Prestige Classes and Caster Checks

[orion90000]

The rules are a bit vague on this. If a level 17 sorcerer takes archmage (for example), what is his new caster level?

is it assumed that if the PrC says "+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class" under spells per day, that this increases his caster level too?

 

[bobhayes]

I've always played it as though you were effectively a level higher for spells/day, spell effects, DC, etc.

Technically it says that isn't the case - you only get spells/day and new spells as though you'd leveled in the original class.

I'd play it the way I've always played it, however, as otherwise the great classes like archmage, mystic theurge, etc. are pretty crap, which was obviously not the intent of the class.

 

[Veven1290]

Any level of the PrC that says "+1 caster level" grants you all the benefits as if you gained a level in the class it is advancing. That means Spells known, spells per day, and caster level.

Make sure to read the all the text for the PrC though because occasionally some of them operate slightly differently.