Is Focused Specialist Wizard worth it?

[Krunchitus]

Hi guys! First post, first thread, so please be gentle :P

Anyway, the title says it all. Been talking to my DM about it, and he suggested I make a profile here and ask the gathered peanut gallery of gurus and other wise ones. I've referenced this site many times before so I gotta say it's pretty neat to actually be part of discussion for once.

To be more specific, I'm planning on going the Transmutation Specialist route in 3.5 setting. I could care less about giving up three schools, as harsh as that is, but what gets me is that over the course of twenty levels I need to give up nine spell slots, one fore each level. Is the benefit of being able to prepare two additional spells of your school worth the steep cost? Is there something that I am missing?

Also, for consideration, we will be doing a Gestalt campaign, and I've chosen Factotum as my second class, which rounds out, covers, or otherwise shores up a lot of my wizard deficiencies, but the core question remains: is Focused Specialist a viable and beneficial variant to use?

Thoughts, please and thank you! :D

[Lord Torath]

First order of advice: Determine which system you are playing in, and repost this in the appropriate sub-forum (D&D 5E/Next, D&D 4E, D&D 3e/3.5e/d20, or Older D&D/AD&D and Other Systems)

This is the General Roleplaying Forum, rather than a system-specific one.

[Krunchitus]

Ah, ok, duly noted. Thanks much.

Copy-pasta to appropriate forum...