Anyone remember Sha'irs from Al-Qadim? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Anyone remember Sha'irs from Al-Qadim? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Me, Myself, & 101 others
06-16-05, 11:21 AM Al-Qadim was always my favorite campaign world, and I really liked the Sha'ir class. I know they reprinted it for 3.0 in an issue of Dragon, but has anyone else done a Sha'ir class or variant? Or any advice in converting them to 3.5?
ChrisD
06-16-05, 05:19 PM I think issue the Dragon #315 treatment was for 3.5
harmyn
06-16-05, 05:19 PM In the campaign classics issue of Dragon they had a Sha'ir Base Class. I wasn't wild about it myself. Didn't quite capture the original. So I went back, cracked open my copy of the Complete Sha'ir's Handbook, read over the class again in Arabian Adventures - Al'Qadim, and did my own thing with it.

Redid saves and attack chart, gave it limited weapons, 4 skill points per level, and converted the percentage rolls to d20 and it was good to go.

If I can dig up my conversion I will post it up here for you so that all can tear into it, if you would like.
aelryinth
06-16-05, 07:55 PM The potentially unlimited number of spells a day makes for a headache of a balance issue. Still, it was a class with great flavor, and the most unique familiar in all the game.

And being able to cast a spell only every other round at best could put a damper on them in combat.

==Aelryinth
Zsasz_Diedne
06-16-05, 09:31 PM Actaully the unlimited spells balanced out rather well, when you need that fireball pronto, rather than in three or more rounds. I really liked that setting and that class in particular, I would love to see it revived in full.
aelryinth
06-17-05, 03:21 AM Zsasz, think unlimited buffing ability, especially with the right feats.

Bad enough Persistent Divine Favor on yourself, but if you can cast it on EVERYONE? With the right feats, you won't have to worry about being out of sorts....you'll be so buffed it won't matter.

==Aelryinth
Nicholas the Paladin
06-17-05, 03:47 AM I'm not trying to post something constructive; I'm merely wanted to say that the Shair indeed was a great class to improvise and roleplay with. ;-)
Like said earlier, in combat they were a dissappointment...but once you got yourself in a bad situation (like inprisonment) a Shair was a livesaver.

But after the change to 3.xrd edition, I think a lot has changed in the D&D game. I'm not familiar with the Dragon/3rd ed Shair, but I surely hope they limited his spells per day, in some way..... or else unlimited buffs can be a problem (the focus on roleplaing seems to have 'shifted').

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Me, Myself, & 101 others 06-16-05, 11:21 AM	Al-Qadim was always my favorite campaign world, and I really liked the Sha'ir class. I know they reprinted it for 3.0 in an issue of Dragon, but has anyone else done a Sha'ir class or variant? Or any advice in converting them to 3.5?
ChrisD 06-16-05, 05:19 PM	I think issue the Dragon #315 treatment was for 3.5
harmyn 06-16-05, 05:19 PM	In the campaign classics issue of Dragon they had a Sha'ir Base Class. I wasn't wild about it myself. Didn't quite capture the original. So I went back, cracked open my copy of the Complete Sha'ir's Handbook, read over the class again in Arabian Adventures - Al'Qadim, and did my own thing with it. Redid saves and attack chart, gave it limited weapons, 4 skill points per level, and converted the percentage rolls to d20 and it was good to go. If I can dig up my conversion I will post it up here for you so that all can tear into it, if you would like.
aelryinth 06-16-05, 07:55 PM	The potentially unlimited number of spells a day makes for a headache of a balance issue. Still, it was a class with great flavor, and the most unique familiar in all the game. And being able to cast a spell only every other round at best could put a damper on them in combat. ==Aelryinth
Zsasz_Diedne 06-16-05, 09:31 PM	Actaully the unlimited spells balanced out rather well, when you need that fireball pronto, rather than in three or more rounds. I really liked that setting and that class in particular, I would love to see it revived in full.
aelryinth 06-17-05, 03:21 AM	Zsasz, think unlimited buffing ability, especially with the right feats. Bad enough Persistent Divine Favor on yourself, but if you can cast it on EVERYONE? With the right feats, you won't have to worry about being out of sorts....you'll be so buffed it won't matter. ==Aelryinth
Nicholas the Paladin 06-17-05, 03:47 AM	I'm not trying to post something constructive; I'm merely wanted to say that the Shair indeed was a great class to improvise and roleplay with. ;-) Like said earlier, in combat they were a dissappointment...but once you got yourself in a bad situation (like inprisonment) a Shair was a livesaver. But after the change to 3.xrd edition, I think a lot has changed in the D&D game. I'm not familiar with the Dragon/3rd ed Shair, but I surely hope they limited his spells per day, in some way..... or else unlimited buffs can be a problem (the focus on roleplaing seems to have 'shifted').