Trying to optimize caster level a bit.

[Demonic Kitten]

So, I'm working on a gag build for funsies. The ENTIRE character build revolves around casting Magic Missile, the level one spell. The build revolves around some fun homebrew I have, as well as some interesting character traits, which reduce the cost of metamagic, and an update I created for an old class that is a five level PrC revolving around the Magic Missile spell, the new capstone of which removes the level cap from the spell.

I am also under the assumption that the character in question has attained Mythic Tier 4, although at exactly what level is uncertain (Mythic Magic Missile doubles spell damage per missile, and the augment at tier 4 lets you fire twice as many missiles).

SO. In order to maximize the amount of damage the spell does, I simply need to jack my caster level as high as I can. I'm not sure the best way to do this in Pathfinder.

So, how does one boost their caster level well beyond the norm in PF? I was thinking starting with Arcanist with the Potent Magic Arcanist Exploit for +2 to CL, but that's about as far as my knowledge of Pathfinder CL boosters goes. Anyone know any other suggestions?

[Raimun]

So... some homebrew and homebrew PrC are not enough? Seriously?

Heck, I went crazy and mad with one semi-official rule addition to standard character creation rules (Ie. Pathfinder custom races) and that was more than enough to realize a concept I had just dreamed about before that.

Also, item nro. 69 from things Mr. Welch can no longer do during an RPG: "There is more to wizardry than magic missile. Even if I can do 200 damage."

[Demonic Kitten]

I'm actually trying really hard to break 30K damage with a magic missile. I'm only like 2K away, and need to pump my CL up a little to get there. I only need a couple CL, since each missile is doing 832 damage at the moment.

Ah, Mr. Welch. I personally prefer "The spell is called Prismatic Spray, not Taste The Rainbow." :smallsmile:

[icefractal]

There's the Orange Ioun Stone, of course, but in PF you can also stick that in a Wayfinder and get a total of +1d4-1 CL. So average only +1.5, but still an improvement, and really cheap compared to the stone.

The Robes of Xin Shalast (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/r-z/robes-of-xin-shalast) boost CL by 1, among other benefits. Expensive though.

Aether boosts CL by another 1. You need to make a CL check to cast spells, but if you're already boost CL really high that's not an issue. And you might get addicted, but that's easy enough to deal with.

The Arial bloodline boosts CL by 2 when outdoors in the rain. Hard to reliably establish, so it's better for the purpose of things that can be cast ahead of time.

[Yanisa]

There was a recent thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?411029-Pathfinder-Optimizing-CL-at-low-levels) here dealing with the same topic in a different light. You should start looking there... But I like making lists, it's saturday morning and it is raining, so let me do it.

Traits:
Magic Traits:
Gifted Adept (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/magic-traits/gifted-adept) +1 CL on a single spell.
Magical Knack (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/magic-traits/magical-knack), +2 CL but only up to your max HD. Helps with caster level when multiclassing.
Strength of the Land (Dwarf) (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/magic-traits/strength-of-the-land), +1CL when touching stone or unworked ground. Only for dwarfs or adopted children (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/social-traits/adopted). Also this might be 3.5 Paizo. (so third party 3.5).
Cross-Disciplined (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/magic-traits/cross-disciplined). Once per day +1 CL on a spell that appears on both the Magus and Wizard list. Magic missile is on both, but 1/day sucks.

Regional Traits (Golarion setting specific):
Precocious Spellcaster (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/regional-traits/precocious-spellcaster), +1 CL on a single 0th and 1st level spell.
Signature Spell (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/regional-traits/secret-of-the-impossible-kingdom-regional-jalmeray), +1 CL on a single spell.

Campaign Traits:
Inspired by Greatness (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/campaign-traits/carrion-crown/inspired-by-greatness), same as Signature Spell but limited to a single AP instead a whole setting.

Religion:
Well-Prepared (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/religion-traits/well-prepared), +1 CL for spells cast as a readied action... Limiting in combat and also officially only for worshippers of Angradd (LG).

Feats:
Varisian Tattoo (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/mages-tattoo), +1 CL on a single school.
Spell Specialization (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/spell-specialization), +2 CL on a single spell.
Bloodmage Initiate (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/bloodmage-initiate), +1 CL on a single school... forever medium loaded.
Arithmancy (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/arithmancy), swift action, do some math (you can do this pre game), make a spellcraft check, +1 CL...

Items:
Moon Circlet (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/c-d/circlet-moon-circlet), +2 CL during the full moon, but also -2 CL during a new moon.
Orange Prism (Ioun Stone) (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/h-l/ioun-stones/orange-prism-ioun-stone), +1 CL, no drawbacks.
Put the Orange Prism Ioun Stone is a Wayfinder (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/r-z/wayfinder-standard), gamble to get anywhere from +0 to +3 CL from your Ioun stone.
Prayer (Strand) Beads (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/a-b/beads-prayer-strand) requires a UMD check (20?) but adds +4 CL for 10 minutes. 1/day.

Classes:
A dip in Magician (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/magician), Bard Archetype, gives you Dweomercraft. +1 CL buff. Or just befriend a bard.
A dip in cleric can give you the Arcane Subdomain (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/cleric/domains/paizo---domains/magic-domain/arcane). +1 CL buff. Or just befriend a cleric.
Like you found out yourself, Arcanist can spend a exploit point to get 1 CL. 2 with Potent Magic
(http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/hybrid-classes/arcanist/arcane-exploits/potent-magic-su).



___
Meh it's quite a disappointing list, ain't it. With lots of Golarion specific abilities and CL increase that only work under the right circumstance. Not the mention the large (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2qd4f?Abilities-that-increase-effective-Caster#4) lists (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2r6pu?Challenge-Highest-caster-level) of CL increasing effects that work for only specific abilities.

Also from that other topic but not CL increasing effects:
Orc Bloodline (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/sorcerer/bloodlines/bloodlines-from-paizo/orc-bloodline) adds +1 damage to every damage dice. (dragon too, but that only works for elemental damage.)
Wizard Evocation Schoo (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard/arcane-schools/paizo---arcane-schools/classic-arcane-schools/evocation)l adds half wizard level to damage dealt on damage spells.

I hope you can do something with it, even though it ain't much.

[Demonic Kitten]

Oh wow, that's an awesome list, thank you!

Unfortunately, both my traits are taken up by a Regional and a Magic trait, both of which do the same thing: reduce the final spell level of one spell modified by metamagic by one, to a minimum of the usual spell level (Empowered Magic Missile at L1? Yzplz).

Arithmancy is...interesting. Although you'd only need to make a DC13 Spellcraft check to boost the CL by 1 with it. If I have two spare feats, I'll consider it. Spell Specialization and Mage's Tattoo are great, though, although Spell Focus (Evocation) is a tax. For +3 to CL though...And I think I could swing Arithmancy with my last two feats. That's +4 to CL via feats.

I'm interested in the Ioun Stone and the Bead of Karma. I think the bead only needs a DC20 check, yeah. That +4... *drool*

So! Now we do some math!

Arcanist 5/Magic Missile Master 5/Metamagi 9/Archwizard 1 = 20 levels, with -2CL from Metamagi

Arcane Thesis + Metamagi + Archwizard = -5 to LA of all metamagics applied to Magic Missile

Metamagic Master + Magical Heritage = -2 to final spell level of Magic Missile once metamagic is applied

Arcane Thesis + Arithmancy + Spell Specialization + Mage's Tatoo + Ioun Stone + Bead of Karma + Arcanist Practiced Magic = +13 to CL of Magic Missile

Magic Missile Master gives +1 missile per level, Mythic Magic Missile doubles the number of missiles

Mythic Magic Missile increases damage to 2d4+1, Magic Missile Master doubles damage of each missile

Magic Missile Master removes the level cap for maximum number of missiles

For those keeping track, that means my final CL for Magic Missile is 31; with no maximum for missiles, that's 16 missiles, plus 5 missiles from Magic Missile Master for 21, which doubles to 42 missiles total.

Each missile does a base of 2d4+1 due to Mythic Magic Missile.

Now we start using metamagic. Using homebrew metamagics Imbue Spell (+1 damage per die per spell level adjustment) and Enhance Spell (increase die size by one for each +1 of level adjustment) we apply both of these 5 times for free, making every missile do 3d8+17 damage. We then apply Enhance Spell twice more for free using the traits we took, increasing damage to 4d8+22; we then apply Enhance Spell another 7 times, boosting the spell slot used to 8th, and boosting damage per missile to 16d6+82 (which is as high as the official damage tables go, although the formula is straightforward and could be taken further), and then we apply Imbue Spell once more to add another 16 damage and make it 9th level, so 16d6+98. This is then doubled by Magic Missile Master to 32d6+196. Me can then apply Maximize Spell for free due to our metamagic reducers, as well as Empower Spell for free as well. Average for Empower Spell is ~112, so we end up with each missile doing roughly 500 damage. Then we tack on all five Energy Admixture feats, for another roughly 500 damage of each element, bringing each missile to roughly 3000 damage. Then, just for good measure, we tack on Despoiling Spell to make it automatically dispel any effect that would stop the spell, and Neutral Energy, to make all damage untyped. We have 42 missiles, for a grand total of...

Roughly 126,000 damage per casting!

For the record: Yes, there are more feats than you can take in there. You get 5 metamagic feats from Metamagi, 2 from Arcanist Exploits, one from a character flaw, and the last two will have to be metamagic rods.