Ultimate Magus Feat Selection [Archive] - Wizards Community

Ultimate Magus Feat Selection [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
mithos_taralom
12-16-07, 07:16 PM Hi all, Just looking for a bit of advice on what would be good feats for a Dwarven:
Wiz 4/Sor 1/Ultimate Magus 1.

Just really looking for any ideas people might have.

Books I own/can borrow:

All Core Books
PHB II
DungeonScape
Complete Mage
Complete Arcane
Complete Scoundrel
Complete Warrior
Draconomicon
StevenO
12-16-07, 11:13 PM If you are at all interested in optimizing UM you need to take Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer) as soon as possible. That means at 6th level or earlier. By adding four caster levels to your Sorcerer class that should give it a higher CL than your Wizard Class allowing you to put the UM's single casting increases into Wizard. You will still need to get another Sorcerer casting level at some point but it is certainly possible to end UM at level 15 casting spells as a Wizard 13/Sorcerer 9 instead of the basic 11/11 split. Note that if you like it is also possible to take Practice Spellcaster (Wizard) after you've finished assigning all the UM's single caster increases.
LSMFT
12-17-07, 01:10 PM As StevenO said, you should take Practiced Spellcaster, and you need at least one metamagic feat to qualify.

I would take Extend Spell for one of them: You can use it now, and it is a prereq for Persistent Spell, which is nice to have later when you can use it with Augmented Casting.

For your third feat, it kind of depends on what type of wizard you want to be. UMs make pretty good blasters. You could use Empower Spell now.

This is more the game I was in than a problem with UMs, but the last time I played one I had a hell of a time with SR. That is normally frustrating for any caster, but it's doubly so when you are whipping out the bigs guns like quickened twinned spells and they don't penetrate. So you might want to invest in something like Spell Penetration or Arcane Mastery.
StevenO
12-17-07, 01:55 PM When you can perform Augmented Casting Heighten Spell could become an interesting feat depending a little on how you DM rules it works. They way I see it working is that Augmented Casting would effectively let you burn a spell to Heighten another spell's level by the same amount. Granted you may not want to but it would be possible to burn a 9th level spell and add that many levels to a 5th level spell making the spell a 14th level spell for overcoming resistances and setting DCs.
RobbyPants
12-17-07, 02:16 PM If you are at all interested in optimizing UM you need to take Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer) as soon as possible. That means at 6th level or earlier. By adding four caster levels to your Sorcerer class that should give it a higher CL than your Wizard Class allowing you to put the UM's single casting increases into Wizard. You will still need to get another Sorcerer casting level at some point but it is certainly possible to end UM at level 15 casting spells as a Wizard 13/Sorcerer 9 instead of the basic 11/11 split. Note that if you like it is also possible to take Practice Spellcaster (Wizard) after you've finished assigning all the UM's single caster increases.
So far as I know, if using Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer) and only putting one level in, you can get up to 18th level wizard casting and 9th level sorcerer caster (13th level caster level with Practiced Spellcaster).

Still, I fully agree that Practiced Spellcaster is a must for the build.

Other than that, a few good metamagics are always nice. Extend and Empower Spell are both fairly easy to get/use and fairly versitile.

You could always take a reserve feat like Firey Burst at 3rd or 6th level to get some staying power if you think that will be an issue as well.
LSMFT
12-17-07, 02:17 PM Heighten can't make a spell's effective level greater than 9, but this is still an excellent suggestion if you are focused on a lot of spells that are save-or-die/save-or-screwed.
Merestil Haye
12-17-07, 04:46 PM Since one of the class features of an Ultimate Magus is Arcane Spell Power (which increases caster level), you should note that when you are 15th level (Wiz 4 / Sor 1 / UM10) you will have a caster level of 17 in both spellcasting classes (this assuming you have taken the Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer) route). If you then focussed on Wizard you would have a Wizard caster level of 22 at 20th level. Spell Penetration and so on increase these base figures.

I don't recommend Persistent Spell both for the restricted spell selection and the fact that you cannot apply Persistent to the Wizard side (not having 6th level Sorcerer spells) without sacrificing 9th level Wizard spells until somewhat into Epic levels.

I'd go with the suggestion of Extend Spell, taken at 3rd level. I also took Dimensional Jaunt at 12th level so I could always be sure of having a (Su) ability to get me out of jail free when rebuilding a character as an UM.

My bonus metamagic feats were Chain Spell and Quicken Spell.
Sigma34561
12-17-07, 04:54 PM Have you considered warmage? It can fill your socerer slot, give you bonus feats, and hp. u can use your wizard side for utility spells and whatnot, and blast with your warmage side. Warmage edge also works with your wiz int bonus.

If you can afford the Twilight enhancement, you can wear armour too.

Practiced spelcaster is a must for your weaker class! A lot of warmage spells also scale with level, so your lower level spells still pack a punch!
StevenO
12-17-07, 08:54 PM Heighten can't make a spell's effective level greater than 9, but this is still an excellent suggestion if you are focused on a lot of spells that are save-or-die/save-or-screwed.
I guess you're right. I guess I should have read Heighten's description a little better instead of going off of memory. Under "normal" conditions it is practically impossible to exceed 9th level with Heighten just because you don't get higher level spell slots. Of course your MM selection could still push a spells "virtual" slot over 9th level when using Augmented Spellcasting.

Caster Level is a fairly fluid concept with the UM. Ignoring the UM's own Arcane Power for a moment the proper use of Practiced Spellcaster can get you casting spells as a Wiz18/Sor9 or any 17/10 split at 20th level. You always should get the full benefit of PS for your "lesser" casting class but it can also be taken for the "stronger" class after you've placed all the UM's single casting increases for what may only be a +2 CL increase.

Considering only PS and Arcane Spell Power an UM can have a CL split of 19/19 at 15th although 17/17 is more likely. If you end up with an 11/11 base split PS for each can add +4 (making them 15) with ASP adding another +4. Going with a 13/9 power split many often ignore PS (Wiz) so the 13 doesn't increase although you still get the net +8 to Sorcerer for a CL 17 in each but PS (Wiz) would get you another +2 on the Wizard side.

If you want some a truely INSANE CL for your wizard casting consider a level in Wild Mage. Use the PS "trick" to end UM at 15th level with a 13/9 casting split but be sure to pick up PS (Wiz) at some point, perhaps level 15. Sure you only get a +2 boost now but when you add Wild Mage you get the Wild Magic CL adjustment of (+1d6 -3) where the "left overs" from PS negate the possibility of a negative CL adjustment leaving only the upside. At 20th level you may only have the spells of a 18th level wizard but your CL when adding Wild Magic, Practice Spellcaster, and Arcane Spell Power ranges from 24 (1-3 on the 1d6) all the way up to 27. Your "lesser" casting class will feel the entire brunt of Wild Magic even with PS but even the worst cast has you casting a CL +6 above the level you'd draw your spells from.

Persistent Spell is an interesting problem. You can't use it on one side because you normally don't have the slots to sacrifice but on the other hand if you burn a 6th level slot you possibly apply it to a 5th level spell which would normally take an 11th level spell slot which aren't too plentiful even in early epic games.

As for the class to balance against Wizard in UM builds I think Beguiler is often considered one of the best. Both it and the Wiz use Int as a casting stat which simplifies a potential MAD problem. I also like it a little better than a sorcerer because of all the spells known. If building with the beguiler I'll often target a 12/10 split instead of the 13/9 split just to get 5th level beguiler spells. I really dislike the Warmage as part of a UM build; all of its spells serve the same basic function and its higher level class abilities are almost required to make it work well. One important thing to consider when running the Spontaneous class that has an "all known" spell list is how the DM will handle the learning part of UM; some DMs will let you transfer any spell from your book to your know (I'd do that) while others only allow you transfer spells you could learn as part of that spontaneous class or will forbid it outright.
Merestil Haye
12-18-07, 10:38 AM One important thing to consider when running the Spontaneous class that has an "all known" spell list is how the DM will handle the learning part of UM; some DMs will let you transfer any spell from your book to your know (I'd do that) while others only allow you transfer spells you could learn as part of that spontaneous class or will forbid it outright.Speaking as a DM I would take the second option; treating the spells the Wizard side teaches the Beguiler side as an additional use of the class ability. I would allow the use of Eclectic Learning as an option, so if the spell isn't one you can take through advanced learning, then you can take it one level higher as an Eclectic Learning pick.

When rebuilding my old character, I suggested that to the DM because I really think that's the best way to proceed.

I wound up sacrificing one level of Beguiler spellcasting for a level in Ranger because (a) that suits the character's history (he's always been proficient with longbows) and (b) that, along with Combat Casting, qualifies him for Abjurant Champion, which he can complete by 20th level. Currently he has three levels of AC applied to Wizard spellcasting for 16/8 spellcasting at caster level 20/16.

Applying one of the two remaining AC levels to Beguiler would allow Martial Arcanist to apply to Beguiler spellcasting as well; thus I'd have 17/9 spellcasting with caster levels 21/20, and that's without Practiced Spellcaster (Wizard).
RobbyPants
12-18-07, 10:52 AM Have you considered warmage? It can fill your socerer slot, give you bonus feats, and hp. u can use your wizard side for utility spells and whatnot, and blast with your warmage side. Warmage edge also works with your wiz int bonus.
Actually, I'd recommend Beguiller over Warmage, soley for the Int casting synergy. This way, both classes cast with Int, instead of both Int and Cha.

Edit: missed that StevenO already suggested this. ;)

If you can afford the Twilight enhancement, you can wear armour too.
Agreed 100%. Although, if it's not available, an extended Mage Armor should last about all day.

Practiced spelcaster is a must for your weaker class! A lot of warmage spells also scale with level, so your lower level spells still pack a punch!
Practiced Spellcaster does help keep the weaker class' spells viable, but it also is useful for keeping the wizard advancement the fullest possible (often refered to as the "Practiced Spellcaster Trick").
LSMFT
12-18-07, 11:45 AM I’m going to make a case for the sorcerer/wizard combo over these other suggestions. (Not that they are bad; they’re not.)

1) One of the big advantages for the “specialty casters” is the class abilities they get: Casting in armor, Warmage Edge, Surprise Casting, all that stuff.

But when you are taking only one level of the class, none of that matters. Even the armor thing is mostly pointless when the advantages don’t carry over to your wizard spells. (Beguiler gets good skill points [take at level 1, duh] and a good class list. That’s good.)

2) Another thing about the specialty casters is their great class list. Undeniably good, but, really, there are no spells on the Beguiler or Warmage lists that are not also on the sorcerer/wizard list. Sure, you get all of them and I ain’t saying that’s bad, but do you need all of them? Do you need every orb at both the greater and lesser levels?

Beguilers can charm; warmage can use Magic Missile; sorcerers can do both. You assume you don't need to do both spontaneously, but you want a great deal of flexibility in the spells you pick for your spontaneous class because those are the spells to which you are going to be applying the BIG metamagic by burning wizard slots.

Because of the way Augmented Casting works, the spells you pick for your spontaneous class are key, and you don’t have the flexibility with the specialty casters that you do with the sorcerer.

3) Final note: Quicken Spell. I think this is a good one for UMs. Haven’t seen one without it. Augmented Casting does not mitigate the increased casting time for spontaneous metamagic. (Though many DMs I’ve seen have missed that or ignore it.) So, you can’t burn a fourth-level wizard slot to quicken your spontaneous spells. There are ways to get around this for all spontaneous casters, but there are more and you can get them sooner as a sorcerer (PHBII alternate class feature, for example.)
StevenO
12-18-07, 06:38 PM Speaking as a DM I would take the second option; treating the spells the Wizard side teaches the Beguiler side as an additional use of the class ability. I would allow the use of Eclectic Learning as an option, so if the spell isn't one you can take through advanced learning, then you can take it one level higher as an Eclectic Learning pick.

When rebuilding my old character, I suggested that to the DM because I really think that's the best way to proceed.

I wound up sacrificing one level of Beguiler spellcasting for a level in Ranger because (a) that suits the character's history (he's always been proficient with longbows) and (b) that, along with Combat Casting, qualifies him for Abjurant Champion, which he can complete by 20th level. Currently he has three levels of AC applied to Wizard spellcasting for 16/8 spellcasting at caster level 20/16.

Applying one of the two remaining AC levels to Beguiler would allow Martial Arcanist to apply to Beguiler spellcasting as well; thus I'd have 17/9 spellcasting with caster levels 21/20, and that's without Practiced Spellcaster (Wizard).

I know Abjurant Champion can be added to a UM build but I'm not seeing how that build adds up to those casting abilities. Throwing in a level of Ranger (or other non-casting class prior to UM) will let you enter UM with 3/1 casting which I guess lets you reach 13/8 at the end of UM and 15th level. Splitting AbC 4/1 can leave you at 17/9 at 20th level. I guess that Martial Arcanist gets the "weak" side up to CL 12 which can leave you with modified CLs of 21/20.

Ok, maybe I can see how they add up. What I dislike is that your spells don't get started as fast making you weaker at low levels and you miss out of that one additional casting level which either gets you 5th level spontaneous spells or another 8th and 9th level spell slot with two more free spells known. With that type of build I'd probably forgo the higher spontaneous CL and just go with all the other benefits I'd gain from losing two wizard casting levels. Note that taking PS (Wizard) would net that build another +3 CL giving you a CL 24 on your wizard spells.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mithos_taralom 12-16-07, 07:16 PM	Hi all, Just looking for a bit of advice on what would be good feats for a Dwarven: Wiz 4/Sor 1/Ultimate Magus 1. Just really looking for any ideas people might have. Books I own/can borrow: All Core Books PHB II DungeonScape Complete Mage Complete Arcane Complete Scoundrel Complete Warrior Draconomicon
StevenO 12-16-07, 11:13 PM	If you are at all interested in optimizing UM you need to take Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer) as soon as possible. That means at 6th level or earlier. By adding four caster levels to your Sorcerer class that should give it a higher CL than your Wizard Class allowing you to put the UM's single casting increases into Wizard. You will still need to get another Sorcerer casting level at some point but it is certainly possible to end UM at level 15 casting spells as a Wizard 13/Sorcerer 9 instead of the basic 11/11 split. Note that if you like it is also possible to take Practice Spellcaster (Wizard) after you've finished assigning all the UM's single caster increases.
LSMFT 12-17-07, 01:10 PM	As StevenO said, you should take Practiced Spellcaster, and you need at least one metamagic feat to qualify. I would take Extend Spell for one of them: You can use it now, and it is a prereq for Persistent Spell, which is nice to have later when you can use it with Augmented Casting. For your third feat, it kind of depends on what type of wizard you want to be. UMs make pretty good blasters. You could use Empower Spell now. This is more the game I was in than a problem with UMs, but the last time I played one I had a hell of a time with SR. That is normally frustrating for any caster, but it's doubly so when you are whipping out the bigs guns like quickened twinned spells and they don't penetrate. So you might want to invest in something like Spell Penetration or Arcane Mastery.
StevenO 12-17-07, 01:55 PM	When you can perform Augmented Casting Heighten Spell could become an interesting feat depending a little on how you DM rules it works. They way I see it working is that Augmented Casting would effectively let you burn a spell to Heighten another spell's level by the same amount. Granted you may not want to but it would be possible to burn a 9th level spell and add that many levels to a 5th level spell making the spell a 14th level spell for overcoming resistances and setting DCs.
RobbyPants 12-17-07, 02:16 PM	If you are at all interested in optimizing UM you need to take Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer) as soon as possible. That means at 6th level or earlier. By adding four caster levels to your Sorcerer class that should give it a higher CL than your Wizard Class allowing you to put the UM's single casting increases into Wizard. You will still need to get another Sorcerer casting level at some point but it is certainly possible to end UM at level 15 casting spells as a Wizard 13/Sorcerer 9 instead of the basic 11/11 split. Note that if you like it is also possible to take Practice Spellcaster (Wizard) after you've finished assigning all the UM's single caster increases. So far as I know, if using Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer) and only putting one level in, you can get up to 18th level wizard casting and 9th level sorcerer caster (13th level caster level with Practiced Spellcaster). Still, I fully agree that Practiced Spellcaster is a must for the build. Other than that, a few good metamagics are always nice. Extend and Empower Spell are both fairly easy to get/use and fairly versitile. You could always take a reserve feat like Firey Burst at 3rd or 6th level to get some staying power if you think that will be an issue as well.
LSMFT 12-17-07, 02:17 PM	Heighten can't make a spell's effective level greater than 9, but this is still an excellent suggestion if you are focused on a lot of spells that are save-or-die/save-or-screwed.
Merestil Haye 12-17-07, 04:46 PM	Since one of the class features of an Ultimate Magus is Arcane Spell Power (which increases caster level), you should note that when you are 15th level (Wiz 4 / Sor 1 / UM10) you will have a caster level of 17 in both spellcasting classes (this assuming you have taken the Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer) route). If you then focussed on Wizard you would have a Wizard caster level of 22 at 20th level. Spell Penetration and so on increase these base figures. I don't recommend Persistent Spell both for the restricted spell selection and the fact that you cannot apply Persistent to the Wizard side (not having 6th level Sorcerer spells) without sacrificing 9th level Wizard spells until somewhat into Epic levels. I'd go with the suggestion of Extend Spell, taken at 3rd level. I also took Dimensional Jaunt at 12th level so I could always be sure of having a (Su) ability to get me out of jail free when rebuilding a character as an UM. My bonus metamagic feats were Chain Spell and Quicken Spell.
Sigma34561 12-17-07, 04:54 PM	Have you considered warmage? It can fill your socerer slot, give you bonus feats, and hp. u can use your wizard side for utility spells and whatnot, and blast with your warmage side. Warmage edge also works with your wiz int bonus. If you can afford the Twilight enhancement, you can wear armour too. Practiced spelcaster is a must for your weaker class! A lot of warmage spells also scale with level, so your lower level spells still pack a punch!
StevenO 12-17-07, 08:54 PM	Heighten can't make a spell's effective level greater than 9, but this is still an excellent suggestion if you are focused on a lot of spells that are save-or-die/save-or-screwed. I guess you're right. I guess I should have read Heighten's description a little better instead of going off of memory. Under "normal" conditions it is practically impossible to exceed 9th level with Heighten just because you don't get higher level spell slots. Of course your MM selection could still push a spells "virtual" slot over 9th level when using Augmented Spellcasting. Caster Level is a fairly fluid concept with the UM. Ignoring the UM's own Arcane Power for a moment the proper use of Practiced Spellcaster can get you casting spells as a Wiz18/Sor9 or any 17/10 split at 20th level. You always should get the full benefit of PS for your "lesser" casting class but it can also be taken for the "stronger" class after you've placed all the UM's single casting increases for what may only be a +2 CL increase. Considering only PS and Arcane Spell Power an UM can have a CL split of 19/19 at 15th although 17/17 is more likely. If you end up with an 11/11 base split PS for each can add +4 (making them 15) with ASP adding another +4. Going with a 13/9 power split many often ignore PS (Wiz) so the 13 doesn't increase although you still get the net +8 to Sorcerer for a CL 17 in each but PS (Wiz) would get you another +2 on the Wizard side. If you want some a truely INSANE CL for your wizard casting consider a level in Wild Mage. Use the PS "trick" to end UM at 15th level with a 13/9 casting split but be sure to pick up PS (Wiz) at some point, perhaps level 15. Sure you only get a +2 boost now but when you add Wild Mage you get the Wild Magic CL adjustment of (+1d6 -3) where the "left overs" from PS negate the possibility of a negative CL adjustment leaving only the upside. At 20th level you may only have the spells of a 18th level wizard but your CL when adding Wild Magic, Practice Spellcaster, and Arcane Spell Power ranges from 24 (1-3 on the 1d6) all the way up to 27. Your "lesser" casting class will feel the entire brunt of Wild Magic even with PS but even the worst cast has you casting a CL +6 above the level you'd draw your spells from. Persistent Spell is an interesting problem. You can't use it on one side because you normally don't have the slots to sacrifice but on the other hand if you burn a 6th level slot you possibly apply it to a 5th level spell which would normally take an 11th level spell slot which aren't too plentiful even in early epic games. As for the class to balance against Wizard in UM builds I think Beguiler is often considered one of the best. Both it and the Wiz use Int as a casting stat which simplifies a potential MAD problem. I also like it a little better than a sorcerer because of all the spells known. If building with the beguiler I'll often target a 12/10 split instead of the 13/9 split just to get 5th level beguiler spells. I really dislike the Warmage as part of a UM build; all of its spells serve the same basic function and its higher level class abilities are almost required to make it work well. One important thing to consider when running the Spontaneous class that has an "all known" spell list is how the DM will handle the learning part of UM; some DMs will let you transfer any spell from your book to your know (I'd do that) while others only allow you transfer spells you could learn as part of that spontaneous class or will forbid it outright.
Merestil Haye 12-18-07, 10:38 AM	One important thing to consider when running the Spontaneous class that has an "all known" spell list is how the DM will handle the learning part of UM; some DMs will let you transfer any spell from your book to your know (I'd do that) while others only allow you transfer spells you could learn as part of that spontaneous class or will forbid it outright.Speaking as a DM I would take the second option; treating the spells the Wizard side teaches the Beguiler side as an additional use of the class ability. I would allow the use of Eclectic Learning as an option, so if the spell isn't one you can take through advanced learning, then you can take it one level higher as an Eclectic Learning pick. When rebuilding my old character, I suggested that to the DM because I really think that's the best way to proceed. I wound up sacrificing one level of Beguiler spellcasting for a level in Ranger because (a) that suits the character's history (he's always been proficient with longbows) and (b) that, along with Combat Casting, qualifies him for Abjurant Champion, which he can complete by 20th level. Currently he has three levels of AC applied to Wizard spellcasting for 16/8 spellcasting at caster level 20/16. Applying one of the two remaining AC levels to Beguiler would allow Martial Arcanist to apply to Beguiler spellcasting as well; thus I'd have 17/9 spellcasting with caster levels 21/20, and that's without Practiced Spellcaster (Wizard).
RobbyPants 12-18-07, 10:52 AM	Have you considered warmage? It can fill your socerer slot, give you bonus feats, and hp. u can use your wizard side for utility spells and whatnot, and blast with your warmage side. Warmage edge also works with your wiz int bonus. Actually, I'd recommend Beguiller over Warmage, soley for the Int casting synergy. This way, both classes cast with Int, instead of both Int and Cha. Edit: missed that StevenO already suggested this. ;) If you can afford the Twilight enhancement, you can wear armour too. Agreed 100%. Although, if it's not available, an extended Mage Armor should last about all day. Practiced spelcaster is a must for your weaker class! A lot of warmage spells also scale with level, so your lower level spells still pack a punch! Practiced Spellcaster does help keep the weaker class' spells viable, but it also is useful for keeping the wizard advancement the fullest possible (often refered to as the "Practiced Spellcaster Trick").
LSMFT 12-18-07, 11:45 AM	I’m going to make a case for the sorcerer/wizard combo over these other suggestions. (Not that they are bad; they’re not.) 1) One of the big advantages for the “specialty casters” is the class abilities they get: Casting in armor, Warmage Edge, Surprise Casting, all that stuff. But when you are taking only one level of the class, none of that matters. Even the armor thing is mostly pointless when the advantages don’t carry over to your wizard spells. (Beguiler gets good skill points [take at level 1, duh] and a good class list. That’s good.) 2) Another thing about the specialty casters is their great class list. Undeniably good, but, really, there are no spells on the Beguiler or Warmage lists that are not also on the sorcerer/wizard list. Sure, you get all of them and I ain’t saying that’s bad, but do you need all of them? Do you need every orb at both the greater and lesser levels? Beguilers can charm; warmage can use Magic Missile; sorcerers can do both. You assume you don't need to do both spontaneously, but you want a great deal of flexibility in the spells you pick for your spontaneous class because those are the spells to which you are going to be applying the BIG metamagic by burning wizard slots. Because of the way Augmented Casting works, the spells you pick for your spontaneous class are key, and you don’t have the flexibility with the specialty casters that you do with the sorcerer. 3) Final note: Quicken Spell. I think this is a good one for UMs. Haven’t seen one without it. Augmented Casting does not mitigate the increased casting time for spontaneous metamagic. (Though many DMs I’ve seen have missed that or ignore it.) So, you can’t burn a fourth-level wizard slot to quicken your spontaneous spells. There are ways to get around this for all spontaneous casters, but there are more and you can get them sooner as a sorcerer (PHBII alternate class feature, for example.)
StevenO 12-18-07, 06:38 PM	Speaking as a DM I would take the second option; treating the spells the Wizard side teaches the Beguiler side as an additional use of the class ability. I would allow the use of Eclectic Learning as an option, so if the spell isn't one you can take through advanced learning, then you can take it one level higher as an Eclectic Learning pick. When rebuilding my old character, I suggested that to the DM because I really think that's the best way to proceed. I wound up sacrificing one level of Beguiler spellcasting for a level in Ranger because (a) that suits the character's history (he's always been proficient with longbows) and (b) that, along with Combat Casting, qualifies him for Abjurant Champion, which he can complete by 20th level. Currently he has three levels of AC applied to Wizard spellcasting for 16/8 spellcasting at caster level 20/16. Applying one of the two remaining AC levels to Beguiler would allow Martial Arcanist to apply to Beguiler spellcasting as well; thus I'd have 17/9 spellcasting with caster levels 21/20, and that's without Practiced Spellcaster (Wizard). I know Abjurant Champion can be added to a UM build but I'm not seeing how that build adds up to those casting abilities. Throwing in a level of Ranger (or other non-casting class prior to UM) will let you enter UM with 3/1 casting which I guess lets you reach 13/8 at the end of UM and 15th level. Splitting AbC 4/1 can leave you at 17/9 at 20th level. I guess that Martial Arcanist gets the "weak" side up to CL 12 which can leave you with modified CLs of 21/20. Ok, maybe I can see how they add up. What I dislike is that your spells don't get started as fast making you weaker at low levels and you miss out of that one additional casting level which either gets you 5th level spontaneous spells or another 8th and 9th level spell slot with two more free spells known. With that type of build I'd probably forgo the higher spontaneous CL and just go with all the other benefits I'd gain from losing two wizard casting levels. Note that taking PS (Wizard) would net that build another +3 CL giving you a CL 24 on your wizard spells.