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Can you use Metamagic options when making a magic item (via Xanthar's Guide) or w/ Artificer's Emulate Magic Item Infusion by Multicalssing or by Metamagic Adept feat?

Ex: with the Metamagic options ....

Distant Spell = 2x spell's range or touch spells at 30 feet (I'm not sure the effect of pulling the target 10 feet towards the caster will double as well as RAW states that the range is only affected not the effect of pulling the target towards the caster)

Extended Spell = 2x spell's duration (Max 24 hours)

Can 5th level Artificer with Metamagic options make gauntlets that has the Lighting Lure cantrip with the Distant Spell metamagic so it has the effective range of 30 feet radius and 2d8 lighting damage?

or

At 10th level make Winged Boots with Extend Spell metamagic to make the flight duration up to 8 hours?

Can 9th level Artificer Armorer mod a piece of their Arcane Armor with Replicate Magic Item Infusion with Extend Spell metamagic to make their Jet Boots have an 8 hour fule capacity?

Jhyarelle Silver
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2 Answers2

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No, with an asterisk

First, look at the description from Xanathar's:

To start with, a character needs a formula for a magic item in order to create it. The formula is like a recipe. It lists the materials needed and steps required to make the item.

An item invariably requires an exotic material to complete it. This material can range from the skin of a yeti to a vial of water taken from a whirlpool on the Elemental Plane of Water. [...] The Magic Item Ingredients table suggests the challenge rating of a creature that the characters need to face to acquire the materials for an item. [...] In addition to facing a specific creature, creating an item comes with a gold piece cost covering other materials, tools, and so on, based on the item’s rarity.

Now look at the Artificer's Replicate Magic Item Infusion:

Using this infusion, you replicate a particular magic item. You can learn this infusion multiple times; each time you do so, choose a magic item that you can make with it, picking from the Replicable Items tables. [...] See the item’s description in the Dungeon Master’s Guide for more information about it, including the type of object required for its making.

It just refers back to the DMG so it doesn't give us any hints.

Nothing in the DMG description ever mentions the casting of a spell, so we cannot be sure that spell casting is even a requirement (likely, but not guaranteed). Completely up to the DM.

The whole Infusion process is just a "touch".

You also brought up enhancing their other Infusions. That's still a no because...

Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a non-magical object and imbue it with one of your artificer infusions, turning it into a magic item.

Touch, not "Cast a spell".

Metamagic is a one-time buff

If we look at it from the Sorcerer side...

You can use only one Metamagic option on a spell when you cast it, unless otherwise noted.

Metamagic can only be applied (except where noted) when the Artificer casts a spell. So even if the DM decided that a spell was cast during the creation, the Metamagic only works when you cast it. It would have no effect on future castings of the spell via an item.

None of the Artificer Infusion (Other than Replicate Magical Item) casts a spell, although they can have magical effects. The Armorer pieces also do not casts spells, they just do non-standard damage (thunder and lightning).

The asterisk

So the only piece left is casting a spell through a magic item which is answered nicely here.

Long story short, you can use the Metamagic feature if using an item that allows the Artificer to cast a spell. But it has nothing to do with being an Artificer.

MivaScott
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No.

Except for Empower Spell and Seeking Spell, all the various metamagic options begin with the words "When you cast a spell" before describing their effects, and Empower Spell and Seeking Spell both still require a Spell to be cast to use.

As a result, these options can only be used when you cast a spell. Infusing an item is not casting a spell. Crafting a magic item is not casting a spell.

However, when using a magic item that allows you to cast a spell, they would be able to use any metamagic options available. If an Artificer uses their Spell-Storing Item ability on a Sorceror's staff, then that Sorceror should be able to use any metamagic options available when casting the spells stored in it.

nick012000
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  • nick: Ok so the metamagic option is applied on casting. So you can't say store a Lighting Lure cantrip with the Distant Spell metamagic on said staff...right? Cause that pretty much what I'm asking. When you make a magic gear that emulates a spell can that emulated spell have a metamagic option attached to it. So apparently not. – Jhyarelle Silver Aug 16 '21 at 00:51
  • @JhyarelleSilver That's correct, though double-checking the wording of Spell-storing Item it may not technically count as "casting a spell". Also, Spell-Storing Item can only store the effects of 1st- and 2nd-level spells, so Lightning Lure is right out. – nick012000 Aug 16 '21 at 00:56
  • Wording is a bit wonky on Spell Storing Item, "While holding the object, a creature can take an action to produce the spell's effect from it, using your spellcasting ability modifier." How's "producing the spell's effect" any different from casting it? – Jhyarelle Silver Aug 16 '21 at 01:06
  • Honestly, it's just a wording that specifically excludes "casting" while being the same in other ways. – Louis Wasserman Aug 16 '21 at 04:35
  • This is making miss Magic item creation rules from D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder 1.0 – Jhyarelle Silver Aug 16 '21 at 14:17