Order of CL bonuses

[schreier]

If you have taken Abjurant Champion to level 5 (which grants "Martial Arcanist), your CL is set to the higher of your CL (A) or your BAB (B).

If you also have things that raise your CL like an orange Ioun Stone (C), do they increase your (A) before comparing to (B), or do you add it to the higher of A or B?

For example:

Ranger 2, Warblade 1, Barbarian 1, Fighter 1, Wizard 1, Abjurant Champion 5 --

Level 11, BAB 10, 6 levels in casting classes (so CL6 normally) and with an orange ioun stone (CL +1)

Do you compare CL 7 (6 levels in class + 1 for ioun stone) to BAB 10 to get effective CL 10 (the BAB) or do you add the +1 for the stone at the end for CL 11?

I know generally you can add bonuses in the most advantageous order, but the Martial Arcanist ability says " your caster level in a chosen arcane spellcasting class is equal to your base attack bonus (unless it would otherwise be higher)"

[OrbanSirgen]

Compare base CL to BAB, then add bonuses...

[ZamielVanWeber]

If you control all effects you apply them in whatever order you please, normally the order that gives you the highest CL.

[Khedrac]

If you control all effects you apply them in whatever order you please, normally the order that gives you the highest CL.

This is the general principle, but there are exceptions (usually based on common sense). In this case I completely agree with the above, but if you think your DM might not, and you need some logic to back it up then try the following:

Step 1: apply all effects from class abilities.
Step 2: apply all affects from feats.
Step 3: apply all continuous effects from magic items.
Step 4: apply all temporary effects in the order in which they were applied.

In this case only steps 1 and 3 apply, and you have good solid justification for applying the ioun stone after the class ability.

[schreier]

Thank you all! And I assume if you have multiple class abilities, it would be the same (for example, the +1 to CL from Ultimate Magus for example)

[Jay R]

First of all, unless you can cite a clear, unambiguous rule, it's a judgment call by your DM. [Even if there is, the DM can overrule that with a judgment call, but he rarely will.]

If I were you, and the DM wasn't sure, I would say, "My character grabs his Ioun stone and puts it in his pouch. What is his CL?" Clearly, the answer is 6.

Then I would say, "He takes out the Ioun stone and uses it for +1 CL."

This is the best justification I can come up with. A character with that item should have +1 CL compared to the same character without it. If I were the DM, that's how I'd rule.

But I'm not the DM. After you give him your best argument, your DM will rule, and you need to respect and follow that ruling.