Spell/prayer books

[arguskos]

So, I noticed something recently while thinking about a current character of mine. By RAW, it seems that leveling in any class that doesn't grant you a spell/prayer book shafts you on getting new spells into your book.

Example: You are Jim, a level 5 Archivist. You level up, and you decide to take a level in, say, Divine Oracle (the PrC doesn't really matter, it just has to advance casting). Divine Oracle grants you increased spells per day (and spells known, if applicable). You, for the sake of completeness, decide to make sure you get new spells into your prayerbook this level, and you find this following line of text: "At each new class level, the archivist gains two new spells..." (emphasis mine). Now, you, being somewhat versed in what terms mean in D&D 3.5, realize that this means only Archivist Class Levels (that being what class means in this context). Now you check Divine Oracle, and see no allowances for book spells. It does have that niggly little "spells known, if applicable" clause, but then you go check a spontaneous class, like the Sorcerer, and see they have a level-based table tied to the words "spells known", and figure that clause was for spontaneous casters. You, as Jim, are now sad, and have to go buy spells instead of getting them for free.

My question to the people of the playground: is this an accurate reading? Is it a fair reading? Would you suggest a player should follow this reading, as it is how the rules seem to be intended to function?

[dextercorvia]

I'm fairly certain that book spells are intended to be treated as spells known. Cf. Alacritous Cogitation.

Edit: There are PrC's (Arcane Trickster is one) that leave out the spells known if applicable clause, but I'm fairly certain they are intended to grant them. At least, I don't know anyone who plays otherwise.

[Optimystik]

I think "and spells known, if applicable" is in reference to classes with fixed lists, like Clerics and Warmages, who never increase their spells known (because they know their whole list already.

Therefore, additional spells known wouldn't apply to them, whereas it would apply to Wizards, Sorcerers and Archivists.

[dextercorvia]

I am referring to the fact that as stated Arcane Trickster only grants spells per day, but not spells known.

Spells per Day

When a new arcane trickster level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming an arcane trickster, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.

As opposed to the Archmage:

Spells per Day/Spells Known

When a new archmage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast 7th-level spells before he added the prestige class level. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class in which he could cast 7th-level spells before he became an archmage, he must decide to which class he adds each level of archmage for the purpose of determining spells per day.