Wow, you bring failing at reading comprehension to an entirely new level.
Hi Welcome.
What part of 'powers count as SLAs' did you not hear me say? If I was saying that powers = spells, which, they don't, at all, ever, why in /fuck/ didn't I, y'know, say that at any point?
What fucking happens is that '+1 level in arcane spellcasting class', due to the fact that 'arcane spellcasting class' means something different than 'class that can cast arcane spells' can apply to your manifesting class with 'psionics and magic are treated as identical for you'. If you can get spells from somewhere to qualify for whatever fucking arcane prestige class you feel like, you can totally advance your manifesting from it.
StP Erudite, under some readings of the StP rules, could count spells learned via StP as arcane spells as well as/instead of powers, and therefore could qualify for arcane prestige classes that way. Or just use one of the many early entry/get spells of X level tricks to get in with minimal/little investment.
Holy shit. You derailed this entire thread because you were that retarded/had an axe to grind? Seriously.
That's your argument? Really? Wow. It's a good thing you didn't say that before, because this brings your idiocy to a new level.
Where the fuck did you get the idea that "magic and psionics are identical" means that "arcane spellcasting class" = "manifesting class?"
As you've already admitted that powers are not spells, and that casting spells is not the same as manifesting powers, what the fuck don't you understand about the word "SPELLCASTER?" How can "spellcaster" mean anything other than "somebody that casts spells?" Throw the word "arcane" in front of it, and ooo, looky, now it's somebody that casts arcane spells. What a concept.
You would maybe have a point if the rules still used the title "magic-user," but they don't. They use "spellcaster." The Magic Mantle states that it makes you treat psionics the same as MAGIC. It does not say that your psionic powers are magic SPELLS. It doesn't give you the ability to CAST SPELLS. It doesn't advance your SPELLCASTER level because you don't fucking have one. You have psionics that are treated the same as MAGIC, not the same as SPELLS.
Furthermore, we aren't talking about an StP Erudite, we're talking about a Mantled Erudite with Magic Mantle. Even if we were talking about a StP Erudite, it wouldn't work because you don't have the ability to fucking CAST SPELLS. You MANIFEST spells, it's right there in the rules, and no amount of butbutbut'ing will change it. You don't have a SPELLCASTER level, because you're not casting spells, and therefore cannot enter arcane spellcasting PrC's. Any other attempt at interpreting it otherwise can only be explained away by the person being a fucking moron.
Holy shit. You derailed this entire thread because you were that retarded/had an axe to grind? Seriously.
Project much?