Stupid, probably obvious caster level question
- Thread starter sukael
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Hypersmurf
Moderatarrrrh...
It's interesting to look at the way the PrCs in the DMG phrase it. Let's take a few of them...
Arcane Trickster:
When a new arcane trickster level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for an increased effective level of spellcasting.
So, the Arcane Trickster gains new spells per day, and increased caster level. No mention is made of new spells known.
Archmage:
When a new archmage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast 7th-level spells before he added the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained.
Notice the absence of the "increased effective level of spellcasting". So the archmage gains new spells per day, and spells known... but no mention is made of caster level.
Loremaster:
When a new loremaster level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of loremaster to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.
Now, this is interesting. New spells per day, new spells known, and no other benefit (just like the archmage)... with the explanation that this means new spells per day, new spells known, and increased caster level. Apparently, "no other benefit" means "no other benefit except caster level".
Whether this is a special case for the Loremaster, or whether we can apply the same logic to interpreting the Archmage paragraph, is unaddressed - but there is now certainly room for an argument that the Archmage's caster level increases.
Mystic Theurge, Eldritch Knight, and Thaumaturgist all follow essentially the same pattern:
The character gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in whatever spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of the prestige class to the level of whatever other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.
New spells per day, and no other benefit... which means new spells per day and increased caster level. Again, no mention of new spells known.
So, whether the Arcane Trickster, Mystic Theurge, Eldritch Knight, and Thaumaturgist gain new spells known is debatable; whether the Archmage increases in caster level is also debatable.
Accepted wisdom is that despite the differences in the text from class to class, +1 spellcasting level always means spells per day, spells known, and caster level.
-Hyp.
Arcane Trickster:
When a new arcane trickster level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for an increased effective level of spellcasting.
So, the Arcane Trickster gains new spells per day, and increased caster level. No mention is made of new spells known.
Archmage:
When a new archmage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast 7th-level spells before he added the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained.
Notice the absence of the "increased effective level of spellcasting". So the archmage gains new spells per day, and spells known... but no mention is made of caster level.
Loremaster:
When a new loremaster level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of loremaster to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.
Now, this is interesting. New spells per day, new spells known, and no other benefit (just like the archmage)... with the explanation that this means new spells per day, new spells known, and increased caster level. Apparently, "no other benefit" means "no other benefit except caster level".
Whether this is a special case for the Loremaster, or whether we can apply the same logic to interpreting the Archmage paragraph, is unaddressed - but there is now certainly room for an argument that the Archmage's caster level increases.
Mystic Theurge, Eldritch Knight, and Thaumaturgist all follow essentially the same pattern:
The character gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in whatever spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of the prestige class to the level of whatever other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.
New spells per day, and no other benefit... which means new spells per day and increased caster level. Again, no mention of new spells known.
So, whether the Arcane Trickster, Mystic Theurge, Eldritch Knight, and Thaumaturgist gain new spells known is debatable; whether the Archmage increases in caster level is also debatable.
Accepted wisdom is that despite the differences in the text from class to class, +1 spellcasting level always means spells per day, spells known, and caster level.
-Hyp.
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