Determining Caster Level of Magic Items

[RNightstalker]

So we recently ran into a bit of an issue with an incomplete reading of Dispel Magic. But since there's a Spellfire Channeler in the group it would be a good thing to learn. How does one determine the Caster Level of a simple +2 weapon, and for any other item that doesn't have a caster level listed in the description?

[Tzardok]

Caster Level for Weapons

The caster level of a weapon with a special ability is given in the item description. For an item with only an enhancement bonus and no other abilities, the caster level is three times the enhancement bonus. If an item has both an enhancement bonus and a special ability, the higher of the two caster level requirements must be met.

Here's the Link. (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm)

[RNightstalker]

Here's the Link. (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm)

This is what happens when one does too much skimming...thanks.

[Powerdork]

And for items with abilities rather than an enhancement bonus, the caster level is (probably) the lowest level that a member of the creator's class needs to be to cast any spells involved in its construction (which are usually the spells that the effect most closely resembles, if not spells outright named in the description). Vain higher-level creators who feel like being tacky or gaming the system can set the caster level of any non-Spell-in-a-Can item to a level as high as their own without issue, as far as I'm aware. (Spells in Cans, as normal, have costs scaling by caster level, meaning that it's actually meaningful if an effect has a higher caster level than the minimum.)

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Also keep in mind, that's only the default (i.e. published) caster level for magic items discovered as loot. Magic items that are crafted during play, whether by PCs or by NPCs, have their caster level determined on creation. The relevant section in the DMG was updated in the errata, the SRD has the current wording:

Caster Level (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#casterLevel)
The next item in a notational entry gives the caster level of the item, indicating its relative power. The caster level determines the item’s saving throw bonus, as well as range or other level-dependent aspects of the powers of the item (if variable). It also determines the level that must be contended with should the item come under the effect of a dispel magic spell or similar situation. This information is given in the form "CL x," where "CL" is an abbreviation for caster level and "x" is an ordinal number representing the caster level itself.

For potions, scrolls, and wands, the creator can set the caster level of an item at any number high enough to cast the stored spell and not higher than her own caster level. For other magic items, the caster level is determined by the creator. The minimum caster level is that which is needed to meet the prerequisites given.