Caster Level question (Abjurant Champion issue)

[Alencor]

So in one of my campaigns, one of my players is playing a gish Abjurant Champion/Wizard/Fighter. Obviously because of the multi classing, he doesnt get full Wizard level progression. My question in all this is that Abjurant Champion has a class feature that states:

"Martial Arcanist (Ex): At 5th level, you master the art of combining your militant and mystical training. From this point on, your caster level in a chosen arcane spellcasting class is equal to your base attack bonus (unless it would otherwise be higher)."

This raises his caster level to the same as BAB as stated. Lets say his BAB is +7, so that would mean his caster level would be 7: Does that mean he is able to cast 4th level spells like NORMAL 7th level wizard would be able to? Or does it mean that it will only do the more damage a higher caster level would normally do?

[Forrestfire]

It only increases your caster level; that is, the number you use to calculate effects. It does not give you spells per day, spells known, or anything else he'd normally get (that's what the +1 level of Spellcasting progression is for). The ability is, for many PCs, fairly useless, unless they went with an entry that drastically cut their caster level in favor of more levels in martial classes.

[Khedrac]

Like Practiced Spellcaster this raises the caster level - i.e. the effective level the spells are cast at - to the BAB, and nothing else.

Caster level of a spell determines:
damage (for X per level spells),
range,
duration,
dispel check needed
etc.

Spells known, spells per day, maximum spell level cast etc. are all class features that are unrelated to class level. Note all the levels of prestige classes that say "advances spellcasting" - these usually grant new spells etc.

[Andezzar]

Spells known, spells per day, maximum spell level cast etc. are all class features that are unrelated to class level.It is the opposite. those features are related to the level of the spellcasting class, they are not related to the Caster Level.

Note all the levels of prestige classes that say "advances spellcasting" - these usually grant new spells etc.Yes, but not all of them grant an Increase in Caster Level:

When a new archmage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast 7th-level spells before he added the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained.


From 2nd level on, when a new eldritch knight level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of eldritch knight to the level of whatever other arcane spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.

I just realized that Eldritch Knight is one of the few PrCs that do not grant a wizard using them the two new spells per level.

[Lerondiel]

So in one of my campaigns, one of my players is playing a gish Abjurant Champion/Wizard/Fighter. Obviously because of the multi classing, he doesnt get full Wizard level progression. My question in all this is that Abjurant Champion has a class feature that states:

"Martial Arcanist (Ex): At 5th level, you master the art of combining your militant and mystical training. From this point on, your caster level in a chosen arcane spellcasting class is equal to your base attack bonus (unless it would otherwise be higher)."

This raises his caster level to the same as BAB as stated. Lets say his BAB is +7, so that would mean his caster level would be 7: Does that mean he is able to cast 4th level spells like NORMAL 7th level wizard would be able to? Or does it mean that it will only do the more damage a higher caster level would normally do?


We only wish it worked like that :smallsmile: ...would make it about the best 5 level PrC in the game!

[Sian]

instead of only being the best Gish PrC in the game, as it is currently

[Khedrac]

It is the opposite. those features are related to the level of the spellcasting class, they are not related to the Caster Level.Which is exactly what I wrote.

Yes, but not all of them grant an Increase in Caster Level:I never claimed they did, but thank-you for clarifying the specifics.

[Chronos]

Quoth Andezzar:

I just realized that Eldritch Knight is one of the few PrCs that do not grant a wizard using them the two new spells per level.
That's an annoyance for a wizard, but a huge problem for a sorcerer.

And most such classes are usually houseruled to progress all three aspects of casting (per day, known, caster level), often without folks even realizing that they're houseruling: You won't even notice the issue unless you read carefully. They probably ended up that way in the first place through poor editing: Archmage, for instance, makes no sense whatsoever if it doesn't advance caster level natively, since one of the High Arcana choices is to increase caster level (at the cost of a spell slot). Why would any character ever take that instead of just taking another wizard level?

[Alencor]

Thanks a lot guys for the responses. Helped solve the question that was at hand.