What does having a negative caster level mean?

[sullivan]

If you take the Mage Slayer and it reduces your casterlevel to zero or even lower, what happens with spell than don't depend on caster level in a meaningful way? And what happens with spell that do. For example Acid Arrow with a caster level -3, do you get 1 + (-1) = zero arrows at a range of 400'-120'=280'? Basically accomplishing nothing. What about Acid Arrow with a caster level -2, where it would be 1 + 0 at a range of 400' - 80' = 320'?

 

[Jack Simth]

Possibly that you can't cast spells at all anymore for a while?

 

[sullivan]

Possibly that you can't cast spells at all anymore for a while?

That thought occured to me, but caster level adjustments aren't suppose to be used to adjust the number of spells known or spells/day that you cast.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

You have to have the minimum caster level to cast a spell. i.e. you must have at least a caster level of 3 to cast a Fireball. If you have a caster level of 0 or less, you cannot cast spells.

 

[sullivan]

You have to have the minimum caster level to cast a spell. i.e. you must have at least a caster level of 3 to cast a Fireball. If you have a caster level of 0 or less, you cannot cast spells.

I know there is the limit where you have to have Casting Attribute of 10+Spell level. But I don't remember seeing the limit you are giving. Do you have a rule reference?

 

[Thanee]

I don't think there is such a limit and I furthermore don't think the rules really cover negative caster levels, so just make something up.

I'd probably stop at 0 (what would a negative caster level be, anyways?) and calculate everything according to the usual formulas given the current caster level.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Lord Pendragon]

CASTER LEVEL
A spell’s power often depends on its caster level, which for most spellcasting characters is equal to your class level in the class you’re using to cast the spell. You can cast a spell at a lower caster level than normal, but the caster level you choose must be high enough for you to cast the spell in question, and all level-dependent features must be based on the same caster level.

Bold mine.

 

[Jack Simth]

Well.... there's no specific listing that a character casting a prepared spell (or known spell, for spontaneous castings) can't cast it after his effective caster level has been reduced; however, you have problems casting a spell from a scroll if your caster level is lower than the scroll's. Perhaps to cast a spell where you caster level has been reduced beyond where the spell would normally be available to you uses the rules for casting from a scroll?

Edit: Whoops - guess there is. Nevermind.

 

[Thanee]

Aha. Then you need [(spell level x2)-1] as a minimum caster level?

Bye
Thanee

 

[sullivan]

Bold mine.

The context is voluntary choice of caster level (if you were trying to pull punches with a damage spell?). I suppose you could rule that the limitation extends to involuntary choice as well.