Impact of increasing paladin/ranger caster level?

[Jeph]

Uh . . . on the issue of scroll price . . . can't a caster voluntarily make a scroll of a lower caster level?

 

[Crothian]

Uh . . . on the issue of scroll price . . . can't a caster voluntarily make a scroll of a lower caster level?

Yes he can

 

[CRGreathouse]

Uh . . . on the issue of scroll price . . . can't a caster voluntarily make a scroll of a lower caster level?

Yes. The point was that the minimum caster level would increase.

A scroll of holy sword now costs a minimum of 25 * 4 * (n / 2), where n is the minimum level to cast 4th level paladin spells (I'm too lazy to look it up). With this change, it would be 25 * 4 * n, or twice the price.

 

[Seule]

Bumping up the power of Animal Friendship isn't such a big concern, because most of the power of an animal companion comes from other spells, which the Druid has better access to anyway. Particularly with spells like Animal Growth and Nature's Avatar, nobody should ever underestimate the power of a good animal companion at high levels, particularly using all the stuff in Masters of the Wild. I worked up the stats on a fully buffed Legendary Horse for my (then 18th level) druid adventuring companion, and our GM hasn't let her have an animal companion since. We are all convinced that he is scared, he claims it have story considerations in mind. Basically, after a bunch of buffing spells (9 I think), the horse was a better fighter than anyone in the party. Scary.
If anyone wants, I can post those stats.
Basically, Rangers don't get access to the best animal buffing spells, and as such their companions won't be as powerful. And then people might want to play one again.
Personally, I'd go with level-3 for caster level.

--Seule

 

[Thorvald Kviksverd]

How about allowing a choice upon reaching 4th level (or whenever spellcasting is gained)...

If the character chooses to concentrate more on magical ability--thereby granting him a higher effective caster level--his base HD for that class will thereafter be reduced one step (ex. d10-->d8).

If, on the other hand, he chooses to continue to concentrate more on his combat training, things will progress as usual--and he will retain his d10 HD.

 

[Crothian]

If the character chooses to concentrate more on magical ability--thereby granting him a higher effective caster level--his base HD for that class will thereafter be reduced one step (ex. d10-->d8).
.

I don't think the two are equal. Losing the hit points seems like a bigger cost then getting higher caster levels.

 

[Thorvald Kviksverd]

I don't think the two are equal. Losing the hit points seems like a bigger cost then getting higher caster levels.

Perhaps.

Assuming that the class is 'balanced' to begin with, what would you have them lose in order to gain this ability? Or perhaps they should gain something in addition to the increased spell ability when having their HD reduced?

If the latter is the case, perhaps the Ranger could also gain the ability to 'detect evil'--to represent his closer attunement to his deity or nature?

For the Paladin? Perhaps some type of improved healing or laying on hands?

Anywho, just a thought.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Personally I'd see setting caster level as class level -3 as redressing an imbalance rather than giving a new benefit; I wouldn't make Paladins or Rangers take a choice, I'd just give it to them.

Cheers

 

[Dr. Zoom]

I use caster level is class level -3.

 

[reapersaurus]

I've promoted this for awhile now.

I see no long-scale benefit to double (or triple) penalizing the paladins and rangers spell casting ability.

They get penalized by lack of spell selection, slow spell progression, AND half-caster level?!
It's always been an oversight in my eyes, and old school.

Full caster levels for both.