LittlKingsguard
2016-06-06, 04:54 PM
My Google-fu has failed me on this, so here we go:
There's plenty of threads based on maxing out caster level, but most of the tricks have riders like this:
Master Spellthief:
... Your spellthief and arcane spellcaster levels also stack when determining your caster level for all arcane spells.
or this:
Consumptive Field:
...Additionally, your effective caster level goes up by 1 per death caused by this spell, to a maximum of 1/2 your original caster level, improving spell effects that are dependent on caster level.
or this:
Circle Magic:
...Increase the circle leader's caster level by one for every circle bonus level expended (maximum caster level 40th). This benefit applies to level-dependent variables of a spell such as range or duration, and to level checks (dispel checks, checks to overcome spell resistance, and so on).
Almost all of them have that annoying catch in there somewhere where it says that the boost only applies to spells that are being cast. For most casters, that isn't a problem, since casting spells is pretty much the only thing they use their caster level for, anyway. However, there are other uses; magic items have caster levels dependent on their creator, and some items (like most magical weapons and armor) even have required minimum caster levels.
So let's suppose someone wants to become the greatest magical craftsman of all time and I don't know, challenge Hephaestus to a blacksmithing contest. What does that build look like?
Here's my stab at it:
Specialist:
Dwarven Artificer 5
Ironsoul Forgemaster 10
Battlesmith 5
Feats:
1st level: Shape soulmeld: Mage's Spectacles
3rd: Shape Soulmeld: (any other) You can now "shape soulmelds" and therefore qualify for Ironsoul Forgemaster
6th: Practiced Spellcaster: Artificer (don't know if that qualifies by RAW, but probably RAI)
9th: Heavy Armor Proficiency (req'd for Battlesmith)
12th: Endurance (req'd for Battlesmith)
15th: Weapon Focus: Warhammer (req'd for Battlesmith)
18th: Bind Elemental
Both Ironsoul Forgemaster and Battlesmith have an ability called "Secrets of the Forge", which increases your effective caster level for the purposes of making magic weapons and armor by 3 per class level, and stacks with caster levels from any other class.
Thanks to Practiced Spellcaster, his base caster level as an artificer is 9 and, as an artificer, gets treated as 2 higher for the purpose of meeting prerequisites on magic item crafting. Add on the 45 effective levels from ISFM and Battlesmith and his final effective caster level is 9+2+45=56 whan making magical weapons or armor. Add on an Ioun stone and maybe a few things with similar effects, and we get a CL approaching 60 for arms and armor, but only 15 for anything else.
As far as a generalist craftsman goes, however, I have a hard time coming up with anything significantly better than just straight artificer. Anyone else have an idea?
There's plenty of threads based on maxing out caster level, but most of the tricks have riders like this:
Master Spellthief:
... Your spellthief and arcane spellcaster levels also stack when determining your caster level for all arcane spells.
or this:
Consumptive Field:
...Additionally, your effective caster level goes up by 1 per death caused by this spell, to a maximum of 1/2 your original caster level, improving spell effects that are dependent on caster level.
or this:
Circle Magic:
...Increase the circle leader's caster level by one for every circle bonus level expended (maximum caster level 40th). This benefit applies to level-dependent variables of a spell such as range or duration, and to level checks (dispel checks, checks to overcome spell resistance, and so on).
Almost all of them have that annoying catch in there somewhere where it says that the boost only applies to spells that are being cast. For most casters, that isn't a problem, since casting spells is pretty much the only thing they use their caster level for, anyway. However, there are other uses; magic items have caster levels dependent on their creator, and some items (like most magical weapons and armor) even have required minimum caster levels.
So let's suppose someone wants to become the greatest magical craftsman of all time and I don't know, challenge Hephaestus to a blacksmithing contest. What does that build look like?
Here's my stab at it:
Specialist:
Dwarven Artificer 5
Ironsoul Forgemaster 10
Battlesmith 5
Feats:
1st level: Shape soulmeld: Mage's Spectacles
3rd: Shape Soulmeld: (any other) You can now "shape soulmelds" and therefore qualify for Ironsoul Forgemaster
6th: Practiced Spellcaster: Artificer (don't know if that qualifies by RAW, but probably RAI)
9th: Heavy Armor Proficiency (req'd for Battlesmith)
12th: Endurance (req'd for Battlesmith)
15th: Weapon Focus: Warhammer (req'd for Battlesmith)
18th: Bind Elemental
Both Ironsoul Forgemaster and Battlesmith have an ability called "Secrets of the Forge", which increases your effective caster level for the purposes of making magic weapons and armor by 3 per class level, and stacks with caster levels from any other class.
Thanks to Practiced Spellcaster, his base caster level as an artificer is 9 and, as an artificer, gets treated as 2 higher for the purpose of meeting prerequisites on magic item crafting. Add on the 45 effective levels from ISFM and Battlesmith and his final effective caster level is 9+2+45=56 whan making magical weapons or armor. Add on an Ioun stone and maybe a few things with similar effects, and we get a CL approaching 60 for arms and armor, but only 15 for anything else.
As far as a generalist craftsman goes, however, I have a hard time coming up with anything significantly better than just straight artificer. Anyone else have an idea?