Archivist questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Archivist questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ryryguy
04-24-07, 10:14 PM A player in my game is going to start playing an archivist. I don't have the Heroes of Horror book, so all I know about the class comes from the web preview.

(The player has the book and so I will get a chance to look at it when we play next, which may answer my questions... but I'm impatient.)

In the web preview, it states that the archivist uses Int for determining level of spell he can cast and saving throw DC, but Wis for determing bonus spells. Is that an error in the web preview, or is it the same in the book? It seems rather strange.

Is the archivist considered to have all the cleric spell lists for purposes of using wands and scrolls? What about non-cleric spells that he manages to scribe in his prayer book?
Nebo
04-24-07, 10:24 PM There's no error, the archivist has two casting stats.
ryryguy
04-24-07, 10:35 PM Ok... weird. I've never seen that before. I guess it helps to balance them?
Yadot
04-24-07, 11:08 PM Indeed. Several of the casters in the Completes also have multiple casting stats (Favored Soul, Spirit Shaman, etc.).

Keep in mind that the Archivist can become overpowered by using different class spell lists to get the spells at a lower level than normal. To fix this I have a hierarchy of spell list to determine the spell level. It goes Cleric, Druid, Paladin, and Ranger. I generally don't allow spells from other lists.
Deper
04-25-07, 02:00 PM Keep in mind that the Archivist can become overpowered by using different class spell lists to get the spells at a lower level than normal. To fix this I have a hierarchy of spell list to determine the spell level. It goes Cleric, Druid, Paladin, and Ranger. I generally don't allow spells from other lists.

Better yet, use your common sense. Look at your world and decide if your clerics are big on letting unbelievers abuse their Deities magic. After all, no Paladin that had to work 14 levels and stay true to an extremely restrictive code is just going to hand the Holy Sword spell over to a 7th level caster subvertive no divine oversight who could use the spell whenever he wanted to (For killing babies mayhaps).
runestar
04-25-07, 02:07 PM The fun really comes when you have a lv12 warlock helping you to scribe the spell scrolls you need, since they can access any spell in the game for purposes of item crafting...:D
Evil DM Mk3
04-25-07, 02:09 PM In my games Archivists are no less relegius than clerics, although they often worship mutlitple gods. Athiest archivists tend to get attacked and have no one to preotect them, as mentioned above. But remember Archivists deal with all forms of the divine every day, THEY KNOW what powers they are tampering with.

Watch out for him asking clerics with stange domains for scrolls, as soon as that domain spell in their book they can prepare it as much as they want. So for example they can do a lot more holy word spells per day than any cleric (as they can get it as a main spell, not a domian slot only spell :D)
Merestil Haye
04-25-07, 02:18 PM Watch out for him asking clerics with stange domains for scrolls, as soon as that domain spell in their book they can prepare it as much as they want. So for example they can do a lot more holy word spells per day than any cleric (as they can get it as a main spell, not a domian slot only spell :D)You do know Holy Word is on the Cleric spell list, right?
Toxic_Shaman
04-25-07, 02:33 PM I DM'd a game with an Archivist character. Allowing access to spell lists like Ranger and Paladin can cause you some grief. I used the following house rules to keep the power level from getting too outrageous:

1: No access to Domain Spells.

2: If a spell shows up on multiple spell lists, the higher spell level must be used, unless its a Cleric or Druid spell, then that's the spell level used.

3: Spells from Ranger and Paladin spell lists are allowed, but are considered higher level spells for the purpose of Archivist spellcasting. Treat the spell level as the level that the Ranger/Paladin/etc.... first gets access to the spell divided by two (round up) for the purpose of the spell level:

Example: A Ranger gets access to third level spells at level 11. For the Archivist a 3rd level ranger spell would be a 6th level Archivist spell.

4: The Adept and Shujenga spell lists are not compatible with Archivist magic without special study.

I allowed the player to study other types of magic and pick specific Shujenga and Adept spells by using a Feat similar to the Expanded Knowledge Feat from Psionics, which granted one spell/Feat.

It worked out pretty well. The character was quite effective, and the player was happy with his capabilities.
Evil DM Mk3
04-25-07, 05:45 PM You do know Holy Word is on the Cleric spell list, right?

Sorry I ment holy smite

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ryryguy 04-24-07, 10:14 PM	A player in my game is going to start playing an archivist. I don't have the Heroes of Horror book, so all I know about the class comes from the web preview. (The player has the book and so I will get a chance to look at it when we play next, which may answer my questions... but I'm impatient.) In the web preview, it states that the archivist uses Int for determining level of spell he can cast and saving throw DC, but Wis for determing bonus spells. Is that an error in the web preview, or is it the same in the book? It seems rather strange. Is the archivist considered to have all the cleric spell lists for purposes of using wands and scrolls? What about non-cleric spells that he manages to scribe in his prayer book?
Nebo 04-24-07, 10:24 PM	There's no error, the archivist has two casting stats.
ryryguy 04-24-07, 10:35 PM	Ok... weird. I've never seen that before. I guess it helps to balance them?
Yadot 04-24-07, 11:08 PM	Indeed. Several of the casters in the Completes also have multiple casting stats (Favored Soul, Spirit Shaman, etc.). Keep in mind that the Archivist can become overpowered by using different class spell lists to get the spells at a lower level than normal. To fix this I have a hierarchy of spell list to determine the spell level. It goes Cleric, Druid, Paladin, and Ranger. I generally don't allow spells from other lists.
Deper 04-25-07, 02:00 PM	Keep in mind that the Archivist can become overpowered by using different class spell lists to get the spells at a lower level than normal. To fix this I have a hierarchy of spell list to determine the spell level. It goes Cleric, Druid, Paladin, and Ranger. I generally don't allow spells from other lists. Better yet, use your common sense. Look at your world and decide if your clerics are big on letting unbelievers abuse their Deities magic. After all, no Paladin that had to work 14 levels and stay true to an extremely restrictive code is just going to hand the Holy Sword spell over to a 7th level caster subvertive no divine oversight who could use the spell whenever he wanted to (For killing babies mayhaps).
runestar 04-25-07, 02:07 PM	The fun really comes when you have a lv12 warlock helping you to scribe the spell scrolls you need, since they can access any spell in the game for purposes of item crafting...:D
Evil DM Mk3 04-25-07, 02:09 PM	In my games Archivists are no less relegius than clerics, although they often worship mutlitple gods. Athiest archivists tend to get attacked and have no one to preotect them, as mentioned above. But remember Archivists deal with all forms of the divine every day, THEY KNOW what powers they are tampering with. Watch out for him asking clerics with stange domains for scrolls, as soon as that domain spell in their book they can prepare it as much as they want. So for example they can do a lot more holy word spells per day than any cleric (as they can get it as a main spell, not a domian slot only spell :D)
Merestil Haye 04-25-07, 02:18 PM	Watch out for him asking clerics with stange domains for scrolls, as soon as that domain spell in their book they can prepare it as much as they want. So for example they can do a lot more holy word spells per day than any cleric (as they can get it as a main spell, not a domian slot only spell :D)You do know Holy Word is on the Cleric spell list, right?
Toxic_Shaman 04-25-07, 02:33 PM	I DM'd a game with an Archivist character. Allowing access to spell lists like Ranger and Paladin can cause you some grief. I used the following house rules to keep the power level from getting too outrageous: 1: No access to Domain Spells. 2: If a spell shows up on multiple spell lists, the higher spell level must be used, unless its a Cleric or Druid spell, then that's the spell level used. 3: Spells from Ranger and Paladin spell lists are allowed, but are considered higher level spells for the purpose of Archivist spellcasting. Treat the spell level as the level that the Ranger/Paladin/etc.... first gets access to the spell divided by two (round up) for the purpose of the spell level: Example: A Ranger gets access to third level spells at level 11. For the Archivist a 3rd level ranger spell would be a 6th level Archivist spell. 4: The Adept and Shujenga spell lists are not compatible with Archivist magic without special study. I allowed the player to study other types of magic and pick specific Shujenga and Adept spells by using a Feat similar to the Expanded Knowledge Feat from Psionics, which granted one spell/Feat. It worked out pretty well. The character was quite effective, and the player was happy with his capabilities.
Evil DM Mk3 04-25-07, 05:45 PM	You do know Holy Word is on the Cleric spell list, right? Sorry I ment holy smite