Intelligent Spell [Metamagic Feat]

[Lysander]

A way to give your spells a sort of AI:

Intelligent Spell
An Intelligent Spell is imbued with sentience, and has an intelligence, wisdom, and charisma of 10. It can see, hear, and speak one language. An intelligent spell can control itself in any way that the caster could. A spell that normally requires a caster's ongoing concentration can operate self-sufficiently. It obeys the caster's verbal instructions obediently, but is smart enough to make judgment calls when its orders are contradictory or vague. The spell's mind ceases to exist when the spell ends. A spell with an unlimited duration based on concentration will only last for a number of minutes equal to the caster's level. An intelligent spell occupies a slot four spell levels higher than normal.

So with this you could do things like make an illusion that's smart enough to alter or animate itself, or have a dominate person spell command the victim without you needing to spend actions. You could cast a spell like telekinesis, and have it move objects around you while you do something else. You could also cast spells that know when to dismiss themselves.

Another use is just to make spells that are capable of speaking with you. Make a continual flame that can relay messages, or have a knock spell describe anyone that tried to break in through its door.

[peacenlove]

Do mind affecting effects affect an intelligent spell? What if it becomes confused or dominated? What if its stats drop to zero?
How much time does it take to order it around?
Is its alignment the same as yours or true neutral? (as living spells from MM3 usually are?)
Creature Type? Subtype?

[Ashtagon]

I can see some potential for rendering many divination spells obsolete.

[Lysander]

Do mind affecting effects affect an intelligent spell? What if it becomes confused or dominated? What if its stats drop to zero?
How much time does it take to order it around?
Is its alignment the same as yours or true neutral? (as living spells from MM3 usually are?)
Creature Type? Subtype?

Basically, an intelligent spell operates exactly like an intelligent item except that consciousness is fixed to the magical field of a spell instead of an item. So as a construct it's immune to mind-affecting spells among other immunities. Also, a spell that isn't fixed on one object will be harder or impossible to destroy through physical means. However unlike an item it's vulnerable to being dispelled, and for any spell with a limited duration it comes with a fixed lifespan.

I believe giving orders to minions (in general) requires a move action. However with 10 int it's smart enough to operate independently, based on your initial instructions. As an entirely subservient artificial intelligence I'd say it's true neutral.

An intelligent spell can only alter aspects of itself that the caster could though. So Dominate Person can command the victim, but an intelligent Arcane Lock is only capable of talking. It could still be pretty useful as a better form of Magic Mouth though.