So, strictly by RAW, an artificer does not have caster level?

[Shin Okada]

No one in my play group ever tried to play an artificer. But as there is one warforged PC in current party, I re-read the description of artificer class and infusion, looking for if I can let appear something cool in my campaign. But I am a little bit confused.

Though the Eberron CS says that infusion function just like spells and follow all the rules for spells, it also emphasis that Artificers are not spell casters and infusions are not spells. And, it seems that there is no mentioning about an artificer having caster level other than effective caster level for item creation. Does that mean, strictly by RAW, an artificer does not have caster level?

If so, I am afraid that an artificer infusions are often really useless. Many infusions will end up having duration of 0 rounds and such. Repair XX Damage infusions cannot get + modifiers (as artificers don't have CL). Total Repair does not repair any hp damages (it repairs 10 points of damages per level of the CASTER). Are there any revision or something was done to this class? Or did I just overlook something?

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

No, they have CL where their own infusions are concerned. The warnings are to make it clear that artificer CL does not stack with other CL. Even so with their virtual CL for item creation and some inventiveness they're probably the most broken class in 3.5e

 

[Vegepygmy]

Though the Eberron CS says that infusion function just like spells and follow all the rules for spells, it also emphasis that Artificers are not spell casters and infusions are not spells. And, it seems that there is no mentioning about an artificer having caster level other than effective caster level for item creation. Does that mean, strictly by RAW, an artificer does not have caster level?

I don't think so. I think it means that, strictly by RAW, infusions function just like spells and follow all the rules for spells, except as otherwise stated. Which means artificers have a "caster level" for their infusions just like spellcasters do, equal to their class level (as spellcasters generally do).