Ranger / Paldin Spells and Casting

[FCWesel]

If a ranger (or paladin) is casting a spell does it go off (for various effects like duration, ta=rgets) at his ranger level or as of the level he starts casting spells?

 

[Eridanis]

Paladins and rangers have caster level equal to half their class level. So, if a 16th level paladin casts a spell that has medium range (100 ft +10 ft/lvl), the range is (100 + 10*8)= 180 feet.

 

[AuraSeer]

Neither. Paladins and rangers have caster level of one-half their class level. For instance, a 10th-level paladin has caster level 5. A 17th-level ranger has caster level 8.

(Note that before they gain the ability to cast spells, they have no caster level at all.)

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Rangers and paladins have a caster level of 1/2 their ranger or paladin level. A 10th level ranger's caster level, therefore, is 5 and that is what his spells' duration and other variables are based on.

I use a house rule that makes the ranger and paladin caster level equal to their class level -3.

 

[Darklone]

Doc, I like that rule. I agree that rangers and paladins are mostly shafted by spells/day and spell selection. That's enough IMHO.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Thanks Darklone. That is one of the little things I have done for rangers (and paladins) to make them more playable at the mid-level. I don't like any of the alt.rangers I have seen, including my own attempts. So I give them a better caster level (this helps with animal companions, too), start the favored enemy out at +2 instead of +1 (a simple way to give this ability some teeth without completely changing it), and increase their skill points per level to 6 (along with the bard). Still does not address the problem of frontloading, but I did not think the ranger was inordinately frontloaded anyway.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I use a house rule that makes the ranger and paladin caster level equal to their class level -3.

I have independently done the same thing. Great minds think alike, Dr Zoom!

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

Consider the caster level -3 "yoinked".

 

[theoremtank]

Neither. Paladins and rangers have caster level of one-half their class level. For instance, a 10th-level paladin has caster level 5. A 17th-level ranger has caster level 8.

(Note that before they gain the ability to cast spells, they have no caster level at all.)

I too considered a caster level of Class Level - 3 seemed more appropriate for Paladins and Rangers. Although, for some weird aesthetic reason, I don't like that the caster level is 17 at level 20.

Does anyone know what the reasoning was for making the caster level of both Paladin and Ranger equal to 1/2 their level? What was the purpose behind this? I don't like that the caster level starts at 2 with this method.

 

[Darklone]

It was easy to calculate?

Doc Zoom: Favored Enemy of rangers... If it starts at +2, then many elven or dwarven rangers with Fav En humans rock A LOT in my rather low magic humano centric settings...

I think that would be too much.