Metamagic is the thing that makes the Sorcerer unique. It lets you change your powers to fit the situation.
It may be the best example of how the Sorcerer thinks about how to cast spells: a few good tools that can be changed as needed to fit any scenario.
Metamagic can be very powerful, but it can also be hard to do and cost a lot of money.
Sorcerers spend most of their Sorcery Points on metamagic, and making the best use of this limited resource is an important part of becoming a great Sorcerer.
What is Metamagic 5e?
Metamagic is an interesting part of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition that sets Sorcerers apart from other spell-casting classes.
Sorcerers can change the range, duration, focus, and power of their spells in a lot of different ways with this one-of-a-kind tool.
Sorcerers can use Metamagic to cast spells that would normally require a higher level of magical skill or change spells that would take a long time to cast in the normal way.
This powerful tool can change the way a fight goes and give Sorcerers the upper hand when it matters.
Sorcerers can change the very nature of their spells, which means they can make their magic fit the situation.
This lets them cast spells that are more powerful or have effects that can’t be found in regular spells.
Sorcerers can control their spells in ways that few others can match because they can bend the rules of magic.
Sorcerers can use many different kinds of Metamagic, and each one has its own rewards. Some choices let Sorcerers cast magic quickly, while others let them affect more than one target at once.
Sorcerers also have choices that let them make their spells stronger, last longer, or even change the kind of damage they do. Metamagic is a strong tool for Sorcerers to have because it can be used in so many different ways.
Sorcerers must spend sorcery points in order to use Metamagic. Sorcery points are special resources that only Sorcerers have.
The sorcerer can use these points to improve his or her spells. The number of points needed depends on which Metamagic choice is chosen.
Sorcery points can be refilled during a long rest, but there are only so many of them. Sorcerers have to be careful about how they use Metamagic so they don’t run out of sorcery points at a bad time.
Best Metamagic Options to Choose
In fact, dear adventurer, the art of Metamagic can help you win a fight. As a Sorcerer, choosing the right Metamagic choices can help you reach new levels of power. In the 5th version of Dungeons & Dragons, you can do these things:
Twinned Spell
Twined Spell: This is a flexible choice that lets you target two creatures with a single-target spell, making your effect twice as strong.
This can be very helpful for spells like “Haste” or “Polymorph,” which can make your allies’ skills much better.
Quickened Spell
Quickened Spell: In dire situations where swiftness is key, this option lets you cast a spell as a bonus action.
This can be particularly effective for spells like Fireball or Lightning Bolt, dealing a significant amount of damage in a flash.
Heightened Spell
Heightened Spell: If your enemies have high saving throw bonuses, this choice can make it more likely that spells like Hold Person or Dominate Person will work on them to make them unable to move or control them.
Subtle Spell
Subtle Spell: This option allows you to cast a spell without verbal or somatic components, making it difficult for others to detect. This can be particularly useful for spells like Charm Person or Suggestion, where the target may be suspicious of your intentions.
Empowered Spell
Empowered Spell: This choice lets you reroll some of the dice that are used to figure out how a spell works. It works especially well for magic like Magic Missile and Scorching Ray, which require more than one roll of the dice.
Which Metamagic choices are best for your sorcerer depends on how you play and what kinds of situations you expect to run into. Think about your spell list and the kinds of problems you might face to make the best choices.
How to use Metamagic 5e
Metamagic can change the way a smart 5th-edition Sorcerer plays the game. With this powerful ability, a Sorcerer can change their spells in many different ways to make them stronger and change the course of a fight. Metamagic is powerful, but it costs Sorcery Points to use. The amount of Sorcery Points needed depends on the choice chosen.
Sorcerers must choose an option and then cast a spell of their choice to use Metamagic. The chosen Metamagic must be used before the spell is cast, and each spell can only use one choice. But if they have enough Sorcery Points, a Sorcerer can use more than one Metamagic choice on the same turn.
With enough experience and skill, a Sorcerer can master Metamagic and use it to control the battlefield and their enemies in ways that are very bad for them.
Metamagic in Combat
Metamagic is a very powerful tool that can give you an advantage in battle by making your spells stronger and more flexible if you use it wisely. Let me give you some tips on how to make good use of Metamagic in battle:
First, there is Quickened Spell, which is the main type of Metamagic used in battle. You can cast a spell as an extra action instead of an action if you spend 2 sorcery points. This is especially helpful for spells that take one action to cast because it lets you cast two spells or a cantrip and a spell in the same turn.
Then there’s Twined Spell, which lets you use a single-target spell to target two creatures at once. This can be very helpful when fighting more than one enemy at once. It works especially well with powers like “Haste” or “Hold Person.”
Heightened Spell is for enemies that are stronger. By paying 3 sorcery points, this Metamagic can give an enemy a disadvantage when they try to save against your spell. It helps a lot with powers like “Hold Monster” and “Banishment.”
Another type of Metamagic that can be very helpful in battle is Subtle Spell. It lets you do spells without saying anything or moving your body. This makes it easier to do spells without letting your enemies know. It helps a lot with magic like Charm Person and Suggestion.
The last spell is Careful Spell, which lets you keep certain creatures out of the area where your powers work. This is especially helpful for spells like Fireball and Thunderwave, where you want to hit a big area but not your allies.
Remember, adventurers, that you can get the upper hand in fight if you use Metamagic well. But it’s important to use it carefully and rarely because there are only so many sorcery points.
Metamagic and Spell Selection
How well your Metamagic choices work depends a lot on the spells you choose to cast. Think about the following when choosing spells:
Spell Range: Metamagic can greatly extend the range of a spell. Choosing spells with shorter ranges can limit the effectiveness of this option. Look for spells with longer ranges to take full advantage of Metamagic like Distant Spell or take the Spell Sniper feat for even greater range.
Spell Duration: Spells that last for multiple rounds or minutes are great options for extending the effect of Metamagic like Heightened Spell or Extended Spell.
Number of Targets: Spells that target multiple creatures can be great choices for Metamagic options like Twinned Spell or Empowered Spell.
Spell Components: Spells with costly or difficult-to-acquire components can be difficult to cast multiple times in a single day. Consider using Metamagic options like Subtle Spell or Quickened Spell to save those spells for when they’re most needed.
By selecting spells that complement your chosen metamagic options, you can greatly increase the versatility and effectiveness of your spellcasting.
Metamagic and Multiclassing
Multiclassing in D&D 5e lets players mix and match different classes to make unique builds for their characters. When it comes to Sorcerers, multiclassing can be a great way to improve their ability to cast spells, and Metamagic is an important part of this.
Wizard or Cleric
One way to use Metamagic when multiclassing is to gain levels in another spellcasting class, such as Wizard or Cleric. This gives you access to new spells and spell slots, which can then be mixed with Metamagic to make new spell combinations. For example, a Sorcerer/Wizard multiclass can use Twinned Spell to cast two spells at once, and a Sorcerer/Cleric can use Distant Spell to increase the range of a healing spell.
Fighter or Paladin
When multiclassing, you can also use Metamagic by getting levels in a fighting class like Fighter or Paladin. This can give you more fighting skills, which can then be improved by using Metamagic to boost attacks that hurt or disable enemies.
Sorcerer/Fighter multiclasses can use Quickened Spell to cast a spell and then follow up with a weapon attack. Sorcerer/Paladin multiclasses can use Empowered Spell to make a holy spell do more damage.
It’s important to remember that multiclassing can be hard and requires careful planning to make sure the character build stays effective and useful. When adding Metamagic to a character with more than one class, it’s important to think about what spells will be used, how many spell slots are available, and how the Metamagic choices will be used to improve the spells.
Overall, Metamagic can be a strong tool for multiclassing. It lets players combine the best parts of different classes to make unique and effective character builds. It’s important to think carefully about the choices and plan the character build ahead of time to make sure it’s both possible and useful.
What is the Metamagic Adept Feat?
With the Metamagic Adept Feat, you can get two Metamagic choices and two Sorcery points. This is a special feat in the 5th edition. This is a great feat for people who want to try out Metamagic without making a full commitment to the Sorcerer class or spending all of their levels on it.
This skill can be taken more than once, and it can be taken by any character class that can cast spells. With the Metamagic Adept Feat, players can give their powers a little extra flair, making them stronger, more useful, and more fun to use in general.
This feat is especially useful for characters who want to be more strategic in battle, since the extra options and Sorcery points can help them adapt to any situation. Overall, the Metamagic Adept Feat is a great choice for any spellcaster who wants to give their magic a little more power.
Metamagic and Spell Synergy
Metamagic can be used to make spells stronger or more useful, but it can also be used to boost the affects of certain spells when they are used with other spells.
By choosing the right Metamagic options and spells, you can build powerful synergies that make your character better at fighting, exploring, and getting along with other people. Here are some examples of good mixtures of Metamagic and spells:
Empowered Spell + Scorching Ray: The Empowered Spell option allows you to reroll some of the damage dice of a spell. When used with Scorching Ray, which requires multiple attack rolls, you can reroll any dice that come up as low damage, potentially increasing your damage output significantly.
Quickened Spell + Hold Person: The Quickened Spell option lets you cast a spell as a bonus action instead of an action, which is especially useful in combat. By using Quickened Spell to cast Hold Person, you can incapacitate an enemy and then use your action to attack them while they are paralyzed.
Subtle Spell + Charm Person: The Subtle Spell option lets you cast a spell without any verbal or somatic components, making it a powerful tool in social situations. By using Subtle Spell to cast Charm Person, you can charm someone without alerting their allies or attracting unwanted attention.
Heightened Spell + Dominate Person: The Heightened Spell option lets you impose disadvantage on a target’s saving throw against a spell. When used with Dominate Person, which allows you to control a humanoid, you can ensure that your target fails their saving throw, giving you complete control over them.
By experimenting with different combinations of Metamagic and spells, you can create a character that is versatile and effective in a variety of situations. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that Metamagic can be expensive in terms of sorcery points, so it’s important to use it judiciously.
Who Gets Metamagic 5e?
Sorcerers have access to metamagic starting at level 3. When you first gain the metamagic feature, you’ll choose two metamagic options to help you on your journey!
Sorcerers get number of metamagic features based on their sorcerer level. You can see the number of metamagic options known by level in the table below.
Sorcerer Level | Total Number of Metamagic Known |
3-9 | 2 |
10-16 | 3 |
17+ | 4 |
There was a time where Sorcerers were stuck with the metamagic options that they chose unless they could successfully beg their DM to change.
Thanks to the Sorcerous Versatility feature from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, those days are gone!
Now, Sorcerers can change their metamagic options when they reach levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 18 in the Sorcerer class.
FAQs
What is metamagic in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition?
Metamagic is a class feature available to sorcerers in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. It allows sorcerers to manipulate and enhance their spells in unique ways, giving them increased versatility and power. By expending sorcery points, sorcerers can apply various metamagic options to their spells, altering their effects or casting them more efficiently.
How do sorcerers gain access to metamagic in D&D 5e?
Sorcerers gain access to metamagic at 3rd level. When a sorcerer reaches this level, they choose two metamagic options from a list provided in the Player’s Handbook. They can choose additional metamagic options at 10th, 17th, and 18th levels.
What are some examples of metamagic options in D&D 5e?
There are several metamagic options available to sorcerers in D&D 5e. Some examples include:
Twin Spell: This allows the sorcerer to target an additional creature with a spell that targets only one creature. Both targets must be within range, and the sorcerer must spend sorcery points equal to the spell’s level plus one.
Quickened Spell: This allows the sorcerer to cast a spell as a bonus action instead of an action. The sorcerer must spend sorcery points equal to the spell’s level.
Subtle Spell: This allows the sorcerer to cast a spell without any somatic or verbal components. This can be useful in situations where spellcasting might be hindered or observed.
How many sorcery points does metamagic cost in D&D 5e?
The cost of metamagic in D&D 5e depends on the specific metamagic option being used. Each metamagic option has a sorcery point cost associated with it. The cost can vary from 1 to 3 sorcery points, depending on the power and versatility of the option. The sorcerer must spend the required number of sorcery points to apply the desired metamagic effect to a spell.
Can metamagic be used with any spell in D&D 5e?
Metamagic can be used with most spells in D&D 5e, as long as the spell meets the requirements specified by the chosen metamagic option. However, there are a few limitations. Metamagic cannot be used on spells cast from magic items or spells cast using a spell slot provided by another source (such as a ring of spell storing). Additionally, some metamagic options have specific requirements or restrictions, which are outlined in the Player’s Handbook.