How important is caster level post 20th?

[Particle_Man]

I am looking at the Cosmic Descryer class, and it gives HD boosts to summoned creatures, and later on a temporary caster level boost, but mainly it is a half-caster class.

On the other hand, once one has gotten a caster class to 20, then caster level does not determine how many spell slots one has.

So what does one lose by being a half caster, once one has 20 caster levels "in the bank"?

I assume it is harder to penetrate SR, for one thing.

 

[Pergentile]

I am not the most familiar with epic levels, but in a lot of cases caster level doesn't need to be as important even pre-epic. It really depends on the type of caster you are playing. A Transmuter can get by with only half the number of spells because they need to cast very few, and run in to stomp stuff, the rest are just utility. If you are trying to make an optimized character build (and considering the other threads you've made this week, that seems the case) that goes into epic levels, you really need to think about what it's going to be fighting. Epic level stuff varies even more greatly then pre-epic, and some things can be made completely useless. I personally am not a fan of caster level, and would suggest you not worry about it.

 

[Particle_Man]

Not optimized primarily. I am taking fiendish heritage feats for all non-epic-level, non-prerequisites to the various prestige classes, and they are not the optimizing choice for the character (I am not even taking the feat that gives you a permanent elemental buddy, and that one is in the same book at the fiendish heritage feats). I am also looking at "cool" spells, like shadow landscape, ruby ray of reversal, firestorm, abyssal rift, maybe wall of eyes, etc., rather than, say, greater dispel magic (or dispel magic).

I am going for theme primarily.

But I don't want to unnecessarily hose myself either (I will accept a weaker character for thematic reasons, but don't wish to weaken the character, thematic considerations being equal either way).

And oddly, I don't expect to even play the character I have in mind. It is just an idea I like to create, and was somewhat surprised to see that there is an epic prestige class (cosmic descryer) that seems to fit like lego onto sorcerer 6/malconvoker 5/fiend-blooded 10.

Call it an obsession, somewhat cheaper than most.

 

[Arkhandus]

I am looking at the Cosmic Descryer class, and it gives HD boosts to summoned creatures, and later on a temporary caster level boost, but mainly it is a half-caster class.

On the other hand, once one has gotten a caster class to 20, then caster level does not determine how many spell slots one has.

So what does one lose by being a half caster, once one has 20 caster levels "in the bank"?

I assume it is harder to penetrate SR, for one thing.

Yes, caster level beyond 20th is still important for overcoming Spell Resistance. Picking out a random monster from the ELH, an Uvuudaum (CR 27) has SR 39, for example. Casters with CL of 20 ain't gonna do jack squat to one of them 95% of the time. Gloom, CR 25, SR 35. Chichimec, CR 21, SR 33. Umbral Blot, CR 32, SR 44. Thorciasid, CR 22, SR 34. LeShay, CR 28, SR 42. Adult Prismatic Dragon, CR 39, SR 54. Hecatoncheires, CR 57, SR 70. Etc.

Not a deal-breaker, with Epic Spell Penetration and/or Practiced Spellcaster feats, but still important.

Also, caster level continues to affect spell damage etc. if you use the Enhance Spell epic metamagic feat to increase damage caps and such.

Overall, caster level isn't very important at epic levels, but it still matters in some regards.