Do Artificers have a caster level?

[magicalmagicman]

I want to grab a few item creation feats earlier than the level artificers get them for free. But they have a caster level requirement. So do artificers have caster levels so they can grab these feats?


An artificer is not a spellcaster


For purposes of meeting item prerequisites, an artificer's effective caster level equals his artificer level +2. If the item duplicates a spell effect, however, it uses the artificer's actual level as its caster level. Costs are always determined using the item's minimum caster level or the artificer's actual level (if it is higher).

Language intentionally avoids saying artificers have a caster level. It says artificer level or artificer's actual level.

The other side of the argument is that infusions are dispellable and there's no language indicating that they don't use caster levels, which means they have caster level.

[Mato]

You are right, artificers do not have a spell-based caster level because they do not have spells and that is what the text is trying to explain. But they do have an infusion-based caster level for their non-spells, magic of Eberron also allows them to use it for certain prcs as a specific rule, and they also have an effective spell-based caster level for item creation feats.

If it helps, think of them like what psionics is to magic. It's very similar with overlaps in several areas but they are different.

[Necroticplague]

The other side of the argument is that infusions are dispellable and there's no language indicating that they don't use caster levels, which means they have caster level.
1.'There's nothing indicating they don't...' is horrible, horrible logic. There's nothing indicating humans don't have an insta-kill touch attack, either, but you'll fined that a very, very hard sell to any DM.
2.With that out of the way, they're correct, just for very different reasons.

They function just like spells and follow all the rules for spells. That would include having a caster level. In fact, even if we look at the Infusions themselves, they make references to caster level.


Ablative Armor

Abjuration
Level: Artificer 1,
Components: S, M,
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: Suit of armor touched
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: None (object)
Spell Resistance: No (object)

Armor imbued with this infusion absorbs 5 points of damage from the next attack that deals damage to the creature that wears it (treat this as one-time damage reduction 5/-). Forms of damage that aren't affected by damage reduction likewise overcome ablative armor. Once the infused item has prevented damage from a single attack (even if not all the damage reduction is needed), the magic fades.

The damage reduction increases by 1 for every caster level above 1st, to a maximum of 15/- at 10th level.

Special: A character with any Mark of Sentinel dragonmark, or with the Favored in House feat (Deneith), casts this infusion at +1 caster level.

Material Component: A shard of scrap metal from a forge.
So, in order for infusions to both work at all as-written, and to comply with being 'just like spells', they have to have a CL.

[magicalmagicman]

1.'There's nothing indicating they don't...' is horrible, horrible logic. There's nothing indicating humans don't have an insta-kill touch attack, either, but you'll fined that a very, very hard sell to any DM.
2.With that out of the way, they're correct, just for very different reasons.
That would include having a caster level. In fact, even if we look at the Infusions themselves, they make references to caster level.

So, in order for infusions to both work at all as-written, and to comply with being 'just like spells', they have to have a CL.

Alright, so this means I can grab craft wand at level 5 right? Awesome! My new character is coming along very nicely :)