Does caster level always increase the number of scaling spells' damage dice? (PFS)

[Gabrens_Pathwarden]

I've always thought that increased caster level (ex. by spell specialization or a magical items like blazing robe) increased the effective number of scaling spells' damage dice, too.

Fireball's description: "deals 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level (maximum 10d6)". If I'm level 8 with spell specialization on fireball, how many dices should I roll, 8 or 10? I'm not sure if caster level affects rolled dices, too.
Some PFS GM told me that the CL increase applies only for extra effects modifiers (like extra rays every n levels for some ray spells, for example), while others told me that the extra rolls are OK.
I might be missing something obvious, but I couldn't find any official source on this dilemma.

[shaventalz]

Most caster level increases are treated no differently than getting more levels of Wizard. So yes, the blazing robe would make you cast Fireball as if you were a 9th level wizard. As for Spell Specialization, I'd be hard-pressed to come up with an argument as to how "damage" wasn't a level-dependent effect of the spell.

Keep in mind that neither of those effects remove the maximum 10d6 limit specified by Fireball, so stacking them wouldn't help as much as it did at level 7.

Compare that to several of the alchemical reagents available. Look at magnesium - "+1 caster level for the purpose of duration." It has to explicitly restrict itself, because "+1 caster level" increases a lot more than just the duration.

[Illeist]

A CL 10 fireball is a CL 10 fireball. It doesn't matter how you get to CL 10; the caster level is all that matters.

[Gabrens_Pathwarden]

My PFS master still says that increased CL only adds CD and that It's not my level, do you happen to have any official source or anything?
Thank you kindly

[shaventalz]

Gabrens_Pathwarden wrote:

My PFS master still says that increased CL only adds CD and that It's not my level, do you happen to have any official source or anything?

Thank you kindly

It's right in Fireball's description - "deals 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level (maximum 10d6)".

And is he saying the DC goes up with increased caster level? That's not even true of caster levels gained through levelups.

[Damanta]

An increase in casterlevel increases all leveldependant variables of a spell, which includes the number of dice. Unless the increase specifically only alters one variable like the aforementioned alchemical reagent.

So that PFS master is wrong, especially concerning spell specialization, which simply lets you treat your casterlevel as +2 for that spell only and doesn't limit it. So yes, a level 8 caster with that feat for fireball gets 10d6 dice, and 800 ft range (400 + 40*10).

Edit: I missed the post with the PFS master saying it increases CD (which I'm guessing is DC), maybe the master is confusing spell specialization with spell focus. Might want to print out page 156 of ultimate magic and show the feat to him.

[James Risner]

Yea the two of you may be having some miscommunications.

They may just need to read the relevant rules.

Or something else is wrong, as I'm unaware of non-specific rules matching your gm interpretation.

[Gabrens_Pathwarden]

James Risner wrote:

Yea the two of you may be having some miscommunications.

They may just need to read the relevant rules.

Or something else is wrong, as I'm unaware of non-specific rules matching your gm interpretation.

Luckily it was just a feats misunderstanding.

I'm sorry for wasting your time, thanks everyone for your help :)