Why does any Ring have a caster level lower than 12?

[Stalker0]

If you glance through the dmg, you'll not many rings have caster levels below 12. However, rings require caster level 12 just to make.

Now a caster can voluntarily lower his caster level, but why would he in this case? The cost doesn't increase with caster level when it comes to rings.

 

[Jack Simth]

Well, it's not listed directly as increasing the cost... but for some of them, it makes a considerable difference.

Consider the Ring of Telekenesis - 5th level spell, caster level 9th; permits you to move up to 225 lbs of stuff, at will. At caster level 15th (where most the variables on the spell cap off) that's 375 lbs of stuff, at will. For such a case, it really ought to increase the price.

Even when the ring isn't doing something that's particularly caster-level dependent, increasing the caster level of an item: 1: boosts it's saves (for that dreaded 1); 2: increases it's resistance to such things as Dispel Magic... both of which are kinda valuable.

 

[Kilroy]

If a ring is made by a 12th level wizard and his first level apprentice, can the apprentice pay the xp, and if so, is the caster level of the ring 1st?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

The Caster Level prerequisite to take the feat (12th, in this case) is not the same thing as the CL needed to make an item.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

If a ring is made by a 12th level wizard and his first level apprentice, can the apprentice pay the xp, and if so, is the caster level of the ring 1st?

Yes - so long as a host of other requirements are met.

 

[JimAde]

If you collaborate on creating the ring, the XP is (I believe) paid by the character with the Forge Ring feat. However the spells might be provided by another caster. So say you're a cleric with the Forge Ring feat and your cousin the 1st-level wizard has the Feather Fall spell. You can work together to crete the ring, which will then have a caster level of 1.

Right?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

If you collaborate on creating the ring, the XP is (I believe) paid by the character with the Forge Ring feat.

No, it's paid by "the creator." The creator sets the CL of the ring, among other things. Those cooperating to create the ring may decide among themselves who will be the creator.

So say you're a cleric with the Forge Ring feat and your cousin the 1st-level wizard has the Feather Fall spell. You can work together to crete the ring, which will then have a caster level of 1.

If the wizard is designated as the creator, the CL is 1 and he must pay the XP. If the cleric is designated as the creator, the CL is Pick(1 - Cleric Level) and he must pay the XP.

 

[JimAde]

No, it's paid by "the creator." The creator sets the CL of the ring, among other things. Those cooperating to create the ring may decide among themselves who will be the creator.



If the wizard is designated as the creator, the CL is 1 and he must pay the XP. If the cleric is designated as the creator, the CL is Pick(1 - Cleric Level) and he must pay the XP.

I'm willing to believe that you get to decide who pays the XP (seems fair) but I can't see how in this example the caster level can be 12. Say you were collaborating on a wand of fireballs. If the caster contributing the fireball spell were 5th level, but the caster with the Craft feat were 10th, would the fireballs do 10d6 damage each?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I'm willing to believe that you get to decide who pays the XP (seems fair) but I can't see how in this example the caster level can be 12. Say you were collaborating on a wand of fireballs. If the caster contributing the fireball spell were 5th level, but the caster with the Craft feat were 10th, would the fireballs do 10d6 damage each?

Yep.

Of course, it would cost twice as much GP and XP to make, but them's the breaks.

EDIT: Or, rather, the creator could choose to set the caster level anywhere between 5 (the minimum required to cast the spell) and 10 (his own).

 

[Bad Paper]

No, it's paid by "the creator." The creator sets the CL of the ring, among other things. Those cooperating to create the ring may decide among themselves who will be the creator.

How can you possibly think that the owner of the Forge Ring feat is not the "creator" of the ring?