Few questions about dispel check and DC of spells

[darwin.evenwood]

Hi, I will try to be clear.

I noticed a couple of things i can't understand so i want to ask you veterans of the server.

I am playing a wizard currently at level 13 and when i summon a creature with Planar Binding spell sometimes enemy casters throw a dispel to the creature.
What happens is that a Dice roll is showed in the combat log " enemy caster roll X vs 23 DC" . I assume DC in this case stands for Dispel Check becuse when the X matches that number my summon disappears.

But why 23? As a levevl 13 wizard shouldn't be 24? Or is it based upon the level of the summon ( i think that is 12). Anyway even if the X is lower than 23 the summon remains there but sometimes my buffs on him get dispelled. How does it work?

When dispel is casted on me i don't see any roll showed in the combat log so i can't say if the calculation is normally right or is always against 23.

That said the second thing i noticed is about Difficulty Class of saving throws vs Spells. I casted two different spells of the same level but from two different schools against one enemy and the DC showed was the same, even if i had the Spell Focus feat in one school only. I mean, the DC is correct for the focused school is just that is 1 higher for the not focused one. That could be good for me but there is surely something strange.

Thanks!

[chad878262]

So if I understand you right there are two issues.

1. Your summon shows a dispel roll in the log when a mob throws the dispel with a DC of 23, whereas it should be 24 since you are a 13th level pure wizard (13+11=24).

2. Your DCs on spells are showing the same for spells from two different schools. One of those spells is from a school you have Spell Focus in, and is correct, but the other spell you do not have spell focus in has the same DC and, is not correct.

Do I have it right? If so that could be an issue, but it would help if you could provide your class split (some Wizard PRC's gain bonus to DC for certain schools, some don't have full caster progression). If everything you stated is accurate it would need to be looked in to by a developer, but before we take that step I'd like to see your full class split, what spells were cast, if any metamagic was used, the manual calculations of what your DC's should be and similar information. This is the best way to make sure it is an actual issue and not simply a misconception.

[darwin.evenwood]

First of all, Thanks. And yes you undestood me right.

1. My wizard is only wizard. Wizard 13 is the class split. It will be Wiz 30 so no other classes.
Yes, it shows the dispel roll ,only when dispel is thrown at the summon (not at me), and it shows "vs 23 DC". As a caster of 13th level it should be 24 i guess. I don't know if when dispel is thrown at me the calculation is correct as it doesn't show anything.

2. It happened with many spells, i will repeat the process in order to be sure but i can give you a couple of examples.

Arc of lightning (Conjuration) : 10 + 5 (spell level) + 1 (spell focus conjuration) + 6 (INT mod) +2 (Fox cunning) +1 (spellcasting prodigy) = 25. Correct.

Firebrand (evocation) : 10 + 5 (spell level) + 6 (INT) + 2 (Fox) +1 (prodigy) = 24 (no spell focus evocation) . In game i had 25.

It happened the same with wall of fire and evard's black tentacles. both got 24 instead of 23(WoF) and 24 (EBT). Anyway i will retry as soon as possible.

About metamagic i noticed it doesn't change the DC of spells, am i right? It shouldn't change it or it actually increases the spell level? I think only Heighten Spell actually increase spell level for DC purposes but that is not in game.

[dzidek1983]

Evards is conjuration it should get 24...
Wall of fire should get 23... unless you have fiendish heritage feats that increade evocation DC's or an item that has SF: evocation

looking at your examples it seems you get +1 evocation DC

maybe test with other spell schools

[darwin.evenwood]

Yes, it is exactly what is happening. It is adding DC points even if i don't have Spell Focus feats.
I have no items with Spell Focus feats, so i don't really know where does it come from.

I tried with several spells, if i manage to post screenshots i will show you.

EDIT: Amazing, i managed to post screenshots. You could see different spells from different schools showing the same DCs, and metamagic spells also. I didn't have Fox Cunning on but an item with INT +2. Anyway there is the character sheet in the pictures. The last one, i took it some days ago when i was lvl 12 but it shows the same issue (dispel check 22 instead of 23).

[darwin.evenwood]

[Rasael]

I'm not certain if metamagic changes the DC.
You can assume it doesn't unless you hear otherwise.

I'll look it up. Its (easily) possible. And there's a good argument in favor (and against).

[darwin.evenwood]

I don't think metamagic has effects on the DC. At least in the test i have done it seems not.

The only issue is that every school is treated as it has the related spell focus feat and that's incorrect.

It is not a big problem because it only increases DC, but it would be interesting to find out why and fix it, otherwise there is no point to pick the spell focus feat and it could be a kind of exploit. I mean, if taking a single spell focus feat allows you to cast all the spells at the same increased DC it would be a big favor.