Hi,
Does the +2 trait bonus to caster level from the trait Magical Knack count towards fulfilling caster level requirements for feats?
For example:
Can a fighter 1/wizard 2 with Magical Knack take the feat Arcane Armor Training (Prerequisites: Light Armor Proficiency, caster level 3rd.) upon reaching level 3, or does he have to wait until he has three levels of wizard?
And can a ftr 1/wiz 4 select Craft Magic Arms And Armor (Prerequisite: Caster level 5th.) as his feat at level 5?
Hi,
Does the +2 trait bonus to caster level from the trait Magical Knack count towards fulfilling caster level requirements for feats?
For example:
Can a fighter 1/wizard 2 with Magical Knack take the feat Arcane Armor Training (Prerequisites: Light Armor Proficiency, caster level 3rd.) upon reaching level 3, or does he have to wait until he has three levels of wizard?
And can a ftr 1/wiz 4 select Craft Magic Arms And Armor (Prerequisite: Caster level 5th.) as his feat at level 5?
yes
I believe that the feats require real levels, not effective levels.
The + to caster levels doesn't provide any new spells or such.
QOShea
Hi,
Does the +2 trait bonus to caster level from the trait Magical Knack count towards fulfilling caster level requirements for feats?
For example:
Can a fighter 1/wizard 2 with Magical Knack take the feat Arcane Armor Training (Prerequisites: Light Armor Proficiency, caster level 3rd.) upon reaching level 3, or does he have to wait until he has three levels of wizard?
And can a ftr 1/wiz 4 select Craft Magic Arms And Armor (Prerequisite: Caster level 5th.) as his feat at level 5?
I'm the DM in the campaign where this is a question.
Technically, I don't have a problem with allowing said character to pick up Arcane Armor Training at 3rd level, I'm just thinking it over to see if there are any pitfalls.
As for item creation feats, I guess that since 1) the character doesn't have access to most of the spells needed to create most of the items anyway, it isn't much of a problem, but there are a few items that require no spells.
Considerations and thoughts welcomed and appreciated.
I believe that the feats require real levels, not effective levels.
The + to caster levels doesn't provide any new spells or such.
QOShea
Hi,
Does the +2 trait bonus to caster level from the trait Magical Knack count towards fulfilling caster level requirements for feats?
For example:
Can a fighter 1/wizard 2 with Magical Knack take the feat Arcane Armor Training (Prerequisites: Light Armor Proficiency, caster level 3rd.) upon reaching level 3, or does he have to wait until he has three levels of wizard?
And can a ftr 1/wiz 4 select Craft Magic Arms And Armor (Prerequisite: Caster level 5th.) as his feat at level 5?
The feat provides real caster levels. It does not provide requirements for spell levels such as second level spells, but it does provide caster levels for requirements.
I'd say it would work. It's specifically states caster level and really that's exactly what the trait is for. If you were 3rd level wizard the trait does you no good. You need class levels that don't give you caster level to make the feat usable. You don't get known spells for that caster level but you do get the caster level for anything that requires it.
I don't really think this is an effective level. Your caster level is your caster level. It's just that you get caster level for non casting classes up to a +2. So it's like taking fighter with a class feature that is 1st and 2nd level that says +1 caster level. Basically if you are 1wiz/2Fighter you have caster level 3 and and you are level 3.
|
I agree with Grasshopper. It provides the bonus for caster level purposes. Technically caster level and spell progression are not linked. Spell progression is based on class level, not caster level. It just doesn't matter usually because people's caster level and class level are the same.
The purpose of the feat is to allow you to take levels of a non-spellcaster class and continue gaining caster levels for those 2 levels. As Grasshopper noted, real caster levels. Not fake second class citizen caster levels.
Thank you for all the replies.
Since my omniscient DM has already found this thread, I'll leave final judgment up to him, short of official clarification from the design team.
There's also a feat in the Complete Adventurer or Complete Arcane that will put your caster level up by up to +4 so long as you have levels in non caster classes. I'm thinking it's called something like "Magical Training" or somesuch. Anyway, If you've got someone who's something like Wiz 1/Fighter 4, they can use it to raise their caster level to 5, but if they're Wiz 2/Fighter 2, the max they can go to with it is 4 until they take more fighter levels. It should conceivably stack with Magical Knack and I think this is one of the things it's designed for.
If you find something particularly broken with either, of course redline it, but I think it's one of the intended uses.
The Magical Knack is nicer though since it doesn't take a feat slot and helps those characters who only have two dead levels for casting, rather than four.
There's also a feat in the Complete Adventurer or Complete Arcane that will put your caster level up by up to +4 so long as you have levels in non caster classes. I'm thinking it's called something like "Magical Training" or somesuch. Anyway, If you've got someone who's something like Wiz 1/Fighter 4, they can use it to raise their caster level to 5, but if they're Wiz 2/Fighter 2, the max they can go to with it is 4 until they take more fighter levels. It should conceivably stack with Magical Knack and I think this is one of the things it's designed for.
If you find something particularly broken with either, of course redline it, but I think it's one of the intended uses.
The Magical Knack is nicer though since it doesn't take a feat slot and helps those characters who only have two dead levels for casting, rather than four.
You are thinking of Practiced Spellcaster, which does indeed work much like this trait. However, since it's 3.5 and not Pathfinder, it's not available in our game without DM approval.
The real question is, if the trait only works for raising caster levels in regard to things such as spell duration and range etc. or if it also counts towards your total caster level when taking feats that have Caster Level X as a requirement.
Since the trait description says "+2 trait bonus to Caster Level" and not "raises your caster level by 2", it's not 100% clear if it is intended to also work with feats, but reading the replies here, it seems that the majority of people think is should.
Most importatly, what happens with caster level dependent spells like Fireball?
Magical Knack
You were raised, either wholly or in part, by a magical creature, either after it found you abandoned in the woods or because your parents often left you in the care of a magical minion. This constant exposure to magic has made its mysteries easy for you to understand, even when you turn your mind to other devotions and tasks. Pick a class when you gain this trait—your caster level in that class gains a +2 trait bonus as long as this bonus doesn’t increase your caster level higher than your current Hit Dice.
My interpretation of "your caster level in that class gains a +2 trait bonus as long as this bonus doesn’t increase your caster level higher than your current Hit Dice" is that your caster level in that class gains a +2 trait bonus as long as this bonus doesn’t increase your caster level higher than your current Hit Dice
There's also a feat in the Complete Adventurer or Complete Arcane that will put your caster level up by up to +4 so long as you have levels in non caster classes. I'm thinking it's called something like "Magical Training" or somesuch. Anyway, If you've got someone who's something like Wiz 1/Fighter 4, they can use it to raise their caster level to 5, but if they're Wiz 2/Fighter 2, the max they can go to with it is 4 until they take more fighter levels. It should conceivably stack with Magical Knack and I think this is one of the things it's designed for.
If you find something particularly broken with either, of course redline it, but I think it's one of the intended uses.
The Magical Knack is nicer though since it doesn't take a feat slot and helps those characters who only have two dead levels for casting, rather than four.
You are thinking of Practiced Spellcaster, which does indeed work much like this trait. However, since it's 3.5 and not Pathfinder, it's not available in our game without DM approval.
The real question is, if the trait only works for raising caster levels in regard to things such as spell duration and range etc. or if it also counts towards your total caster level when taking feats that have Caster Level X as a requirement.
Since the trait description says "+2 trait bonus to Caster Level" and not "raises your caster level by 2", it's not 100% clear if it is intended to also work with feats, but reading the replies here, it seems that the majority of people think is should.
Well, looking at "Practiced Spellcaster" that reads "Your caster level for the chosen spellcasting class increases by +4. This can't increase your caster level beyond your HD." That one seems like it should definitely work, if allowed, and I see no reason not to treat Magical Knack as a half-strength version of that feat.
You have to realize that a lot of times the changes in wording and verbiage are done not to change the rules but to not impinge on copyright. WotC didn't make Practiced Spellcaster open source, but it's a fairly obvious mechanic, so making a trait version of it with different wording gets around the trouble.
There's also the Orange Ioun stone that gives you +1 caster level regardless of whether you have HD in dead levels.
My interpretation of "your caster level in that class gains a +2 trait bonus as long as this bonus doesn’t increase your caster level higher than your current Hit Dice" is that your caster level in that class gains a +2 trait bonus as long as this bonus doesn’t increase your caster level higher than your current Hit DiceMagical Knack
You were raised, either wholly or in part, by a magical creature, either after it found you abandoned in the woods or because your parents often left you in the care of a magical minion. This constant exposure to magic has made its mysteries easy for you to understand, even when you turn your mind to other devotions and tasks. Pick a class when you gain this trait—your caster level in that class gains a +2 trait bonus as long as this bonus doesn’t increase your caster level higher than your current Hit Dice.
Heh, 'nuff said, grasshopper. :-)
Couple of questions I thought I'd tack onto this topic:
Does Magical Knack count towards Arcane Strike bonuses?
If your normal caster level is 1 below your total level, will Magical Knack give you a +1 caster level bonus, or fail because the +2 would take your caster level above your HD?
Couple of questions I thought I'd tack onto this topic:
Does Magical Knack count towards Arcane Strike bonuses?
If your normal caster level is 1 below your total level, will Magical Knack give you a +1 caster level bonus, or fail because the +2 would take your caster level above your HD?
If your caster level is 1 below your HD, you just get a +1 bonus. So a wiz 4/ ftr 1 has a caster level of 5.
From the discussion above, the dominant opinion seems to be that the bonus raises your effective caster level, and is applicable in all areas where caster level is used:
- Spell duration, effects, damage, range, duration etc.
- Feat prerequisties
- Feat effects
- Prestige Class qualification
So I guess it counts towards Arcane Strike bonuses as well.
Couple of questions I thought I'd tack onto this topic:
Does Magical Knack count towards Arcane Strike bonuses?
If your normal caster level is 1 below your total level, will Magical Knack give you a +1 caster level bonus, or fail because the +2 would take your caster level above your HD?If your caster level is 1 below your HD, you just get a +1 bonus. So a wiz 4/ ftr 1 has a caster level of 5.
From the discussion above, the dominant opinion seems to be that the bonus raises your effective caster level, and is applicable in all areas where caster level is used:
- Spell duration, effects, damage, range, duration etc.
- Feat prerequisties
- Feat effects
- Prestige Class qualificationSo I guess it counts towards Arcane Strike bonuses as well.
+1
it counts for everything that is based on the words "caster level" just be careful you're not reading into it spell level or some such, caster level only, but all caster level variables.
Is there a feat that adds Hit Dice but not level?
Sigurd
Is there a feat that adds Hit Dice but not level?
Sigurd
I totally hope you're joking. If not ask your DM if you can have a centaur as they have 4d10 racial hit dice.