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Your introduction to the ways of the bloodmage allows you to use elaborate rituals and gruesome rites to expand your reserves of magical energy.
Prerequisite: Spell Focus (any school).
Benefit: You learn the basics of the ancient art of hemotheurgy.
Pick one school of magic in which you possess the Spell Focus feat—you cast spells from this school of magic at +1 caster level. .
Unfortunately, the side effects cause you to be constantly under the effects of a medium load—your maximum bonus to AC from Dexterity is +3, you gain an armor check penalty of –3, and your speed decreases as appropriate (generally from 30 feet to 20 feet for a Medium creature).
Okay so call me crazy, but I think that the last sentence (from benefits) does not make any sense. That is because I'm pretty sure that caster level does not increase the DC of any spell out there.
So I came up with this two conclusions;
1st The last sentence is completely wrong.
2nd This feat also increases DC of all saving throws against spells from the selected school by +1, exactly like Spell Focus does.
Now I would be certain that the 1st conclusion is the right one, if only it wasn't for the feat named Mage's Tattoo.
Mage's tattoo also has Spell Focus as its only prerequisite, also allows you to pick one school and cast spells from this school at +1 caster level and it even gives you a spell-like ability as a bonus (in contrast with Bloodmage Initiate). On the other hand Bloodmage Initiate will (only) give you the +1 caster level bonus (which is really good), but in exchange for some really heavy penalties.
I believe that all feats have to be balanced, it might be difficult to compare two completely different feats, but in our case the two feats are not so different. Mage's Tattoo benefit includes the whole benefit that Bloodmage Initiate gives without any of its penalties. Now I am not a Libra but I can tell that this is not well balanced. And there is also that last sentence (it's just too fishy).
So yeah I think that my 2nd conclusion is the right one, but unfortunately I cannot be sure.
I searched for other threads about this topic and only found one which was also a dead end.
If there is anyone who has an actual answer, or can give more insight in this topic... please let me know. Thank you.
Remove the sentence about it stacking with Spell Focus. Done. The rest is merely because it's a feat tax for getting into the Bloatmage prestige class. Feats are not balanced against each other, or even at all.
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Remove the sentence about it stacking with Spell Focus. Done. The rest is merely because it's a feat tax for getting into the Bloatmage prestige class. Feats are not balanced against each other, or even at all.
You could be right of course. The thing is that there is more than one coincidence here and this is why I believe that the topic is more investigation-worthy.
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).
So, the DC of a spell that you have as your focus in gets +1 from the Spell Focus Feat, and +1 from the Bloodmage Initiate Feat.
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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).So, the DC of a spell that you have as your focus in gets +1 from the Spell Focus Feat, and +1 from the Bloodmage Initiate Feat.
Except you know, that +1 caster level isnt the same as +1 DC. Yes, it also provides +1 to 2 specific things, spell pen and dispel checks. That still doesn't increase the DC. If you were a level 7 caster, you'd be treated like a level 8 caster for that stuff, period.
edit: for the answer to the OP, I agree with Azten. Remove the extraneous sentence, and you're good to go. Most likely didn't get nixed when the feat changed from writing to publishing. As much as I think it should be looked at, there's so much more important stuff that I can't in good conscience hit FAQ
Owner - D20 Hobbies
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Isn't this the same as the Crit Multiplier not stacking with a Crit Threat range doubler? They do totally different things, but they didn't stack. It got FAQ that means essentially pick one.
Using that logic, wouldn't this be "pick between +1 CL and +1 DC", as the two effects don't stack.
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Isn't this the same as the Crit Multiplier not stacking with a Crit Threat range doubler? They do totally different things, but they didn't stack. It got FAQ that means essentially pick one.
Using that logic, wouldn't this be "pick between +1 CL and +1 DC", as the two effects don't stack.
I'm pretty sure that Crit Multipling effects do stack with Crit Threat range doublers. Although, multiple effects that double the Crit Threat range do not stack with each other (but they do offer the same benefit).
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Owner - D20 Hobbies
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I'm pretty sure that Crit Multipling effects do stack with Crit Threat range doublers. Although, multiple effects that double the Crit Threat range do not stack with each other (but they do offer the same benefit).Isn't this the same as the Crit Multiplier not stacking with a Crit Threat range doubler? They do totally different things, but they didn't stack. It got FAQ that means essentially pick one.
Using that logic, wouldn't this be "pick between +1 CL and +1 DC", as the two effects don't stack.
They do unless the effect says it doesn't stack like Bracers of the Falcon.