Monster and Practiced Spellcaster feat

[Shin Okada]

There are monsters who can cast spells as certain class, like True Dragon or Angels. Can they take Practiced Spell caster without actually taking levels in that spellcasting class? Or not?

For example, can an adult blue dragon (casts spells as a 5th-level Sorcerer) take Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer) to increase his caster level (only) by 4? Or should it has at least 1 Sorcerer Class level to take this feat?

 

[Runestar]

It should work, since they count as casting of that class. So your dragon can take it without requiring actual class lvs.

 

[akbearfoot]

I think they technically qualify for it...but it's kinda a slippery slope depending on the monster. A lot of monsters are balanced on the strength of their spell casting abilities....especially mid level monsters with lots of HD but low caster levels. Especially dragons and demons.

I think there is some text regarding what happens if you have more than 1 'spellcasting class', which you could say implies that you require an actual class level. But I don't think thats a rule.

 

[Ydars]

The text says "Choose a spellcasting CLASS that you possess....." so i would say no because Monsters, without class levels, cast spells AS a sorceror or wizard of X level but don't actually possess any class levels. In addition, they have to meet the 4 levels of spellcraft.

 

[Shin Okada]

The text says "Choose a spellcasting CLASS that you possess....." so i would say no because Monsters, without class levels, cast spells AS a sorceror or wizard of X level but don't actually possess any class levels. In addition, they have to meet the 4 levels of spellcraft.

Ah thanks. That is a good point.

 

[freyar]

Inherent spellcasting levels (ie, dragon's caster level) stacks with class levels for all CL purposes, it seems. This does not appear to be spelled out in the SRD anywhere, but it is true of dragons in WotC's Wyrms of the North articles, for example. So just give the dragon one level of sorc and take practiced spellcaster. (Or make a DM ruling about this feat. To be honest, it seems a little broken perhaps.)

 

[the Jester]

I've allowed it, and I recommend it.

It doesn't give them any extra spells, and it maxes out at their HD for how powerful the CL is... I think it's fine for monsters. Furthermore, monsters with "cast spells as lvl x sorcerer" powers stack those levels with sorcerer levels.

By the RAW I think it's debatable, though.

 

[blargney the second]

I let it fly. They're paying a feat and some skill points for it, which could be used for other potentially more powerful benefits.
-blarg

 

[Alzrius]

I've never had a problem with allowing this. While I suppose one can debate it within the scope of the RAW, it honestly seems to be within the spirit of the rules.

Also, I've found that most PCs tend to be slightly more powerful (due to player min-maxing) than what the rules expect, so giving the monsters a bit of extra power with a feat like that seems balanced.

 

[Runestar]

It is fairly neat for dragons. I have always found it irritating how mage armour and shield are standard buffs for dragons, yet their low caster lv all but means that said spells rarely ever survive the first dispel magic leveled at them...