Gnome Illusionist class substitution level + Practiced Spellcaster

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

As per Races of Stone, Gnome Illusionist level 1 makes a whole slew of illusion spells a level lower when cast by a gnome illusionist, making the 1E illusionist archetype pretty viable all over again, IMO. (Silent Image as a cantrip? Yes, please!)

The trade-off is that you have your effective caster level for another school (conjuration, evocation or transmutation) lowered by one, making you unable to use them at level 1.

Assuming some weirdo switched away from illusionist at levels 2-5 (bard + gnome paragon), would picking up Practiced Spellcaster serve to raise the effective caster level for conjuration back up to class level -1? (Maximum caster level 4.)

Because a world without mage armor, shield and the like until level 6 is grim.

(I'm going for Practiced Spellcaster either way, of course, so as to keep up with the Joneses and make the gnome paragon illusion mastery stuff extra-brutal.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Gnome haters!

*cries*

 

[Mistwell]

I like the concept I just don't know the answer.

 

[javcs]

I think that both work as they are written ... the Gnome substitution level drops the caster level by 1, and Practiced Spellcaster raises the caster level by 4 (up to a maximum of class levels/HD).

Unless there's some sort of wording on the substitution level to more specifically spell out the effects on the caster level that contradicts this view, of course.

 

[Pyrex]

I don't have Races of Stone, so I can't check the exact wording of the substitution-level, but yeah, Practiced Spellcaster should work just fine.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Cool, thanks. Assuming my DM agrees, that means I can at least have my illusionist using mage armor until he's done with gnome paragon and heads on over to master specialist and his illusionist progression.

Level 3 is a lot better news than level 6.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

It's not like it's a restricted school, so it should work just fine.