Darklight's Ring Bolt
(Alteration, Metamagic)

Range:  Special
Components:  V, S
Duration:  Instantaneous
Casting Time:  2 (but see below)
Area of Effect:  Special
Saving Throw:  None

This Metamagic spell will alter the course of a single bolt- or ray-class spell of up to seventh level into the shape of a ring. The casting time of the secondary spell is added to the 2 required to frame the Metamagic spell. When the bolt is cast, the caster chooses the point of origin as usual, and the bolt then arcs outward in a circular path. If the bolt's length is sufficient, it will form a circle with a radius of at least 20 feet. The caster has several choices when framing the magic: if the bolt's length allows for a circle of with a circumference of more than 20 feet, then it can either be made to loop several times in this 20 feet circumference path or it can be made to form a larger ring. The DM may require that the ring's radius be made an even 10-foot multiple or the bolt will take the standard radius.
Also, the caster must decide the orientation of the ring. In outdoor conditions, many interesting vertical or diagonal possibilities exist, but the ring should not be made to bounce off walls - this would break the metamagic's control, and the bolt will careen in random directions, picking a new direction every 20 feet as per the grenade scattering chart.
If the bolt is cast in a manner similar to lightning bolt, then the ring can start anywhere within range of the normal casting. However, some bolts begin from the caster's outstretched hand; in this case, the metamage can delay the ring's firing by 1d4, enough for the caster (only the caster, other creatures should have no idea what he is doing) to jump back out of the ring's ending point.
Note that this spell cannot extend the normal length of such a bolt. If a bolt's length is not sufficient to finish a 20-foot circumference path, than it will not loop completely around.

