Number of Magic Missiles

[Spove]

I was of the opinion that in all class ability and spell descriptions class level was implied.

The wording of magic missile:

"For every two levels of experience past 1st, the character gains an additional missile. "

raised some controversy at a game this weekend. We ruled that it was indeed class level and not character level. Although not all readily agreed with this ruling. I seem to recall reading that all descriptions were in terms of class level. But I can't seem to find that reference now.

What's your take? If you agree, where is it written?

 

[CRGreathouse]

It's caster level (=class level for wizards). I believe the text explains this in chapter 10 ("Magic").

 

[Spove]

More

I should add that the main arguments for the proponents of the character level translation was that if it was just bad wording, why wasn't it in the errata?

While I agree that it is indeed class/caster level it should have been in the errata.

 

[AuraSeer]

Errata is used for correcting mistakes in the text. This wording isn't a mistake; someone in your group is just misinterpreting it. (Probably it was a multiclass mage, for whom such an interpretation would result in greater spell power. Am I right?)

Spell powers are always based on caster level.

 

[Spove]

(Probably it was a multiclass mage, for whom such an interpretation would result in greater spell power. Am I right?)

Yes.

 

[IceBear]

Re: More

Nevermind

IceBear

 

[Destil]

A quickcheck reveals that the wording is a verbatum copy of the 2E version of the spell, and more likely than not a holdover from the original description by EGG. Some sacred cows die hard.

 

[Darklone]

It's not a sacred cow. As mentioned above, at the beginning of the magic chapters, they state that in the spell descriptions the caster level is the relevant level, no matter how dilute the wording later may be.