Master Arcanist (3.5 prc)

[sigama]

This is my first homebrew, I made this class based on the ultimate magus and geomancer, is dual progressing arcane prestige class.
English is not my best language, if I made any mistake please correct me.

Master Arcanist
Wizards learn magic from old books, sorcerers have innate power, bards use music, the master arcanist blend together these types of arcane magic in one unique way.

Entry Requirements
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks , Spellcraft 8 ranks
Spellcasting: Able to cast 1st-level arcane spells with one class and 2nd-level arcane spells with another class.


Hit dice
d4.

Class Skills
The master arcanist’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skills Points at Each Level
2 + Int

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spellcasting

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Spontaneous Learning, Familiar|+1 level of two existing spellcasting class

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Increase Spell Power|+1 level of two existing spellcasting class

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Combine Spells 1|+1 level of two existing spellcasting class

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4||+1 level of two existing spellcasting class

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Expert Arcanist|+1 level of two existing spellcasting class

6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Combine Spells 2|+1 level of two existing spellcasting class

7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5||+1 level of two existing spellcasting class

8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|Double Spell|+1 level of two existing spellcasting class

9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Combine Spells 3|+1 level of two existing spellcasting class

10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Versatile Arcanist|+1 level of two existing spellcasting class [/table]

Class Features

Spellcasting
At each master arcanist level, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in two differents arcane spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If a character had more than two arcane spellcasting class before he became a Master Arcanist, he must decide to which class he adds each level of Master Arcanist for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Familiar
The master arcanist class level stack with wizard or sorcerer level for purposes of determining the familiar's natural armor, intelligence and abilities.

Spontaneous Learning
At 1st, if the master arcanist have at least one prepared and one spontaneous arcane class, the prepared arcane class automatically record in her spellbook (except spell from a prohibited school), and can prepare from memory, all spontaneous arcane spells know. If the spontaneous arcane class swap it spells know, the prepared arcane class can not prepare the lost spells know from memory, but retain the spell in the spellbook.
And the spontaneous arcane class can learn one spell know per master arcanist level that the prepared arcane class know. These spells are in addition to the number of spells known and cannot be exchanged for different spells at higher levels. Each day the master arcanist can change the learned spells with one hour of preparation.

Increase Spell Power (Su)
Starting at 2nd level, the master arcanist can sacrifice a spell per day or spell slot from one of its arcane classes to incrase the caster level of a spell cast using another arcane class. This sacrificed spell or slot is lost in addition to the spell actually casting. The increase of the caster level is equal the sacrificed spell level. A master arcanist may use this ability three times per day.

Combine Spells
At 3rd level, a master arcanist can cast spells up to 3rd level from one of his arcane spellcasting classes using the spell slots or spells per day of the other arcane spellcasting class. At 6th level Combine Spells allows spells up 6th-level, and at 9th level spells up to 9th level.
Spells prepared or cast in this way take up a slot one level higher than they originally occupied.

For Exemple

Two prepared arcane classes
Can prepare and cast spells from one of his prepared arcane spellcasting classes using the available spell slots from of his other prepared arcane spellcasting classes.

Two spontaneous arcane classes
Can cast spells from one of his spontaneous arcane spellcasting classes using the available spells per day from his other spontaneous arcane spellcasting classes.

One prepared and one spontaneous arcane class
Can prepare and cast spells from his prepared arcane spellcasting class using the available spells per day from his spontaneous arcane spellcasting class.
Can cast prepared spells, even if the spells have already been cast, from his prepared arcane spellcasting classes using the available spells per day from his spontaneous arcane spellcasting classes.

Expert Arcanist (Ex)
At 5th, a master arcanist can always take 10 on Concentration when casting arcane spells, and Spellcraft checks related to arcane spells.

Double Spell (Su)
At 8th level, a master arcanist can cast two spells, one from each of his arcane spellcasting classes, using one full-round action. Both of the spells must have the same casting time. The master arcanist can make any decisions concerning the spells independently. A master arcanist may use this ability once per day.

Versatile Arcanist
At 10th level, the master arcanist learns to the varieties of arcane magic. He still acquires and prepares his spells in the normal manner for his individual arcane spellcasting classes. When he casts them, however, he can mix the spellcasting parameters from any of his arcane classes to gain the maximum possible advantage for any spell.
For exemple, a wizard/bard/master arcanist, can cast any of his sorcerer/wizard spells with no chance of arcane spell failure when wearing light armor, and may use his Charisma to set the maximum spell level and save DC of his wizard spells, or Intelligence modifier to set the maximum spell level and save DC of his bard spells.

[ironwizard]

Entry Requirements
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks , Spellcraft 8 ranks
Spellcasting: Able to cast 1st-level arcane spells with two differents classes.

May I recommend tightening the restrictions to 2nd level casting for each? You'd want to have at least 3rd to best uses Combine Spells effectively.



Combine Spells
At 1st level, a master arcanist can cast cantrips and 1st-level spells from one of his arcane spellcasting classes using the spell slots or spells per day of the other arcane spellcasting class. Every two levels thereafter, the level of spells that can be cast in this way increases by one, to a maximum of 5th-level spells at 9th level. The caster level of these spells do not change.

For Exemple

Two prepared arcane classes
Can prepare and cast spells from one of his prepared arcane spellcasting classes using using the available spell slots from of his other prepared arcane spellcasting classes.

Two spontaneous arcane classes
Can cast spells from one of his spontaneous arcane spellcasting classes using the available spells per day from his other spontaneous arcane spellcasting classes.

One prepared and one spontaneous arcane class
Can prepare and cast spells from one of his spontaneous arcane spellcasting classes using the available slots from his prepared arcane spellcasting classes.
Can cast prepared spells, even if the spells have already been cast, from his prepared arcane spellcasting classes using the available spells per day from his spontaneous arcane spellcasting classes.


This is incredibly powerful. This PrC let's wizards be spontaneous and sorcerers know all the spells. However, in a standard 20 level build, the best you can get is Wiz7/Sor8/MArc5 or Wiz5/Sor6/MArc9, so you can only ever switch back an forth spells up to 3rd level. Might be better to make this ability later, but open all spell levels?


Spontaneous Learning
At 4th, if the master arcanist have at least one prepared and one spontaneous arcane class, the prepared arcane class automatically record in her spellbook (even if the spell is from a prohibited school), and can prepare from memory, all spontaneous arcane spells know.
If the spontaneous arcane class swap it spells know, the prepared arcane class can not prepare the lost spells know from memory, but retain the spell in the spellbook (if the spell is from a prohibited school the spell is erased from the spellbook).

Reasonable, except the provision about banned schools. Banned schools should stay banned. Otherwise good, and this could easily come at level 1.


Double Spell (Su)
At 7th level, a master arcanist can cast two spells, one from each of his arcane spellcasting classes, using one full-round action. Both of the spells must have the same casting time. The master arcanist can make any decisions concerning the spells independently. A master arcanist may use this ability once per day.

Also really strong, with Quicken spell, you can get 3 spells off in a round. Earliest you can get it is CL12, so probably reasonable, especially 1/day.


Versatile Spells
At 10th level, the master arcanist learns to the varieties of arcane magic. He still acquires and prepares his spells in the normal manner for his individual arcane spellcasting classes. When he casts them, however, he can mix the spellcasting parameters from any of his arcane classes to gain the maximum possible advantage for any spell.
For exemple, a wizard/bard/master arcanist, can cast any of his sorcerer/wizard spells with no chance of arcane spell failure when wearing light armor, and may use his Charisma to set the maximum spell level and save DC of his wizard spells, or Intelligence modifier to set the maximum spell level and save DC of his bard spells.

Reasonable.


I like this class, gets some cool stuff. I'm not the best authority on balance, but I'd play it in a game. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

[sigama]

I made some changes on the requirements, combine spells and spontaneous learning.
Now seems more balanced.