ultimate magus gamebreak?

[Frostthehero]

Here is an (maybe) original gamebreak I came up with for the ultimate magus.

required: wizard class, spontaneous divination class feature, ultimate magus requirements

this is a relatively simple gamebreak, that pretty quickly ends everything. the ultimate magus' leveling tells us that you gain spells per day in the class that grants spontaneous casting, and in the class that grants prepared spellcasting, except at 1st, 4th, and 7th levels. However, with the spontaneous divination class feature, you are granted spontaneous casting by wizard levels. As a result, you gain two caster levels every level except 1 3 and 4.

Does this work, or am I interpreting the rules too loosely?

[Troacctid]

It doesn't work. Even if you can choose the same class twice, you still only gain one effective level.

[Frostthehero]

It doesn't work. Even if you can choose the same class twice, you still only gain one effective level.
I agree you only gain one level, but I would argue you cast spells as a wizard of higher level

[AvatarVecna]

The ability to cast some spells spontaneously is not the same thing as being a spontaneous caster.

[Frostthehero]

The ability to cast some spells spontaneously is not the same thing as being a spontaneous caster.

granted. While this does not prevent you from being an ultimate magus using one class, it does end the gamebreak. resolved.

[Troacctid]

I agree you only gain one level, but I would argue you cast spells as a wizard of higher level

Well sure. A Wizard 5/Ultimate Magus 2 casts as a Wizard 7. That's higher level than a Wizard 5/Ultimate Magus 1, which only casts as a Wizard 6. Hence the whole point of gaining levels. :smallwink:

The exact text of the ability is:

Spellcasting: At each level except 1st, 4th, and 7th, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in both a prepared arcane casting class and a spontaneous arcane casting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of those classes would have gained.

Regardless of whether you can choose the same class twice (which is a whole 'nother debate), it quite clearly says you gain spells as if you had gained "a level" i.e. a single level. If your Wizard levels count as both spontaneous and prepared casting, well then, you're gaining a level in both a spontaneous casting class and a prepared casting class just by taking a level of plain ol' Wizard--no need for Ultimate Magus.

[Fouredged Sword]

Now, this gets interesting with a wizard 5 / spellthief 1 / ultimate Magus 10 / Abjurant champion 4 kobold who picks up the greater rite of passage for a free level of sorcerer casting and master spellthief to level all caster levels. Now you get a decent pool of spontaneous spells to power metamagic with while still maintaining 19/20 casting on the wizard side.

[Grim Reader]

According to the Rules Compendium, I seem to remember that a Spontaneous Caster is one that can cast all its spells spontaneously, and a prepared one can cast all its spells prepared. Hence a spontaneous divination wizard does not qualify as a spontaneous caster. She does, however, qualify for Ultimate Magus, and this is a hack for dropping the first single-advancement level.

[Kelb_Panthera]

According to the Rules Compendium, I seem to remember that a Spontaneous Caster is one that can cast all its spells spontaneously, and a prepared one can cast all its spells prepared. Hence a spontaneous divination wizard does not qualify as a spontaneous caster. She does, however, qualify for Ultimate Magus, and this is a hack for dropping the first single-advancement level.

Just went through the RC section on spellcasting and didn't see that at all.

The so called gamebreak described in the OP does, technically, work but it's enormously unlikely to actually fly at most tables. Expect a houseruling pretty much immediately upon bringing it up.