Core Concept of a PrC (Craziness?)

[FireLance]

I'd say it provides three advantages: Higher caster level (which means better existing spells), More spells per day in the levels you have, and (roughly every other level) higher level spells.

Fair enough, let's say we divide it as follows:
1. Higher caster level
2. More spell slots
3. Casts higher level spells

Note that (2) is useless without (3) since you can't cast the higher level spell unless you get higher level spell slots.

I personally believe (1) is very important so that your spells are effective at higher levels.

(2) can be achieved through the bonus spell approach, or your effective Int approach.

(3) could be achieved through +1 level spell slots or the spellcasting boost approach.

So, we have plenty of options for building spellcasting PrCs:
1. +1 caster level (no slots, just higher level casting)
2. +1 level spell slots
3. +1 spellcaster level (1 + 2)
4. Bonus spells
5. Level+(Stat) for bonus spells
6. Spellcasting boost

If you wanted to make a character who got a lot of really powerful low level spells, you could also say, "add Class level to effective Int for purposes of calculating save DC's."

This quite a powerful ability. It would increase spell DCs by 1/2 levels, the same rate at which a character's best save increases. Add to that the regular stat increases and stat-enhancing magic, and save DCs could go through the roof. It's not really part of the regular spellcasting progression, though.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

This quite a powerful ability. It would increase spell DCs by 1/2 levels, the same rate at which a character's best save increases. Add to that the regular stat increases and stat-enhancing magic, and save DCs could go through the roof. It's not really part of the regular spellcasting progression, though.

Yup, it's not. I was thinking it might be interesting for an adventuring Wizard to get really disgustingly good at the spells that he uses in life-threatening, stressful situations day after day, but not have the time to really study and explore the arts to get high level spells.

I don't think that the "add class-level to int for save DC purposes" would be too broken, really, as long as you don't let people get it for high level spells (relative to their total character level). Yeah, sure, you might have a Sleep spell with an unbeatable save, but your enemies can't even be affected by it in the first place. And a Fireball with an unbeatable save that does 7d6 damage is still no better than a Cone of Cold with a difficult-but-makeable save that does 15d6 damage.