Spell Penetration or Arcane Mastery: Which is better?

[Plane Sailing]

infiniti2000, thanks for the Assay Resistance tip. I've never even heard of that spell before but it is definitely on my list. I was going to take Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration as my next two feats but this makes them almost useless.

Definitely check with your DM on the Assay Resistance spell, as it is a non-core spell which breaks SR up and spits on the chunks!

 

[Stalker0]

Arcane Mastery also works for dispel checks? In that case, don't even look at spell penetration Just the you don't have to roll 10 dispel checks when you use a targeted dispel magic is worth the feat to me

 

[Slaved]

When can you even use arcane mastery?

The feat in complete arcane says that you are able to take 10 as if the caster level check was a skill check. In order to take 10 with a skill check you cannot be threatened or distracted.

My group has always assumed that this means that you cannot take 10 while you are considered to be in combat. Pretty much this means that anytime we are actually using initiative or there are hostiles nearby.

If skills actually work that way then so does arcane mastery at which point arcane mastery appears to be useful just about never.

 

[Slaved]

no one knows?

 

[Cheiromancer]

I think it is just to clarify what "take 10" means. For the sake of brevity they didn't want to write "Instead of rolling 1d20 for the caster level check, calculate your result as if you had rolled a 10." I don't think the limitations of taking 10 (only use when not distracted or threatened, etc.) are inherited.