In regards to this:
http://paizo.com/store/downloads/pathfinder/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy88yj/faq #v5748eaic9nib
Prestige Classes and Spellcasters: Does a wizard (or other character that uses a spellbook), receive bonus spells to add to his spellbook when he gains a level in a prestige class that grants an increase to spellcasting?
No. The increase to his spellcasting level does not grant any other benefits, except for spells per day, spells known (for spontaneous casters), and an increase to his overall caster level. He must spend time and gold to add new spells to his spellbook.
—Jason Bulmahn, 11/24/10
Does anyone actually follow this advice when dealing with their Wizard players?
A Wizard with a GM who is stingy with giving access to spells to copy is basically never going to be able to prestige without horribly, horribly(!) crippling his character.
Is it really so bad to assume a Wizard can still get his study time in??
Does anyone actually follow this advice when dealing with their Wizard players?A Wizard with a GM who is stingy with giving access to spells to copy is basically never going to be able to prestige without horribly, horribly(!) crippling his character.
Is it really so bad to assume a Wizard can still get his study time in??
It is a very minor drawback of multiclassing. As long as the wizard don't loose out on too many spellcasting levels, then he is mostly unharmed by prestige classing.
Any other caster class loses more, having more significant class abilities besides spellcasting, and spontaneous casters loosing bonus known spells.I really can't see the problem in forcing the wizard to take an active role in getting new spells. I actually think it is a great thing for the wizards to have to get out of the chair and focus on learning spells instead of leaning back as powerhouses with the four best spells on a given level.
If you play with GMs that actually make it impossible for you to buy some scrolls, or copying spells from spell books, the you should adress that problem.
Removing a very minor drawback the wizard has, isn't necessary.
With specialist school abilities like Shift, Dimensional Steps, and Forewarned, I haven't been able to bring myself to PrC out of Wizard since I started playing PF. The 2 free spells per level is the least of my reasons for doing so.
I do; but I've never seen a wizard multiclass much in PF games anyway. If a GM is going to follow the rules that strictly they should also follow the other rules as well. It shouldn't be hard for PCs to get access to scrolls of whatever spells they like. A small city's base limit is 4,000 gp. A 9th level scroll is 3,825 gp. That means there is a 75% chance of having any particular scroll available for immediate purchase in a small city, and another 75% chance that one is available in 1 weeks time. Even a large town reliably has access to 6th level scrolls (small towns have 4th). It isn't really that much of a drawback.
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It's not just wizards, it's any class that uses some kind of spellbook. So Magi, witches and wizards are out of the 2 new spells and Alchemists are out 1 per level that they would otherwise get. They're not bonus spells, they're what they get for being a spellcaster.
It doesn't seem that much of a game breaker to let them advance their spellcasting just like any other caster. I really don't understand why the developers made that decision. Perhaps they were just tired of getting asked that question so much?
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It's not just wizards, it's any class that uses some kind of spellbook. So Magi, witches and wizards are out of the 2 new spells and Alchemists are out 1 per level that they would otherwise get. They're not bonus spells, they're what they get for being a spellcaster.
It doesn't seem that much of a game breaker to let them advance their spellcasting just like any other caster. I really don't understand why the developers made that decision. Perhaps they were just tired of getting asked that question so much?
I agree completely. The sorcerer gets his spells known, why not the wizard? It seems to me that 3.0 added the two spells known per level as a safety net for games where the GM is stingy or forgetful in providing spells to learn. I view it as simply part of advancing their spellcasting.
The Spellbooks section is separated from the Spells section, and this may be the origin of the ruling. However, the Spellbook is required to use Spells, so I don't see them as separate.
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I am currently playing a witch & I rely on those 2 "free" spells. The party has only found 2 scrolls so far (we are 4th lvl - I rolled a 1 on my Spellcraft check to learn the one destroying the scroll & the other spell was not on my spell list). The small town nearby has no arcane casters. The closest town that has arcane casters is 2 weeks ago. :(
I think as long as the prestige class has +1 caster level then you should get the 2 "free" spells.
If they do rule that way, see if you can talk to them and see if they can leave more spellbooks and scrolls lying around in libraries and dungeons where you fight wizards. Elsewise, start shelling out for spells, luckily the wizard doesn't need all that much in the way of equipment, so feel free to spend money on scrolls and scribe them in- you should start
succeeding on most checks to scribe them in by the time you hit level 5 to start prestige classing. With read magic, you'll never have to worry about deciphering a scroll either.
But if your DM actually does this, then he's a dick for doing so.
This ruling is not a problem if you have easy access to spell scrolls and the like -- either you often find scrolls with spells your character could cast, or there is some place that you can buy scrolls. If your DM is running a treasure light campaign, then he may want to consider alternative rules (including but not limited to letting you get the prepared caster spells known advancement) to ensure that you have spells to cast at your highest spell level.