Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Jon Hightower 01-01-04, 08:57 PM	Here's The picture, I have a character who is Ftr 12/Wiz 8 and I just gained a level. I want to take Wizard to lvl 9. Do I get the normal spell progression and slots per day as a 9th lvl Wizard or do I just get an increased caster level(for being 21st lvl)? The wording seems kind of hazy on this subject.
Shadezz0fHades 01-01-04, 09:01 PM	I'd do as a normal wizard 9 but use Epic BAB and Save progression rules
Eldren 01-01-04, 09:25 PM	This might be more appropriate on the Epic Level Handbook board. That being said, I think the general consensus is that you no longer progress in terms of additional spells per day if you were to take a level in a casting class that would put your total character level at 21st or above. At that point you're an Epic character, and must advance as an Epic character. You now receive the Epic bonuses to saving throws and attack rolls (but not Base Attack Bonus) appropriate for your character level (not class level), and you acquire Epic feats (or non-Epic ones if there are still some of those that you want) at an appropriate rate. When you reach a class level (not character) that would grant a bonus feat, you can choose that bonus feat from either the Player's Handbook list of bonus feats for that class or you can choose an Epic bonus feat from the list of Epic bonus feats appropriate to your class in the Epic Level Handbook. Your caster level continues to rise. However, you won't gain additional spells per day. You'll have maxed yourself out at the last non-Epic spellcaster level you had. You can, however, take the "Improved Spell Capacity" Epic feat, which will grant you one daily spell slot (plus any additionals you'd receive for a high ability score) of one level higher than the highest-level spell you can cast. This is a way to get around the lack of additional spells per day, and higher spell levels, that staying in non-Epic spellcaster levels as an Epic character causes. However, remember that you can't use the feat to go back to the regular non-Epic spell progression for the spellcasting class. You receive one spell slot of a level that's one higher than your highest-level spells castable, plus any bonus spells for a high score. If you want to take it all the way to where you can cast 9th level spells, you're going to have to take "Improved Spell Capacity" multiple times. Hope that helps.
Aramek 01-01-04, 09:34 PM	Good question! :D The CORRECT answer is the first one. You follow Epic Saves and BAB from now on, but since WIZ hasn't hit 20 yet, you keep gaining spell progression as if you just gained a level normally. What that stopping spell progressession is talking about is individual caster level as 20. If you were a Wiz20/Clr20 you would be a 20th level caster in both. Full spell lists as in the PHB. The Epic boards are great, you should read them. :D I have read/written a lot of great info there.
Eldren 01-02-04, 12:17 AM	Errr... I'm not doubting you, Aramek, at least not yet, but could you please reference where in the Epic Level Handbook it indicates you keep progressing in spell progression as an Epic character/non-Epic spellcaster? Page number would be sufficient. :)
Aramek 01-02-04, 12:34 AM	Page 7 ELH, midway right col. It says that After 20th level your Caster level increases, but you do not gain any more spells per day. This is talking about Caster Wiz20. Not Total Character Level 20. a Rog10/Wiz5/ArcaneTrickster10 is a 25th level character. This is squarely within Epic Boundries using both the epic Saves and BAB advancement. But the ArcTrix adds to spellcasting level each time. This would be a 15th level Wizard. The Trickster would be able to cast the same number of spells per day as a Wizard of 15th level. Look at some of the Epic NPCs in the book also. Eleminster has both a HUGE Wizard caster level but can also cast Cleric spells for those few levels he took in Cleric. As one can see, he can cast the full Wizard progression of 20th, in addition to his cleric spells.
Jon Hightower 01-02-04, 01:05 AM	So what you are saying then is if a character were a ftr 5/wiz 10/EK 5, he could gain the spellcasting progression for 10 more levels in Wizard and 5 more levels in Eldritch Knight? or would his casting progression stop when he was equivalent to a 20th level caster?
Aramek 01-02-04, 01:15 AM	No. Eldritch Knight add to "Existing Arcane Casting Class". If memory serves me, Ekn adds every level except first. In your case...ftr 5/wiz 10/EK 5 is a 14th level caster. He could take 6 more levels in anthing that adds to "Existing Arcane Casting Class" to become 20th level caster. So he could end up as ftr 5/wiz 11/EK 10 and be able to cast as a 20th level Wizard. Or, (I have not Read Epic EKn)... ftr 5/wiz 10/EK 11 would cast as a 20th level Wizard. ftr 5/wiz 10/EK 12 would cast as a 20th level Wizard with respect to the NUMBER to spells castable per day, but the Caster level would be 21. Caster level is used for things like opposed dispel checks, counterspells, and to get past SR. For instance, a 40th level Wizard, (assuming INT remains the same) casts the same number of spells as a 20th level Wizard.
Jon Hightower 01-02-04, 03:06 AM	OOPS, LOL! I messed up the spell progression. Forgot about that 1st lvl of EK not having a spell progression. Anyways, I was thinking that was the way it worked but I wanted to make sure. Thanks. Anyone else with any feedback and supporting evidence is still be welcome to post. More statistical errata/FAQ/official rulings would always help. Thanks again.