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Wearer casts his spells at +4 caster level. Effect lasts 10 minutes.
Realizing that because of the wording of "his spells" the benefit of this item is not as straightforward as it looks. Would the caster level boost affect:
1) Spells cast from staves, which use the wielder's caster level but are not "his spells"?
2) One's ability to use a scroll with a higher caster level? (Also not "his spells")
3) Spells gained from all classes? Only a divine caster can activate the bead, but the arcane spells of a mystic theurge are also "his spells."
I'm thinking no to the first two and yes to the third, such that a Clr 3/ Wiz 3/Theurge 4 using a Bead of Karma would boost his caster level for both Cleric and Wizard spells to 11, but would still use caster level 7 for staff spells, and would still need to make a caster level check to cast scrolls with caster level 8-11 (and would not gain any bonus from the Bead's effect on this caster level check).
That's a guess, though, so I would like second and third opinions.
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I think I would go with yes, no, and no.
1. Yes, if and only if it was a staff of divine spells, then since it uses your caster level.
2. No, scrolls have a fixed caster level set at creation time. (with the exception of class features of certain classes.)
3. No, because the wizard spells are not divine.
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And this is why I wanted a second opinion. I think I need to clarify (2), though.
I'm not asking whether the Bead's boost allows the divine caster to use a scroll which is set at caster level X as if it were a scroll set at caster level X+4. I am asking whether an Xth level caster would be able to, using the Bead, activate a scroll that is set at caster level X+4 without the user having to make a caster level check.
If the user meets all the requirements noted above, and her caster level is at least equal to the spell's caster level, she can automatically activate the spell without a check. If she meets all three requirements but her own caster level is lower than the scroll spell's caster level, then she has to make a caster level check (DC = scroll's caster level + 1) to cast the spell successfully.
If I understand this rule for using scrolls correctly, then without using prayer beads an 11th level cleric would:
A) Cast Heal themselves at CL 11
B) Cast Heal from a scroll (CL 11) normally as a spell with CL 11
C) Need to make a caster level check to use a scroll of Heal (CL 15), because the cleric's caster level is less than 15.
I am wondering if with the Bead of Karma the cleric would be able to:
A) Cast Heal themselves at CL 15
B) Cast Heal from a scroll (CL 11) normally as a spell with CL 11
C) Cast Heal from a scroll (CL 15) normally as a spell with CL 15, without a check
This seems appropriate if the cleric gets all benefits of a higher caster level for purposes of divine spells. However, I'm wondering whether the words "casts his spells" in the description of the Bead of Karma means that the boost only applies to the cleric's personally prepared spells, in which case the cleric would be able to do (A) but would not get the benefit of (C).
Also, on (3): strictly speaking, the Bead only requires a divine caster to activate it. It doesn't say the benefit only applies to divine spells, unless I'm missing a general rule somewhere. I do agree that even if technically legal, it goes a bit against common sense and would be too OP in the case of the Theurge - as a DM I wouldn't allow it.
Trust me the Theurge isnt going to break from casting his 6th-7th level spells at 4 levels higher for 10 mins. Especially at 22k per each 10min period a day.