We all know about meta
magic, the process by which spells can be modified through feats. This is an area that has been the subject of intensive study, and I feel its potential has been quite thoroughly explored.
However, there is another way to modify how spells work that, while known to the Min/Maxing community, has received relatively little formal study: spells that modify, interfere with, or otherwise deal with other spells. I propose the term 'metaspells' for this unusual kind of magic. Because, as is widely acknowledged, spellcasting in general is one of the most flexible and powerful capabilities in Dungeons and Dragons, metaspells are some of the most interesting spells.
Here I am attempting to gather a registry of all published metaspells and develop a taxonomy of different types. I welcome both suggestions for sources to scour/spells to include and suggestions for categories to put them into, as well as general commentary on the concept.
Prospective Categories:General Spell Boosters (Arcane Fusion, True Casting)These spells can boost the power, speed the casting, or otherwise aid the use of a wide variety of spells: they may be the most powerful metaspells. Question: do general action-granters like Celerity count? (If so, do init-boosters like Nerveskitter count?) Do general ability-boosters like Fox's Cunning count?
Narrow Spell Boosters (Towering Thunderhead, Raging Flame)These spells boost the power, speed the casting, or otherwise aid the use of a narrow category of spells: they are of tremendous use to specialists. Question: are spells with a target of 'any weapon' or 'one weapon' able to target the effect of a spell like Thunderlance or Mage's Sword? If so, is this where they belong? Question: will Increase Virulence increase the DC of the caster's own Poison spell and similar effects?
Counter-Divinations (Nondetection, Screen)These spells, typically illusions, make illusions difficult or impossible to use on the target, and may even give them a misleading result. Question: do general vision-blockers like Obscuring Mist count?
Dispel Variants (Reaving Dispel, Dispel Ward)These spells use some variant of the basic Dispel Magic mechanic. Question: does Mordenkaiden's Disjunction count? Should this category be expanded to 'Anti-magic' and include AMF, Antimagic Ray, and similar spells? Question: if so, do Silence, Suspended Silence, and other spells that can mess with verbal components [those causing deafness, for instance] count?
Weird, Specific Interactions (Ruby Ray of Reversal, Shield, Unbinding, Fever Dream, Disintegrate, Stone to Flesh)These spells interact with specific others in a fashion explicitly specified in the spell's description. Question: do these belong here at all?
Breath Weapon Modifiers (Blinding Breath, Enervating Breath)These spells modify breath weapons: they're almost always a swift action to cast and add some rider effect to the BW that takes effect against those who fail their save. They're most often used by dragons, but some spells can grant a breath weapon- most prominently Spell Compendum's Dragon Breath. Question: are there more?
Spell Simulators (Shadow Evocation, Limited Wish, Replicate Casting)These spells can simulate or recreate other spells. They're very useful if you don't know a certain spell, are a prepared caster and haven't prepared a certain spell, or
can't cast a certain spell due to barred-school or class restrictions. Question:
Mirror Move 'allows you to reproduce any general feat with an obvious physical effect that you observed another perform within the past 10 rounds, providing you meet the prerequisites for that feat.' Many spells have obvious physical effects. Complete Arcane's Extra Spell is a [General] feat. How hard should I be smacked for coming up with this?
Other (Contingency, Permanency)This is a catchall category for other spells that contain, modify, or deal with other spells in some way not already covered by the above. Question: should there be additional categories?
There follows a list of sorc/wizard spells from 0th to 9th level that I believe fit in the general category of 'metaspells', though of course depending on the answers to the discussion questions above, this list may gain or lose spells. Thus far I've made a comprehensive survey of the SRD, Spell Compendium, PHB II, Complete Arcane, and Complete Mage, with the occasional spell thrown in elsewhere that I knew from memory. It's just Sorc/Wiz spells because this whole idea started as a character concept and rapidly spiraled out of control, and the character in question was an Ultimate Magus: I am absolutely not discouraging the community from finding clerical and other metaspells. (I suspect that Forgotten Realms material will be a rich vein of such spells, due to the central role of Mystra, god of magic, in that setting.)
Sorc/Wiz 0:
Sorc/Wiz 1:
Protection from X: Blocks possession and mental control attempts, prevents bodily contact by summoned creatures
Identify: Determine all properties of a single magic item. Costly material component.
Magic Aura: Make an item detect as if nonmagical, or like a given magic item, or the subject of a spell you specify.
Ventriloquism: Make the verbal components of your spells seem to come from somewhere else nearby
Erase: Removes magical writings like Explosive Runes, Glyph of Warding, etc.
Raging Flame: makes magical fires in a 30-foot radius deal +1 point of damage per die
Dispel Ward: special-purpose Dispel Magic against abjuration magic put on objects or areas only
Nightshield: gives a resistance bonus to saves, negates Magic Missiles
Guided Shot: Swift action, ranged attacks don't take range penalties, ignore less than total cover and less than total concealment: can apply to spells requiring attack rolls
Sniper's Shot: Swift action, ranged attacks (including ray spells) can sneak attack from any distance
Breath Flare: Swift action, your fiery or electrical breath weapon dazzles on a failed save. (Some spells grant breath weapons.)
Ebon Eyes: Subject can see normally in magical darkness
Slow Burn: Magical fire in a 30' area does -1 damage per die
Spell Flower: Hold one charge of a touch spell per limb, rather than only one, for 1 round/level
Weapon Shift: Turn a weapon into another one, possibly including magically created weapons made by spells like Thunderlance and Mordenkaiden's Sword?
True Casting: Standard action, gives +10 to CL for spell penetration on a spell cast in the next round
Shield: Specifically negates Magic Missiles
Summon Component: Summons the Material Component for a particular spell. Somatic component only, swift action.
Sorc/Wiz 2:
Obscure Object: Divinations on an object automatically fail for 8 hours
See Invisibility: does what it says
Misdirection: Detect spells instead get a reading off of an object within range
Spectral Hand: spooky hand delivers touch spells at a distance for you
EagleFoxOwl's SplendorCunningWisdom: boost spell save DCs
Aiming at the Target: Immediate action, +10 bonus on Concentration checks to mantain a spell that requires concentration
Dissonant Chant: forces Concentration checks for all spells cast in a large radius, increases the DC of anything else that forces a Concentration check
Distracting Ray: forces a Concentration check if cast on a spellcaster casting a spell. (whyyyyyy)
Create Magic Tattoo: many effects, including +1 CL or weak spell resistance. 24 hours, 100 gp material component
Discern Shapechanger: concentrate to see the true form of those disguised, polymorphed, trasmuted- but NOT illusion-disgusied
Mechanus Mind: +4 to saves vs. mind-effecting
Shadow Mask: +4 to saves vs. light or darkness spells, 50% chance to avoid gaze attacks
Quick Potion: make a flask contain a pseudo-potion by casting this spell, then a spell that can make a potion. Lasts 1 hour/level.
Dispelling Touch: Touch-range targeted dispel, capped at +10
Seeking Ray: Ray deals 4d6 electricity damage, ignores concealment and cover, grants +4 on further attacks with ray spells agains the subject
Lesser Energy Surge: swift action. Imbue a weapon with elemental energy, giving it 1d6 energy damage- including conjured weapons from spells like Thunderlance?
Increase Virulence: Increase the DC of poison from a 'creature' you touch for 1 min/level. Will this boost spells like Poison?
Arcane Turmoil: As if targeted Dispel magic, and a spellcaster loses their highest level prepared spell/slot on a failed Will save
Heart of Air: +10' to fly speed, including magically granted fly speeds
Sorc/Wiz 3rd
Dispel Magic: Cencels magical spells and effects.
Magic Circle against X: Hedges out summoned monsters, poor man's Mind Blank
Nondetection: force a diviner into a CL-off to learn anything about the spell's subject
Arcane Sight: Detect Magic but better
Anticipate Teleportation: teleporters in an area are delayed for 1 round, you know they're coming
Corpse Candle: Thing from the Addams family appears holding a candle that shows ethereal and invisible creatures
Analyze Portal: get detailed info about a magical portal
Sonorous Hum: Mantains one concentration spell for you, kind of loud
Spell Vulnerability: Reduce SR by 1/CL, max 15: Fort negates
Bigby's Disrupting Hand: Forces a subject to make a Concentration check DC = spell DC to cast spells
Energy Surge: swift action. Imbue a weapon with elemental energy, giving it 2d6 energy damage- including conjured weapons from spells like Thunderlance?
Repelling Shield: Specifically negates Magic Missiles
Tenacious Dispelling: as targeted Dispel Magic: cast it twice and it can be either targeted or area, and gets a +2 to dispel checks
Spellcaster's Bane: +2 insight bonus on CL for dispel and counterspell checks: auto-recognize spells being cast as if with a Spellcraft success, and with high Spellcraft ranks detect CL of any spell being cast
Mask of the Ideal: +4 bonus to influence a creature you've enchanted or conjured
Sorc/Wiz 4th
Dimensional Anchor: prevents extradimensional travel/teleportation
Lesser Globe of Invulnerability: All spells of 3rd level or lower within 10 ft simply fail
Remove Curse: Does.
Detect Scrying: Makes you aware of any atempts to observe you, magical sensors. 24 hours.
Scrying: Enables remote Detect spells, remote Message
Shadow Conjuration: simulate a Conjuration spell of 3rd level or lower, 20% real
Mark of the Enlightened Soul: Spells gain the good descriptor and deal extra damage to evil creatures.
Touch of the Blackened Soul: Spells gain the evil descriptor and deal extra damage to good creatures.
Dispelling Screen: Targeted dispel magic on anything that goes through it
Forceward: 15-foot radius barrier negates all force effects, incoproreal creatures can't get through.
Ray Deflection: Ranged touch attacks are auto-negated for 1 round/level
Assay Spell Resistance: swift action, +10 bonus on CL checks to beat one creature's SR
Rebuking Breath: Swift action, your breath weapon rebukes undead
Backfire: Damages an opponent once if they try to cast a spell, Will negates
Blinding Breath: Swift action, your breath weapon blinds on a failed save
Scramble Portal: Randomize a magic portal's destination
Spell Enhancer: Swift action, the next spell you cast gains +2 CL and +1 save DC
Condemnation: stun an outsider that fails a Will save, and lower its SR by 10
Slashing Dispel: as Dispel Magic, but deals 2 slashing damage/spell level dispelled.
Stifle Spell: Force an opponent to make a Concentration check as an immeditate action or lose the spell they ast
Mystic Surge: an ally gets +1 CL, +2 DC on a spell they cast this round
Otiluke's Suppressing Field: Designate a school of magic or a spell subtype: any of those spells cast within 20 ft of you need to make a CL check DC 11 + CL to work, as if punching hrough SR
Rusted Blade: Weapon inflicts Filth Fever. Works on spells like Spiritual Weapon, Mordenkaiden's Sword?
Sorc/Wiz 5
Break Enchantment: Undoes enchantments, transmutations, and curses, even ordinarily *instantaneous* ones (!)
Mage's Private Sanctum: Makes everything within a volume immune to Divination (scrying) spells
Shadow Evocation: simulate an Evocation spell of 4th level or lower, 20% real
Permanency: make a number of spells permanent
Dispelling Breath: swift action, your breath weapon dispels
Duelward: for 1 round/level, counterpslling is an immediate action and you get a bonus to ID spells being cast. On the first successful counterspell, Duelward discharges.
Reciprocal Gyre: subject takes 1d12 damage per spell effect on them with a failed Will save, stunned if they also fail a Fort save
Refusal: Spellcasters must make a Will save to enter an area
Symbol of Spell Loss: make spellcasters or creatures with spell-likes lose their highest-level spell/slot/ability use per round on a failed spell save
Wall of Dispel Magic: pass through it, get a targeted dispel
Zone of Respite: Teleportation, summoning, Gates don't work within 20' of the caster
Breath Weapon Substitution: swift action, BW does a different energy type of damage
Draconic Might: Immunity to magic sleep and paralysis, +5 to Cha (DCs)
Ethereal Breath: swift action, BW hits the Ethereal.
Lesser Spell Matrix: cast a Quickenable spell of up to 3rd level, take 1d6 unhealable damage: up to 10 minutes/level later, cast it as a quickened spell
Stunning Breath: swift action, BW stuns
Field of Resistance: Everyone in a 20' radius gets SR 11 + CL
Mana Flux: Anyone in a 20' radius has a 20% chance of failing to cast a spell, use a spell completion item, activate a supernatural ability
Fever Dream: Fatigues on a successful save, exhausts on a successful one: reguardless of save, forces Concentration checks to cast spells: Confuses for one round as it ends. Save DC, Concentration DCs increase if Prickling Torment is already active on subject
Sorc/Wiz 6
Antimagic Field: magic doesn't work in a 10' radius
Greater Dispel Magic: does its job good
Globe of Invulnerability: as Lesser Globe, but excludes 4th-level spells, effects
Analyze Dweomer: Get comprehensive magical information on one object or creature per caster level
True Seeing: See all things as they are, screw illusionists!
Contingency: A spell triggers given certain conditions.
Disintegrate: Can destroy force constructs as well as physical objects
Mass EagleFoxOwl's SplendourCunningWisdom: boost spell save DCs
Stone to Flesh: Reverse petrification
Greater Anticipate Teleportation: delay teleporters in a radius from you for 3 rounds, you know they're coming
Ruby Ray of Reversal: Undo those trapped in force effects, de-polymorph, de-petrify, de-magic jar, destroy movement-hampering effects
Seal Portal: Seal an interplanar portal or gate
Transcribe Symbol: move stuff like Glyph of Warding or Symbol of Death with a successful CL check
Aura of Terror: affects existing frightful presence or fear aura: expands by 10', increases DC by 2, makes the shaken frightened and the frightened panicked
Subvert Planar Essence: reduce the SR (and DR) of outsiders in a radius that fail a Fort save by 10
Imbue Familiar with Spell Ability: Transfer the ability to cast one spell/3 CL, max level 1/3 CL, max 5, to your familiar
Steal Summoning: Immediate action. With a CL check, gain control over a creature somebody else summons, control it for concentration+1 round
Sorc/Wiz 7
Sequester: Creature or object becomes invisible and completely impossible to find through Divination. Creatures also become comatose for the duration.
Spell Turning: Spells targeted on you rebound on their caster
Greater Arcane Sight: More betterful Detect Magic-vision
Greater Scrying: Detect spells and messages can reliably be passed through the sensor
Project Image: Make a shadow double through which you can cast spells: must mantain LOS
Shadow Conjuration, Greater: Simulate conjuration spells of 6th level or lower, 60% real
Limited Wish: Duplicate any non-prohibited school sorc/wiz spell of 6th level or lower, any prohibited-school sorc/wiz spell or any non-prohibited school spell from another class' list of 5th level or lower, or any prohibited-school spell from another class' list of 4th level or lower. Also has the unique power to undo some powerful curses. Other effects as GM rules. Expensive XP component.
Arcane Spellsurge: Reduce the casting time of your arcane spells.
Antimagic Ray: Hit a creature with a ray AND have it fail a Will save and it's trapped in its own personal AMF for 1 round/level
Greater Dispelling Screen: those who go through a wall get a big, bad targeted dispel
Kiss of the Vampire: Be treated as if undead for all spells and effects for 1 round/level
Animate Breath: Swift action, your BW becomes an elemental
Body of War: Bigger, badder Tenser's. Gain construct immunities, incl. mind-effecting
Energy Transformation Field: Make a permanent 40-ft field that seems to totally auto-negate any spellcasting within it, absorbs, transforms the energy into a single spell you can cast. XP component, costly material component.
Spell Matrix: Take 2d6 points of damage. Either pick two spells of up to 3rd level that you can subsequently cast as Quickened spells at any point in the next 10 minutes/level, or pick two spells of up to 2nd level and cast them as one simultaneous Quickened spell.
Synostodweomer: swift action, converts the next spell you cast into 1d8 points of touch healing per spell level
Necrotic Curse: Those casting healing spells in a 20-foot radius must make a CL check or damage their targets instead. 1 hour/level.
Sorc/Wiz 8
Dimensional Lock: Prevent teleportation/dimensional travel in an area
Mind Blank: blanket immunity to all mind magic and scrying
Protection from Spells: +8 resistance bonus to saves vs. spells and spell-likes
Prismatic Wall: creates a barrier that prevents 'all objects and effects', and spells specifically, and divination and mental attacks *specifically* specifically, from crossing it.
Greater Prying Eyes: lots of magic True Seeing sensors make illusionists want to die
Screen: Selectively specify what in a large area can be observed by divinations
Greater Shadow Evocation: simulate evocations of 7th level or lower: 60% real
Bestow Greater Curse: One of the listed BOVD options is the permanent removal of all spellcasting ability, spell-likes, and the ability to use spell completion and spell trigger items
Spell Engine: Freely rechoose prepared spells for the day, except those you've already used today. Minor XP component. 10-minute casting time.
Wall of Greater Dispel Magic: those going through a wall get a big, bad targeted dispel
Veil of Undeath: Gain undead immunities, including mind-affecting, sleep paralysis, stunning, and death effect immunities, for 10 min/level
Greater Stunning Breath: Your BW stuns for 2d4 rounds
Chain Dispel: Targeted dispel magic on selected creatures no more than 30' apart, CL cap 25
Sorc/Wiz 9
Freedom: Automatically frees a creature from 'spells and effects that restrict its movement'.
Mage's Disjunction: comprehensively fuck up any and all magic items and effects within a large radius.
Shades: simulate conjuration spells of 8th level or lower, 80% real
Prismatic Sphere: as Prismatic Wall, but a sphere
Wish: Duplicate non-prohibited sorc/wiz spells of 8th level or lower, prohibited or non-class spells of 7th level or lower, or prohibited non-class spells of 5th level or lower. Unique power to undo some magics. Create a magic item of 25,000 gp or less. Give a creature an inherent bonus to an ability score, including a casting stat for +DCs. Undo recent effects, including spell effects. Get screwed by the GM. Massive XP cost.
Invoke Magic: Freely cast spells of 4th level or lower in an antimagic field or similar, for 1 round. Costly material component.
Absorption: Ranged spells that have you as a target are absorbed without effect: 1d4+6 spell levels, partial absorption possible. Captured pell energy can power any spell you know/have prepared without counting against spells/day.
Effulgent Epuration: selectively negate one spell/CL that directly targets the subject
Magic Miasma: as solid fog, but spells cast within the fog are at -4 CL and -2 save DC.
Maw of Chaos: area of chaos damages, dazes, forces a Concentration check to succeed on spellcasting
Reaving Dispel: as Dispel Magic with the option to steal dispelled spells
Unbinding: Negate charm and hold spells of all types, arcane locks and similar closures, and spells that create physical magical barriers...temporal stasis and slow spells...statue spells...shatter magic jars, destroying the soul therein...spells that hold other magical effects, including other spells....magic circles against X that imprison a creature...curses and geas/quest spells iff you're of a a higher CL...but not protective spells, petrification, or those magically bound to servie, or an antimagic field. Wide area.
Sphere of Ultimate Destruction: Negates multiple force effects
Eye of Power: Cast any spell of 3rd level or lower remotely through an Arcane Eye.
Enervating Breath: Swift action, BW deals negative levels
Breath Weapon Admixture: Swift action, BW deals extra energy type
Replicate Casting: Duplicate a spell or spell-like ability you've just seen cast, 8th level or lower but otherwise without restriction
Greater Spell Matrix: Take 3d6 unhealable damage, store 3 spells of 3rd level or below for 10 minutes/level, during which they can be cast as Quickened- or make 'em 2nd level and cast two at once, or make 'em 1st level and cast them all at once. Also, key a contingency to a 'condition that effects your person' to activate one of the spells or spell sequences.
Towering Thunderhead: 40-ft cylinder 60 ft tall is as Fog Cloud + Wind Wall, hampers movement. None of these affect the caster. Any sonic or electricity spell of 7th level or below cast by a creature within the Thunderhead is automatically Empowered.
Wizard 4
Mnemonic Enhancer: Prepare up to three add'l spell levels, or call back a recently-cast perpared spell of 3rd level or lower.
Wizard 6
Mage's Lucubration: call back a spell of 5th level or lower that was cast in the last 24 hours.
Rary's Arcane Conversion: Exchange a prepared wizard spell for another prepared wizard spell of equal or lower level without restriction. (Including, seemingly, knowing the damned thing in the first place, or not having it in a restricted school.)
Sorceror 5
Arcane Fusion: Cast two spells you know without expending additional slots.
Dragonblood Spell-Pact: Dragonblood creatures can swap known spells of the same level.
Sorceror 8
Arcane Fusion, Greater: Cast two better spells you know without expending additional slots.
