Playing my first Sorcerer, and it kinda sucks my choice of meta magic has sort of sucked. Chose Empowered Spell at third level for metamagic, and I'm finding it quite limited thinking it would make all spells more powerful. But no matter how now that I read the RAW, it doesn't get any better.
1. In the RAW, for Empowered Spell, it clearly states "when you roll damage for a spell," so it should apply only to spells that do damage, only when the Sorcerer rolls the damage, and I think, only one instance of that damage. Fire Bolt is easy, yes, re-roll dice for damage. I also think that ongoing spells like Shadow Blade could be empowered on each hit, if you like, spending a sorcery point on each, since it doesn't say "when you cast a spell" but rather, "when you roll damage for a spell." But spells you cast on other people, like Dragon's Breath, where you aren't rolling the damage (unless you cast it on yourself) your empowerment would not affect it.
On the other hand...
2. In "does it make sense" terms, the Sorcerer's ability is to empower a spell, and that should apply to any spell. Mechanically, it makes sense to limit it to the results of die rolling (since distance, etc. are other metamagics) but it should make the spell more powerful for the duration of the spell. So not Goodberry (no die rolling), but yes Dragon's Breath, Flaming Sphere, Witch Bolt, and Shadow Blade, and for the entire duration, and whether you cast it on yourself or on others (as with Dragon's Breath). I'd even go so far as to say that effects that aren't damage could be empowered, like a Sleep spell. Otherwise, this is just meta magic for pew-pew Sorcerers, not any other type. Maybe that's OP and play testing caused them to nerf it. Seems like an option for DMs that want to house-rule it, but clearly this is not the intent of the RAW.
You sound like you'd rather lump Extended, Heightened, and Distant spells all together in the Empowered Metamagic option, since they're the ones that have more versatility in their use beyond damage. Yeah, Empowered spells aren't going to be very useful for a spellcaster who isn't a blaster, but Extended and Heightened meanwhile very much are. Each Meta options is designed to work with some spells in specific situations, but doesn't cover everything simply because that's what the other options are for.
In all the times I've DM'd and rolled for a Sorcerer in 5e, I've never really had this complaint ever come up, so there never was a need to houserule anything for it. I've toyed with it once, but getting something that doesn't step on the toes of the other options is more trouble then its worth.
I'm not arguing your point that the powered up empowered spell steps on other meta magic toes, but I do think the ones you cite, Extended, Heightened, and Distant, are technically different than an Empowered that affects all dice rolls (not just damage). Take Sleep. Extended makes it last longer. Distant makes it's range more. Heightened doesn't do anything, since there s no save. EmpoweredPlus (to call it something) would make it affect more hit points, similar to it being cast at a higher level.
That's all I'm saying. I'm cool with your position though. I hope I'm not coming across to complainy, I was sort of speculating. I should edit the "and it sort of sucks" eh? I just made a poor choice given how I thought it would work, so maybe "my choice of meta magic sort of sucked" would be better.
Thanks for the thoughts.
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ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Playing my first Sorcerer, and
it kinda sucksmy choice of meta magic has sort of sucked. Chose Empowered Spell at third level for metamagic,and I'm finding it quite limitedthinking it would make all spells more powerful. Butno matter hownow that I read the RAW, it doesn'tget any better.1. In the RAW, for Empowered Spell, it clearly states "when you roll damage for a spell," so it should apply only to spells that do damage, only when the Sorcerer rolls the damage, and I think, only one instance of that damage. Fire Bolt is easy, yes, re-roll dice for damage. I also think that ongoing spells like Shadow Blade could be empowered on each hit, if you like, spending a sorcery point on each, since it doesn't say "when you cast a spell" but rather, "when you roll damage for a spell." But spells you cast on other people, like Dragon's Breath, where you aren't rolling the damage (unless you cast it on yourself) your empowerment would not affect it.
On the other hand...
2. In "does it make sense" terms, the Sorcerer's ability is to empower a spell, and that should apply to any spell. Mechanically, it makes sense to limit it to the results of die rolling (since distance, etc. are other metamagics) but it should make the spell more powerful for the duration of the spell. So not Goodberry (no die rolling), but yes Dragon's Breath, Flaming Sphere, Witch Bolt, and Shadow Blade, and for the entire duration, and whether you cast it on yourself or on others (as with Dragon's Breath). I'd even go so far as to say that effects that aren't damage could be empowered, like a Sleep spell. Otherwise, this is just meta magic for pew-pew Sorcerers, not any other type. Maybe that's OP and play testing caused them to nerf it. Seems like an option for DMs that want to house-rule it, but clearly this is not the intent of the RAW.
I'd much prefer to play 2, than 1, frankly.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
You sound like you'd rather lump Extended, Heightened, and Distant spells all together in the Empowered Metamagic option, since they're the ones that have more versatility in their use beyond damage. Yeah, Empowered spells aren't going to be very useful for a spellcaster who isn't a blaster, but Extended and Heightened meanwhile very much are. Each Meta options is designed to work with some spells in specific situations, but doesn't cover everything simply because that's what the other options are for.
In all the times I've DM'd and rolled for a Sorcerer in 5e, I've never really had this complaint ever come up, so there never was a need to houserule anything for it. I've toyed with it once, but getting something that doesn't step on the toes of the other options is more trouble then its worth.
I'm not arguing your point that the powered up empowered spell steps on other meta magic toes, but I do think the ones you cite, Extended, Heightened, and Distant, are technically different than an Empowered that affects all dice rolls (not just damage). Take Sleep. Extended makes it last longer. Distant makes it's range more. Heightened doesn't do anything, since there s no save. EmpoweredPlus (to call it something) would make it affect more hit points, similar to it being cast at a higher level.
That's all I'm saying. I'm cool with your position though. I hope I'm not coming across to complainy, I was sort of speculating. I should edit the "and it sort of sucks" eh? I just made a poor choice given how I thought it would work, so maybe "my choice of meta magic sort of sucked" would be better.
Thanks for the thoughts.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
Metamagics do have focus for various flavors.
Subtle spell? Not so much pew pew.
Heightened spell? lock em down is lessy messy.?
empowered... pew pew more dmg.
Careful spell... I like my friends.