Maximizing Dispel Checks

[Corwin of Amber]

What are ways to add bonuses to your dispel checks? I'm talking about things like the Oracle domain or Abjuration Specialist (which are, coincidentally, the only ways I know). Anything that adds a point or two would be useful. As such I have not noticed any feats, etc that do this.

I would like to do this on a Cleric, but methods for any spellcaster would be fine.

Thank you.

 

[frankthedm]

So, if I, like... y'know apply maximize spell to dispel magic can I make the d20 a 20 OMGWTF so cool... (I found so many threads asking this)

answered a while ago...

Originally Posted by [MENTION=60210]jaelis[/MENTION]
If you look at the benefit description of Maximize Spell in the actual PHB, you'll see it specifically says that it doesn't work for dispel magic.

 

[Corwin of Amber]

Sorry if there was a misunderstanding, the first part was meant to be a joke about the many many threads that think you can mazimize checks that I found while googling the topic.

What I'm really looking for is any modifiers that can add points to your caster level check. It's hard to sound sarcastic in type. I'm going to edit the OP and change that.

 

[Wyvernhand]

A Dispelling Cord (MIC) gives you a +2 untyped bonus, 5/day, for 1000g. Thats about as cheap as it gets. And I think its the Inquisition domain you are thinking of, Oracle only gives you a +1 bonus on Divination CLs.

Also, a dispel check is a kind of caster level check. This is important. Complete Arcane has a feat called Arcane Mastery. It lets you take 10 on ANY caster level check. That means you can take 10 on a dispel check. Now, remember that the DC is 11 + caster level of the spells caster. So, you just need to get a bonus on your dispel check greater than 1 + delta of you CLs. So, if you had 10 levels of Master Abjurer, the Cord, and a Planar Touchstone keyed to the Catalogues of Enlightenment for the Inqusition domain power, you'd have a +11 on Dispels, and taking 10 you'd automatically dispel ANY spell cast by a caster up to 10 levels higher than you.

Also, assuming you haven't hit the CL cap for your given dispel spell, anything that boosts CL would help. An Orange IWIN Stone, Ring of Arcane Mastery, Master Specialist bonus, Divine Spell Power, Bead of Karma, Purification domain, Earth Spell, etc. I think its Chain Dispel in the PHBII, actually has a CL cap of 25, rather than the 15 or 20 you get with Reaving Dispel or other high level dispels.

Then again, its all moot once you get Disjunction, assuming you actually play with Disjunction, since Disjunction is automatic, no CL check involved.

 

[Uber Dungeon]

SPELL FOCUS (Abjuration) [GENERAL]
Choose a school of magic, such as illusion. Your spells of that school are more potent than normal. Benefit: Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells from the school of magic you select.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new school of magic.

Or
If you can pull this off, it can be pretty cool. I can see a back-up cleric build doing pretty well with this.
SACRED VOW [EXALTED]
You have willingly given yourself to the service of a good deity or cause, denying yourself an ordinary life to better serve your highest ideals.
Benefit: You gain a +2 perfection bonus on Diplomacy checks.
Special: This feat serves as the prerequisite for several other feats, including the Vow of Abstinence, Vow of Chastity, Vow of Nonviolence, Vow of Obedience, Vow of Peace, Vow of Poverty, and Vow of Purity.
And
VOW OF NONVIOLENCE [EXALTED]
You have taken a sacred vow to avoid violence against humanoids.
Prerequisites: Sacred Vow.
Benefit: The saving throw DC for spells you cast or other special abilities you use against humanoid or monstrous humanoid targets is increased by +4 if the spell does not deal damage (including ability damage but not nonlethal damage), bestow negative levels, or cause death. Spells affected by this feat include most Abjuration, Enchantment, and Illusion spells (though not phantasmal killer, for example), those few Divination spells that have targets and require saving throws (including detect thoughts and discern lies), and even Necromancy spells such as waves of fatigue and ray of exhaustion. It does not affect most Evocation, Conjuration, and Transmutation spells. The bonus granted by this feat does not stack with the bonus granted by the Spell Focus feat. It affects only saving throw DCs, not caster level checks or other elements of a spell. The benefit of this feat extends to special abilities other than spells that allow a saving throw, but only if the ability does not deal damage and is not dependent on dealing damage. For example, a character with the Stunning Fist feat can increase the saving throw DC to avoid being stunned by +4 if she deals nonlethal damage, rather than regular damage, with her stunning attack. A couatl’s venom would not become more virulent because of this feat, however, because it deals ability damage and requires the couatl to deal hit point damage in order to deliver it.
Special: To fulfill your vow, you must not cause harm or suffering to humanoid or monstrous humanoid foes. You may not deal real damage or ability damage to such foes through spells or weapons, though you may deal nonlethal damage. You may not target them with death effects, disintegrate, pain effects, or other spells that have the immediate potential to cause death, suffering, or great harm. Your purity is so great that any ally of yours who slays a helpless or defenseless foe within 120 feet of you feels great remorse. Your ally takes a –1 morale penalty on his attack rolls for 1 hour per your character level. For each helpless foe slain, the attack penalty increases by 1, to a maximum equal to your character level. The duration of the increased penalty starts from the latest slaying. You may ask your allies to give you an oath that a helpless foe will not be slain. If the oath is sworn, an ally who later breaks the oath takes the penalty for doing so as if you were present. If you leave a helpless foe to be killed by your allies, you have broken your vow. You may ask a defeated creature to give you an oath of surrender or noninterference in exchange for its life. If the creature breaks this oath to you, you can allow your allies to deal with the creature as they see fit without breaking their oaths or your vow of nonviolence. If you intentionally break your vow, you immediately and irrevocably lose the benefit of this feat. You may not take another feat to replace it. If you break your vow as a result of magical compulsion, you lose the benefit of this feat until you perform a suitable penance and receive an atonement spell

 

[TanisFrey]

Divine Spell Power
from Complete Divine allows you to use a turn undead to raise your effective caster level by up to 4. You burn a turn undead attamp as a free action, roll a turn undead check. Instead of its normal effects, it modifies your caster level by any positive result for a spell cast the round of the check.

I am currently playing a high CHA (29), 14th level cleric whom uses this feat all the time to boost her caster level for greater dispel and any other spell I feel that I need to boost my CL for. I routinely boost magic vestment, greater magic weapon each day and as needed shield of faith, divine power, any mass cure spell and any attempt to over come a creatures SR.

 

[Corwin of Amber]

I didn't know that increacing the DC via spell focus would raise the caster check.

Dispelling Chord seems incredibly useful, since at high levels it's basically a constant +2.

Is there anything preventing an evil-inclined LN character from taking Sacred Vow? I know it's in BoED, but I suppose it's possible to be devoted to a cause sacred to evil.

Divine spellpower seems like a good option.

 

[Gwarthkam]

Ghalleon: The feats you mention don't raise caster level, they raise DC, and the last feat you pasted specifically says so

Try raising caster level with stuff for abjuration or dispell only.

I've been trying to raisse caster level for abjuration for fun to boost the spellresistance spell, and you might consider having a look at these options:

class features:
wizard: domain specialist [abjuration] (from UA) +1
purification domain (for arcane users via ACF at level 5 from CC) +1


trait:
spellgifted (from UA) +1

feats:
arcane thesis (from PHB2) +2
protective ward [reserve] (from CC) +1
mystic backlash [reserve] (from CM) +1
magic disruption [reserve] (from CM) +1
Spell Thematics (from PG to Faerun) +1
Elven Spell Lore (PHB2) +1

spells:
create magic tatoo (SC) +1


For a domain specialist [abjuration] with domain granted power ACF [purification] 5.th and [protection] 10.th and the listed feats/traits, that would be:

+11 to dispel caster level check

I know there are a lot of other ways to get higher caster levels for abjuration, but these are the only ones that have been relevant for me. I look forward to seeing what else might turn up I havn't even looked at magic items

 

[Corwin of Amber]

Ghalleon: The feats you mention don't raise caster level, they raise DC, and the last feat you pasted specifically says so

Try raising caster level with stuff for abjuration or dispell only.

I've been trying to raisse caster level for abjuration for fun to boost the spellresistance spell, and you might consider having a look at these options:

class features:
wizard: domain specialist [abjuration] (from UA) +1
purification domain (for arcane users via ACF at level 5 from CC) +1


trait:
spellgifted (from UA) +1

feats:
arcane thesis (from PHB2) +2
protective ward [reserve] (from CC) +1
mystic backlash [reserve] (from CM) +1
magic disruption [reserve] (from CM) +1
Spell Thematics (from PG to Faerun) +1
Elven Spell Lore (PHB2) +1

spells:
create magic tatoo (SC) +1


For a domain specialist [abjuration] with domain granted power ACF [purification] 5.th and [protection] 10.th and the listed feats/traits, that would be:

+11 to dispel caster level check

I know there are a lot of other ways to get higher caster levels for abjuration, but these are the only ones that have been relevant for me. I look forward to seeing what else might turn up I havn't even looked at magic items

This stuff is good.

 

[Uber Dungeon]

if you wore to do sacred vow with an evil deity or for an evil cause, I don't see an issue making that exception if your DM is cool with it.
But Vow of nonviolence might have conflicts through the game.

Theres lots of stuff in the magic item compendium
But this is what really cough my eye.
ANKH OF ASCENSION
Price (Item Level): 9,000 gp (12th)
Body Slot: Throat
Caster Level: 17th
Aura: Strong; (DC 23) conjuration
Activation: Free (command)
Weight: 3 lb.
Crudely carved from splintering wood and dangling from frayed twine, this simple ankh looks brittle and ancient. When you activate an ankh of ascension, you must sacrifice a prepared divine spell or divine spell slot. The caster level of any divine spells of that level or lower that you cast before your next turn increases by 4. An ankh of ascension functions three times per day.
Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, gate. Cost to Create: 4,500 gp, 360 XP, 9 days.