Expeditious Metamagic — Swift Spellcraft
A sorcerer who can reshape a spell without interrupting its rhythm has mastered an art few academics understand. Experienced spontaneous casters use this technique to work enhanced magic without the usual delay.
At a Glance
| Origin | Original fan-designed D&D 3.5e feat attributed to Mercucio of Dicefreaks, developed with WarDragon |
|---|---|
| Category | Metamagic feat; optional, subject to GM approval |
| Prerequisites | Spontaneous casting of 4th-level spells; two other metamagic feats; Spellcraft 11 ranks |
| Benefit | Apply up to +2 levels’ worth of metamagic adjustments without adding spontaneous metamagic casting time |
| Spell slots | The higher spell slot required by those metamagic feats is still needed |
| Repeat selection | Each additional selection raises the casting-time exemption by another +2 levels |
Rules by Edition
D&D 2024 — Expeditious Metamagic
This community-created 3.5e feat is not part of the D&D 2024 Basic Rules. The Sorcerer already spends Sorcery Points on Metamagic features, so the old restriction and its Spellcraft prerequisites do not apply. Do not import this benefit or a bonus-action casting exception without separately approved campaign rules.
D&D 2014 — Expeditious Metamagic
This feat does not appear in the D&D 2014 Basic Rules. Modern Sorcerers use Sorcery Points and their own Quickened Spell feature. A 3.5e spell-slot-adjustment cap is not a meaningful prerequisite or resource cost in 2014. Use the published Sorcerer feature as written.
Pathfinder 1e — Expeditious Metamagic
The feat is an optional community-created 3.5e design, not an identified Pathfinder 1e core feat. Pathfinder also has rules that increase spontaneous metamagic casting time, but this feat’s prerequisites and repeated-selection exception require GM approval before adapting them. The higher-slot cost of the selected metamagic remains unless a separate rule removes it.
D&D 3.5e — Original Community Feat
Prerequisites: Ability to spontaneously cast 4th-level spells, at least two metamagic feats, and 11 ranks in Spellcraft.
Benefit: You may apply up to +2 levels of metamagic spell-slot adjustments to an eligible spell without incurring the extra full-round casting time normally applied to spontaneous metamagic. This feat does not remove the need to expend the appropriately higher spell slot.
Example: A spontaneous caster applies Empower Spell (+2 adjustment) to a level-2 spell, casting it with its usual action instead of the normal full-round action. The spell still needs a level-4 slot.
Multiple selections: The feat may be taken more than once; each selection raises the exemption by +2 levels. The original fan write-up says two selections can support Quicken Spell (+4 adjustment). This is a house-rule exception to the original 3.5e Quicken Spell restriction on spontaneous casting, not a permission granted by the official core feat itself.
Normal: Spontaneous metamagic normally lengthens the casting time when not covered by a specific exception.
Using the Technique
- Verify that the character can spontaneously cast 4th-level spells and meets the feat and skill requirements.
- Choose the metamagic adjustments and add their slot-level costs.
- Compare that total with the +2 exemption, increased by any further selections of the feat.
- Cast using the original spell’s action only when the exemption covers the adjustment and the GM allows the feat; always expend the adjusted spell slot.
Related: Heighten Spell · Silent Spell · Still Spell.
Source and Attribution
Based on the community feat credited to Mercucio and WarDragon on the Dicefreaks forums. This material is not a standard published feat in any of the four core rules editions. The original forum thread may no longer be accessible; an archived discussion provides supporting text. Examples and explanations here are newly written.
Keep this reference growing
If this page helped with your reading or game, you can support its upkeep or explore the curated books.
Explore the Bookshop — epics, classics and stories behind imagined worlds.