Archivist/Cleric multiclassing [Archive] - Wizards Community

Archivist/Cleric multiclassing [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mat_Cauthon
09-15-06, 12:58 PM I'm currently playing an Archivist, and about to multiclass as a cleric (to
get domain spells, turning, and all that). The problem is that there is a big
grey area when it comes to the spells. I just wanted to get some opinions
here on how you would rule on these issues if you were DMing such a situation.

On taking the first level of Cleric: What does it entail? Since I've already
been studying with clerics and am already religious, is it just a matter of
going into a temple of the deity of my choice and dedicating myself to serve
that deity and then BOOM I'm divinely blessed with the two domain powers
and the full 1st level spell table?

Or is there more to it (like training a feat)?

Or do I even need a temple of the deity? Could I just in the middle of an
adventure (when I get the experience points) decide to dedicate myself to
Pelor (or whoever) and supplicate the deity and get some subset of a 1st
level cleric's powers right on the spot?

On separate spell lists: I would say it's clear that I can only use spells from
the Archivist's prayerbook in the Archivists spell slots. But let's say I have
a 3rd level Archivist/3rd level Cleric. If I wanted to broaden out the set of
2nd level clerical spells the Archivist could cast, couldn't I just choose the
Cleric spell (in a cleric spell slot) I wanted and try to write it directly into my
prayer book (at the cost of writing into the prayer book, of course)? Or do I
have to scribe a scroll of it, THEN I could try to write it into the prayer book?
travellersside
09-15-06, 01:17 PM On taking the first level of Cleric: What does it entail? Since I've already
been studying with clerics and am already religious, is it just a matter of
going into a temple of the deity of my choice and dedicating myself to serve
that deity and then BOOM I'm divinely blessed with the two domain powers
and the full 1st level spell table?

Or is there more to it (like training a feat)?

Or do I even need a temple of the deity? Could I just in the middle of an
adventure (when I get the experience points) decide to dedicate myself to
Pelor (or whoever) and supplicate the deity and get some subset of a 1st
level cleric's powers right on the spot?
?

Well, you're talking Roleplay here. So, if I was DMing, I would only permit this with some gods. Most of them would be neutral, because we can't have clerics of good gods picking up those nasty evil spells, or vice versa, for that matter. Really, I'd recommend that this only be for gods of magic and knowledge. In other words, if the god wants to learn as much as you can, then this would be fine. Pelor though, I would expect to have some problems with the idea of taking on someone as a cleric who will want to go hunting for new spells to learn. Pelor gives you all the spells that you need to help the weak and to destroy the undead. OTOH, I'd also allow gods like that to let you trade in archivist levels for cleric levels, so I'm not that nasty.
I'd want you to spend time studying the holy scriptures for several weeks, under the tutelage of an ordained priest, at the end of which there'd be a few tests to see if you understood them. (We're talking Know:Religion DC 15. Yes, you can Take 10, and this is achievable at level 1, so not a challenge really) Then you'd be expected to dedicate yourself to the new god and to submit to certain restrictions. If you were able to operate under these restrictions (what they are depends on the god) then you'd be accepted as an acolyte, and the worst of the restrictions would be pretty much dropped. You'd still be expected to behave at all times as a representative of the deity.

By the rules, of course, you just take a level of cleric when you level up. But it's duller that way. There's no need to spend any of your feats on it.

On separate spell lists: I would say it's clear that I can only use spells from
the Archivist's prayerbook in the Archivists spell slots. But let's say I have
a 3rd level Archivist/3rd level Cleric. If I wanted to broaden out the set of
2nd level clerical spells the Archivist could cast, couldn't I just choose the
Cleric spell (in a cleric spell slot) I wanted and try to write it directly into my
prayer book (at the cost of writing into the prayer book, of course)? Or do I
have to scribe a scroll of it, THEN I could try to write it into the prayer book?

Unfortunately, you need to scribe a scroll of it first. But otherwise, yes, it's allowed - Sorcs and wizards have the same problem. Still, on the slightly bonus side, you're guaranteed to decipher the scroll correctly ;)
runestar
09-15-06, 01:17 PM The spells known are tracked separately.
Odd as it may seem, an archivist1/cleric1 will not automatically have access to all 1st lv cleric spells in his prayer book. Probably for game balance.

An old issue of dragon(297, IIRC) once stated that a multiclassed sorc/wiz may not copy his sorc spells known directly into his wizard spellbook. He must first scribe them as scrolls, before he can copy them into his spellbook, incurring all the normal costs for doing so.

I suppose this limitation will be applied to aforementioned example as well. If the archivist wishes to learn more cleric/domain spells, he will first need to scribe those spells onto scrolls, and then copy them into his prayer book. :)
Mat_Cauthon
09-15-06, 02:55 PM I tend to agree with the whole need to study to get all the first level
spells thing, and hadn't thought of the whole "which deity would
accept an archivist" thing, but I think it's a good idea and I'll take
that into consideration.

thanks,
John

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mat_Cauthon 09-15-06, 12:58 PM	I'm currently playing an Archivist, and about to multiclass as a cleric (to get domain spells, turning, and all that). The problem is that there is a big grey area when it comes to the spells. I just wanted to get some opinions here on how you would rule on these issues if you were DMing such a situation. On taking the first level of Cleric: What does it entail? Since I've already been studying with clerics and am already religious, is it just a matter of going into a temple of the deity of my choice and dedicating myself to serve that deity and then BOOM I'm divinely blessed with the two domain powers and the full 1st level spell table? Or is there more to it (like training a feat)? Or do I even need a temple of the deity? Could I just in the middle of an adventure (when I get the experience points) decide to dedicate myself to Pelor (or whoever) and supplicate the deity and get some subset of a 1st level cleric's powers right on the spot? On separate spell lists: I would say it's clear that I can only use spells from the Archivist's prayerbook in the Archivists spell slots. But let's say I have a 3rd level Archivist/3rd level Cleric. If I wanted to broaden out the set of 2nd level clerical spells the Archivist could cast, couldn't I just choose the Cleric spell (in a cleric spell slot) I wanted and try to write it directly into my prayer book (at the cost of writing into the prayer book, of course)? Or do I have to scribe a scroll of it, THEN I could try to write it into the prayer book?
travellersside 09-15-06, 01:17 PM	On taking the first level of Cleric: What does it entail? Since I've already been studying with clerics and am already religious, is it just a matter of going into a temple of the deity of my choice and dedicating myself to serve that deity and then BOOM I'm divinely blessed with the two domain powers and the full 1st level spell table? Or is there more to it (like training a feat)? Or do I even need a temple of the deity? Could I just in the middle of an adventure (when I get the experience points) decide to dedicate myself to Pelor (or whoever) and supplicate the deity and get some subset of a 1st level cleric's powers right on the spot? ? Well, you're talking Roleplay here. So, if I was DMing, I would only permit this with some gods. Most of them would be neutral, because we can't have clerics of good gods picking up those nasty evil spells, or vice versa, for that matter. Really, I'd recommend that this only be for gods of magic and knowledge. In other words, if the god wants to learn as much as you can, then this would be fine. Pelor though, I would expect to have some problems with the idea of taking on someone as a cleric who will want to go hunting for new spells to learn. Pelor gives you all the spells that you need to help the weak and to destroy the undead. OTOH, I'd also allow gods like that to let you trade in archivist levels for cleric levels, so I'm not that nasty. I'd want you to spend time studying the holy scriptures for several weeks, under the tutelage of an ordained priest, at the end of which there'd be a few tests to see if you understood them. (We're talking Know:Religion DC 15. Yes, you can Take 10, and this is achievable at level 1, so not a challenge really) Then you'd be expected to dedicate yourself to the new god and to submit to certain restrictions. If you were able to operate under these restrictions (what they are depends on the god) then you'd be accepted as an acolyte, and the worst of the restrictions would be pretty much dropped. You'd still be expected to behave at all times as a representative of the deity. By the rules, of course, you just take a level of cleric when you level up. But it's duller that way. There's no need to spend any of your feats on it. On separate spell lists: I would say it's clear that I can only use spells from the Archivist's prayerbook in the Archivists spell slots. But let's say I have a 3rd level Archivist/3rd level Cleric. If I wanted to broaden out the set of 2nd level clerical spells the Archivist could cast, couldn't I just choose the Cleric spell (in a cleric spell slot) I wanted and try to write it directly into my prayer book (at the cost of writing into the prayer book, of course)? Or do I have to scribe a scroll of it, THEN I could try to write it into the prayer book? Unfortunately, you need to scribe a scroll of it first. But otherwise, yes, it's allowed - Sorcs and wizards have the same problem. Still, on the slightly bonus side, you're guaranteed to decipher the scroll correctly ;)
runestar 09-15-06, 01:17 PM	The spells known are tracked separately. Odd as it may seem, an archivist1/cleric1 will not automatically have access to all 1st lv cleric spells in his prayer book. Probably for game balance. An old issue of dragon(297, IIRC) once stated that a multiclassed sorc/wiz may not copy his sorc spells known directly into his wizard spellbook. He must first scribe them as scrolls, before he can copy them into his spellbook, incurring all the normal costs for doing so. I suppose this limitation will be applied to aforementioned example as well. If the archivist wishes to learn more cleric/domain spells, he will first need to scribe those spells onto scrolls, and then copy them into his prayer book. :)
Mat_Cauthon 09-15-06, 02:55 PM	I tend to agree with the whole need to study to get all the first level spells thing, and hadn't thought of the whole "which deity would accept an archivist" thing, but I think it's a good idea and I'll take that into consideration. thanks, John