9th level Wizards/Sorcerers?!? [Archive] - Wizards Community

9th level Wizards/Sorcerers?!? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Munz
10-21-05, 08:00 AM Did anybody but me read into the binding process detailed in Magic of Eberron? Did you notice it said to do so required 9th or 10th level Wizards or Sorcerers to be hired by the appropriate Houses to summon and bind elementals to their dragonshards?

Sure, I can see a few 9th or 10th level Wizards or Sorcerers in the world of Eberron. But does anybody else see a problem with this? I mean, we're talking summoning and binding on a mass-production-level. Which means there would need to be more, a LOT more, than what the ECS and all other sources of information seem to imply was available at the time.

If there were THAT many 9th or 10th level Wizards or Sorcerers available throughout the realm of Eberron at that time, why weren't they hired to wipe out armies at a time?
ieattrollsforbreakfast
10-21-05, 08:17 AM Its not a stretch to imagine that Zilargo, particularly the Library of Korranberg, has its fair share of 9th level wizards, but really, they don't need many with the ability. Elemental binding isn't a mass production thing. Airships, the lightning rail, stormships etc. will be made by commission only, since they are so rare and so expensive. Even elemental bound weapons or armour have prices through the roof, and will most certainly not be made by mass production.
Munz
10-21-05, 10:51 AM I guess that DOES explain a lot if they ARE commissioned to do it. But still, don't you think that Wizard X or Sorcerer Y would have then been commissioned to play a more active part in the Last War? I mean, 5th level Spells! They could RUIN an infantry's day! I hope this becomes more clearer in the future as I believe there could be some really powerful wizards and sorcerer NPCs to detail and make into a full-fledged Eberron-based character.

Perhaps the next Raistlin?
MarkB
10-21-05, 10:56 AM Remember, most elemental binding is done in Zilargo, and the gnomes didn't participate in the Last War. Their mages wouldn't have been involved.
DarkWarriorKarg
10-21-05, 11:09 AM I guess that DOES explain a lot if they ARE commissioned to do it. But still, don't you think that Wizard X or Sorcerer Y would have then been commissioned to play a more active part in the Last War? I mean, 5th level Spells! They could RUIN an infantry's day! I hope this becomes more clearer in the future as I believe there could be some really powerful wizards and sorcerer NPCs to detail and make into a full-fledged Eberron-based character.

Perhaps the next Raistlin?

Chances are the 9th or 10th level wizard (if human) studied 40 years to get where he is.

I wouldn't worry about it.

They're not THAT rare. In Korranberg, there's maybe a dozen like that, mostly gnomes...

And probably usage of Schemas by magewrights/experts (UMD) is quite high...
ieattrollsforbreakfast
10-21-05, 11:14 AM Chances are the 9th or 10th level wizard (if human) studied 40 years to get where he is.

I wouldn't worry about it.

They're not THAT rare. In Korranberg, there's maybe a dozen like that, mostly gnomes...

And probably usage of Schemas by magewrights/experts (UMD) is quite high...

Yeah, though Korranberg will have a notably higher proportion of high level characters than usual, like Arcanix or Korth (for the Arcane Congress and the Twelve respectively).
And note that some of the high level wizards were used in the Last War, Karrnath and particularly Aundair made heavy use of warmages throughout the conflict.
Jagermeister
10-21-05, 11:33 AM Remember, most elemental binding is done in Zilargo, and the gnomes didn't participate in the Last War. Their mages wouldn't have been involved.

Exactly.

And keep in mind, that even had the Gnomes participated more in the Last War, it isn't at all their style to throw destructive magic at infantry.

The Gnomes handle warfare in entirely different ways; through careful diplomacy, manipulation, and deception.
LaoKhanWei
10-21-05, 04:09 PM Without really doing any kind of research into the subject I'd estimate there are somewhere around 100-200 8th-9th level wizards and sorcerers on Khorvaire. Plenty enough to accomplish elemental binding. Keep in mind that as far as Khorvaire is concerned, Zilargo Gnomes are the only ones capable of doing it. It's extremely advanced and difficult magic that's rarely used, makes sense you'd need to be 8th level to do it.

I was also under the impression that many more high level spellcasters existed at the beginning of the Last War and there numbers slowly diminished over time as new prodigies went off to war and were killed before they had a chance to reach their full potential.

Sure you could cause a lot of damage with 5th level spells, but lets review what they were up against:

*Your stock soldiers straight out of basic training are 1st level warriors. They're not individually powerful but in a battle involving 100,000 soldiers the impact of two or three 8th level casters isn't that high.

*Elite or Battlehardened troops (Valenar mercenaries and warforged especially) are 2nd-3rd level Warriors or Fighters. This should greatly increase their ability to survive area effect spells, especially if they're specifically trained and equipped to combat spellcasters.

*They still have to content with enemy spellcasters, many of which are probably assigned specifically to counter their efforts (Given the enemy command knows of the identity and location of your spellcasters, not such a lard thing to figure out if their hurling fireballs around every other round).

So really, if you're an 8th level caster in the Last War you're still extremely rare relative to other troops and unlike them, you cannot be replaced.
LaoKhanWei
10-21-05, 04:15 PM Also check out the massive explosion in the background of the illustration on ECS page 248 (The battle between Warforged and Undead Armies). What kind of caster level does that have?
Aneul
10-21-05, 04:40 PM With a little stretch of the imagination they could be Expanded Fireballs (cl 4), or even expanded Sound Bursts (cl 3 for bards), the sonic energy could be throwing a lot of dust up.
LaoKhanWei
10-21-05, 05:03 PM I don't think it could be just sonic energy, considering it's very bright towards the center and dims out as we approach th edges of the explosion. This to me implies heat, it's nearly white hot near the center. And look at how large the radius is, seems about twice the size of a widened fireball(Although I do think it is a widened fireball).

CL4? Maybe if you're an artificer. For a Wizard a NORMAL fireball is CL 5. By the time you can apply Widen Spell to a fireball as a Wizard your CL is 11th.
Majorafire77
10-21-05, 06:30 PM Maybe that's the beginnings of the blast that destroyed Cyre, CL 40.
LaoKhanWei
10-21-05, 07:05 PM You can't have a caster level of 40!
Nialo
10-21-05, 08:11 PM You also have to remember that just because the wizard's are 9th level, doesn't mean that they necessarily know or practice destructive and battle magic. Sure, a PC wizard is probably going to have his fair share of offensive spells. But a wizard who spends most of his time and life in a library, regardless of his power, will not always be as well equipped for battle.
Necr0mancer
10-21-05, 08:15 PM Remember, most elemental binding is done in Zilargo, and the gnomes didn't participate in the Last War. Their mages wouldn't have been involved.

Wasn't Zilargo part of Breland during the Last War? I assumed that they had participated, and it was for their help that Breland "let" them be their own nation when it was over.

Not to deride the post...

I always imaginged there would be things akin to schema that would let spellcasters combine to create bigger effects. Something similar to "aid-another." Instead of a 9th level caster, you get something like nine 2nd level casters.
KP91
10-21-05, 08:33 PM Wasn't Zilargo part of Breland during the Last War? I assumed that they had participated, and it was for their help that Breland "let" them be their own nation when it was over.

Not to deride the post...

I always imaginged there would be things akin to schema that would let spellcasters combine to create bigger effects. Something similar to "aid-another." Instead of a 9th level caster, you get something like nine 2nd level casters.
I believe that they helped Breland with things like better message delivering but that was it. And with gnomes, most went against the givernment to fight anyway, until in the middle of battle they decide to change and start casting for the other side.
LaoKhanWei
10-21-05, 08:38 PM You also have to remember that just because the wizard's are 9th level, doesn't mean that they necessarily know or practice destructive and battle magic. Sure, a PC wizard is probably going to have his fair share of offensive spells. But a wizard who spends most of his time and life in a library, regardless of his power, will not always be as well equipped for battle.

I think most Wizards that participated in the Last War were probably magically equipped for battle.

As I understand it most other magical research was effectively put on standstill in favor of researching new magics for use in the war.
Aneul
10-21-05, 09:56 PM CL4? Maybe if you're an artificer. For a Wizard a NORMAL fireball is CL 5. By the time you can apply Widen Spell to a fireball as a Wizard your CL is 11th.

Oh, right. Sorry, I confused caster level with spell level. A Widened Fireball should take up a level four slot.
As for the sonic burst, it was just a thought.

Now- a thought on high level wizards in battle. As has been said, magical research was almost entirely dedicated to the creation of new battle magics durring the Last War. The 9th and 10th level spellcasters of Eberron are the leaders in their field- the most able to create those new spells so desperately sought after. It stands to reason that a nation wouldn't risk loosing its most powerful mages for something so trivial as having them fight when they could be making new spells and outfitting the much more neumerous weaker wizards.
Sending a 9th level mage to battle instead of keeping him somewhere safe pumping out magic would be (in my mind) something akin to sending a world reknowned physisit to serve as a combat technichian instead of having him working on developing new weapons.
Minister_for_Moral_Truth
10-21-05, 09:57 PM I also recall the comment reguarding Discworld wizards from the GURPS game for that setting, that every wizard is going to know at least one damage-dealing spell, for self defense and because it's an important part of the image. Besides, it stops the peasants getting too upity if you lob fireballs at the rabble-rousers.
Majorafire77
10-21-05, 09:58 PM You can't have a caster level of 40!
Maybe you can't, but I can :mage:
DBlizzard
10-21-05, 10:49 PM Without really doing any kind of research into the subject I'd estimate there are somewhere around 100-200 8th-9th level wizards and sorcerers on Khorvaire.

Based on the demographics dragonshard (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20040712a) a large city probablywill have at least one 8th-9th level sorcerer or wizard (2 of each with a level of 7-9). A metropolis will have 3 of each (highest level being 9-11).

Of course, this assumes that the highest level characters with these classes are pure sorcerers and wizards. I feel that a good percentage of these characters will be somewhat diluted because of some multi-classing, especially with NPC classes (commoner, expert, aristrocrat). I think that pure sorcerers and wizards will be rarer than this. However, they certainly can be found, and those specializing in the skills of binding elementals will probably gravitate to areas where it is done often.
sooperspook
10-21-05, 11:10 PM Actually i don't think you need to have wizrds of 8th level. you might be able to get away with an Artificer of 6th level as they get a +2 effective caster level when creating magic items. so create a scroll of 'summon elemental' as a 8th lvl caster and use that?
Sarlax
10-22-05, 12:23 AM Did anybody but me read into the binding process detailed in Magic of Eberron?
What about the ECS? The requirements for the Bind Elemental feat include "caster level 9th." The Magic of Eberron details a process requiring identical levels of power and includes a lot more flavor.
Sure, I can see a few 9th or 10th level Wizards or Sorcerers in the world of Eberron. But does anybody else see a problem with this? I mean, we're talking summoning and binding on a mass-production-level.
There isn't mass-production of elemental items. There is growing production, but it hasn't approached the level of being widespread in the population. There are likely less than a couple hundred elemental vehicles in existence, for instance - the Zil technique is only a couple centuries old.
LaoKhanWei
10-22-05, 04:22 AM Oh, right. Sorry, I confused caster level with spell level. A Widened Fireball should take up a level four slot.
As for the sonic burst, it was just a thought.

Now- a thought on high level wizards in battle. As has been said, magical research was almost entirely dedicated to the creation of new battle magics durring the Last War. The 9th and 10th level spellcasters of Eberron are the leaders in their field- the most able to create those new spells so desperately sought after. It stands to reason that a nation wouldn't risk loosing its most powerful mages for something so trivial as having them fight when they could be making new spells and outfitting the much more neumerous weaker wizards.
Sending a 9th level mage to battle instead of keeping him somewhere safe pumping out magic would be (in my mind) something akin to sending a world reknowned physisit to serve as a combat technichian instead of having him working on developing new weapons.

My thoughts on the subject exactly! The benefit of having them there are far outweighed by the cost of losing them.

MajoraFire, I was under the impression that caster levels capped at 20 and this rule would overrule just about anything to the contrary.
Errant
10-22-05, 09:00 AM My thoughts on the subject exactly! The benefit of having them there are far outweighed by the cost of losing them.

Thats what I reckon too. Unless critical locations, objectives or cities are under immediate threat, high level casters are much more valuable safe behind the lines creating magic items that can be used by lower level troops etc.
sooperspook
10-22-05, 11:27 PM MajoraFire, I was under the impression that caster levels capped at 20 and this rule would overrule just about anything to the contrary.

Spells per day are capped at what you get at 20th lvl. Your caster level keeps going up each level as normal. Also, maximum spell level stops at 9th unless you start taking Epic feats.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Munz 10-21-05, 08:00 AM	Did anybody but me read into the binding process detailed in Magic of Eberron? Did you notice it said to do so required 9th or 10th level Wizards or Sorcerers to be hired by the appropriate Houses to summon and bind elementals to their dragonshards? Sure, I can see a few 9th or 10th level Wizards or Sorcerers in the world of Eberron. But does anybody else see a problem with this? I mean, we're talking summoning and binding on a mass-production-level. Which means there would need to be more, a LOT more, than what the ECS and all other sources of information seem to imply was available at the time. If there were THAT many 9th or 10th level Wizards or Sorcerers available throughout the realm of Eberron at that time, why weren't they hired to wipe out armies at a time?
ieattrollsforbreakfast 10-21-05, 08:17 AM	Its not a stretch to imagine that Zilargo, particularly the Library of Korranberg, has its fair share of 9th level wizards, but really, they don't need many with the ability. Elemental binding isn't a mass production thing. Airships, the lightning rail, stormships etc. will be made by commission only, since they are so rare and so expensive. Even elemental bound weapons or armour have prices through the roof, and will most certainly not be made by mass production.
Munz 10-21-05, 10:51 AM	I guess that DOES explain a lot if they ARE commissioned to do it. But still, don't you think that Wizard X or Sorcerer Y would have then been commissioned to play a more active part in the Last War? I mean, 5th level Spells! They could RUIN an infantry's day! I hope this becomes more clearer in the future as I believe there could be some really powerful wizards and sorcerer NPCs to detail and make into a full-fledged Eberron-based character. Perhaps the next Raistlin?
MarkB 10-21-05, 10:56 AM	Remember, most elemental binding is done in Zilargo, and the gnomes didn't participate in the Last War. Their mages wouldn't have been involved.
DarkWarriorKarg 10-21-05, 11:09 AM	I guess that DOES explain a lot if they ARE commissioned to do it. But still, don't you think that Wizard X or Sorcerer Y would have then been commissioned to play a more active part in the Last War? I mean, 5th level Spells! They could RUIN an infantry's day! I hope this becomes more clearer in the future as I believe there could be some really powerful wizards and sorcerer NPCs to detail and make into a full-fledged Eberron-based character. Perhaps the next Raistlin? Chances are the 9th or 10th level wizard (if human) studied 40 years to get where he is. I wouldn't worry about it. They're not THAT rare. In Korranberg, there's maybe a dozen like that, mostly gnomes... And probably usage of Schemas by magewrights/experts (UMD) is quite high...
ieattrollsforbreakfast 10-21-05, 11:14 AM	Chances are the 9th or 10th level wizard (if human) studied 40 years to get where he is. I wouldn't worry about it. They're not THAT rare. In Korranberg, there's maybe a dozen like that, mostly gnomes... And probably usage of Schemas by magewrights/experts (UMD) is quite high... Yeah, though Korranberg will have a notably higher proportion of high level characters than usual, like Arcanix or Korth (for the Arcane Congress and the Twelve respectively). And note that some of the high level wizards were used in the Last War, Karrnath and particularly Aundair made heavy use of warmages throughout the conflict.
Jagermeister 10-21-05, 11:33 AM	Remember, most elemental binding is done in Zilargo, and the gnomes didn't participate in the Last War. Their mages wouldn't have been involved. Exactly. And keep in mind, that even had the Gnomes participated more in the Last War, it isn't at all their style to throw destructive magic at infantry. The Gnomes handle warfare in entirely different ways; through careful diplomacy, manipulation, and deception.
LaoKhanWei 10-21-05, 04:09 PM	Without really doing any kind of research into the subject I'd estimate there are somewhere around 100-200 8th-9th level wizards and sorcerers on Khorvaire. Plenty enough to accomplish elemental binding. Keep in mind that as far as Khorvaire is concerned, Zilargo Gnomes are the only ones capable of doing it. It's extremely advanced and difficult magic that's rarely used, makes sense you'd need to be 8th level to do it. I was also under the impression that many more high level spellcasters existed at the beginning of the Last War and there numbers slowly diminished over time as new prodigies went off to war and were killed before they had a chance to reach their full potential. Sure you could cause a lot of damage with 5th level spells, but lets review what they were up against: Your stock soldiers straight out of basic training are 1st level warriors. They're not individually powerful but in a battle involving 100,000 soldiers the impact of two or three 8th level casters isn't that high. Elite or Battlehardened troops (Valenar mercenaries and warforged especially) are 2nd-3rd level Warriors or Fighters. This should greatly increase their ability to survive area effect spells, especially if they're specifically trained and equipped to combat spellcasters. *They still have to content with enemy spellcasters, many of which are probably assigned specifically to counter their efforts (Given the enemy command knows of the identity and location of your spellcasters, not such a lard thing to figure out if their hurling fireballs around every other round). So really, if you're an 8th level caster in the Last War you're still extremely rare relative to other troops and unlike them, you cannot be replaced.
LaoKhanWei 10-21-05, 04:15 PM	Also check out the massive explosion in the background of the illustration on ECS page 248 (The battle between Warforged and Undead Armies). What kind of caster level does that have?
Aneul 10-21-05, 04:40 PM	With a little stretch of the imagination they could be Expanded Fireballs (cl 4), or even expanded Sound Bursts (cl 3 for bards), the sonic energy could be throwing a lot of dust up.
LaoKhanWei 10-21-05, 05:03 PM	I don't think it could be just sonic energy, considering it's very bright towards the center and dims out as we approach th edges of the explosion. This to me implies heat, it's nearly white hot near the center. And look at how large the radius is, seems about twice the size of a widened fireball(Although I do think it is a widened fireball). CL4? Maybe if you're an artificer. For a Wizard a NORMAL fireball is CL 5. By the time you can apply Widen Spell to a fireball as a Wizard your CL is 11th.
Majorafire77 10-21-05, 06:30 PM	Maybe that's the beginnings of the blast that destroyed Cyre, CL 40.
LaoKhanWei 10-21-05, 07:05 PM	You can't have a caster level of 40!
Nialo 10-21-05, 08:11 PM	You also have to remember that just because the wizard's are 9th level, doesn't mean that they necessarily know or practice destructive and battle magic. Sure, a PC wizard is probably going to have his fair share of offensive spells. But a wizard who spends most of his time and life in a library, regardless of his power, will not always be as well equipped for battle.
Necr0mancer 10-21-05, 08:15 PM	Remember, most elemental binding is done in Zilargo, and the gnomes didn't participate in the Last War. Their mages wouldn't have been involved. Wasn't Zilargo part of Breland during the Last War? I assumed that they had participated, and it was for their help that Breland "let" them be their own nation when it was over. Not to deride the post... I always imaginged there would be things akin to schema that would let spellcasters combine to create bigger effects. Something similar to "aid-another." Instead of a 9th level caster, you get something like nine 2nd level casters.
KP91 10-21-05, 08:33 PM	Wasn't Zilargo part of Breland during the Last War? I assumed that they had participated, and it was for their help that Breland "let" them be their own nation when it was over. Not to deride the post... I always imaginged there would be things akin to schema that would let spellcasters combine to create bigger effects. Something similar to "aid-another." Instead of a 9th level caster, you get something like nine 2nd level casters. I believe that they helped Breland with things like better message delivering but that was it. And with gnomes, most went against the givernment to fight anyway, until in the middle of battle they decide to change and start casting for the other side.
LaoKhanWei 10-21-05, 08:38 PM	You also have to remember that just because the wizard's are 9th level, doesn't mean that they necessarily know or practice destructive and battle magic. Sure, a PC wizard is probably going to have his fair share of offensive spells. But a wizard who spends most of his time and life in a library, regardless of his power, will not always be as well equipped for battle. I think most Wizards that participated in the Last War were probably magically equipped for battle. As I understand it most other magical research was effectively put on standstill in favor of researching new magics for use in the war.
Aneul 10-21-05, 09:56 PM	CL4? Maybe if you're an artificer. For a Wizard a NORMAL fireball is CL 5. By the time you can apply Widen Spell to a fireball as a Wizard your CL is 11th. Oh, right. Sorry, I confused caster level with spell level. A Widened Fireball should take up a level four slot. As for the sonic burst, it was just a thought. Now- a thought on high level wizards in battle. As has been said, magical research was almost entirely dedicated to the creation of new battle magics durring the Last War. The 9th and 10th level spellcasters of Eberron are the leaders in their field- the most able to create those new spells so desperately sought after. It stands to reason that a nation wouldn't risk loosing its most powerful mages for something so trivial as having them fight when they could be making new spells and outfitting the much more neumerous weaker wizards. Sending a 9th level mage to battle instead of keeping him somewhere safe pumping out magic would be (in my mind) something akin to sending a world reknowned physisit to serve as a combat technichian instead of having him working on developing new weapons.
Minister_for_Moral_Truth 10-21-05, 09:57 PM	I also recall the comment reguarding Discworld wizards from the GURPS game for that setting, that every wizard is going to know at least one damage-dealing spell, for self defense and because it's an important part of the image. Besides, it stops the peasants getting too upity if you lob fireballs at the rabble-rousers.
Majorafire77 10-21-05, 09:58 PM	You can't have a caster level of 40! Maybe you can't, but I can :mage:
DBlizzard 10-21-05, 10:49 PM	Without really doing any kind of research into the subject I'd estimate there are somewhere around 100-200 8th-9th level wizards and sorcerers on Khorvaire. Based on the demographics dragonshard (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20040712a) a large city probablywill have at least one 8th-9th level sorcerer or wizard (2 of each with a level of 7-9). A metropolis will have 3 of each (highest level being 9-11). Of course, this assumes that the highest level characters with these classes are pure sorcerers and wizards. I feel that a good percentage of these characters will be somewhat diluted because of some multi-classing, especially with NPC classes (commoner, expert, aristrocrat). I think that pure sorcerers and wizards will be rarer than this. However, they certainly can be found, and those specializing in the skills of binding elementals will probably gravitate to areas where it is done often.
sooperspook 10-21-05, 11:10 PM	Actually i don't think you need to have wizrds of 8th level. you might be able to get away with an Artificer of 6th level as they get a +2 effective caster level when creating magic items. so create a scroll of 'summon elemental' as a 8th lvl caster and use that?
Sarlax 10-22-05, 12:23 AM	Did anybody but me read into the binding process detailed in Magic of Eberron? What about the ECS? The requirements for the Bind Elemental feat include "caster level 9th." The Magic of Eberron details a process requiring identical levels of power and includes a lot more flavor. Sure, I can see a few 9th or 10th level Wizards or Sorcerers in the world of Eberron. But does anybody else see a problem with this? I mean, we're talking summoning and binding on a mass-production-level. There isn't mass-production of elemental items. There is growing production, but it hasn't approached the level of being widespread in the population. There are likely less than a couple hundred elemental vehicles in existence, for instance - the Zil technique is only a couple centuries old.
LaoKhanWei 10-22-05, 04:22 AM	Oh, right. Sorry, I confused caster level with spell level. A Widened Fireball should take up a level four slot. As for the sonic burst, it was just a thought. Now- a thought on high level wizards in battle. As has been said, magical research was almost entirely dedicated to the creation of new battle magics durring the Last War. The 9th and 10th level spellcasters of Eberron are the leaders in their field- the most able to create those new spells so desperately sought after. It stands to reason that a nation wouldn't risk loosing its most powerful mages for something so trivial as having them fight when they could be making new spells and outfitting the much more neumerous weaker wizards. Sending a 9th level mage to battle instead of keeping him somewhere safe pumping out magic would be (in my mind) something akin to sending a world reknowned physisit to serve as a combat technichian instead of having him working on developing new weapons. My thoughts on the subject exactly! The benefit of having them there are far outweighed by the cost of losing them. MajoraFire, I was under the impression that caster levels capped at 20 and this rule would overrule just about anything to the contrary.
Errant 10-22-05, 09:00 AM	My thoughts on the subject exactly! The benefit of having them there are far outweighed by the cost of losing them. Thats what I reckon too. Unless critical locations, objectives or cities are under immediate threat, high level casters are much more valuable safe behind the lines creating magic items that can be used by lower level troops etc.
sooperspook 10-22-05, 11:27 PM	MajoraFire, I was under the impression that caster levels capped at 20 and this rule would overrule just about anything to the contrary. Spells per day are capped at what you get at 20th lvl. Your caster level keeps going up each level as normal. Also, maximum spell level stops at 9th unless you start taking Epic feats.