Intelligent items and caster level

[Trogdar]

I have been reading up on intelligent item creation for an ongoing campaign and I have a query regarding caster level. It doesn't specifically mention how you modify the caster level of the item. Is it somewhere less obvious and I have just missed it or something?

[seebs]

It doesn't seem to modify the CL, except it has to be high enough for the powers used (e.g., 13+ for a 7th level spell).

3.5E said all intelligent items required CL 15, that paragraph was dropped in PF. Perhaps intentionally.

[Trogdar]

Hmm, Im not sure how to use that to help me build an item... With that interpretation, spells would always function at their least effective capacity.

Any one else have any thoughts?

[seebs]

My assumption would be that you have the option of setting the caster level higher if you want, it's just that the minimum would be "high enough to cast the spells". If an item already has CL 17 for some other reason, I would assume it would use all its powers at CL 17.

[Trogdar]

I see, I suppose that makes sense. I'm not sure I want a high level spell on it though... I wonder how to price a low level spell at a higher caster level...

[seebs]

A fascinating question, and I don't actually see anything in the rules governing caster level for most items. Sort of an open question, that.

[Trogdar]

I guess its possible to reverse engineer the spell level cost and its associated caster level, but I would have to figure it out over each spell level to make sure that the equation was correct....

[Malachi Silverclaw]

I have longed for the answer to this for some time.

The best I can work out in the meantime (apart from the flat 15th from 3.5) is that the item's caster level is the minimum caster level that would apply to the spell with the highest CL, and that this CL applies to all spells it casts, even the low level spells.

[Trogdar]

looks as though the equation is:

spell level times caster level times 2040 divided by 1.7.

So a 3rd level spell cast at level 20 would be 72000 gold. This is based on the third and 4th level spells at their current cost.

[Misunderstood Monk]

For simplicity sake, I use the CL of the most recent caster to have worked on the item.