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Maximum caster level
Maximum caster level[edit]
Many spells are subject to a maximum caster level (MCL). The part of the spell that scales by caster level will no longer scale when the maximum caster level is reached or exceeded, whether through the character's caster level exceeding the MCL or caster level increasing effects pushing the caster level of the spell past the MCL.
It's important to distinguish spell level from caster level and caster level from maximum caster level.
Some general notes:
- The duration of spells is usually not limited by a maximum caster level.
- Some damage absorption spells have a maximum caster level (Protection from Energy / Elements), and some do not (Stoneskin).
- Certain spells add the caster level to a roll, which is different than a standard save DC. Some have a maximum caster level (Dispel Magic, Greater Dispel Magic) and some do not (Knock, Mordenkainen's Disjunction).
- Epic strikes have maximum caster level equal to 20.
Maximum caster level is sometimes displayed in spell description. If you have effects that increase your max CL (see below), the description is not updated; game does not display this information anywhere.
Increasing maximum caster level[edit]
A few effects can increase the maximum caster level of spells (and SLAs).
- Class abilities
- Artificer Renegade Mastermaker core ability Constructive Conduit: +6 for curative admixture spells
- Artificer Renegade Mastermaker tier 5 ability Mastermaker: no cap for Repair spells
- Cleric Radiant Servant tier 5 ability Cure Focus: no cap for Cure spells
- Cleric Divine Disciple tier 5 ability Spell_Critical_Damage: +2 MCL to either Light, Negative, & Alignment or Fire, Cold, Acid, Electric, & Force damage spells
- Cleric Divine Disciple capstone core ability Transcendence: +1 MCL to either Light & Alignment or Negative Energy spells
- Druid Seasons' Herald core ability Wellspring: +1 MCL for spells appropriate to your season
- Druid Seasons' Herald core ability Hierophant: +1 MCL to in both seasons
- FvS Angel of Vengeance tier 5 ability Zealous Faith: +1/2/3 to MCL of Fire, Force, Light, and Physical damage spells
- Sorcerer Air / Earth / Fire / Water Savant core abilities: +1 MCL to element type in cores 5 and 6, for a total of +2; plus an additional +1 MCL when in elemental form
- Racial abilities
- Dragonborn tier 3 Draconic Knowledge: +2 MCL to chosen element
- Epic+ feats
- Epic Knowledge: +1 MCL with all spells, granted automatically to all characters at levels 22, 24, 26, 28, 30
- Legendary Knowledge: same as epic but for legendary levels
- Master of ... epic feats: +10 to MCL of selected spells
A few spells are (probably incorrectly) not affected by MCL increasing effects - notably Eladar's Electric Surge and Niac's Biting Cold, forever stuck at MCL 20.
Sorcerer/Wizard spells with maximum caster level[edit]
Only spells that are limited in some part to a maximum caster level (most commonly spell damage) are listed, unless the absence of a MCL is notable.
| Spell | Spell Level |
Max Cast Level |
Damage Type |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acid Spray | 1 | 5 | Acid | |
| Burning Hands | 1 | 5 | Fire | |
| Chill Touch | 1 | 5 | Negative | |
| Disrupt Undead | 1 | ? | Positive | Needs testing, probably no cap |
| Magic Missile | 1 | 9 | Force | Number of missiles, not affected by MCL increases |
| Niac's Cold Ray | 1 | 5 | Cold | |
| Ray of Enfeeblement | 1 | 10 | n/a | |
| Repair Light Damage | 1 | 5 | Repair | |
| Shocking Grasp | 1 | 5 | Electric | |
| Sonic Blast | 1 | 10 | Sonic | |
| Electric Loop | 2 | 10 | Electric | |
| False Life | 2 | 10 | n/a | |
| Melf's Acid Arrow | 2 | 5 | Acid | |
| Repair Moderate Damage | 2 | 10 | Repair | |
| Scorch | 2 | 10 | Fire | |
| Scorching Ray | 2 | 11 | Fire | Number of rays, not affected by MCL increases |
| Snowball Swarm | 2 | 10 | Cold | |
| Acid Blast | 3 | 10 | Acid | |
| Chain Missiles | 3 | 19 | Force | Number of missiles, not affected by MCL increases |
| Dispel Magic | 3 | 10 | n/a | Not affected by MCL increases? |
| Fireball | 3 | 10 | Fire | |
| Frost Lance | 3 | 11 | Cold | Number of rays, not affected by MCL increases |
| Lightning Bolt | 3 | 10 | Electric | |
| Protection from Energy | 3 | 10 | n/a | |
| Repair Serious Damage | 3 | 15 | Repair | |
| Acid Rain | 4 | 15 | Acid | |
| Burning Blood | 4 | 20 | Acid, Fire | |
| Death Aura | 4 | 20 | Negative | |
| Fire Shield | 4 | 15 | Cold, Fire | |
| Fire Trap | 4 | 20 | Fire | |
| Force Missiles | 4 | 12 | Force | Number of missiles, not affected by MCL increases |
| Ice Storm | 4 | 15 | Cold | |
| Negative Energy Burst | 4 | 10 | Negative | |
| Repair Critical Damage | 4 | 20 | Repair | |
| Wall of Fire | 4 | 15 | Fire | |
| Ball Lightning | 5 | 15 | Electric | |
| Cloudkill | 5 | 20 | Acid | |
| Cone of Cold | 5 | 15 | Cold | |
| Cyclonic Blast | 5 | 20 | Untyped | |
| Eladar's Electric Surge | 5 | 20 | Electric | Not affected by MCL increases |
| Niac's Biting Cold | 5 | 20 | Cold | Not affected by MCL increases |
| Prismatic Ray | 5 | ? | Acid, Electric, Fire |
No maximum? |
| Protection from Elements | 5 | 10 | n/a | |
| Repair Light Damage, Mass | 5 | 25 | Repair | |
| Chain Lightning | 6 | 20 | Electric | |
| Disintegrate | 6 | 20 | Untyped | |
| Greater Dispel Magic | 6 | 20 | n/a | Not affected by MCL increases? |
| Necrotic Ray | 6 | ? | Negative | Needs testing, supposedly no cap |
| Otiluke's Freezing Sphere | 6 | 20 | Cold | |
| Reconstruct | 6 | 15 | Repair | |
| Repair Moderate Damage, Mass | 6 | 30 | Repair | |
| Banishment | 7 | ? | Untyped | Needs testing |
| Delayed Blast Fireball | 7 | 20 | Fire | |
| Finger of Death | 7 | 25 | Negative | |
| Prismatic Spray | 7 | ? | Acid, Electric, Fire |
No maximum? |
| Protection from Elements, Mass | 7 | 10 | n/a | |
| Repair Serious Damage, Mass | 7 | 35 | Repair | |
| Black Dragon Bolt | 8 | 25 | Acid | |
| Horrid Wilting | 8 | 20 | Untyped | |
| Incendiary Cloud | 8 | ? | Fire | Needs testing, supposedly no cap |
| Polar Ray | 8 | 25 | Cold | |
| Repair Critical Damage, Mass | 8 | 40 | Repair | |
| Sunburst | 8 | 25 | Light |
Cleric/Favored Soul spells with maximum caster level[edit]
Only spells that are limited in some part to a maximum caster level (most commonly spell damage) are listed, unless the absence of a MCL is notable.
Only spells not on the Sorcerer/Wizard list are listed, as spells shared with the Sorcerer/Wizard count as "Arcane" when cast by Clerics/Favored Souls, notably for effects like Arcane Augmentation.