Retraining into Diabolist.

[Mystic Lemur]

The Additional Resources says:

AR wrote:

Prestige Class: Diabolist; to qualify for the diabolist prestige class, you must cast lesser planar ally or lesser planar binding (or a similar spell) using one of your own prepared spells or a daily spell slot, and the spell must be on your class spell list;

The FAQ for Ultimate Campaign says:

FAQ wrote:

Retraining: Can I retrain out of my base classes and use my prestige class levels to meet the requirements for that prestige class?

No.
The retraining rules say, "If retraining a class level means you no longer qualify for a feat, prestige class, or other ability you have, you can't use that feat, prestige class, or ability until you meet the qualifications again." Therefore, if you retrain out of the base class and that causes you to no longer meet the requirements of the prestige class, you no longer have access to the class features from that prestige class, and therefore can't use that prestige class to meet the requirements of anything (including itself).

Update 10/16/13: In any case, you cannot use rule elements from a prestige class to meet the requirements of that prestige class.

Update 10/16/13: New ruling: You cannot use retraining to replace a base class level with a prestige class level.

This means that my Cheliax Wizard, who is just now almost 9th level. Who has been otherwise eligible for the Diabolist prestige class since level 5. Cannot retrain four Wizard levels into Diabolist levels after meeting the not-really-a-"roleplaying-requirement" of being a level 9 Wizard for as long as it takes to cast 1 spell.

I've been building this Wizard with Diabolist in mind since January 2012, and it's always seemed just out of reach. The goalposts kept moving. It's very frustrating, especially when Mike Brock responds to people questioning the ruling by offering to ban the PrC so it won't be an issue anymore.

But, I'll keep playing my wizard when I have the chance. There's nothing wrong with a level 8 (soon to be 9) wizard. It's not weak, by any measure. It just isn't the character I though I would be playing 3 years ago when I started him.

Rant/pity party over. Feel free to delete or move, as appropriate.