Prestige class question

[Bub_the_zombie]

I know this must of been asked before, but I just can not find the thread.

So when taking a prestige class that gives a +1 to your spell casting class, does it...

1) level up the entire class without gaining the benifits? So if I was a wizard 5/ bloodmagus 2 could I jump back to wizard to get the level 8 bonus feat then hop back into the bloodmagus class?

2) if #1 is true do I lose the bloodmagus 3 ability?

3) if that is true is there anyway to hop levels on a prestige class for the same effect? (I know there probably is not, but figured some rule gurus may have a suggestion). Adding a third prestige class into the mix that also gives a +1 to spell casting, flesh warper. Is it possible to do wizard 5/ blood magus 2/ flesh warper 7/ then back to blood magus to get the level 10 ability?

I know #2#3 are long stretches and probably not feasible, but #1 has always confused me. Been playing for a while and never did too many prestige classe.

 

[dragonfriend7738]

My understanding of this feature is that it grants additional spells per day and spells known as if you had gained a level in that spellcasting class, and nothing more.

So, in effect, if you were Wiz 6/PrC4, you're casting spells as a 10th level wizard, but if you go back to gaining wizard levels, you're gaining both caster levels and class abilities- so your Wiz 6/PrC4/Wiz +1 level chain still equals a caster level 11.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I'm confused by your basic premise.

At what point would a Wizard gain a feat at level 8? Or a Wizard5/PrC2 going back to 6th level of Wizard gain a feat?

 

[dragonfriend7738]

I'm confused by your basic premise.

At what point would a Wizard gain a feat at level 8? Or a Wizard5/PrC2 going back to 6th level of Wizard gain a feat?

I think his basic question is if he has a Lv 6 Wizard, and takes a PrC that advances with a '+1 spellcaster level' ability, would he get the Lv10 Wizard bonus feat at Wiz6/PrC4.

 

[parinho7]

So if I was a wizard 5/ bloodmagus 2 could I jump back to wizard to get the level 8 bonus feat then hop back into the bloodmagus class?

If you level up as a wizard you would be wizard(6)/bloodmagus(2) so you get the benefits of a 6th level wizard not an 8 level one. The 6th level of wizard doesn't give you any class features/bonus feats. You would get the bonus feat if you be wizard(10)/bloodmagus(2). The wizard gains bonus feats at levels 5, 10, 15, 20.

2) if #1 is true do I lose the bloodmagus 3 ability?

If you level up as a wizard you get only what wizard offers.

3)Adding a third prestige class into the mix that also gives a +1 to spell casting, flesh warper. Is it possible to do wizard 5/ blood magus 2/ flesh warper 7/ then back to blood magus to get the level 10 ability?

It doesn't work that way. In the case of wizard 5/ blood magus 2/ flesh warper 7, if you level up as a blood magus you are becoming wizard 5/ blood magus 3/ flesh warper 7 so you get what the 3rd level of blood magus gives you (Death knell).

 

[orion90000]

The +1 to existing spell caster applies to Spells per day, Spell Progression, and Effective Caster Level. You do not gain any Class Features of the Wizard while you add levels to the Prestige Class.

So you would get the spells of a wizard of level W+Prc, and the Effective Caster Level of W+PrC. But not any additional bonus feats. Also of note: your familiar advances as if level W+PrC.

If you went back to take a level of Wizard, you would gain the class features at the next level W+1, but the spells and etc of level W+PrC+1.

 

[Sekhmet]

To put it more succinctly.

I'm a Wizard 5/Blood Magus 2. I cast spells like a 7th level Wizard (so I have level 4 spells), and have spells per day like a 7th level Wizard (4, 4, 3, 2, 1). My Familiar acts like I'm a level 5 Wizard, so it can't speak with animals of it's kind yet.
If I gained a level in Wizard (Wizard 6/Blood Magus 2), I would gain all the benefits from 5th level to 6th level as a Wizard as if I weren't a Blood Magus at all. After I leveled my character, I'd cast like an 8th level Wizard.

After that, I decide to level Blood Magus instead of Wizard. I'm a 6 Wizard/3 Blood Magus now, and gain all the benefits from going from 2 to 3 Blood Magus (Death Knell), and cast like a 9th level Wizard.

At any point, I can switch back and forth and progress along either class, gaining every feature and ability along the way. At no point will I ever miss out on a feature because I'm too high of a level in my other class.

 

[Bub_the_zombie]

Sorry I put the bonus feat at the wrong level (it is a tenth lv bonus feat I was referencing). This has cleared up some of my confusion, but let me reword it.

Wiz 5/ blood 4 then back to wizard for the 10th level. Does my 10th level count as lv 6 wizard (with adjusted spell casting) or does my character pop back onto the wizard chart progression at level 10 able to get the level 10 wizard bonus feat. Does taking a prestige class with the +1 to spellcasting (that only gives spells per day) still move the character up the base class chart?

(sorry for the confusion initial post made at work without book, brainstorming a new character.)

 

[Bub_the_zombie]

Thanks sekhmet

That was what I was looking for!

 

[orion90000]

Sorry I put the bonus feat at the wrong level (it is a tenth lv bonus feat I was referencing). This has cleared up some of my confusion, but let me reword it.

Wiz 5/ blood 4 then back to wizard for the 10th level. Does my 10th level count as lv 6 wizard (with adjusted spell casting) or does my character pop back onto the wizard chart progression at level 10 able to get the level 10 wizard bonus feat. Does taking a prestige class with the +1 to spellcasting (that only gives spells per day) still move the character up the base class chart?

(sorry for the confusion initial post made at work without book, brainstorming a new character.)

negative. when you jump back to wizard you will be a lvl 6 wizard not 10th. you will have to get to Wiz 10/ Blood 4 to get the 10th level wizard bonus feat.