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I searched it on this forum but there isn't any clarification and everybody is giving his own answer, so let's see if I can clarify this... thanks in advance.
An NPC lvl11 Wizard "Heidros" has Flesh to Stone prepared, (DC22 = 10+6+6)
My group wizard enervate him 3 times to -10 negative levels.
1- Is Heidros still be able to cast Flesh to Stone?
2- (If positive) Is His DC still 22?
Energy Drain and Negative Levels
Some spells and a number of undead creatures have the ability to drain away life and energy; this dreadful attack results in "negative levels." These cause a character to take a number of penalties.
For each negative level a creature has, it takes a cumulative –1 penalty on all ability checks, attack rolls, combat maneuver checks, Combat Maneuver Defense, saving throws, and skill checks. In addition, the creature reduces its current and total hit points by 5 for each negative level it possesses. The creature is also treated as one level lower for the purpose of level-dependent variables (such as spellcasting) for each negative level possessed. Spellcasters do not lose any prepared spells or slots as a result of negative levels. If a creature's negative levels equal or exceed its total Hit Dice, it dies.
A creature with temporary negative levels receives a new saving throw to remove the negative level each day. The DC of this save is the same as the effect that caused the negative levels.
Some abilities and spells (such as raise dead) bestow permanent level drain on a creature. These are treated just like temporary negative levels, but they do not allow a new save each day to remove them. Level drain can be removed through spells like restoration. Permanent negative levels remain after a dead creature is restored to life. A creature whose permanent negative levels equal its Hit Dice cannot be brought back to life through spells like raise dead and resurrection without also receiving a restoration spell, cast the round after it is restored to life.
If my understanding of this passage is correct, Gallant Armor is incorrect.
You would retain the ability to cast the spell, and the DC would remained unchanged.
Once again, casters get out of things easily. Your caster level would be reduced, but Flesh to Stone doesn't care about caster level except to determine the range you can cast it.
I searched it on this forum but there isn't any clarification and everybody is giving his own answer, so let's see if I can clarify this... thanks in advance.
An NPC lvl11 Wizard "Heidros" has Flesh to Stone prepared, (DC22 = 10+6+6)
My group wizard enervate him 3 times to -10 negative levels.
1- Is Heidros still be able to cast Flesh to Stone?
2- (If positive) Is His DC still 22?
1. No, he would be reduced to 1 level so he would only be able to cast 1st level spells and cantrips.
2. DCs would stay the same
I could be wrong, but I disagree on point #1.
From negative levels, "The creature is also treated as one level lower for the purpose of level-dependent variables (such as spellcasting) for each negative level possessed. Spellcasters do not lose any prepared spells or slots as a result of negative levels."
The second sentence tells us that a caster doesn't lose spells. The first sentence says they lose caster-level. I interpret that to mean that a 5th level wizard who acquires four negative levels can still cast fireball but that fireball deals 1d6 because the damage dealt is based on caster-level.
If you can't cast because of negative levels, you've lost the spells/slots. If you temporarily lost them (as in, until you get rid of the negative levels), it wouldn't say you don't lose them. It'd say you do lose them.
Take this another way... a barbarian who gains a bunch of negative levels... do they lose rounds of rage? That's level-dependent.
I think negative levels are meant to be simple and easy to adjudicate. You take a -1 to a bunch of rolls. You lose some hit points. You count as lower-level for anything that is "# x your level", such as caster-level.
But that's me.
Ninja.
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I searched it on this forum but there isn't any clarification and everybody is giving his own answer, so let's see if I can clarify this... thanks in advance.
An NPC lvl11 Wizard "Heidros" has Flesh to Stone prepared, (DC22 = 10+6+6)
My group wizard enervate him 3 times to -10 negative levels.
1- Is Heidros still be able to cast Flesh to Stone?
2- (If positive) Is His DC still 22?
1. No, he would be reduced to 1 level so he would only be able to cast 1st level spells and cantrips.
2. DCs would stay the same
1. No, here's why
For each negative level a creature has, it takes a cumulative –1 penalty on all ability checks, attack rolls, combat maneuver checks, Combat Maneuver Defense, saving throws, and skill checks. In addition, the creature reduces its current and total hit points by 5 for each negative level it possesses. The creature is also treated as one level lower for the purpose of level-dependent variables (such as spellcasting) for each negative level possessed. Spellcasters do not lose any prepared spells or slots as a result of negative levels. If a creature's negative levels equal or exceed its total Hit Dice, it dies.
"Level dependent variables" here is your caster level.
Caster LevelA 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).
This tells us that if you voluntarily lower your CL to 1 you can't cast spells higher than level 1. (CL 3 would let you cast 2nd, level spells, CL 5th 3rd, and so on.) It follows that involuntarily having your CL suppressed imposes the same limit.
That was actually my first impression, and it might be right. I came down 60/40 in favoe of the above.
But compare to the Mindwipe spell that does also take away spells known/prepared for every negative level. If negative levels suppressed CL and that prevented casting spells then in most cases this extra language/capability taking away spell slots wouldn't be necessary.
I do think there's an argument that "level dependent variables" only means checks against SR, range, and number of targets (where applicable). But that means that casters suffer relatively little offensive/utility impact from huge numbers of negative levels, vs. noncasters who are crippled for attacks and skill checks. It's not a good look.
If Heirdos had first level spells prepared in his 5th-level spell slots, he could still cast those. Otherwise, his higher level spells are still prepared and ready once he has his negative levels restored.
While this is completely true, I feel it gives the wrong impression.
"Hierdos can still cast 1st-level spells in his 5th-level spell slots" is true. He just also can still cast 5th-level spells in his 5th-level spell slots.
"Hierdos's high-level spells are available once his negative levels go away" is true. He just also has them available even while his negative levels are still in effect.
Negative levels do not impact spells in any manner other than caster level-related criteria. Even if he's reduced to an (effectively) 1st-level wizard through negative levels, if he had Flesh to Stone prepared in a 6th-level slot, he can cast Flesh to Stone, just that its range is 110 feet instead of 210, and if someone were to counterspell it with Dispel Magic, the DC is only 12.
The statement is "the caster level you choose" needing to be high enough, you are nkt choosing your reduced caster level in this case.
...And the part about Caster Level needing to be at least the minimum amount necessary to cast the spell means...?
Not a lot in this context. That text concerns voluntarily reducing your caster level.
Negative levels reduces your caster level, but does not remove your ability to cast spells.
So 10th level caster can choose to cast a weaker fireball, but no lower than the minimum 5th level.
that same caster with 9 negative levels can still cast fireball, but it is little more powerful than a bic lighter.
Negative levels are like ability damage - neither actually reduce what they are applied to, they just give penalties.
A fighter with 14 strength who has taken 10 points of strength damage still has 14 strength, he just takes a -5 penalty on strength-based things. He can still use power attack (which requires a strength of 13), as his actual strength score is unchanged.
Likewise, an 11th level wizard with 10 negative levels still has a caster level of 11th, but for purposes of level-dependent variable effects (like damage) he would be treated as caster level 1. He can still cast 6th level spells as his actual caster level is still 11th, he just does so at reduced effectiveness.
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I searched it on this forum but there isn't any clarification and everybody is giving his own answer, so let's see if I can clarify this... thanks in advance.
An NPC lvl11 Wizard "Heidros" has Flesh to Stone prepared, (DC22 = 10+6+6)
My group wizard enervate him 3 times to -10 negative levels.
1- Is Heidros still be able to cast Flesh to Stone?
2- (If positive) Is His DC still 22?
1 Yes
2 YesHis caster level will be 1, but he can still cast the spell.