Items and Feats that Increase Caster Level

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The_Hanged_Man
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Items and Feats that Increase Caster Level

Post by The_Hanged_Man »

Complete Divine has a number of feats and other ways to increase caster level. IMO, caster level increases are either nearly useless (in the vast number of cases - like cure spells, damage spells, etc.) or nearly or completely broken (holy word, or any stackable increase, or the necromancer/MT combinations). After seeing the number of abuses for caster level increases, should this even be a valid mechanic?
User3
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Re: Items and Feats that Increase Caster Level

Post by User3 »

The_Hanged_Man at [unixtime wrote:1084579292[/unixtime]]After seeing the number of abuses for caster level increases, should this even be a valid mechanic?


The abused spells are the broken part, not the caster level increases.
Caster level increases can help bring multiclassed spellcasters up to the level they should be at, or give characters a slight boost in certain areas (mainly for flavor).
Of course, I think that the Unearthed arcana Caster level variant really did it best.

-Catharz Godsfoot
Wrenfield
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Re: Items and Feats that Increase Caster Level

Post by Wrenfield »

Hanged Man wrote:Complete Divine has a number of feats and other ways to increase caster level. IMO, caster level increases are either nearly useless (in the vast number of cases - like cure spells, damage spells, etc.) or nearly or completely broken (holy word, or any stackable increase, or the necromancer/MT combinations). After seeing the number of abuses for caster level increases, should this even be a valid mechanic?


Yeah, I saw that one feat that will up a spellcasters spell level by up to 3-4 levels depending upon how many non-spellcaster levels are in his current build.

My first thought was, neat ... an Arcane Trickster just *might* be more viable now. Unfortunately, the feat only applies to divine spells. So perhaps there is something interesting to make out of an Ur-Priest (now revised for 3.5), Mystic Theurge or Yathrinshee (PGtF) build.

Keep in mind - I ain't a fan of hybrid spellcaster builds at all. But I;m always trying to find builds that can improve them...
User3
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Re: Items and Feats that Increase Caster Level

Post by User3 »

Wrenfield at [unixtime wrote:1084583070[/unixtime]]
So perhaps there is something interesting to make out of an Ur-Priest (now revised for 3.5), Mystic Theurge or Yathrinshee (PGtF) build.

...


Ya, because Kiaransalee just loves people who steal her spells without praying for them :rolleyes:

-Catharz Godsfoot
Wrenfield
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Re: Items and Feats that Increase Caster Level

Post by Wrenfield »

I didn't say "and", Catharz. I said "or". I'm fully aware of the pre-requisites for UP and Yathrinshee builds.
User3
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Re: Items and Feats that Increase Caster Level

Post by User3 »

:tongue:

Eventually I'll figure out how to get quotes right...

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Draco_Argentum
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Re: Items and Feats that Increase Caster Level

Post by Draco_Argentum »

If you register you can edit the error out unstead of waiting for fbmf to do it for you.
Username17
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Re: Items and Feats that Increase Caster Level

Post by Username17 »

The abused spells are the broken part, not the caster level increases.


I just want to point out that this sort of buck-passing logic is total and complete bullshit.

If a combo is a problem, both ends of the combo are a problem. Increasing Caster Level hasn't ever not been a problem, especially with the fubar that is the Epic Spellcasting rules. Increasing Caster Level doesn't really do anything that isn't game breaking, and shouldn't be around.

Furthermore, decreasing caster level doesn't really do anything that isn't game breaking, and shouldn't be around either. It makes for confusing and bizzare results (you know what happens when an emancipated spawn takes even one level of a spellcasting class? It's ugly). And there's just no reason for it.

People shouldn't ever have a "caster level" distinct from their character level, it makes the CR system not work, it makes people broken or useless. It takes spells like Holy Word and makes them broketastic. It makes marginal spells like Spikes and GMW into straight up madness.

It's a really really bad idea, and adds nothing to the game except extra accounting and cheese.

-Username17
The_Hanged_Man
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Re: Items and Feats that Increase Caster Level

Post by The_Hanged_Man »

Or it makes them craptastic, if your caster level ever takes a hit.

I can see no valid reason for caster level increases. None. It's either cheese, or useless. It should be banned.
RandomCasualty
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Re: Items and Feats that Increase Caster Level

Post by RandomCasualty »

I don't know if the whole mechanic is necessarily bad, it's just that caster level increases need to all be of the same bonus type to prevent absurdity.

Spells like holy word are defiitely part of the problem, and I think it only shows us that no-save status condition/death spells should not exist.

GMW and spikes are just broken concepts to begin with... especially spikes. The magic items you can create with a 3rd level spell shouldn't be any more than a value of a 3rd level slot, evident by the pearl of power. If it's more than a PoP, then the spell's too powerful.

Caster level increases should basically be an evoker thing. You get a few more dice on your fireball, you breach SR better and that's about it. It should be a relatively minor benefit. The only reason its such an awesome benefit right now is because there are some poorly designed spells that either grant too much of a benefit based on caster level or scale too much.
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