A Knight (of the Sword) in Ansalon

[gemsna]

 Greetings to all.

 I am currently playing a Knight of the Sword in a Dragonlance campaign. The character (and rest of the group) is currently 14 level. The prestige class is detailed in Knightly Orders of Ansalon. There are also Knights of Solamnia prestige classes in the campaign setting but Knightly orders is a newer book and we consider this as the current official version.

 Some more details about the character. First 6 levels were taken in fighter. The character has taken all 3 substitution levels of Clerist(detailed later in the same chapter of the book). This gives him a nice spellcasting abilitity very nice to be precise. Unless me and the rest of the group have read it wrong he actually has now 14 CASTER levels. That's right same as his total levels even if he has 6 levels as fighter. He is currently Fighter 6/Knight of the Sword8(Clerist 1/4/8 - for those familiar with this substitution level). Note that Clerist has some restrictions he is not the same as a cleric (no domains, no spontaneous casting, prepares spells ONLY ONCE per week although they "refresh" every day).
 
Feats so far are:
(not in the exact order they were taken) Weapon Focus(greatsword), Power Attack, Endurance(requirement for prestige class), Improved Initiative, Enduring Life(had some bad energy draining experience in the past...oh well), Weapon Specialization(greatsword), Honorbound(Dragonlance feat also requirement for prestige class), Melee Weapon Mastery(slashing), Touch of healing. 7 feats pre-prestige(bonus fighter + human) + 2 feats during prestige.
 
 I plan on finishing the prestige class, 2 more levels left. That will bring my character at level 16. For the last 4 levels I plan on taking Divine Oracle which means I have to take Skill focus Knowledge religion at 15. Skill ranks requirements for Divine Oracle will be covered - I currently have 6 ranks and the skill is class skill for this prestige class.

 I am kinda undecided on what my 18 level feat will be. And sometimes I have second thoughts about divine oracle but it is the closest I can think of closest to "best" class levels to fill for the remaining four. Sorry for long post and thanks in advance for any suggestions.

P.S. Rest of the group are a Fighter/ranger/steel legionaire(DL prestige somewhere)/wildrunner who covers the archer role, a white robed wizard  who covers the (obvious) arcane caster role, another archer like character fighter/anointed knight who joined the campaign at a later stage, a scout(steel legionaire's cohort) and my character who covers both the fighter's and divine casters role.

[Prime32]

This gives him a nice spellcasting abilitity very nice to be precise. Unless me and the rest of the group have read it wrong he actually has now 14 CASTER levels.

Not familiar with the classes involved, but increases to caster level don't give you more spells, they just improve level-dependent variables (like how many damage dice a fireball deals).

[gemsna]

 Well the substitution levels give him spellcasting ability. It's not a prestige class that has the usual +1 of existing bla bla. It actually grants spellcasting ability like the cleric but with restrictions.  Why shouldn't he get more spells if he later picks a prestige like divine oracle?

[DavidWL]

I am kinda undecided on what my 18 level feat will be. And sometimes I have second thoughts about divine oracle but it is the closest I can think of closest to "best" class levels to fill for the remaining four. Sorry for long post and thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Since you can never cast 9th level spells, I'd actually drop the divine oracle and do Warblade 2/Crusader 2, or some such.

Alternatively, Hierophant wouldn't be a bad choice for a dip either.

best,
David

[gemsna]

 I don't understand why he can't get 9th level spells. Let me explain in detail for those not familiar with the prestige class and the substitution levels if offers.

 At first substitution level also first level of the prestige he gets the spellcasting ability of a 1st level cleric. Then at the fourth level of the prestige he can get another subsitution level which furthter boosts his spellcasting ability to that of a 7th level cleric. In the meantime his normal levels in the prestige class also increase his spellcasting ability. For example at 1st level he is a 1st level caster, at 2nd a 2nd level caster at 3rd a 3rd level caster and then at 4 he becomes a 7TH LEVEL caster cause it is clearly stated that for every substitution level PAST 1st your spellcaster level increases by 3 which also grants you access to spells of the apropriate level. It is clearly stated in the description and it also clearly states that the knight will get up to 4th level spells in his second substitution level and up to 7th in his 3rd and last substitution level, 8th level of the prestige. All the non-substitution level contribute the spellcasting ability increase that's why now he is a 14 level caster meaning 7 level spells. He is level 14 now with all sub levels taken which makes him a 14 level caster with 7 level spells. His levels are 6/8 which leaves 2 more in the prestige which means 2 more spellcasters levels for a final of 16 caster levels aka access to 8 level spells.

 I don't understand why he won't be able to reach nine level spells if he picks a prestige that increases his spellcasting ability since he will eventually end in 16 caster level in his total character level of 16.

[DavidWL]

A Knight of the Sword has a limit on the level of spells
she can cast based on the number of substitution levels she
has acquired. If she has one Clerist substitution level, she
may cast 0-level, 1st-level, and 2nd-level spells. If she has
two substitution levels, she may also cast 3rd-level, 4thlevel,
and 5th-level spells when they become available. A
Knight with three Clerist substitution levels may cast spells
of 6th-level, 7th-level, and 8th-level when they become
available (and if she has a high enough Wisdom score).

That's why.

Best,
David

[gemsna]

 I still don't understand why. Wouldn't a cleric 16/prestige something with +1 of existing bla bla  get nine level spells? Why not for this knight too? Unless I am missing something I don't understand why.

[DavidWL]

I still don't understand why. Wouldn't a cleric 16/prestige something with +1 of existing bla bla  get nine level spells? Why not for this knight too? Unless I am missing something I don't understand why.

The section I highlighted said that, for example, a Knight 10 (with only 1 substitution levels) can only cast 2nd level spells, even though he has a caster level of 10. 

The point is that the max spell level castable is limited not only by the characters caster level, but also by the number of substitution levels.

If your DM agrees with you, then it doesn't matter what the text says ... just ask the DM if he'd go with your interpretation ...

Best,
David