1st Level Wizard

[Jolken Jenkins]

If a first level wizard gets extra spell slots for level 3 spells but doesn't have any spells per day, can he still apply Empower Spell to a 1st level spell?

[LazarX]

He does not get those level 3 or level 2 spell bonus slots until he is of a level to actually cast them.

[kyrt-ryder]

Nah. Wizards don't actually receive spell slots of a new level until it shows up in their level chart.

It's the same reason certain classes have a '0 spells per day' in their level chart at the point they gain a new level of spells, because they didn't have that level at all beforehand.

EDIT for Clarity: Think of it this way. If every standard level 1 or 2 Caster with an 18 Casting Stat had a 2nd, 3rd and 4th level slot to fill with additional first level spells, they'd completely dominate low level play. As it is, low level play is the one place where full casters and martials stand on roughly even footing.