A wizard getting second level spells 1 level early?

[Voidstar01]

I'm looking to get into master specialist 1 level early so I can snag greater spell focus as a bonus feat at ECL 5. Is it possible?

[Trandir]

If you want to get that feat at ECL 5 you can take a warforged if you like cheese or any construct with 1 HD with the incarnate construct template
So by taking 3 level in wizard and 3 in master specialist you end up with either ECL 4 or 5

[Ryton]

Precocious Apprentice will net you a single 2nd level spell. Whether that's enough to qualify as the prerequisite plural 2nd level spells is a matter of contention, and you might want to ask your DM.

[Efrate]

If you can get turn undead you can be a naenhoon illumian and cheese your way in, likely requires a cleric or dread necro level and puts you behind on spell levels. You would get spells same time as sorcerer.

[FauxKnee]

The standard early-entry tricks could work to get in one level early. (Precocious Apprentice, Sanctum Spell, Illumian with Improved Sigil:Krau, etc.)

If you want to get in two levels early, in addition to the spell level requirement, you'll have to cheese the skill rank requirement. For a single skill rank, it can be done with feats (favored, primary contact) but since Master Specialist requires two skills at five ranks, the only options I know of are bloodlines or hit die abuse. Contracting lycanthropy for something like this is disgusting overkill, so I'm not going to elaborate on it. If you take a single level of a bloodline (unearthed arcana, also available in srd) when you become eligible for ECL 2, it will set you back 1000 xp. However, bloodlines explicitly do not increase your ECL, so you will eventually catch back up. ("Exp is a river.") Once you've paid for your "level" of bloodline, your skill rank cap is increased to 5. If you receive a psychic reformation (costs 25 xp and 305gp = 10gp * 4 power level * 7 manifester level + 25 xp * 5 gold/xp) before you receive another 1000 xp (to reach ECL 2 "for real") you can reallocate your skill ranks to meet the prerequisite.

The simplest build to get into Master Specialist at ECL 2 might be a Human Wizard with Extend Spell, Sanctum Spell, Spell Focus:Whatever and a "level" of bloodline. (Note that this will require at least one bonus feat, whether it's from flaws, a faustian pact, or elsewhere. Most nonhumans will require two bonus feats.) This method temporarily sets you back 1025 xp and costs you 305 gp, but allows you to enter the prestige class with only a single Wizard level. (You will also receive the other bloodline benefits, of which the most significant is increased caster level.)

[Psyren]

Precocious Apprentice will net you a single 2nd level spell. Whether that's enough to qualify as the prerequisite plural 2nd level spells is a matter of contention, and you might want to ask your DM.

I would tell the DM that I can cast multiple 2nd-level spells, it just takes me more than 1 day to do so. But none of the prereqs say all my casts have to be same-day anyway :smalltongue:

[Gnaeus]

I would tell the DM that I can cast multiple 2nd-level spells, it just takes me more than 1 day to do so. But none of the prereqs say all my casts have to be same-day anyway :smalltongue:

Then the dm should respond that developers clear intent was for a second level spells requirement to need 3 levels of a casting class. We should respect that. :smalltongue:

[Psyren]

Then the dm should respond that developers clear intent was for a second level spells requirement to need 3 levels of a casting class. We should respect that. :smalltongue:

And I would, if that were the reply. It certainly wouldn't offend me :smallwink:

[Endarire]

Precocious Apprentice: But you seemingly also have bonus spell slots of level 2 from a high ability score or/and specialization.