Rakshasa Duskblade and Practiced Spellcaster

[Thurbane]

Quick question: could a Rakshasa with levels in Duskblade take the Practiced Spellcaster feat to improve it's Sorcerer casting, since this is an innate racial ability rather than a true class?

Spells: A rakshasa character casts spells as a 7th-level sorcerer. If the character takes additional levels of sorcerer, these levels stack with the rakshasa’s base spellcasting ability for spells known, spells per day, and other effects dependent on caster level. A rakshasa character likewise uses the sum of its racial spellcasting levels and class levels to determine the abilities of its familiar.

Your caster level for the chosen spellcasting class increases by +4. This can't increase your caster level beyond your HD. However, even if you can't benefit from the full bonus immediately, if you later gain noncaster-level HD you maybe able to apply the rest of the bonus.
For example, a human 5th-level cleric/3rd-level fighter who selects this feat would increase his cleric caster level from 5th to 8th (since he has 8 HD). If he later gained a fighter level, he would gain the remainder of the bonus and his cleric caster level would become 9th (since he now has 9 HD).
A character with two or more spellcasting classes (such as a bard/sorcerer or a ranger/druid) must choose which class gains the feat's effect.
This does not affect your spells per day or spells known, it only increases your caster level, which would help you penetrate SR and increase the duration and other effects of your spells.

 

[Kat']

From the SRD:

A spellcasting creature is not actually a member of a class unless its entry says so, and it does not gain any class abilities.

... and Practised Spellcaster increases your CL for a specific class you have levels in, so it doesn't work.

Mind you, you could take it to improve your Duskblade's CL.

 

[brehobit]

I would certainly allow it. I allow it for dragons too. Doesn't help all that much, but sure...

Mark

 

[Nifft]

Just give him one level of Sorcerer, too. Then he has Sorcerer as a class, and by the RAW his spellcasting ability stacks between racial HD and Sorcerer levels.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Intrope]

Just give him one level of Sorcerer, too. Then he has Sorcerer as a class, and by the RAW his spellcasting ability stacks between racial HD and Sorcerer levels.

Cheers, -- N

Hmmm...but if Rak hit die are not Sorcerer levels, can you double-count them for Practiced Spell Caster? After all, a Ftr7/Src1 w/PSC has a Sorcerer Caster Level of 5. A Rak/Src1 has a Caster Level of 8--would PSC make that 12?

 

[Asmor]

Hmmm...but if Rak hit die are not Sorcerer levels, can you double-count them for Practiced Spell Caster? After all, a Ftr7/Src1 w/PSC has a Sorcerer Caster Level of 5. A Rak/Src1 has a Caster Level of 8--would PSC make that 12?

By the RAW, yes, that is how it would work.

However, it is clear here that the intention is for the Rakshasa's outsider hit dice to also function as sorcerer levels, so I would not allow it.

I would, however, allow the Rakshasa to take practice spellcaster, treating its 7 outsider hit dice as sorcerer levels.

Remember, the game is run by people, not computers. Thus, we're free to make judgement calls like this. Sometimes the RAW are, frankly, wrong.

 

[Nifft]

Hmmm...but if Rak hit die are not Sorcerer levels, can you double-count them for Practiced Spell Caster? After all, a Ftr7/Src1 w/PSC has a Sorcerer Caster Level of 5. A Rak/Src1 has a Caster Level of 8--would PSC make that 12?

I don't think that would fly, since Rakshasa already have hit dice equal to their racial caster level. You need hit dice in excess of your caster level to benefit.

Taking one level of Sorcerer merely qualifies you for the feat.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Asmor]

I don't think that would fly, since Rakshasa already have hit dice equal to their racial caster level. You need hit dice in excess of your caster level to benefit.

Taking one level of Sorcerer merely qualifies you for the feat.

Cheers, -- N

Don't have the exact wording of the feat handy, but I'd think that Practiced Spellcaster enhances your caster level from your class... And then the Rakshasa's racial ability adds even more. So you'd have (1+4)+7

 

[Nifft]

Don't have the exact wording of the feat handy

Yes you do, just read the first post in this thread. First two sentences prohibit your cheese.

- - -

Actually, I take back my suggestion of needing a Sorcerer level to qualify. I don't see anywhere a requirement of a specific class feature other than the implicit requirement of spellcasting as a particular class, and it would seem that the Rakshasa has similar enough language to qualify.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Thurbane]

Thanks for the feedback. I have decided that based on the above, I'll allow him to use PSc with his innate Sorcerer levels.