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What figures a casters Spell strength?

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:22 pm
by Darkfire
What determines a sorceror's or a wizard's spell strength that is needed to beat someones spell resistance?

example for a DC:
spell level + ability bonuses + feats + 10=DC

whats the form that figures the strength? thanks in advance :wink:

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:28 pm
by Wyrmwing
Beating Spell resistance is 1d20 + caster level + spell penetration feats. Ability bonusses and spell level are not taken into account I'm affraid.

Edit: gah.. I'm getting rusty

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:32 pm
by Darkfire
ok thanks, and I know this is a dumb question, but a level 17 sorceror will have 17 spell caster levels? Or is that not how it works. :roll: *curses at this being his first mage*

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:35 pm
by loki70
I think it is 1/2 caster level. Not sure on that one, though. Just try not to use FoD on epic monks anymore, and you should be fine :P

edit: Okay, it is right the way it is (search engine). You still shouldn't try casting at epic monks :D

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:41 pm
by szabot
loki70 wrote:You still shouldn't try casting at epic monks :D
No need to anyway - just pound on them.

:twisted:

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:55 pm
by Aeveras
DC = 10 + spell level + relevant modifier + feats

...where the relevant modifier is whatever is attached to your spellcasting, be it intelligence, wisdom, or charisma.

Caster level for the purpose of spell duration/effects is your level in the caster class. So a 17th level sorcerer has a CL of 17. A Sorcerer10/Ftr7 has a CL of 10 however, not his character level of 17.

Not sure if this is true of NWN, but in PnP, paladins and rangers had a CL equal to half their level, to reflect the fact that their spellcasting abilities were supplementary, as opposed to a focus.

- Aeveras

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:10 pm
by Wyrmwing
Aeveras wrote:DC = 10 + spell level + relevant modifier + feats

...where the relevant modifier is whatever is attached to your spellcasting, be it intelligence, wisdom, or charisma.

Caster level for the purpose of spell duration/effects is your level in the caster class. So a 17th level sorcerer has a CL of 17. A Sorcerer10/Ftr7 has a CL of 10 however, not his character level of 17.

Not sure if this is true of NWN, but in PnP, paladins and rangers had a CL equal to half their level, to reflect the fact that their spellcasting abilities were supplementary, as opposed to a focus.

- Aeveras
That's for beating spell DC's, not spell resistace ;)

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:19 pm
by Chemical-Burn
wait wait wait. Nikki has a caster level of 7 (wiz) and casting a hold person only gives a dc of 20. now if its 10+ caster level (7) and ability mode (int mod 7) shoudnt that give her a DC of 24?

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 8:24 pm
by Rain&Clouds
It's spell level :)

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 9:40 pm
by Aeveras
Chemical-Burn wrote:wait wait wait. Nikki has a caster level of 7 (wiz) and casting a hold person only gives a dc of 20. now if its 10+ caster level (7) and ability mode (int mod 7) shoudnt that give her a DC of 24?
Nope. Caster level does not factor into the DC. Caster level factors into beating Spell Resistance, and all those important things like 1d6 damage/level in your run of the mill fireball spell. I'm away from my manual, but I think hold person is a 2nd level spell, which means that the DC Nikki would be 19, or 10 + 2 (spell level) + 7 (intelligence modifier). Whether you're a 7th level caster or 27th, the DC should not change. The duration will however, as this is based on caster level.

- Aeveras

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 12:08 am
by Moredo
Spell Resistance (SR) is a special defensive ability. If your spell is being resisted by a creature with spell resistance, you must make a caster level check that is at least equal to the creature’s spell resistance for the spell to affect that creature. The defender’s spell resistance is like an Armor Class against magical attacks.

Calculation for defeating a character Spell Resistance is as follows:
Caster Level + 1d20 + Feats (2, 4, or 6 - Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, and Epic Spell Penetration, respectively).
DC is something else. DC (Difficulty Class) of a spell is a number that determines how hard it is to save against. To successfully save versus a spell, your fully modified saving throw (remember that you get +1 to your saves against spells for each 5 spellcraft points) roll must be equal to or greater than the DC, i.e., the higher the number, the harder it will be for a character to beat.

The calculation of the DC for spells, are as follows:
10 + Spell Level + Ability modifier (Modifier for the Caster Class) + Feats (2, 4, or 6 - Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus and Epic Spell Focus, respectively.)

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:47 am
by Darkfire
Quote:
Caster Level + 1d20 + Feats (2, 4, or 6 - Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, and Epic Spell Penetration, respectively).

thanks :wink:

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:49 am
by Darkfire
also, about the spell penetrations, are they stackable?

ie:

spell penetration(2)+greater spell penetration(4)=total of 6

or does it only raise it 2 making it a total of 4?

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:49 am
by Darkfire
loki70 wrote:I think it is 1/2 caster level. Not sure on that one, though. Just try not to use FoD on epic monks anymore, and you should be fine :P

edit: Okay, it is right the way it is (search engine). You still shouldn't try casting at epic monks :D
:twisted:

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:52 am
by Moredo
Darkfire wrote:also, about the spell penetrations, are they stackable?

ie:

spell penetration(2)+greater spell penetration(4)=total of 6

or does it only raise it 2 making it a total of 4?
I don't think any of those feats stack, neither the Spell Focus ones or the Spell Penetration ones.

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:53 am
by Darkfire
ok, so the maximum spell penetration aquired from feats is 6?

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 8:01 am
by Jonezie
Darkfire wrote:ok, so the maximum spell penetration aquired from feats is 6?
Yup. Spell Penetration give you +2. Greater Spell Penetration raises this to +4. Epic Spell Penetration raises it further, to +6. The three feats must be taken in that order, and they do not stack with one another.

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 9:29 am
by Darkfire
ok, thanks :wink: