Master Specialist: Exactly how fantastic is it?

[mootoall]

Now, we all know how fantastic Wizards are, that Conjuration is undoubtedly the best school, that specialization is generally the way to go, and that, most importantly of all, breaking the action economy breaks the game. So why is the tenth level of a Master Conjuror not called out more often as absolutely bloody fantastic? Free quicken is absolutely godly, especially considering the fact that giving up your familiar for Rapid Summoning is already a no brainer. I know it pales to Incantatrix, but with the other assorted goodies a Master Specialist Conjuror gets, I would think it would be recommended more often!

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

Master Conjurer is indeed quite good, but people here tend to focus on the even-more-ridiculous. Also the non-capstone features aren't that good. I'd say Master Abjurer has the best features overall (including another great capstone), but of course abjuration is much tougher to specialize in early in Mr. Wizard's career. Note that Abjurant Champion gets you full BaB and (sorta) swift abjuration casting earlier, and you don't even really have to be a gish.

[tyckspoon]

Power-wise? Because going 10 levels deep into the class locks you out of even more powerful capstones and high-level abilities from other classes. Just to take the most obvious examples, Master Specialist 10 means you can't complete Incantatrix or Dweomerkeeper. And the rest of Master Specialist isn't terribly compelling; it's better than just being a Wizard, but on a level-by-level basis you're also looking at maybe spending those levels on Mindbender or Fatespinner or any of a half-dozen other prestige classes that are just alright, but might have abilities that are more interesting to you.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Major School Esoterica is only usable 3/day. You're better off casting a non-quickened higher level spell and then a strong low level spell with a Circlet of Rapid Casting.

A Conjurer who actually does a lot of summoning is better off with Malconvoker, which doesn't leave much room for Master Specialist 10. A Druid, Spirit Shaman, or especially Archivist actually makes a better summoner than a Wizard considering Summon Nature's Ally plus the Ring of the Beast (CC), with Greenbound Summoning and Rashemi Elemental Summoning, etc.

A Conjurer who's played as a Batman is better off with Immediate Metamagic from PH2 over Rapid Summoning, and classes like Paragnostic Apostle and Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil over Master Specialist.

Generally Master Specialist is really only useful for two or four levels, just until you can qualify for something better or maybe to get the Minor Esoterica if it's useful to your primary shtick (i.e. if you're going Shadowcraft Mage). The major draw of Master Specialist is that it can be gained earlier than any other full casting prestige class, and it pays back the feat tax with two bonus feats that will probably help qualify you for something else later on (IotSFV, Archmage).

[mootoall]

Master Conjurer is indeed quite good, but people here tend to focus on the even-more-ridiculous. Also the non-capstone features aren't that good. I'd say Master Abjurer has the best features overall (including another great capstone), but of course abjuration is much tougher to specialize in early in Mr. Wizard's career. Note that Abjurant Champion gets you full BaB and (sorta) swift abjuration casting earlier, and you don't even really have to be a gish.

I like Master Abjuror a lot too, but they fit quite different roles. I mean, being able to buff party members with "Personal" range spells is useful, but isn't the role of the God Wizard to control the battlefield? Bonus to dispells based on Master Specialist level isn't as good as tougher summons based on caster level (which Master Specialist boosts). Admittedly, Master Abjuror's Moderate School Esoterica kicks all kinds of ass, but making conjurations tougher to dispell, again synergizing with caster level increases, is also not bad, but at Major I really think Conjuror pulls ahead with the unlimited free quicken.

Edit: Didn't see the 3/day limit on Major School Esoterica. That's a real bummer right there.

[Akal Saris]

I would take 10 levels of it for several classes, actually.

Ex:
Conj 3/MS 10/Malconvoker 5/Archmage 2

Illusionist 3/MS 10/Shadowcraft Mage 5/Shadowcrafter 2

Abjurer 3/MS 10/Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil 7

With that said, typically incantatrix is better than MS, so if that PrC is available then its probably more optimal to go Wiz 5 and then enter incantatrix.