the general spellcaster [Archive] - Wizards Community

the general spellcaster [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
elementalawe
03-23-05, 06:40 PM In the Unearthed Arcana book for DandD 3rd edit. and version 3.5, there is a general spellcaster. Can that general spellcaster be a PC in any campaign, or is the general spellcaster a PC adventurer class profession for only GreyHawk? Also, in accordance with the book, I think I remember seeing and reading that a general spellcaster can choose wisdom to power any magic spells from the cleric list and sorcerer/wizard list--am I correct?
HailSpork
03-23-05, 07:02 PM I don't have UA in front of me, so I can only definatively answer part 1. The chapter on generic classes is an alternative to regular classes, and can be used in any setting.
As for part 2, I don't know what UA says, but if somebody is trying to play a class that uses wisdom for how many extra magic missiles they can cast, it's dm discretion. (actually, I think the adept can cast magic missile...)
SD
03-23-05, 10:18 PM UA does say that you can choose to cast divine (using Wis) or arcane (using Int or Cha, your choice) spells, and that regardless of that choice you may choose any spells from the cleric, druid, or sorcerer/wizard spell lists. There is also no reason to assume that the generic classes are exclusive to any campaign setting and I find nothing in UA to suggest this, unless possibly you have drawn pretty pictures in yours.

The whole generic class approach is DM discretion, just like allowing anything is really DM discretion. Some DMs may be fine with it, some might not like the idea of a 5th-level caster using both fireball and cure serious wounds, and still others might feel that the drawbacks of the class outweigh the shared spell list benefits.

I personally would adore playing a generic warrior in a campaign sometime, but I seem to be doomed to a life of DMing.
elementalawe
03-24-05, 06:03 PM What gets me confused is how a general spellcaster is allowed in the Forgotten Realms campaign. In the ForgottenRealms campaign, how can I choose wisdom as the ability to cast spells from any magic-user class and how do I cast those magic spells without being a cleric? In Faerun-Toril-ForgottenRealms, all magic is the 'art' or the 'power', so which one am I using if I'm a general spellcaster in the ForgottenRealms campaign?

I thank those persons who have responded to my posts or messages.
Galstaf, Sorcerer of Lite
03-24-05, 08:38 PM Okay, let's try saying it this way:

The Generic Classes section of Unearthed Arcana is a variant which replaces all other classes, including the standard ones from the PHB. Technically, the spellcaster (and the warrior and expert) from the Generic Classes variant is available in any setting, but only if those are the only classes used. Those three classes replace all other classes available. So if you're playing a spellcaster, that means that in that campaign, wizards, sorcerers, clerics and druids don't exist (for that matter, neither do fighters, rogues, barbarians, monks, or any other standard classes). This is a decision your DM will make based on how he wants to run his campaign (regardless of what setting he's using to run said campaign); the generic classes really aren't intended to be played alongside the standard ones.

If your campaign is using the generic classes, then you choose when you take your first level of spellcaster whether to be a divine spellcaster or an arcane spellcaster. In either case, the spells available to you are the same -- anything on the wizard/sorcerer, cleric, or druid spell lists. If you're a divine spellcaster, your spellcasting is based on Wisdom. If you're an arcane spellcaster, you choose whether to base your spellcasting on your Intellicence or Charisma score.
Eliza_Stormwhisper
03-24-05, 09:01 PM I'd really say it's up to the DM which classes the players can use. If I still ran 3.5, I would allow a PC to use the Spellcaster class. Also, after several bad experiences with it, I decided to disallow the Monk class.
elementalawe
03-26-05, 04:26 PM That means then, for the campaign setting of ForgottenRealms-AbeirToril-Faerun, If I'm playing a general spellcaster, there are no deities from which I must get magic power from and I do not use domains because only the cleric class has domains. Therefore, there are no deities in the ForgottenRealms campaign when using the three, general adventurer class professions from UnearthedArcana?
HailSpork
03-26-05, 10:54 PM If you play a general spellcaster, you must choose if he's divine or arcane. If he's divine, he should worship a god or cause; not for a game mechanic, but for the roleplaying aspect. There are no domains, but the pantheon of deities still exists. Just like if you play a non-cleric and still choose a deity.
If you're playing an arcane caster, then the power comes from you and your arcane knowledge.
Lina_Inverse
03-26-05, 10:56 PM That means then, for the campaign setting of ForgottenRealms-AbeirToril-Faerun, If I'm playing a general spellcaster, there are no deities from which I must get magic power from and I do not use domains because only the cleric class has domains. Therefore, there are no deities in the ForgottenRealms campaign when using the three, general adventurer class professions from UnearthedArcana?

faeruns rule is must worship deitys to get divine casting.so to have wisdom based casting you MUST worship a deity.
and deitys are still there,deitys are still just npcs after all.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
elementalawe 03-23-05, 06:40 PM	In the Unearthed Arcana book for DandD 3rd edit. and version 3.5, there is a general spellcaster. Can that general spellcaster be a PC in any campaign, or is the general spellcaster a PC adventurer class profession for only GreyHawk? Also, in accordance with the book, I think I remember seeing and reading that a general spellcaster can choose wisdom to power any magic spells from the cleric list and sorcerer/wizard list--am I correct?
HailSpork 03-23-05, 07:02 PM	I don't have UA in front of me, so I can only definatively answer part 1. The chapter on generic classes is an alternative to regular classes, and can be used in any setting. As for part 2, I don't know what UA says, but if somebody is trying to play a class that uses wisdom for how many extra magic missiles they can cast, it's dm discretion. (actually, I think the adept can cast magic missile...)
SD 03-23-05, 10:18 PM	UA does say that you can choose to cast divine (using Wis) or arcane (using Int or Cha, your choice) spells, and that regardless of that choice you may choose any spells from the cleric, druid, or sorcerer/wizard spell lists. There is also no reason to assume that the generic classes are exclusive to any campaign setting and I find nothing in UA to suggest this, unless possibly you have drawn pretty pictures in yours. The whole generic class approach is DM discretion, just like allowing anything is really DM discretion. Some DMs may be fine with it, some might not like the idea of a 5th-level caster using both fireball and cure serious wounds, and still others might feel that the drawbacks of the class outweigh the shared spell list benefits. I personally would adore playing a generic warrior in a campaign sometime, but I seem to be doomed to a life of DMing.
elementalawe 03-24-05, 06:03 PM	What gets me confused is how a general spellcaster is allowed in the Forgotten Realms campaign. In the ForgottenRealms campaign, how can I choose wisdom as the ability to cast spells from any magic-user class and how do I cast those magic spells without being a cleric? In Faerun-Toril-ForgottenRealms, all magic is the 'art' or the 'power', so which one am I using if I'm a general spellcaster in the ForgottenRealms campaign? I thank those persons who have responded to my posts or messages.
Galstaf, Sorcerer of Lite 03-24-05, 08:38 PM	Okay, let's try saying it this way: The Generic Classes section of Unearthed Arcana is a variant which replaces all other classes, including the standard ones from the PHB. Technically, the spellcaster (and the warrior and expert) from the Generic Classes variant is available in any setting, but only if those are the only classes used. Those three classes replace all other classes available. So if you're playing a spellcaster, that means that in that campaign, wizards, sorcerers, clerics and druids don't exist (for that matter, neither do fighters, rogues, barbarians, monks, or any other standard classes). This is a decision your DM will make based on how he wants to run his campaign (regardless of what setting he's using to run said campaign); the generic classes really aren't intended to be played alongside the standard ones. If your campaign is using the generic classes, then you choose when you take your first level of spellcaster whether to be a divine spellcaster or an arcane spellcaster. In either case, the spells available to you are the same -- anything on the wizard/sorcerer, cleric, or druid spell lists. If you're a divine spellcaster, your spellcasting is based on Wisdom. If you're an arcane spellcaster, you choose whether to base your spellcasting on your Intellicence or Charisma score.
Eliza_Stormwhisper 03-24-05, 09:01 PM	I'd really say it's up to the DM which classes the players can use. If I still ran 3.5, I would allow a PC to use the Spellcaster class. Also, after several bad experiences with it, I decided to disallow the Monk class.
elementalawe 03-26-05, 04:26 PM	That means then, for the campaign setting of ForgottenRealms-AbeirToril-Faerun, If I'm playing a general spellcaster, there are no deities from which I must get magic power from and I do not use domains because only the cleric class has domains. Therefore, there are no deities in the ForgottenRealms campaign when using the three, general adventurer class professions from UnearthedArcana?
HailSpork 03-26-05, 10:54 PM	If you play a general spellcaster, you must choose if he's divine or arcane. If he's divine, he should worship a god or cause; not for a game mechanic, but for the roleplaying aspect. There are no domains, but the pantheon of deities still exists. Just like if you play a non-cleric and still choose a deity. If you're playing an arcane caster, then the power comes from you and your arcane knowledge.
Lina_Inverse 03-26-05, 10:56 PM	That means then, for the campaign setting of ForgottenRealms-AbeirToril-Faerun, If I'm playing a general spellcaster, there are no deities from which I must get magic power from and I do not use domains because only the cleric class has domains. Therefore, there are no deities in the ForgottenRealms campaign when using the three, general adventurer class professions from UnearthedArcana? faeruns rule is must worship deitys to get divine casting.so to have wisdom based casting you MUST worship a deity. and deitys are still there,deitys are still just npcs after all.