What class abilities does a character earn after reaching top level in the Evangelist class?

Question

We have a character which at lvl6 bard jumped to evangelist prestige class. Now he's about to finish evangelist class, and we wonder what will be it's following level after bard 6, evangelist 10.

Does he jump to evangelist 10 bard 16? Does he jump to bard 7 evangelist 10? Does he gain the abilities and characteristics of a 7th level bard or of a 16th level bard?

Keep in mind that evangelists gain the features of their aligned classes:

Evangelists come from many different backgrounds, and they show an unusual range of diversity. At 2nd level, the evangelist must choose a class she belonged to before adding the prestige class to be her aligned class. She gains all the class features for this class, essentially adding every evangelist level beyond 1st to her aligned class to determine what class features she gains. She still retains the Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saving throw bonuses, and skill ranks of the prestige class, but gains all other class features of her aligned class as well as those of the evangelist prestige class.

Answer 1

He could go Evangelist 10/Bard 7 and gain the benefits of a level 16 bard (and he would be a level 17 character). That is the rulling I would make as a DM, as the alternative (to gain the same benefit - that of level 7 bard - twice) doesn't really make sense (and would make leveling in bard pointless).

But the Aligned class feature is poorly written. So definitely talk with your DM. If he would rule like Mołot said in a comment think about picking a different class - maybe another prestige class tailored for bards.

Answer 2

She gains all the class features for this class, essentially adding every evangelist level beyond 1st to her aligned class to determine what class features she gains.

So once you take your 7th level of Bard those 9 bonus levels from Evangelist would add to 7 and you would be able to access Bard features as if you were a 16th level Bard.

If you take one more Bard level you would have access to them as a 17th level Bard and so on, until you are Bard 10/Evangelist 10 and gain features of a 19th level Bard.

The other interpretation (that you would gain twice the features of lvl 7 Bard) is extremely clunky, so you are better ignoring it.

Answer 3

He could go to Evangelist 10/Bard 7 or Evangelist 10/Bard 6/{any class he meets the prerequisites for} 1, regardless of which he picked he'd be a 17th level character.

According to the multiclassing rules, you always advance class levels one at a time. You add all your class levels together to determine your character level, but having a higher character level doesn't on its own contribute to class advancement.

Prestige classes don't function any differently in that regard (although some prestige classes may grant benefits as if you had advanced another class), they're just classes with prerequisites.