So, I get that A sorcerer has to use a full round action to use a metamagic feat on a spell, and same for a rod, but I have some question.
1. The book says "If the spell's normal casting time is a standard action, casting a metamagic version is a full-round action for a sorcerer or bard. (This isn't the same as a 1-round casting time.) The only exception is for spells modified by the Quicken Spell metamagic feat, which can be cast as normal using the feat."
What if I was to Quicken and empower a spell? It says that a spell that is a standard goes to a full round, so is the quickened spell still quickened, and it doesn't take any extra time?
2. Rods, the metamagic rod description says "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)."
The description says using the rod is a full round, and make no mention of the action the spell requires. Does that mean that as a sorcerer using a quicken feat and an empower rod still takes a full round to cast(Making the quicken not worth it)?
As lonq as one of the metamagic applied is 'quicken', the result id quick. Empower + quicken is a quick action.
1) If you apply Quicken spell to a legal spell, it is a swift action, regardless of other metamagic placed upon it.
2) Same answer as #1. The source of the metamagic makes no difference.