Circle magic + Suffer the Flesh = what caster level?

[ksbsnowowl]

Circle magic, as described in the 3.5 DMG, allows you to use spell levels to do the following:

Increase the circle leader’s caster level by one for every circle bonus level expended (maximum caster level 40th). This benefit applies to level-dependent variables of a spell such as range or duration, and to level checks (dispel checks, checks to overcome spell resistance, and so on).

If a red wizard ups his CL to 40, then places an orange ioun stone about his head, is his CL 40 or 41?

If a red wizard with an increased CL of 40 casts Suffer the Flesh*, dealing 10 points of Con damage, what is his caster level for the next spell he casts, 40 or 45?

*Suffer the Flesh

(click to show/hide)

SUFFER THE FLESH
Transmutation
Level: Sorcerer/wizard 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round

You can draw upon your physical endurance to increase the power of your spells. You voluntarily deal Constitution damage to yourself when you cast this spell. For each 2 points of damage dealt, your caster level increases by 1. You cannot take more Constitution damage than your caster level (maximum 10 points for a +5 caster level increase).
Your maximum and current hit points drop appropriately for your lower Constitution score. A creature that has no Constitution score, or that has immunity to Constitution damage, cannot cast this spell.
Material Component: A ruby worth 250 gp.

[linklord231]

I think the general rule is that you apply things like that in the order most beneficial to yourself.  That's why Ultimate Magi like Practiced Spellcaster so much.

So Circle Magic your CL up to 40, then apply any additional increases. 

[awaken_D_M_golem]

So like Circle Magic in isolation from everything else,
stacks within itself up to 40, then it overlaps at this cap
... but only relative to within itself.
Other abilities not-Circle-Magic would still stack.

Yes 


**


But then in this specific case of CM + the spell
there's the problem like Consumptive Field
does it make a small loop or does it work like e  ??

[ksbsnowowl]

Good to know.

LN Hathran w/ CL [40 + 4 (bead of Karma)]*1.5 (from ethran willingly sacrificing themselves to the cause of Good via Consumptive Field) could result in a CL of 66, if the dire need arose.

It gets even nuttier for Binding.
CL 40
+4 (Bead of Karma)
+(13*6) [six assistants casting the appropriate Dominate spell at CL 39]
Total = 122

In theory the six assistants can also each cast Suggestion (Binding is unclear if each assistant can cast only one spell), which would get it to 128.

Consumptive Field would up it more, but they likely wouldn't use it.