Here is a link to a conversation about the level 4 spellcasting issue. The basic gist is that the town-building rules state that Sandpoint should have spells available up to 4th level, yet the best spellcaster statted out for the town only has level 2 spells. For me, I've decided to stick with the specific implementation of Sandpoint as-is, disregarding the generic town-building rules. (So, no 4th level spells. My PCs will have to deal with a town that has level 2 spells at best.) This is partly for the same reason that James Jacobs gives: if there are spellcasters in town that can cast level 4 spells, they mostly don't need the PCs to save them or help them. At least not at first.
However, I wanted to honor the idea that they should have higher level spells, even if the NPCs remain capped at level 2 spells. How to do this? Cyrdak Drokkus is a level 6 bard. He can only cast level 2 spells, max. However, many bard spells are also wizard spells, but the wizard has to cast them at a higher level. In other words, the bard has access to some higher level wizard/cleric spells. So I chose spells for him that complement his acting skills, while also being spells that are 3rd level for wizards/clerics/druids. Here is the full list:
- Enter Image - A 3rd level wizard spell, but the bard gets it as a level 2 spell. Cyrdak has a portrait of himself in the lobby of his theater. He enjoys taking over that image and eavesdropping on the things people say when he's not around. His shows rarely have flaws past the 1st or 2nd show, since he can hear what people are complaining about behind his back.
- Gallant Inspiration - Maybe during his days as an adventurer this saved lives, but now it saves shows. If an actor screws up, Cyrdak can magically enhance things before the audience catches on.
- Heroism - Another 3rd level wizard spell that the bard gets early. It may have adventuring uses, but for his stage shows, this is a constant +2 to ALL skills, including singing, performances, acrobatics, etc. Lasts 1 hour, so the PCs might be able to pay for this and use it during the catacombs adventure.
- Snapdragon Fireworks - This isn't an "early access" spell for bards, but I selected it because Cyrdak shooting off fireworks to announce each of his new plays just makes sense.
- Comprehend Languages - So he can read/translate all those scripts he finds. Possibly helpful to the PCs as well.
- Cure Light Wounds - Mostly from his adventuring days. Might be a nice backup if Father Zantus is outta spells (or dead).
- Disguise Self - For his costumes.
- Identify - This should help Cyrdak to be useful to the PCs. Nobody takes this spell anymore, since Detect Magic can usually identify magic items. However, some items are too powerful for low-level PCs to identify, so this is a nice backup.
- Memorize Page - Literally allows him to learn plays faster than anyone else.
- Silent Image - Again helps with the play, works for intangible props, might allow for ghostly images or other things to appear on stage.
- Vanish - This is just self-serving on his part. If bad guys attack, he goes invisible and lives to see another day.
- Dancing Lights - Helpful with stage productions.
- Detect Magic - Basic spell, needed.
- Ghost Sound - Helpful with stage productions.
- Mage Hand - Helpful with any play that involves "haunted" or scary themes.
- Message - Of course this would be up & running for his actors & actresses, every play.
- Mending - Fixing props.
- Prestidigitation - Anything a play needs that Ghost Sound & Silent Image cannot do, this does.
- Read Magic - Needed for bare-minimum magical skills.
- Summon Instrument - Used often outside of the plays. At a play he has his instruments. However, at a tavern with an attractive person asking him to play a song, this suddenly becomes more impressive.
Note that he has more spells than a normal bard because he's human (the human "favored class bonus" for bards is that he/she can take 1 extra spell known). So the list is a little bit bulked up, on purpose.
If there are any other NPCs with a class that gets early access to some spells, I'll probably find them and do the same thing for them.
Clever. I quite like it.
I'm not familiar enough with different spell lists to know off the top of my head, but are there any Level 2 Cleric spells that are higher level spells for other classes? Zantus could provide access to some of those.
I'm AFB right now, but isn't Hold Person at spell L 2 for Clerics, while Wizards/Sorcerers have to wait until spell L 3?
You could also posit occasional (or seasonal) visits by Varisian caravans, one or more of which might include a higher-level spellcaster, who for his or her own reasons doesn't feel inclined to assist the mostly Chellaxian-descended folks in charge of Sandpoint.
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I've found one more way in which the PCs can acquire a 3rd level spell (and they may NEED it). There are some monsters in the game that cause disease, so I went looking for Remove Disease. I found it in Pathfinder Comics #1 which is freely available as a PDF at that link. Why does a comic relate? Because in it, there is the full stat block for Father Zantus (he was given terrible spell choices, by the way -- he looks like he's ready to go fight monsters, not peacefully lead the town's faithful). In his stat block is gear, and in that you'll find 2 copies of a Remove Disease scroll.
Of course, players can also use the town rules to get scrolls of higher levels. Scrolls of 3rd or 4th level have a 75% chance of existing somewhere in town. But it's nice to know that Zantus just automatically does have some scrolls, no check needed.
Ingenious! I just re-statted some of the NPCs the easy way.
You could allow Zantus to cast certain higher-level status removal spells as longer rituals cast only within the temple and with the aid of a few acolytes. Make it a proper religious occasion with sacrifices, chanting, bells and smells rather than a 6-second sentence and a bop on the forehead with a holy symbol.
You might do likewise for other (arcane) spells, but you're less likely to need to.