Adding Class Spell caster levels?

[Aurelion Daronson]

If am a level 2 half-elf who decides to put one level in Sorcerer and one in Bard is my total caster level 2(they are both arcane caster levels.)? Sorcerer allows me to cast 3 level 1 spells (no level 2), bard allows me to cast 1 level 1 spell (no level 2). so I have 2 caster levels does that mean I can cast a level 2 spell to use my level 2 ability score bonus spell per day.

[Gisher]

No, you can't cast 2nd level spells because you don't have any 2nd level Spell Slots. Your Sorcerer Caster Level is 1, and your Bard Caster Level is also 1. There is no 'total' Caster Level.

[Aurelion Daronson]

Gisher wrote:

No, you can't cast 2nd level spells because you don't have any 2nd level Spell Slots. Your Sorcerer Caster Level is 1, and your Bard Caster Level is also 1. There is no 'total' Caster Level.

I do have a bonus 1 2nd level spell per day because of my Charisma is 18 score. http://www.d20pfsrd.com/basics-ability-scores/ability-scores/#Abilities_and _Spellcasters

Ability Score Bonus Spells per Day (by Spell Level)
Modifier 0th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
10–11 0 — — — — — — —
12–13 1 — 1 — — — — —
14–15 2 — 1 1 — — — —
18–19 4 — 1 1 1 1 — —

[James Risner]

"In addition to having a high ability score, a spellcaster must be of a high enough class level to be able to cast spells of a given spell level."

[jbadams]

Gisher is correct, you track each caster level separately, so your example character would have to pools of spells both cast as a first level caster.

You don't get bonus spells unless you are also of a high enough level to normally cast spells of that level.

[Gisher]

Right now you get a bonus 1st level Sorcerer spell each day because you have 1st level Sorcerer slots and a high Charisma. You also get a bonus 1st level Bard spell each day because you have 1st level Bard slots and a high Charisma. But you don't get any 2nd level bonus spells because neither of your class levels is high enough to cast 2nd level spells. James Risner quoted the rule, but here is a FAQ that clarifies that rule a bit more.

FAQ wrote:

Bonus Spells from a High Ability Score: Can I use these even if my spellcasting class level isn't high enough to give me access to those spell levels?

No. You only get the bonus spells if your class level grants you access to those spell levels. You can't even use them for lower-level spells. See page 16, Abilities and Spellcasters section: "In addition to having a high ability score, a spellcaster must be of a high enough class level to be able to cast spells of a given spell level. "

For example, a 1st-level wizard with 18 Intelligence has (according to table 1–3: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells) 1 bonus spell at spell levels 1, 2, and 3. However, he can only use the 1st-level bonus spell because as a 1st-level wizard he only has access to 1st-level spells (his class-based number of 2nd- and 3rd-level spells per day are "—", meaning "no access to spells of this level"). As soon as he becomes a 3rd-level wizard, he gains access to his 2nd-level spell slots and can use that bonus 2nd-level spell slot from his high Intelligence, and likewise for 3rd-level spells and bonus spells at wizard level 5.

Basically, ignore the columns for higher-level spells on table 1–3: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells until your class grants you access to those spell levels.