FAQ: "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."
Do the extra spells per day include the extra spell given from there school? This seems by definition part of their spells per day.
Spells per Day is the value in the "Spells per Day" column in Table: Wizard.
However, the Arcane School class feature is gained at level 1. That class feature gives you an additional spell slot of each spell level you can cast.
Since the increase in caster level can allow you to cast higher level spells, you're still granted those spell slots, since the only thing preventing you from using them at level 1 is the inability to cast spells of that level.
So I think you should still get your extra spell slot from your school, but it's not because of spells per day, it's because you are able to cast spells of that level.
Stuff
Whenever it says 'level' in a class description it means class level.
Because reasons:
Note that there are a number of effects and prerequisites that rely on a character's level or Hit Dice. Such effects are always based on the total number of levels or Hit Dice a character possesses, not just those from one class. The exception to this is class abilities, most of which are based on the total number of class levels that a character possesses of that particular class.
Not to nitpick, but I read "most of which" in that quote, which technically makes my statement valid, as it doesn't state the requirement of actual Wizard levels and the fact that it is unlocked at 1st levelBecause reasons:
Note that there are a number of effects and prerequisites that rely on a character's level or Hit Dice. Such effects are always based on the total number of levels or Hit Dice a character possesses, not just those from one class. The exception to this is class abilities, most of which are based on the total number of class levels that a character possesses of that particular class.
Devs have chimed in on this. This is the way it has always been done and as it shall always be done. The game assumes you aren't multiclassing because pathfinder hates multiclassing.
You will find it very hard to find a class ability that doesn't simply say 'level'; that is to say, 'most' class abilities use class level (I can't think of any off the top of my head that don't).
If all class abilities use this same language, isn't this the 'most of which' the rules speak of?
Also, can you imagine how absurd multiclassing was if abilities that said 'level' meant character level? Everyone would dip into classes just far enough to get these scaling abilities.
Change Shape (Sp): At 8th level, you can change your shape for a number of rounds per day equal to your wizard level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. This ability otherwise functions like beast shape II or elemental body I. At 12th level, this ability functions like beast shape III or elemental body II.
Bonus Feats: At 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level, a wizard gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, he can choose a metamagic feat, an item creation feat, or Spell Mastery. The wizard must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums. These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. The wizard is not limited to the categories of item creation feats, metamagic feats, or Spell Mastery when choosing those feats.
Notice how they use the same language? If things worked the way you suggest, if you had 1 level in wizard you would get bonus feats at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th character levels.
Since all class abilities are worded like this, you would end up only needing one 1 level in each class to get all the abilities of each class.
Anyway, this is a pretty settled issue as far as I'm concerned, so I'll leave it at that. Let other people chime in.
Class features = reliant on class level.
Look at this way: If it says 'most' class features are reliant on class levels, and the class feature doesn't say otherwise, then it does fall under the most.
As for not thinking its unbalanced... it pretty much is. That would mean you could take a 1 level dip in every class, get all the features that don't specify class level (pretty much only through meticulous reading) and, yes, they'd all be nerfed if they're reliant on class levels for their capability, but it still makes a complete mess of half-functioning powers, and gives a bunch of abilities the character should not really have access to. It's not a smooth way to go about things.
As for if it's unbalanced and there's a chance that people would dip into all classes with 1 level, I do not think that would be very wise, as it comes with a lot of multiclassing penalties
Certainly. It's more the general idea though. Why would it make sense to get the abilities, functioning at weird levels, rather than just always being contingent on actual class levels? Just seems like a really complicated and messy way to go about it.
And most certainly not the intent on how the powers are unlocked/used.
Guess what? It has been clarified, by Paizo posts here on the boards. Search JB or SKR's post history.
If it worked otherwise, PrCs like Rage Prophet wouldn't need to say that Rage Prophet levels count for scaling of abilities you have.
I can't think of any examples off hand, but it is possible for Class Abilities to scale off total levels (all class levels and any other HD), but in that case they will say 'character level' to distinguish from levels of that class (which is the assumption when 'level' is referenced within a class description, as BillyGoat's quote of the rules makes clear: CRB pg. 31).
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To the original topic, the standard caster PrC language doesn't specify from which class feature or table you gain spells per day or spells known, so if your base casting class gains those from some differently named ability but that still is an additional spell slot per day or spell known (spontaneous), you get that when advancing the PrC (albeit the PrC may not have full 1:1 casting progression). E.g. even though Rage Prophet grants a few new Spells Known of it's own, you still get the Spells Known from the Base Casting Class, both from the standard table and from the Mystery Spells, since both are 'Spells Known' (thats the only way you can cast them as a Spontaneous Caster).
So what? It works the same way for Martial classes, you need the Class Levels to get Class Abilities, and to scale Class Abilities. Mixing Fighter and Barbarian is a trade-off. If you like the Wizard abilities, you should probably stay Wizard. If you like the PrC abilities more, you can go PrC. Dipping into PrC, back into Base Class, and back into PrC is more than legit, I often recommend considering that with PrCs like Rage Prophet.
Look at Paizo's commentary on the Archmage PrC concept, they clearly consider that there is a reason to stay in the Base Class all the way, and while Favored Class is an additional benefit, it's not really that prime reason: Class Abilities are. Generic stats like BAB and Caster Progression are really just part of the meal in Pathfinder, so PrCs that advance those are inherently meant to give you only part of what you would get from the Base Class. Think of each Base Class as it's own PrC and that's how it's meant to be in Pathfinder. And yes, considering that you are giving something up, PrCs are (generalizing) not as clear-cut 'higher powered' as they were in 3.5... Again, Paizo's specific goal with Pathfinder.
Justiciar specifically mentions character level.
Yeah, I knew there are a few...
Familiars also scale with non-Wizard levels, but only for some things, and that is a special case. (referencing HPs and Saves)
Oracle Curse would be another special case (advancing by 1 for every 2 non-Oracle levels).