Caster Check

Caster Check

Caster check is a general term used to describe making a skill check in order to use a magic spell to 'do something' against a bad guy. This can be wrestling your magical effect through a monster's spell resistance, using a grease spell to disarm an crc, or making tentacles do... stuff... to a whole roomful of demons.

If you are a caster, you must sometimes make caster check, either to overcome a target's Spell Resistance (SR), or to resolve spells which emulate combat maneuvers.

Character Level + Caster Ability Modifier + Implement Bonus + Enhancement Bonus + Training Bonus + Feat Bonus + Other Bonus

• Character Level: This is your character's total level, even if you are dual-classed or multi-classed.
• Caster Ability Modifier: The caster ability modifier is Intelligence for a wizards and alchemists, Charisma for bards, paladins, and sorcerers, or Wisdom for clerics, druids, and rangers. If dual- or multi-classed, use your highest caster ability modifier.
• Implement Bonus: If the caster is wielding an implement, the enhancement bonus of that implement is applied to all caster checks.
• Enhancement Bonus: Some magic items provide an enhancement bonus to caster checks, which can be stacked with the implement enhancement bonus.
• Training Bonus: Some racial traits or class features grant a bonus to caster checks. If a character has both a racial trait and a class feature granting a training bonus to caster checks, this bonus does not stack; only the largest available bonus may be applied.
• Feat Bonus: Some feats, such as Combat Casting (Feat) and Spell Penetration (Feat), can be selected to improve your caster checks in certain situations.
• Other Bonus: Rare bonuses to caster checks, such as those granted as a boon by a particularly powerful entity, may also exist. These are typically campaign-specific.

The target DC of this check is usually the creature's Maneuver Defense, but it can sometimes be a Challenging skill DC, or (in the case of defensive casting) 10 + (spell level x 4). It never targets a saving throw DC (if you see this, it is an error).