Practiced spellcaster

[Splendor]

Secrets of the Forge (Ex): A battlesmith learns some of the great dwarven secrets of forging weapons and armor. A battlesmith receives Craft Magic Arms and Armor as a bonus feat, regardless of her caster level. Multiply the battle smith’s class level by 3 to determine her effective caster level for the purpose of creating magic arms and armor (this benefit stacks with any other caster levels the battlesmith might have).

Practiced spellcaster says "Your caster level for the chosen spellcasting class increases by +4."

Would practiced spellcaster increase the Secrets of the Forge ability? Even if its not technically a spellcasting class.

[Starbuck_II]

Would practiced spellcaster increase the Secrets of the Forge ability? Even if its not technically a spellcasting class.

PS only increases a spellcasting class by 4 (up to Character level).

[Raiki]

Yes, but it would add after the multiplication, like so: (BS x 3) + 4.

And even then, it couldn't rise above your hit dice Character Level.

Edit: Fixed, and Ninja'd to boot.

~R~

[Splendor]

What if I took practiced spellcaster before I took a level in battlesmith? Would my caster level be 4?

[Os1ris09]

What if I took practiced spellcaster before I took a level in battlesmith? Would my caster level be 4?

Do you have a spell casting class that is less than your character level? If not then the feat doesn't apply at all

[lvl 1 sharnian]

Wouldn't beneficial stacking come into play here? Like Battlesmith 1 has CL 3
but takes Practiced Spellcaster. Normally that would be CL 7, but due to beneficial stacking that could be CL 15?

[Devils_Blind]

They wouldn't stack, unless you have a spellcasting class, since practiced spellcaster only applies to a spellcasting class, which battlesmith is not. The battlesmith caster level only applies for purposes of creating arms and armor, not for qualifying for feats.

If you had a prior spellcasting class, then it depends. The battlesmith bonus on its own could push you above your HD in caster level, but as far as I know, there aren't stacking rules to determine the order the bonuses are applied in, so which is checked first would be determined by your DM.

In short, I think you'll need a house rule.

[Abd al-Azrad]

What if I took practiced spellcaster before I took a level in battlesmith? Would my caster level be 4?

No, Practiced Spellcaster does not give you a caster level, it only improves on your existing one. Hence why you must choose an existing Spellcasting Class for it to improve upon.

Wouldn't beneficial stacking come into play here? Like Battlesmith 1 has CL 3
but takes Practiced Spellcaster. Normally that would be CL 7, but due to beneficial stacking that could be CL 15?

No, for two reasons.

1) As has been said, Practiced Spellcaster can only apply to a spellcasting class, which Battlesmith is not. But I consider this a somewhat weak point, since Battlesmith gives you an effective caster level, and you don't actually need a caster level to qualify for Practiced Spellcaster- it's prereq is Spellcraft 4 ranks, nothing else.

As a DM, I would honestly be OK with allowing a player to apply Practiced to their Battlesmith caster level, because I define 'Spellcasting Class' to be any class that has a caster level, not necessarily a class that can cast a given spell. Battlesmith is just a highly specialized and focused spellcaster, that can only perform one feat of magic, i.e. crafting enchanted armor and weaponry.

But...

2) Practiced Spellcaster modifies your caster level, not your effective class level for determining effective caster level. In this case, Battlesmith's class ability determines your effective caster level to be (Battlesmith level x3), and Practiced Spellcaster improves it after, by up to +4 or your Hit Dice, whichever comes first.

As an aside:

The battlesmith caster level only applies for purposes of creating arms and armor, not for qualifying for feats.

You don't need a caster level to apply for Practiced Spellcaster. This is an issue that would affect your ability to take many feats, yes, but Practiced Spellcaster can be taken by anyone. It can't be used, sure, without a spellcasting class level...

[Sophismata]

You'd need a spellcasting class... eg Wizard 1. Then you could Practised Spellcaster the Wizard to Wizard 5, which would stack with the (Battlecaster x 3) caster levels.

[Tyndmyr]

You'd need a spellcasting class... eg Wizard 1. Then you could Practised Spellcaster the Wizard to Wizard 5, which would stack with the (Battlecaster x 3) caster levels.

This.

I believe when order is not specified, the player chooses. Im not aware of any specific ruling on the order of stacking in this instance, so it should be fine.

While cool, it's not obscenely crazy, either. I'd certainly allow it as a DM.