Mage Slayer and Really Low Caster Levels

[Diarmuid]

I'm making a character that would fit really well as a Runescarred Beserker, but he's already taken then Mage Slayer feat.

Would this make him unable to use any Runescars until he is level 5 in the PrC?

I dont see anything in Mage Slayer saying that it cant drop your CL below 1.

Thoughts?

[Rebel7284]

You need a certain minimal caster level to cast a spell. It's unclear how this should interact with fast progression classes such as Ur Priest, but regardless, you certainly can't cast a spell with a negative caster level.

Easiest Solution? Practiced Spellcaster feat.

[Fouredged Sword]

Or fix it with items. You have a four point deficit. Get a stand of prayer beads and once per day you can counter the -4 CL hit from mage slayer. As you set the spell during the crafting period, you can store all 7 runes over a week and burn through them as needed.

On that note, it isn't clear if a runescared berserker HAS a caster level. Your runescars do, but the language of crafting them states "The character may set the caster level of the runescar at anywhere from the minimum class level necessary for her to know the rune to her own runescarred berserker class level." There is no reference to RSB caster level at all. You can set the caster level OF THE RUNE up to your CLASS LEVEL.

You cannot use spell completion items or spell trigger items for spells on your list. You cannot CAST spells. You can make a specific type of scroll and carry up to seven of them.

Ask your DM, but I don't think mageslayer will effect RSB.

[Diarmuid]

FES - That was what made me post about it. The wording was a little wonky enough to stick out to me. It does say "A RSB can only cast spells by crafting them as runescars..." so you are "casting" technically.

But then it says you can set the Caster Level anywhere between the minimum RSB level to know the spell and her current RSB level, but at no point does it say the RSB actually has a Caster Level.

Guess I'll ask my DM, but happy to hear other's thoughts on it.

[Fouredged Sword]

Yes, but I think it's like casting from a scroll. You don't need a high enough caster level to read a scroll, just a high enough attribute. The SRD refers to "Casting" from a scroll as well.

This would suggest that you may suffer a mishap, but you are looking at most a 20% chance of failure (you are at CL = class level -4, the rune has a DC of class level+1, minimum roll is 1, so a 1,2,3,or 4 fails) You could prep your runes at a lower caster level to avoid this.

This suggests that the class allows you to craft a scroll like rune with a caster level set by your class level. Your own personal caster level has nothing to do with it.