So I'd like to know if there's something rules wise to allow me to voluntary decrease the dc of my spells if I need it. I know it could seem a strange request, but I have some uses in mind. Feats, skills, magic items, anything that could be taken and that works by raw.
Caster Level
A spell's power often depends on its caster level, which for most spellcasting characters is equal to her class level in the class she's using to cast the spell.
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.
In the event that a class feature or other special ability provides an adjustment to your caster level, that adjustment applies not only to effects based on caster level (such as range, duration, and damage dealt), but also to your caster level check to overcome your target's spell resistance and to the caster level used in dispel checks (both the dispel check and the DC of the check).
That's the closest you get, but caster level doesn't actually factor into save DC...so it doesn't help.
Why are you asking? A creature can always choose to just fail it's saving throw.
I'll go out on a limb and guess this is the classic "my PC is dominated" and I want my friends to survive my spells. Or confused, charmed, or otherwise not in full control of the PC.
Alternatively it's the "I want to fireball the town square full of innocents because... reasons... but I don't want them (all) to die."
But I could be wrong. I'd love to hear a legit use for lowered DCs.
To trick your enemies?
To trick your enemies?
This actually makes some sense, in a niche scenario. Pretend you're less capable than you really are. I could see some RP opportunities there.
Nice.
Would help to know why you want to do so. The easiest way is to just not take all the things that increase your DCs and the like.
I'll go out on a limb and guess this is the classic "my PC is dominated" and I want my friends to survive my spells. Or confused, charmed, or otherwise not in full control of the PC.
Would the character even be able to pull his punches in those circumstances? If he's not in control of his own actions, he sure can't hold back.
I'm not dominated. I'm a magus, and I was just thinking of Force Punch spell. It deals force damage, plus you're pushed away for 5xCL feet, minus 5 ft per size above medium (iirc the spell), and a successful save negates the movement. So, sometimes you want the target to stay in place rather than moving (as raw it doesn't provoke and doesn't take damage if he hit a wall during move), so I'd like to know if there's a way. I didn't find anything myself, and I asked my dm if I could. He said no to hr that, so I was hoping that there's a rules way to do it.
Force Punch says 'up to' that distance, meaning you can simply choose not to move him.
The game basically assumes you are looking for success so there is no way to do so, but if you tell us about the situation we may have an alternate solution.
@Zhayne: hmmm. I'm not sure. It says "causes the target to be pushed away from you in a straight line up to 5 feet per two caster levels", so the effect seems to be inevitable, unless you bring down your CL, which I don't like, mostly because we're facing atm a lot of SR enemies.
@wraithstrike: it came in my mind some time ago, but now it raises again because we're going to fight a huge Stygean Dragon, and we was thinking of some strategy.
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It's not RAW, but I'd let you "pull your punches" with spells in two ways:
- I would not require you to use Spell Focus type feats if you didn't want to
- I'd let you voluntarily reduce your casting stat to the minimum required for the spell, but for all purposes including concentration and to-hit rolls(if they are based off casting stat).
But these are definitely house rules.
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It says "causes the target to be pushed away from you in a strait line up to 5 feet per two caster levels", it does not say "Causes the target to be pushed away from you in a strait line 5 feet per two caster levels."
If it wasn't optional/adjustable they would not include the Up To. Just choose not to push them.
'Up to' a distance means 'any distance that is equal or less than the specified limit'. Zero is certainly within that limit.