Stoic Caster; What should the prereqs be?

[Cabral]

Stoic Caster [General]
You are less vulnerable when casting spells
Prerequisites:Caster Level 4th, Combat Casting, Concentration 7 ranks
Benefit:You may take 10 on concentration checks to cast defensively.
Special:Anyone who can take Combat Casting as a bonus feat, may take Stoic Caster as a bonus feat.

Prereqs are just off the top of my head. Originally this feat was going to allow casters to cast spells without provoking attacks of opportunities. As it is now, it pretty much still does. a 4th level caster needs a concentration (DC 17) check to cast a 2nd lvl spell defensively. with combat casting, the bonus will be +11 (+ con modifier) or a take-10 total of 21 (+con modifier). However, it makes the character more suceptable to curses and ability drain.

 

[Cabral]

After thinking about it a bit more. I think it should become available at around level 10 maybe 8 or 9, when the Rogue can choose Skill Mastery and take 10 on 3+Int modifier skills.

So, how about:
Prerequisites: Concentration 12 ranks, Combat Casting

 

[Sravoff]

15+spell level.

So the highest DC is 24, making it possible to cast all spells on the defensive for free at level 4. That is if the character has no con bonus. Combat casting +4, skill focus concentration +3, stoic caster, skill ranks +7. Non humans would have to wait till 6th. That is quite a bit over powering IMHO.

Plus, that frees up another 16 skill points that don't need to go into concentration.

Not sure how that could be fixed though. Perhaps let them take it and they can take 10 on 0th-1st level spells, each tiem they take it after that they gain an additional level of spells usable by this.

Hope some of that helps, and I hope I didn't sound harsh, I didn't mean to.

-Sravoff

 

[Cabral]

No, I quite agree, I'm just trying to make a feat that reduces dice rolling and gives a nice benefit to casters comensurate to the feat slot they use. I suppose I could try setting the precident of take 5 on a check, or make it require a full round to cast (along the same lines as metamagic and sorcerer)

Hmm. actually, a metamagic feat, Defensive Spell [metamagic] might not be a bad idea. spell takes a slot one or two levels higher but the simplified casting requirements allow to cast the spell without provoking an attack of opportunity ....

 

[Cabral]

Actually, after looking up Shielded Casting from Races of Stone, I think the original feat isn't that bad. Shielded Casting allows you to ignore AoOs if you're wielding a shield bigger than a buckler and be qualified for two levels sooner.

I think I'll go with:
Stoic Caster [General]
Prerequisites: Concentration 9 ranks, Combat Casting
Benefit: You may take 10 on the concentration check to cast defensively.

You still need to keep worrying about concentration for readied actions and 1 round+ casting times.

 

[Sravoff]

Actually, after looking up Shielded Casting from Races of Stone, I think the original feat isn't that bad. Shielded Casting allows you to ignore AoOs if you're wielding a shield bigger than a buckler and be qualified for two levels sooner.

You get spell failure don't you? Or are arcane caster there not subject to spell failure.

 

[Cabral]

Yes, but divine casters don't. And a small shield is 5%, I believe? (0% if it's mithral)

 

[Sravoff]

So it is.

I still don't like it. But now I think it is down to opinions.

Looks balanced when compared to the other feat to me.

-Sravoff

 

[Cabral]

Well, thinking about it, this version requires you to be 6th level, have combat casting, and 9 ranks in Concentration to qualify for it. At this point, does it make it more likely to cast a spell defensively? A spell caster would have a +13 bonus without a con modifier.

At this point, let's compare it to Skill Focus (Concentration). With a +13 bonus, taking 10 is a result of 23 (which is enough for a level 8 spell), but Skill Focus (Concentration) yields results of +17 (1) to 36 (20), average result is 26.5 (10.5). SF(C) is more widely applicable but 0th and 1st lvl spells have a 5% chance of failure and the rest have a (spell level -1) * 5% chance of failure. (5% for level 2, 10% for level 3, the maximum a 6th level caster can cast normally)

As the character advances in level, the numbers skew in favor of SF(C) ... a 20th level caster with 20 ranks in concentration with combat casting (and still no Con modifier) has a +24 bonus, enough to cast any spell defensively with only a 5% chance of rolling a 1 and autofailing.

In exchange for automaticly succeeding at casting defensively on spells level 0-8, you give up the more widely applicable +3 bonus from skill focus (concentration). In my opinion, skill focus (concentration) actually makes stoic caster less tempting as it increases the spell levels you can reliably cast defensively. In effect, you are giving up a feat slot to: eliminate the automatic failure on a 1. Reduce die rolling.

I like it and 6th level feels like a good point to make it available.