I have a Summoner at my table and this question came up...
Regarding Spell Specialization:
Prerequisites: Int 13, Spell Focus.
Benefit: Select one spell of a school for which you have taken the Spell Focus feat. Treat your caster level as being two higher for all level-variable effects of the spell.
Every time you gain an even level in the spellcasting class you chose your spell from, you can choose a new spell to replace the spell selected with this feat, and that spell becomes your specialized spell.
Would the Summoner be able to use this feat to summon 1d3 creatures with it's Summon Monster (Sp) at highest usable level / effect? Here is the reasoning that was presented:
1d3 creatures can be summoned with SM but at 2 lvls below current SM ability. (Because SM increases ever 2 Summoner lvls)
If this feat raises SM Sp by 2 lvls BUT only effects variable components of a spell thus raising SM by 2 lvls, NOT raising the list access (So not turning SM 3 into SM 4) BUT treating the effective SM lvl as 2 lvls higher, which - being 2 lvls higher - would allow the current SM to summon at 1d3 creatures instead of just 1 creature.
Complicated - yes...
Possible?
no, you treat your caster level as 2 higher for the spell. So they'd last 2 rounds longer. that's it for summon monster spells.
Every summon monster spell is an entirely independent spell. Increasing summon monster 1 to be cast at a caster level of two higher does not turn the spell into summon monster 3, for the same reason that burning hands does not become fireball. The only benefit would be as chess pwn said: The spell would persist for 2 rounds longer.
I was kinda thinking that, but I have seen stranger things before. Thank you all.