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Most people don't allow 3rd party feats in their games. However, the recent changes to SLAs make it possible to enter MT as early as level 4, and the inclusion of Eclectic/Esoteric Training makes it possible to still end up with double 9 casting.
Eclectic Training (5 Fame): Guilds often require members to master and train in different subjects. When your Fame score in a guild reaches 5, choose one spellcasting class you have at least 1 level in—you increase your effective caster level in that class (including the number of spells you know and can cast per day) by +1, to a maximum caster level equal to your total Hit Dice. Single-classed spellcasters should still pick a class to which this bonus applies, since this bonus is retroactive.
Esoteric Training (35 Fame): The bonus to caster level you gain from Eclectic Training increases to +3 (but is still limited by your total Hit Dice). You may select a second spellcasting class to gain a +1 bonus to effective caster level.
So a Cleric 2/Wiz 1/MT 10/Cleric 4/Wiz 3 (or some other combination) would be a 17/17th level caster at 20 that casts as a 17/19th level caster. In fact they'd still get 9th level casting in one class at 17 and the other at 20, pending how they played it.
So you really don't need to stray any further than Inner Sea Magic to get it done.
Doesn't seem that hard to me to say there's an arcane college there. Especially since if he's allowing 3rd party stuff and/or trying to shoehorn PF into Forgotten Realms you've already gone off the rails, lol.
If he's allowing 3.5 stuff you can pull it off with Practiced Caster.
I must say 2 things though: One, that feat is one of the most broken 3rd party feats I've ever read, and that's saying something. It's like taking Magical Knack *twice*, AND it's effects stack???
The other thing is increasing caster level (like Magical Knack) doesn't give you new spells or abilities unless expressly stated like it does with Eclectic/Esoteric training. So let's say you took Magical Knack, and that feat twice. then you went Wizard 1, Fighter 10. you'd cast level 1 spells with the power of a level 11 Wizard.
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The whole problem with the class is its absolutely draconian entry-requirements. It's fine if you take it to maturity at around the 15th level, but the problem is that it's a complete and total mess if you're playing through a low-level game. You'll actually have fewer spell slots until you reach the 8th character level, forget about caster level or MAD complications. Even then, you're paying through the nose for versatility. In a game that begins around level 12 and is going to go to level 20, Mystic Theurge is a totally viable character choice. In a game that's beginning at level 1 and will run until level 8, you're going to be very unhappy with this path.
As mentioned, there is a new ruling that allows for early qualifications for these kinds of prestige classes. It vastly improves the Mystic Theurge to the point at which it's actually an incredibly powerful choice. If your GM allows these qualification options, then you'll be just fine.
Wow. That's neat. Unfortunately, we don't have Inner Sea Magic, and my GM probably won't allow it even if it's on the Pathfinder SRD site. We don't use any kind of fame system, and he doesn't allow traits either.
The Magical Knack trait is so important for a mystic theurge that you'll want to spend a feat to get it if your GM isn't allowing traits. If your GM sticks to Core/APG/UM/UC then there aren't a lot of good feats for a mystic theurge.
With the feat I mentioned in my first post, I'm curious as to how Magical Knack is so important. It adds a +2 to your caster level, up to your character level, in one class. The feat mentioned in the third party book, as written, adds +4 to your caster level, up to your character level, in all casting classes. Even if my GM rules that it to only work on one class per taking, it's still better than magical knack. Unless I'm missing something.
I think we all overlooked that feat since it's 3rd party and massively broken. Even if you DM allows it you should take magical knack since it's a trait, not a feat and you'd have +6 to caster level in one of your classes, which isn't all bad.
In my home game, I've always allowed the 3.5 feat Practiced Spellcaster from Complete Arcane, which does help encourage multiclassing with spellcasting classes. We have an arcane trickster in the party, and this feat really does increase her effectiveness.
I've always considered the Mystic Theurge to be a bit underpowered in comparison to other character classes without this feat, but I think its viable with it.
It does depend on the play style if the group. If your group plays to "system mastery," and you're concerned with calculating your "damage per round," a mystic theurge probably isn't for your group.
Prerequisite: Ability to cast spells.
Benefit: Your effective caster level in all spellcasting classes is increased by 4, but no higher than your character level.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times; its effects stack.
I currently make use of this feat with my Sorcerer 4 / Druid 1, going into Mystic Theurge. Since we don't accept the ruling on spell-like abilities meeting casting requirements (only requirements for mimicking a specific spell, circa 3.5 rules), the ICL feat really helps out with casting.
The character runs in a 3-person party, filling both the arcane and divine casting roles. High OP is not part of the equation, though I took some pains to make sure that we made an effective group. Wildblooded Fey (Sylvan) Sorcerer to get an animal companion, Boon Companion feat to keep its level high enough to be relevant, Experimental Wordcasting so get bonus damage spells when needed (since my sorcerer spells are all utility, and infernal healing), Familiar with Tattoo-ed sorcerer, relying on wands and potions for now for backup healing, craft magical tattoos for shenanigans, and other things.
Team is:
Fighter - Human with adopted elven racial trait for elven courtblade prof and he crits a lot.
Rogue - Tiefling with tail racial. He does rogue stuff and is pretty good at it too. His roleplay is to die for.
Sorcerer/Druid - Human, jack of all trades, really. I am the most experienced player of casting characters in the group. I bring the nuke when the nuke is needed. Otherwise, I hang back and throw cantrips or wand charges at the enemies while the animal companion owns.
That feat seems overpowered to me.
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there's nothing that stops you from taking the same same trait twice
You can't take two traits of the same category, which means that you certainly can't take the same one twice.