Increasing caster/manifester level

[sambouchah]

So I am confused on increasing caster level. If I played a Cleric of Pelor(not my choice deity just an example. Ruby Sorceress FTW) With the healing domain(+1caster level on healing spells) does this mean learn cure moderate wounds at first level as one of my spells per day or I get +1 determining if a spell i effective and how much the effect does?


If not the first i there a way to make it that way?

[Waker]

Caster Level and effects that increase it are used to determine the effects, duration, range and similar things for spells. It is not used to determine when spells become available, that is strictly decided by the spells table according to your class level or sometimes HD (in the case of racial SLAs).

[sambouchah]

Caster Level and effects that increase it are used to determine the effects, duration, range and similar things for spells. It is not used to determine when spells become available, that is strictly decided by the spells table according to your class level or sometimes HD (in the case of racial SLAs).

OH THANKS! No one in my group could tell me because they all play rogues or fighters(too vanilla for me unless paired with another class) and I was too lazy to dig through my books to find out.


What about prestiege class spellcasting where it say "+1 of existing caster level"?

[SilverLeaf167]

Prestige classes that give you "+1 of existing caster level" are a different thing. If, for example, you are a level 5 Cleric and take one level in such a prestige class, that means you now have the spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) of a level 6 Cleric.

As for your other question in the opening post, there are indeed some ways to cast spells of a higher level than normally allowed, but pretty much all of them are considered exploits and not typically used in actual games.

[Waker]

What about prestiege class spellcasting where it say "+1 of existing caster level"?
That would be a poorly written table, what it should read is "+1 level of existing class" instead or something similar. In the case of classes that progress spellcasting, the table says how many equivalent class levels that you would get. Note though that while a prestige class may progress spells gained, they often do not award you with bonus spells learned, such as those gained by a Wizard when they level up.

[Flickerdart]

OH THANKS! No one in my group could tell me because they all play rogues or fighters(too vanilla for me unless paired with another class) and I was too lazy to dig through my books to find out.


What about prestiege class spellcasting where it say "+1 of existing caster level"?
Prestige classes usually say "+1 level of existing spellcasting class". Spellcasting class levels are what gives you new spells known and spells per day in addition to caster levels. WotC is pretty bad at naming things differently, so here's a list of all the different levels:
Character level/Hit Dice: The sum of all of your levels. A Wizard 5/Fighter 1 has a character level of 6 and 6 hit dice.
Class level: The number of levels you have in a particular class. A Paladin 2/Sorcerer 5 would only deal 2 extra damage with his Smite attack.
Spellcasting (class) level: Your number of levels in a particular spellcasting class. A spellcasting class is any class with its own spell progression (so Mystic Theurge, for instance, is not a spellcasting class). Normally, a level in a spellcasting class grants an increase in your caster level.
Caster level: The number that determines the duration and effectiveness of most of your spells, and usually nothing else.
Spell level: The level of a spell (0 through 9).

[Piggy Knowles]

Also, it's worth noting that boosting manifester level actually works a little different from boosting caster level. You still don't gain new powers known or more power points. However, manifester level DOES determine how many power points you can spend on a single power. So while a level 2 psion with +1 ML couldn't learn Ego Whip, a second level power, she COULD augment Energy Ray up to 3d6 points of damage, or increase the range and DC of Disable.

(This gets especially wonky with the Ardent, who can learn any power he can manifest - meaning if his ML is high enough, he can "jump ahead" in powers known.)

[sambouchah]

That would be a poorly written table, what it should read is "+1 level of existing class" instead or something similar. In the case of classes that progress spellcasting, the table says how many equivalent class levels that you would get. Note though that while a prestige class may progress spells gained, they often do not award you with bonus spells learned, such as those gained by a Wizard when they level up.


Prestige classes usually say "+1 level of existing spellcasting class". Spellcasting class levels are what gives you new spells known and spells per day in addition to caster levels. WotC is pretty bad at naming things differently, so here's a list of all the different levels:
Character level/Hit Dice: The sum of all of your levels. A Wizard 5/Fighter 1 has a character level of 6 and 6 hit dice.
Class level: The number of levels you have in a particular class. A Paladin 2/Sorcerer 5 would only deal 2 extra damage with his Smite attack.
Spellcasting (class) level: Your number of levels in a particular spellcasting class. A spellcasting class is any class with its own spell progression (so Mystic Theurge, for instance, is not a spellcasting class). Normally, a level in a spellcasting class grants an increase in your caster level.
Caster level: The number that determines the duration and effectiveness of most of your spells, and usually nothing else.
Spell level: The level of a spell (0 through 9).

So a wizard with levels in alienist level both at the same time? Like Wiz6/Alienist1 would actually be a 7th level wizard because Alienist adds one existing class level??

[Flickerdart]

So a wizard with levels in alienist level both at the same time? Like Wiz6/Alienist1 would actually be a 7th level wizard because Alienist adds one existing class level??
Yes, a Wizard 6/Alienist 1 knows and casts spells as though he were a 7th level Wizard.

[Waker]

So a wizard with levels in alienist level both at the same time? Like Wiz6/Alienist1 would actually be a 7th level wizard because Alienist adds one existing class level??

He would count as a 7th level Wizard when it came to determining what spells he could know/cast according to the Wizard spell casting table. He wouldn't count as a 7th level Wizard for anything else though, such as Feats that specify class levels.

[docnessuno]

He would count as a 7th level Wizard when it came to determining what spells he could know/cast according to the Wizard spell casting table. He wouldn't count as a 7th level Wizard for anything else though, such as Feats that specify class levels.

Or other wizard class features, such as familiar advancement or wizard bonus feats.

[Waker]

Or other wizard class features, such as familiar advancement or wizard bonus feats.

Yeah, I should have gone with that, but for some reason my mind immediately went to compare feats that have a minimum Fighter level. Don't ask me why, long-term insomnia makes you think weird things.

[Greenish]

Also, it's worth noting that boosting manifester level actually works a little different from boosting caster level. You still don't gain new powers known or more power points.To nitpick, increasing your ML can actually increase your power points slightly, since the amount of points you gain from high ability score is tied to ML.

[sambouchah]

Or other wizard class features, such as familiar advancement or wizard bonus feats.


Yeah, I should have gone with that, but for some reason my mind immediately went to compare feats that have a minimum Fighter level. Don't ask me why, long-term insomnia makes you think weird things.

Is there a class like tattooed monk that would allow me to advance them simultaneously?

[Waker]

Is there a class like tattooed monk that would allow me to advance them simultaneously?

You are asking if there is a class that progresses spellcasting as well as the classes features? Legacy Champion and Uncanny Trickster are the only ones that come to mind. When you level in those classes you gain all the relevant increases as if you had leveled in the original class, except for the HD, Svs, BAB and Skill Points, which are still determined by the PrC.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Or other wizard class features, such as familiar advancement or wizard bonus feats.

Nitpick Alienist levels does stack with wizard levels to determine Familiar Abilities; but that is because they have a specific ability that allows that, other classes such as Loremaster wouldn't.