be assembled. Only a masterwork weapon can become a magic weapon..."
So not only does it have to be a weapon before you enchant it, it has to be a masterwork weapon.
A metamagic rod is not a masterwork weapon, so it can't be enchanted.
Rods the function as weapons specify they do:
A Rod of Alertness is indistinguishable from a +1 light mace. It would work just fine with Spell Combat.
The problem with the Quick Draw approach is it hits the same snag as trying to use spell combat with a two-handed weapon. Spell combat is a single ability that takes a full-round action and requires you to have a free hand. That's not a free hand for the spellcasting portion of the ability; it's a requirement of the entire full-round action.
The only way to use spell combat with a metamagic rod is to either custom enchant it as a weapon (subject to GM approval), have a third free hand through some source, or have a natural weapon not restricted by hands (such as a bite or tail attack).
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The problem with the Quick Draw approach is it hits the same snag as trying to use spell combat with a two-handed weapon. Spell combat is a single ability that takes a full-round action and requires you to have a free hand. That's not a free hand for the spellcasting portion of the ability; it's a requirement of the entire full-round action.
The only way to use spell combat with a metamagic rod is to either custom enchant it as a weapon (subject to GM approval), have a third free hand through some source, or have a natural weapon not restricted by hands (such as a bite or tail attack).
And this is one of the main reasons why I always play a hexcrafter with the Prehensile Hair Hex. Now the other solution is to use the polymorph spells to assume a shape that has more then 2 hands.
"PREHENSILE HAIR HEX" - nice! I had just assumed it requred a dip and had disregarded metamagic rods. 9000 for an lesser empowering rod seems a bargain now :-)
There are some rods that are used as weapons but I havent seen any metas.
There is the option for quickdraw plus a (tie off) rod sling.
You aslo could have a wizard modify the wand weapon spell (the one you put a wand in a weapon and can still use the wand) to function for rods as well. Not PFS really but doable in homebrews.
Two words.
Just attach rod to weapon handle and apply glue. Beware, this will cause your DM to create Universal Solvent flinging Alchemists!
Now see, in another thread a poster was mentioning "cheese." *THIS* is what I call cheese. Needing Medusa hair or a third arm to use an item others can use automatically.
My solution was to build the rod into my weapon. (Not rod *as* weapon, but more rod *attached* to weapon). But I hate that I even had to do that, and I don't blame the folks who go with the hair or the third arm.
*grumble grumble*
Actually w/ ARG there's a new solution. Tiefling, already arguably THE best race for a (dervish) magus, now gets the option to trade his most worthless racial feature for a prehensile tail that can hold things.
Problem solved, except for those poor folks in PFS. :)