JaronK, if you wanted to add both metamagic rod abilities onto a single rod, you could use both on a single spell if you wanted to. After all, it's two feats, but still only one rod, which segues neatly with the rod's rules text.
It just costs a small amount more.
Nah, honestly it was such a quick and dirty build that I threw together a few things that seemed useful. If I was really going to get into it, I'd have gotten more useful gear.
@Shiz: It's in the page before this one, I think. CR 12 Adept with an Imp familiar. Designed to craft items for a party, have his familiar handle most social stuff, build things, and be a minion master. Here, I'll put him up there again (note that he shouldn't be combining the rod effects into a single casting):
[spoiler]Herbert the Somewhat Special (25 Point Buy)
Lawful Neutral Human Adept 12 (68hp)
BAB 6, Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +14
Str 9, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 23, Cha 8
Feats: Alertness, Corpse Crafter, Craft Wondrous Items, Improved Familiar, Mother Cyst, Nimble Bones
Skills: Craft Armorsmithing +10, Concentration +15, Handle Animal +10, Knowledge (The Religion) +10
Minions:
Familiar: Imp
Tiny Outsider, 12 HD, 34hp, Init +3, Spd 20 Fly 50 (perfect), AC 26 (Touch 15, Flat Foot 23), BAB +6, Grapple -5, Attack +11 Melee (1d4 + Poison, Sting), Darkvision 60, Deliver Touch Speels, DR 5/good or silver, Fast Healing 2, Immunity to Poison, Improved Evasion, Resistance to Fire 5, Speak with Master, For +4, Ref +7, Will +7, Str 10, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 14, Diplomacy +8, Hide +17, Knowledge The Planes +6, Listen +7, Move Silently +9, Search +6, Spellcraft +6, Spot +7, Survival +1, Dodge, Weapon Finesse, Poison (DC 16, 1d4 Dex, 2d4 Dex), At Will Detect Good Detect Magic Invisibility (Self Only), 1/day Suggestion CL 6. Commune 1/week 6 questions. Alternate form into one or two forms (technically this could be anything up to Medium size, including Dwarf Ancestors and other such nonsense. But I'll assume from the examples they meant any animal, so how about a Legendary Ape or Legendary Eagle?). SR 17, Empathic Link
2 Nine Headed Zombie Hydras wearing crafted Mithral Chain Shirt Barding (900gp, 2400gp for crafted mithral armor)
2 Necrosis Carnexes wearing crafted Mithral Chain Shirts (400g in Cold Iron Bands, 800gp for crafted Mithral armor)
A few assorted big warbeast animals as appropriate to the campaign (dinosaurs, dire animals, or whatever other big war creatures are available, preferably Magebreed).
Items: Lesser Metamagic Wand of Empower (9kgp), Lesser Metamagic Wand of Maximize (14kgp), Heward's Handy Haversack (2kgp), Orange Ioun Stone (15kgp), 2 4th level Pearls of Power (16kgp), 2 Second Level Pearls of Power (4kgp), Periapt of Wisdom +4 (16kgp), Mithral Chain Shirt (400gp), Deadwalker's Ring (2kgp), Novice Ring of the Diamond Mind (3kgp, get one of the save maneuvers)
Wealth 2.1kgp left over for whatever
Basic tactics: walk around with the Hydras flanking him (with standing orders as before to attack anyone who attacks his party or anyone who his party attacks), Carnexes ordered to heal his minions and otherwise stay out of the line of fire, any animals trained to attack (and to not freak out around the undead). When possible, use Necrotic Cysts followed by Necrotic Dominations to control potential allies and downed (but not killed) enemies. Against this dragon, use both metamagic wands to fire a Scorching Ray if it gets too close, which will do 108+9d6 damage (two hits should kill it). If it's out of range, web it so the zombies can come kill it. Since White Dragons like to get up close and personal, this shouldn't be too much of an issue. Note that there may be further minions here... animals are possible, as are dominated allies. But I wasn't sure what to go with here.
And yes, this guy could solo the dragon, which has no attacks long range enough to effectively strafe safely. Heck, he brings quite a party with him (dependent on what he manages to dominate). I assume that's good enough? And before anyone freaks out about the crafting... please see the DMG, which explicitly states in the section on starting above 1st level that you can craft gear at discounted price before the game starts.[/spoiler]
JaronK