Can a spellcaster choose to do less?

[DreamChaser]

In situations where a spell's effect scales as the caster's level increases, can the spellcaster choose to reduce the effect from the maximum.

For example

1d6 per level of the fireball...could a 9th level wizard choose to do 3d6 damage?

10 ft per level area of the Sunburst spell. Could a 17th level caster choose to do 140 ft?

The rules don't specify so far as I can find but I'm wondering if that is because it never occurred to them that anyone would want to.

 

[Berk]

This would prolly be a house rule but I personally don't see why not. Just that if you scaled down the range of a spell or AoE of a spell then everything else would get scaled down to the appropriate range also. Ie... 9th level sor casts fireball but wants to do only 3d6, that fireball would be cast as if cast by a 3rd level sor then for all numerical purposes.

 

[mzsylver]

a wizard can always choose to cast a spell at a lower level - but it must at least be the minimum level for the spell.

so, in your fireball example, you could choose to cast it at 5th level (not 3rd) because that is the minimum level. hope that helps!

 

[Antikinesis]

From the SRD...

Caster Level

A spell's power often depends on its caster level, which is generally equal to the character's class level.

The character can cast a spell at a lower caster level than normal, but the caster level must be high enough for the character to cast the spell in question, and all level-dependent features must be based on the same caster level.

There ya go.

-AK

 

[DreamChaser]

thanks

 

[AuraSeer]

Right. You can always voluntarily lower your caster level, down to the minimum level required for you to cast the spell. Note that this means a Wiz20 can cast a Fireball for as little as 5d6, but a Sor20 must do at least 6d6 (since sorcerers can't cast 3rd-level spells before 6th caster level).