[3.5e] Raising Caster Level to create Constructs

[ericlboyd]

Greetings,

I have an NPC who I want to make 15th level (some type of specialist, probably evoker 5 / Red Wizard of Thay 10).

I'd like him to be able to create a grisgol (MM3), a type of construct based on a lich's phylactery.

CL 19th; Craft Construct
(see page 303 of the Monster Manual), control undead, geas/ quest, illusory script, insanity, limited wish, mending, polymorph any object, plus all spells to be included in the grisgol, caster must be at least 19th level;
Price 210,000 gp; Cost 110,000 gp + 8,000 XP.

My question: Could he meet the requirement for 19th level by using a ring of arcane might (Magic Item Compendium) and 3 tattoos created using Create Magic Tattoo (Spell Compendium)?

Thanks,

--Eric

[JNAProductions]

Ring of Arcane Might does nothing to help you here.

And I don't have the book for Magic Tattoos, but I highly doubt three of them stack for the same bonus.

[ciopo]

My reading :
ring of arcane might :my gut feeling is no, because the prerequisite is not a caster level check

tattoos: yes, the text in spell compendium call it explicitly caster level, but caveat : that's only a +1, because of the same source not stacking thing, the text about 3 tattoos is for 3 different effects in my opinion.

orange ioun stone : yes , +1

some other maybes :

Adept spirit from Magic of incarnum is another +1 , but this is iffy because it's duration of 1 minute once the immediate action is used, but theoretically you can make a permanent wondrous item for 12000gp, then you just have to summon the spirit every minute? from a fluff point of view I would say that the distraction of having to resummon the spirit makes you not able to concentrate on crafting


spellgifted trait. the point of contention here is that you don't use any specific school to power the feat . I put a maybe because it is reasonable to me that a spellgifted[transmutation] would count forrcraft construct, maybe necromancy, too

go psionic and overchannel? same problem as spellgifted, you aren't casting any spell so ???

bead of karma, again you aren't casting any spell :(

question for you, CAN he afford it? Even crafting it himself that's still half his WBL. ok it's a kickass 19HD construct, but how do you plan to deal with the "polymorph any object" prerequisite? or the 9th level spell for his spelllike? how is this 15th level NPC affording 19 castings of these above. Here I am assuming these spell prerequisites for construct behaves like the prerequisites for weapons etc. So this construct is crazy expensive to make if the NPC don't know these spell herself. If you are handwaving the gold cost away, then the NPC could have just bought a ready made construct at a much cheaper price than the gazillion gp all those scrolls would have costed?

Honestly, if you want to throw around a NPC with minions above their level, go psion/constructor (https://web.archive.org/web/20160403200434/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625b) , with overchannel alone you can pull out a psionic construct IX at ECL15. if you go psionic 6/constructor 9 and add other CL boosting shenanigans, you can even do 2 construct in one casting at CL19

[CIDE]

With your given build I'm not sure how you'd get your hands on the spell. You'd also need to find some way around the very limited duration. Buuuttt Consumptive Field (and Greater Consumptive Field) can raise you caster level by a max of half your original caster level. It doesn't say anything about the next spell you cast or anything like that. You also need a few sacrifices friends to help you out.

[ericlboyd]

Really appreciate the suggestions and feedback here, so I came up with a totally different tactic.

As written, the grisgol (made from a lich) can cast spells between levels 0 and 9. To create, requires a 19th level caster.

However, liches can be as weak as 11th level wizards, who can only cast spells up to level 6.

Therefore, there could easily be a "lesser grisgol" built from lower level liches who can't cast spells of 9th level. I'm going to try to create that. (Just starting.)

--Eric

[Asmotherion]

Yes, you can use your maximum caster level, including temporary adjustments, unless it is noted otherwise in the entry.

PS: If you're a red wizard, you should look into Circle magic and what it does.