Here's the situation.
My player says her ultimate goal for my campaign is to become a lich so she can become the campaign's new villain and fight the other players. Her character is a necromancer, but she would also like to use her impressive strenght stat (17!) with more efficiency, and so I told her about the Eldritch Knight prestige class, which she seems to like a lot.
However, there's one thing. To craft a phylactery to become a lich, she needs to "be able to cast spells and have a caster level of 11th or higher." That means a level 11 wizard could fill these requirements.
But then, the Eldritch Knight gets a "+1 spell level" bonus at almost every level. What the rule says is this : "Spells per Day: At the indicated levels, an eldritch knight gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in an arcane 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 additional spells per day, spells known (if he is a spontaneous spellcaster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class before becoming an eldritch knight, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day."
The "increased effective level of spellcasting" just confuses me outright. Is that supposed to increase the wizard's caster level since it adds up to its class?
The term "caster level" is defined like this :
"Caster Level: Generally equal to the number of class levels (see below) in a spellcasting class. Some prestige classes add caster levels to an existing class."
Some prestige classes add caster levels to existing class. Which ones? Is an "effective level of spellcasting" like a caster level? Could my player become a lich when she is Wizard 5 / Fighter 1 / Eldritch Knight 7?
Yes
An "increased effective level of spellcasting" = increased caster level.
Yup, and I will add that you are treading a dark and dangerous road by allowing this to happen.
I know, but...
1. The mere possibility of keeping a campaign alive from level 1 to 13 seems quite laughable, as I am known among my friends for creating hundreds and hundreds of campaigns without ever continuing them past level 3 because I get tired of everything I have created after two sessions and need to start everything over. The only reason why I'm still GMing for them after five years is because I'm still the only one in our group with enough patience to actually enjoy GMing.
2. I know that player very well, and I know she's the least power-mongering person in my gaming group. She truly intends to become a lich, but she's aware she will need horrendous amounts of gold, incredibly rare material components and magic lore (which became even more rare, considering the setting is low-fantasy) and that her character will probably get pummeled to death by the rest of the party, which is her goal. She only wishes to be the bad guy for once, and she knows that it implies getting destroyed and sent to Oblivion by the other players. She has no intention of going TPK on everyone, just to cause massive havoc for shit and giggles. She's already making "villages to burn" and "people to kill" lists so she knows where to start. I find it hilarious.
Thanks for the quick and efficient answers!
Also keep in mind she will not gain the 2 free spells when she takes EK levels.
Also the process to lichdom is not cut and dry and shee will need years of game time just to start upon that road. Meaning lots and lots of down time.
Also keep in mind she will not gain the 2 free spells when she takes EK levels.
Also the process to lichdom is not cut and dry and shee will need years of game time just to start upon that road. Meaning lots and lots of down time.
Don't worry, she's already planning. And she's level 2.