Level Up (A5E) Does metamagic apply to wands/staves/etc like in O5e?

[noodohs]

We're nearing the end of our O5e campaign, so the DM is starting to throw all kinds of fun at us and we got to wondering whether or not metamagic could be applied to spells cast from a Staff of Power. All the wording of metamagic and sorcery points seems to imply that it should only apply to spells that the PC casts, but Jeremy Crawford said in a tweet that if the item casts a spell, metamagic can be applied to those spells. One of the least ambiguous tweets he's ever made, so I guess that's that. So my question is does LU rule that the same way? It isn't explicitly spelled out and my gut would still be to say no, metamagic cannot be used on items that cast spells, but I'm curious what the intent is here.

 

[Steampunkette]

Metamagic can be used with Rods, Staves, and Wands.

"This wand can be used as a spellcasting focus and allows you to cast one additional cantrip as if you knew it, as long as it is on your spell list. "

"While holding this wand, you can use an action to expend 1 or more charges to cast lightning bolt (save DC 15). For 1 charge, you cast the spell’s 3rd-level version. Increase the spell slot level by one for each additional expended charge."

"While holding this staff you gain resistance to fire damage, and you can use an action to expend charges to cast one of the following spells, using your spell save DC: burning hands (1 charge), fireball (3 charges), wall of fire (4 charges)."

"While holding this rod, you have advantage on Perception checks and initiative rolls, and as an action you can cast the following spells: detect evil and good, detect magic, detect poison and disease, see invisibility.

The Rod, Staff, or Wand allows you to cast the spell, it doesn't take the "Cast a Spell Action" for you.

 

[WarDriveWorley]

We're nearing the end of our O5e campaign, so the DM is starting to throw all kinds of fun at us and we got to wondering whether or not metamagic could be applied to spells cast from a Staff of Power. All the wording of metamagic and sorcery points seems to imply that it should only apply to spells that the PC casts, but Jeremy Crawford said in a tweet that if the item casts a spell, metamagic can be applied to those spells. One of the least ambiguous tweets he's ever made, so I guess that's that. So my question is does LU rule that the same way? It isn't explicitly spelled out and my gut would still be to say no, metamagic cannot be used on items that cast spells, but I'm curious what the intent is here.

Reviewing the rules in Trials and Treasure about using spells from an Item I don't see any specific rules that change the ruling by Crawford so I'm inclined to say LU follows the same rules.

Edit: Ninja'd by @Steampunkette

 

[noodohs]

Metamagic can be used with Rods, Staves, and Wands.

"This wand can be used as a spellcasting focus and allows you to cast one additional cantrip as if you knew it, as long as it is on your spell list. "

"While holding this wand, you can use an action to expend 1 or more charges to cast lightning bolt (save DC 15). For 1 charge, you cast the spell’s 3rd-level version. Increase the spell slot level by one for each additional expended charge."

"While holding this staff you gain resistance to fire damage, and you can use an action to expend charges to cast one of the following spells, using your spell save DC: burning hands (1 charge), fireball (3 charges), wall of fire (4 charges)."

"While holding this rod, you have advantage on Perception checks and initiative rolls, and as an action you can cast the following spells: detect evil and good, detect magic, detect poison and disease, see invisibility.

The Rod, Staff, or Wand allows you to cast the spell, it doesn't take the "Cast a Spell Action" for you.

Thanks, that is good to know. However, that first one specifies "as if you knew it," so that makes sense to me, but the others aren't terribly clear that it is you casting it and not the item. Would be nice to have a line in that Trials and Treasures section on using spells from an item that codifies that a little better. Right now, we have this:

"Many magic items grant the creature using them the ability to cast one or more spells."
Okay, so it grants me, the user, the ability to cast the spell. This implies (but doesn't explicitly state) that the user casts the spell, not the item. But...

"Unless stated otherwise, a spell cast from a magic item is cast at the lowest possible spell level, and it requires no components or spell slots."
Well now it explicitly states the spell is cast from the magic item, so that's confusing.

"The spell uses its normal rules unless the item describes a change to how the spell functions..."
Okay, I mean I guess this could be read to indicate that metamagic can apply, but again not super clear. So I guess my point is just a line that indicates that casting a spell from an item works the same as if the user cast the spell without the item would really solidify the ruling. And/or saying that casting the spell uses the "Cast a spell" action and not the "Interact with an object" action. For future errata consideration.

 

[Morrus]

Reviewing the rules in Trials and Treasure about using spells from an Item I don't see any specific rules that change the ruling by Crawford so I'm inclined to say LU follows the same rules.

With respect to the designers of O5E, comments they have made about that game have no bearing on A5E.

 

[WarDriveWorley]

With respect to the designers of O5E, comments they have made about that game have no bearing on A5E.

fair enough