Can lets say a lvl 20 caster decide to only use cl 10 if he wants to?
Also can a spell caster choose to fail to dispel a spell if he wants to?
1) RAW no. Why he should?
2) RAW no.
can a spell caster choose to fail to dispel a spell if he wants to?
If you're asking about a targeted dispel, then no, it automatically hits the highest caster level spell on the target. (There's no RAW on how to choose which spell is affected if multiple spells share the same CL)
However, if you have one spell effect you really want gone, but want to leave the others, you can try to dispel that specific effect. If you name the spell you want to dispel, you can make your dispel check against the DC of that spell, rather than DC 11+CL, which is often a much easier check. You do have to know the specific spell you're going after, though.
1) RAW no. Why he should?
2) RAW no.
To emulate a weaker spell caster then what he/she really is.
From explosive runes spell.
You and any characters you specifically instruct can read the protected writing without triggering the explosive runes. Likewise, you can remove the explosive runes whenever desired. Another creature can remove them with a successful dispel magic or erase spell, but attempting to dispel or erase the explosive runes and failing to do so triggers the explosion.
So basically triggering multiple explosive runes with an area dispel
Area Dispel: When greater dispel magic is used in this way, the spell affects everything within a 20-foot-radius burst. Roll one dispel check and apply that check to each creature in the area, as if targeted by dispel magic. For each object within the area that is the target of one or more spells, apply the dispel check as with creatures. Magic items are not affected by an area dispel.
Again...?
You can't detonate your own runes because:
a) The explosive runes spell description says: "Another creature can remove them with a successful dispel magic or erase spell, but attempting to dispel or erase the explosive runes and failing to do so triggers the explosion."
b) The dispel magic spell description says: "You automatically succeed on your dispel check against any spell that you cast yourself." No choice.
Not possible.
Hence, what you have to do is the following (or a variation thereof):
1. Cast explosive runes with the highest CL possible for you.
2. Give someone capable of using it a wand of dispel magic (or greater if you want to trigger multiple runes at once).
3. Have the wand user try to dispel your explosive runes, likely failing (most of the checks).
4. Watch Explosion(s).
To improve your chances, you can try to use stuff like misfortune, ill omen, bungle or anything that imposes a penalty on the dispel check on the wand user (but be careful if the wand user has to make a UMD check!)
In the variant rule where you use "spell points", this is possible, as you have to use more spell points to up the caster level on a spell.
So a 3rd level fireball is cheaper than a 5th level fireball.
Since the spell slot system works very differently, it wouldn't work as well.
Again...?
You can't detonate your own runes because:
a) The explosive runes spell description says: "Another creature can remove them with a successful dispel magic or erase spell, but attempting to dispel or erase the explosive runes and failing to do so triggers the explosion."
b) The dispel magic spell description says: "You automatically succeed on your dispel check against any spell that you cast yourself." No choice.
Not possible.
Hence, what you have to do is the following (or a variation thereof):
1. Cast explosive runes with the highest CL possible for you.
2. Give someone capable of using it a wand of dispel magic (or greater if you want to trigger multiple runes at once).
3. Have the wand user try to dispel your explosive runes, likely failing (most of the checks).
4. Watch Explosion(s).To improve your chances, you can try to use stuff like misfortune, ill omen, bungle or anything that imposes a penalty on the dispel check on the wand user (but be careful if the wand user has to make a UMD check!)
Scenario is more like this Wizard A made runes and wizard B greater dispels attempting on purpose to fail the area dispel.
Can lets say a lvl 20 caster decide to only use cl 10 if he wants to?
Yes.
Caster Level: "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."
However, even if you cast Dispel Magic at a lower CL, you still make a separate Dispel Check (1d20 + your caster level) and I don't think you can lower that.
However, even if you cast Dispel Magic at a lower CL, you still make a separate Dispel Check (1d20 + your caster level) and I don't think you can lower that.
If you put Dispel Magic into a wand, would the Dispel Check use:
a) Your full caster level.
b) The wielder's full caster level.
c) The reduced caster level of the wand.
Shouldn't casting at a lower CL work the same way?
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FAQ Request:
Is the dispel check (1d20 + your caster level) of Dispel Magic based on the caster level used to cast the spell, or the total CL of the user?
If it's the CL of the spell, then a wand of Dispel Magic uses the wands (usually minimum) Caster Level for the dispel check. This also means a user can cast Dispel Magic at a lower CL to attempt to fail the dispel check in order to set off explosive runes.
It seems fairly obvious that "your caster level" is just shorthand for "the caster level you are using for this spell effect".
Keep in mind the principle of "word counts are king" :D