Hit Die: d4

Requirements:

• Must be able to cast level 7 arcane spells
• Spellcraft: 15 ranks
• Concentration: 10 ranks
• Knowledge (Arcana): 5 ranks
• Wizardry
• Spell Mastery
• Any 3 metamagic or item creation feats

Class Skills: The high wizard's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Alchemy (INT), Concentration (CON), Craft (INT), Decipher Script (INT), Gather Information (CHA), Knowledge [All] (INT), Scry (INT), and Spellcraft (INT)

Skill Points: 2 + INT bonus each level

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A high wizard has no desire to train with weaponry or armor and shields, therefore, they are not proficient with any weapon neither armor nor shields.

Table: The High Wizard

+1 Level Arcane Spellcasting: A high Wizard continues training in his previous arcane class(es), thus, when a new high Wizard level is gained, the character gains new spells per day and increased caster level as if he had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved familiar progression, for example). This essentially means that he adds the level of high Wizard to the level of some other arcane spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly. If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class before he became a high Wizard, he must decide to which class he adds each level of high Wizard for purposes of determining spells per day and caster level when he adds the new level.

High Arcana: each level of high Wizard opens up a number of possible secrets the character may learn. Each level the character chooses from the following list (some may require additional skills or feats). Rather than the secrets costing him permanent spell power as a high sorcerer’s often do, high wizard’s often require them to sacrifice additional spells with each use. Which is the more efficient method is perhaps an argument the high sorcerers and high wizards will never resolve.

• Spell Power: this bonus adds to both the DC of all spell saves and the spell penetration as well, and stacks with all other such bonuses. To use this power, the high wizard must sacrifice a spell of a certain level to empower the cast spell, the level of the sacrificed spell determines the Spell Power bonus given to the cast spell. Spell Power +1 requires the sacrifice of level 1 spell in addition to the cast spell. Spell Power +2 requires the sacrifice of level 2 spell in addition to the cast spell. Spell Power +3 requires the sacrifice of level 3 spell in addition to the cast spell. Spell Power +4 requires the sacrifice of level 4 spell in addition to the cast spell. Spell Power +4 is the most the high wizard can gain from this ability. You may only sacrifice 1 spell slot in this manner to empower any given spell. This power requires a full round action, or an additional full round if the spell normally requires a full round or more to cast.
• Mastery of Counterspelling (This ability requires Improved Counterspell Feat): when the high Wizard counterspells a spell, it is turned back upon the caster, as if affected by Spell Turning. Spells not affected by Spell Turning are merely countered normally. The high Wizard can also counterspell spell-like abilities not normally subject to counterspelling. To do so, the spellcraft check required is +10 DC higher than normal due to the lack of visual clues inherent in such powers. If a spell-like ability does not mirror an existing spell on the spell list of the high Wizard, then it cannot be countered. If the high Wizard develops or finds a spell like that spell-like ability, he could then counter it in the future. Just because such a spell exists does not allow counterspelling, as the high Wizard must know of the spell and study it (those spells in the PHB are assumed standard to all Wizards. Other sources of spells must be found/researched by the Wizard to be "added" to his spell list). To use this ability, the high wizard must sacrifice a spell slot 2 levels less than the level of the counterspell, but a level 4 spell slot will always satisfy this requirement (for spells of level 7 or greater).
• Elementalist: the high Wizard can change the elemental energy type of any spell he casts, when he casts it, to any other elemental energy type of his choice. This requires the high wizard to spend a full round action casting such a spell, or an additional full round if the spell normally requires a full round or more to cast. To use this ability, the high wizard must sacrifice a spell slot 2 levels less than the level of the spell modified, but a level 4 spell slot will always satisfy this requirement (for spells of level 7 or greater).
• Empower Items (This ability requires at least 1 Item Creation Feat): the high wizard can empower magic items he creates beyond the levels normally permitted. First, the high wizard can, if the appropriate feat is possessed, brew potions of level 4 spells or craft wands of level 5 spells. In addition, if the high wizard possess 15 ranks in Alchemy, he can brew powerful potions with multiple effects in a single dose (each additional effect beyond the first costs double what a normal potion of its type would cost, added to the base cost of the power potion). Finally, the high wizard can make the item more powerful, at least for those items allowing a save. The DC of the item’s save can be increased up to the DC the spell would have if cast by the high wizard. Each +2 DC increases the cost of the item by 50% (so +2 increases it by a factor of 1.5, +4 increases it by a factor of 2.0, +6 increases it by a factor of 2.5, etc.).
• Sorcery: the high wizard can cast metamagic spells on the fly as a sorcerer and even cast spells somewhat spontaneously. The high wizard can use an unprepared spell per day slot (only slots left open can be so used) and cast with it any spell in his spellbook(s), as long as it is 1 or more levels lower in power. The high wizard can also cast a spell and apply metamagic to it on the fly, by sacrificing another spell of equal or higher level. He may only sacrifice 1 other spell in this way, and that sacrificed spell gives the high wizard 2 bonus spell levels plus 1 more for each level the sacrificed spell was above the spell being modified, which can only be used to pay for metamagic spell level costs. Any excess spell levels not used for metamagic are lost. The high wizard can also combine 2 lower level spell per day slots of the same spell level into a higher level spell per day slot. This process is usually done during spell preparation, allowing a high wizard to prepare a higher level spell in the place of 2 lower level ones. The wizard combines 2 spell per day slots of identical spell level into a new spell per day slot of 1 level higher than those he combined together. It is possible for this new slot to be used and combined with another slot to repeat this process and create an even higher level slot. It is possible to create spell slots of higher level than the highest spell level slot the wizard normally has access to with this power, which is one of the ways high wizards can weave powerful spells, such as Mythals. Such an act is very expensive, however, wiping away many of the wizards spell slots in the process. The high wizard can also go the other way, and sacrifice a high level slot for 2 lower level slots. The slot sacrificed yields 2 slots each 2 levels less than the sacrificed slot. If the high wizard uses either of these abilities on the fly, he may use the newly created slot(s) in the same round, but this requires the spell cast using them to use the full round, or an additional full round if the spell normally requires a full round or more to cast. If the high wizard is not able to use all the slots created in that round, those unused are wasted and dissipate harmlessly. The high wizard can modify a spell level above his maximum spell level ability this way. Any of these manipulations requires a full round action, or an additional full round if the spell normally requires a full round or more to cast.
• High Wizardry: this is the signature power of a high wizard. The high wizard can prepare spells with metamagic enhancements without paying the usual level increase required. This shows the high wizards mastery of the arcane power he wields. The high wizard can so modify spells he knows up to a total of 10 metamagic level boosts without altering the spell slots that these spells takes up. This is the most in terms of metamagic level boosts he can augment in this way at any time. He may even exceed the level of the highest spell level slot he has access to, but not by more than his high wizard level for any single spell (maximum of 5 levels over his highest spell level limit). Preparing these spells takes much time, each such spell requires the high wizard to meditate in undisturbed quiet for a number of hours determined by the spell and its total metamagic modifier. The number of hours required to prepare such a spell is equal to the final spell level that spell would normally require taking into account the metamagic applied to it. The spell is prepared in a slot normal for its level, so the high wizard need not use this higher level slot, but the time to prepare it is based on this higher level slot the spell would normally require. The high wizard can only use 8 hours each day for this activity, as his mind cannot focus for a longer period before rest is required. If the spell requires more than 8 hours, then the high wizard must rest until the next day, but must resume where he left off without delay or lose the spell. Fellow high wizards can help him, as long as each helper has this power himself. Each helper cuts the time down proportionally, so 1 helper halves the time, 2 helpers cuts it to a third normal, etc. The high wizard can benefit from only so many helpers, up to 1 helper per high wizard level can assist, so a maximum of 5 at high wizard level 5. The spell remains in the mind of the high wizard until used, as usual.
• True Wizardry: the high wizard has mastered not just the depth of his art, but the breadth of magic in general. He can now access all spell lists, potentially, even divine spell lists. To gain a spell on another spell list, the high wizard must learn the spell as an arcane spell, placing it into his spellbook. Only then is it considered on his spell list and accessible to him. To learn a spell, the wizard must meet any requirements of the spell caster of that list (he must be Lawful/Good to access paladin spells for example). This basically means the high wizard must qualify to multiclass into that class, or those spells are beyond his grasp (he must meet the Assassin prestige class requirements, for example, to learn assassin spells). Arcane spells prepared from another list, are prepared as 1 level higher than normal, but use the high wizards INT as the basic casting ability. Divine spells prepared from another list are treated as arcane spells, but are prepared 2 levels higher than normal, and the high wizard uses his WIS score to determine the level of such spells he can cast and the DC of the spell as well. When using this ability, the high wizard cannot use a slot greater than level 9 to prepare these special spells or modify them with metamagic past an effective level of 9.
• Arcane Reach: a touch spells can now be cast as if a ranged touch spell with a range of Close (25’ + 5’/2 levels). This also extends to counterspelling, allowing touch and even personal spells to be countered within this range. To use this ability, the high wizard must sacrifice a spell slot 2 levels less than the level of the spell modified, but a level 4 spell slot will always satisfy this requirement (for spells of level 7 or greater).
• Bonus Feat: the high wizard can opt to go with more "mundane" research and acquire a bonus feat of his choice.