Comments from the Finger: Another favorite from the annals of 3.5 optimization, the Incantrix is Metamagic: the Class. This is a short and sweet class, but it's very hard to say if has significantly underpowered or overpowered, so feedback is appreciated.
Incantatrix
You draw your power from an innate connection to the all-pervasive, invisible streams of magic which flow throughout the planes. Your connection is a gift bestowed seemingly at random throughout the generations, and feels like a sixth sense, a silent tugging to places of great power. By tapping into these magical reservoirs, you have learned to channel a surplus of arcane energy into your Metamagic, and can use this to extents normal spellcasters could never hope to achieve.
Metamagic Savant
When you choose this origin at 1st level, you gain 1 Metamagic option of your choice and 1 sorcery point.
Improved Metamagic
Starting at 1st level, your connection to the land’s ley lines grants you a boon to your magic. All known Metamagic costs 1 fewer sorcery points, to a minimum of 1.
Free Metamagic
At 6th level, you learn to store the land’s magic in your own body, and may use any Metamagic you know without expending sorcery points. After using this ability, you cannot do so again until completing a short or long rest.
Connecting the Streams
At 14th level, you learn to connect others to the stream of magic. As a reaction you may apply any Metamagic you know to any spell cast within 30 feet. This Metamagic costs double the normal number of sorcery points.
Metamagic Mastery
By 18th level, you have perfected the use of Metamagic. You gain the ability to use any Metamagic that is not currently on your list of known Metamagics. Using one of these costs double the normal number of sorcery points, and is not reduced by Improved Metamagic.
Changelog: 7/30/15: Free Metamagic only works on metamagic you know.
Most embarrassing spelling error EVER. I misspelled the name of the class! Incantrix of 3.5 is actually Incantatrix, which means I've been misreading it and mispronouncing for years.
8/3/15: Added Early Metamagic.
8/5/15: Early Metamagic now gives 1 sorcery point.
8/10/15: Early Metamagic now named Metamagic Savant
4/5/16: Free Metamagic: wasn't included on webpage.
Is there a pdf for this yet? I can't see it if there is.
ReplyDeleteAlso looking for the PDF. Love your stuff by the way!
ReplyDeleteNo pdf yet...
ReplyDeleteSorry, it's on the way. I'm seperated from my computer, so it'll be up later.
DeleteCan Free metamagic be applied to the Metamagic Mastery?
ReplyDeleteAccording to the ability as written, it can be, however, I didn't really intend that in retrospect. When I'm near a computer again, I'll change the text of Free Metamagic to "you can use any metamagic you know without expending sorcery points".
DeleteI figured that was the intent, but the rules lawyer in me just had to point it out. I would say this is a solid subclass though. I plan on opening this one up to my players.
DeleteLet me know how it plays if anyone picks it. It's very focused, and it's unclear quite how powerful metamagic might be when used with this subclass. Interestingly, this edition lacks middle-of-the-road default type archetypes for some of its classes (like the wizard and sorcerer), but has them from others, like the Champion for Fighter, and the Oath of Devotion for Paladin. I basically hope this can be a good example for of that for a sorcerer, just like the Universalist is for wizard (coming soon!)
DeleteI may try to play this soon! I was going to go with Draconic, but I think this might fit better (and be more fun) with my character. I do worry about giving up Draconic Resilience survivability, but I think having more uses of Quicken Spell and being able to Disengage/Dash/Dodge action simultaneously will make up for it.
ReplyDeleteIt does feel like at first glance it might be a little weak, and disincentivize picking metamagics that cost 1 point when people are already likely to pick up Quicken + Twin generally. The first level feature not really doing anything until the character is level 3 might also be awkward.
Looks very fun, especially the last two features, and I'm looking forward to trying it!
the level 1 ability should be something like you get a bonus metamagic feat feat at level 1 and 1 sorcery point. So you can use it. It would have to be a 1 cost metamagic ability which is most of them. You have a bit of extra metamagic to use then other sorcerers.
ReplyDeleteThe level 6 ability should be the reduce metamagic cost my 1 minumum one as this only effects 3 metamagics but makes quicken more powerful and helps cut down on heightened cost and reduces twin a little bit. The free use of a metamagic is really only useful for twin spell. As the rest will only cost 1 or 2 sorcerer point with reduction.
The 14 and 18 abilities are fun and useful. Augmenting other spell casters with metamagic could be very powerful, but it is at the cost of additional spells per day and your own augmentations. So you are trading usefulness for your own damage output. Additional utility can be very helpful in certain situations. The other abilities at this level are situation based as well so this fits. Wings versus less like to blow up your party with a wild magic surge.
The 18 ability ties in with the class concept and is not really overall powerful but is tactically useful at higher levels.
While the instant metamagic feature of the prestige class was awesome and an iconic part of the prestige class, it does not fit in with the 5e spell system. Since we are not increasing the spell level or cast time, but using a resource instead. Since all but twin at higher levels are cheap on the resource.
With the -1 to quicken and heightened cost you get more uses out of quicken which increases your damage output or with heightened increases your success rate of landing a spell at full effect or just landing a spell at higher levels more often. Those saves start to get a bit high 8+ on a lot of monsters. This is plenty powerful overall. More of the powerful metamagic abilities per day versus defense with the other PHB options. having an extra high level twin spell is really useful but not if it does not land and since it does not effect most damaging spells it is less useful for damage output then quickened that and the part were it only is usable if it cannot target more then one critter at all.
Being able to effectively quicken almost all your spells is pretty good on its own. Which fits into the theme of a metamagic master in this edition. The free metamagic use feature is really 2-8 bonus bonus sorcery points statistically and varying by level. This option is more offensive then the other two as you will have cantrips added to your damage more often with quicken, but trades the defensive features out from the other two. Or in the case of wild magic the weirdness or potential party wiping/saving randomness.
This is an excellent breakdown! I agree with most of your assessment on the power level and agree that most of the extra power will come from extra uses of Quicken Spell, but since that only buys an additional cantrip each round, perhaps the damage won't be too crazy.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that I need to do something with those early level abilities. When I wrote the bulk of this subclass, the features themselves were pretty obvious and came together quickly, but which level to place them at was challenging. I think I might add the following feature at level 1:
Early Metamagic
At 1st level, you learn 1 Metamagic of your choice.
the extra uses of quicken allow another SPELL each round, not another cantrip. This means a chain lightning and a finger of death on the SAME turn. OP.
DeleteI know I'm a year late to the party but I'd like to point out that you can't cast a bonus action spell and Action spell on the same turn RAW unless one is a cantrip.
DeleteI feel like the "early metamagic" ability needs to stipulate that you also get a sorcerer point at 1st level. in 5e Sorcerers don't get sorcerer points until level two, at which time they get 2 points (one for level one and one for level two). This ability should either stipulate that you get your 1st level sorcerer point early or you get an extra one, as this ability is really of no use until you level up at least once.
ReplyDeleteYou're totally right. (I really should have read the early levels of the sorcerer more closely.) I'll edit that in soon.
DeleteDoes Early Metamagic count as one of the two you'll choose at level 3, or is it separate?
ReplyDeleteHm, I guess it's a little too ambiguous right not now. I suppose my understanding of the class led me to believe that the Metamagic at 1st level would be additional, while the sorcery point would not, because the sorcery points are limited by the number shown in the table. In retrospect, this could use better wording. I'll think about it. Let me know if you have a concise way of putting that.
DeleteMaybe something like "Metamagic Savant" would be good. The main word that tripped me up was "Early" in "Early Metamagic". It made it sound like I was getting one of the 2 I would choose later earlier than normal, instead of something extra.
DeleteAh, the title is a good place to start. The sorcery point itself is actually early, as is the use of the Metamagic feature itself, so the title made sense at the time. Metamagic Savant is probably a better name for the feature, though, so I'll change it over.
DeleteDo you apply the metamagic double cost from Connecting The Streams before or after the cost reduction gained due to Improved Metamagic? Since it says the double the 'normal' cost, would you double the base then -1 from IM, or -1 from IM and then double (so effectively -2)?
ReplyDeleteThe 1 point reduction should be applied after the number is doubled.
DeleteCan you use "free magic" with "connecting the streams"?
ReplyDeleteYup.
DeleteI think something must have goofed, because Free Metamagic is on the pdf, but not on the webpage itself
ReplyDeleteOther than that, I think you did a really great job with the class! I loved the 3.5 Incantatrix, broken as it may have been, but this version seems just as fun. I really like the Ley Line flavor too, adds some personality to the class.
Good catch, man. I can't believe that noone caught that before, myself included.
DeleteNoticed a potential OP thing. If you apply Careful Spell to a *hostile* creature's spell using Connecting the Streams, you can assure that all of your allies make their saves for a mere 1 sorcery point. I assume that was not the intent. A similar, albeit much weaken, logic holds true for Empowered Spell.
ReplyDeleteYou may want to specify that it only works on spells cast by allies OR specify that if the metamagic involves making choices, then it is the caster, and not you, that gets to make those choices.
The Metamgic Savant gives flexible casting too?
ReplyDeleteNope, you get the rest of the Font of Magic feature (including flexible casting) at 2nd level.
DeleteHey just wondering, I am playing the class and loving it, when I hit level 6 and get free metamagic can it be applied even if multiple metamagic were applied, which can be the case sometimes
DeleteYou get one free metamagic. If you apply more than one, you can make one of them free.
Deleteits a potentially stupid question: how does the sorcery point gained at level 1 work?
ReplyDeleteA single sorcery point where you would have 0, and nothing more?
1 more SP at every level? 4 at 3, 21 at 20?