[3.5] Help with "early entry trick" for casting PrCs

[Thurbane]

Hey all,

I'm looking for ways (in a BBEG build) to get a Sorcerer (or other CHA based spontaneous caster, maybe Dread Necro) early entry into the Anima Mage PrC. The prereqs are Intimidate (4 ranks), KtP (4 ranks), any metamagic feat, able to cast 2nd level arcane spells and able to bind 2nd level vestiges. Binder is no problem, as the Improved Binding feat lets a Binder get 2nd level vestiges with only 1 level.

What's the quickest way to get 2nd level spells (i.e. before 4th level) for a spontaneous caster? If there is more than one way, I'd prefer the least cheesey...

The BBEG would be introduced starting at 12th level, so I'd like to have the best casting and binding possible for that level. By 20th, he should be able to have 9th level spell(s), and have the best possible binding (number and level of vestiges).

Cheers - T

[Fishy]

Dread Necromancers, Beguilers and Warmages love the Versatile Spellcaster feat. Because they automatically know all the spells they can cast, the fact that they have 2nd level slots means they can cast second level spells, at level 1.

Sorcerers can do it too, but they need Versatile Spellcaster and Heighten Spell- which would work for your metamagic feat prerequisite. It starts to look feat-crowded either way, though.

[OldTrees]

I believe (and as a DM, I would feel is balanced enough if I am wrong about RAW.)

2 Feats:
Precocious Apprentice
Versatile Spellcaster


step 1) PA gives you knowledge of a 2nd level spell (along with a pseudo 2nd level slot)
step 2)VS lets you sack 2 1st level spell slots to cast a 2nd level spell.
step 3) PA turns that pseudo slot into a real slot when you have the another way to cast 2nd level spells (VS)
step 4) Cast the 2nd level spell.

[Signmaker]

Sorcerers can do it too, but they need Versatile Spellcaster and Heighten Spell- which would work for your metamagic feat prerequisite. It starts to look feat-crowded either way, though.

/thread, that.

[Thurbane]

Still, not too bad. Human Sorc 2/Binder 1 with Versatile Spellcaster, Heighten Spell and Improved Binding is doable. So at level 12, Src 2/Bind1/AM 9 would be CL 11, able to bind 2 6th level vestiges.

Level 20 could be Src 2/Bnd 2/AM 10/Fiend-blooded 6: CL 18, but still only able to bind 2 6th level vestiges. Or I could dump 2 FB levels, for CL 16 and 3 7th level vestiges...