Metamagic - Feat vs Rod?

[Weirdo]

I'm playing in a low-wealth campaign and want access to Reach spells. Specifically, I'm playing an Inquisitor whose reliance on touch spells recently became a liability in combat.

Feat cost: Feat itself (I don't have any better options). Limited high-level spell slots. Casting time.

Rod cost: Scarce magic item resources which could be invested in weapon. Limits use by spell level.

Draw time for the rod is probably not an issue since DM may allow use of Quickdraw (which my character has) with rods if carried in a holster.

What would you advise in my specific situation? In general, do you find that Metamagic feats or rods are better?

[blackbloodtroll]

What are your stats/race?

[Weirdo]

Human; same guy you helped me out with in this thread.

Note: DM asked me to try a level or two with my domain retrained to Healing before trying more drastic changes involving Cha adjustments or house-ruled Channelling Scourge, so I'm assuming for the moment that my 9th level feat is not going to be channelling related. I'm also aiming for a Guided weapon instead of Dervish Dance.

The big need for Reach is with healing spells. Touch-range buffs are also a factor.

[blackbloodtroll]

Well, with the option of retraining, you could go Racial Heritage(Grippli), and Agile Tongue.

You would be able to deliver touch spells 10ft away.

[Weirdo]

I pictured my dignified middle-aged knight sprouting a long prehensile tongue and had to laugh. Very creative solution.

Mechanically, 10ft is still a little limiting, and the fact that it's still a physical touch means it won't get around my other major problem: a friendly NPC with what's effectively a Vow of Celibacy. My Inquisitor went and healed her when she was critically injured recently... didn't go well. I'd been considering Reach spells for a while, and that incident made it urgent.

Thanks for the idea. If you have other suggestions for non-touch distance healing options outside the Reach Spells box, they would be appreciated.

[boring7]

Presumably using a wand isn't directly touching someone.

Arrows of Cure were a thing, a silly, silly thing, once upon a time.

The 3.5 complete arcane had spelltiles which were basically throable potions.

Turn your allies undead and there are some nice negative ener- why are you giving me THAT look? Okay nevermind...

[blackbloodtroll]

Well, another option is to nab Craft Rod, and make yourself some metamagic rods.

[Gauss]

Still another option is a 2feat expenditure into Eldritch Heritage (Arcane) in order to get a familiar. It has served the cleric in my group quite well.

- Gauss

[Michael Loy]

If you have UMD, you could use a wand of spectral hand to great effect. The spell gives you the ability to deliver touch spells at Medium range for 1 minute/level. Very nice.

Without that, the rod might be a better option than the feat, if you can afford it. Metamagic feats are a rough road for partial casters like inquisitors, but the rods cover more ground ... a lesser rod covers half your spell progression, and a normal rod covers all of it. Unlike a cleric, say, you'd never even need to look at a greater rod.

It also depends on how often you expect it to be needed, though. I think the rod's 3/day is fine for most people, but if you'd definitely need more than that, take the feat. It's only +1 spell level, so that's manageable.

[Michael Loy]

The Eldritch Heritage (arcane) option is there, too. And if you pursued that, another feat or so could eventually get you a few sorcerer spells, possibly including spectral hand. That's a lot of feats, though.

[Weirdo]

Craft Rod is a solid idea... or another crafting feat, which could open up my general magic item options, leaving more room for the rod.

Gaining a familiar is a good idea, though Eldritch Heritage would require that I boost my Cha by 2 points. I was also looking at retraining for the Eagle Domain on bbt's suggestion. Either way, if I got a Cha boost the familiar would make me eligible for Adept Channel, which would be nice.

Michael Loy wrote:

Without that, the rod might be a better option than the feat, if you can afford it. Metamagic feats are a rough road for partial casters like inquisitors, but the rods cover more ground ... a lesser rod covers half your spell progression, and a normal rod covers all of it. Unlike a cleric, say, you'd never even need to look at a greater rod.

Yeah, I was thinking that the spell slot consumption might be more of a problem for an Inquisitor than a Cleric, but in the low-wealth campaign, rods are also more of a problem.