Academy of the Chromatic Order--Higher Level Advanced Studies

[Rystil Arden]

See, the thing about the thesis. I completely missed that. Is that supposed to be a prereq for Academy Master? If so, it needs to be listed as such. And that is yet another thing that doesn't strike me as very feat-like. All these RP reqs sound more like the entry into a PrC than a feat.

A PrC is much more constraining, though, and these are really just regular Wizards with a few special talents from their studies at the Academy, rather than a whole new PrC (in general, I only make a new PrC as a last resort). The thesis is part of the program of study to become a Magus as mentioned in the crosspost from SitS, where I said you could technically handwave everything outside an adventure and just name your thesis.

 

[orsal]

They don't have to take anything other than Academy Graduate if they don't want to, and they can still be a graduate of the Academy with the Wizard's or Journeyman's degree.

Hold on. Is this something that slipped by when I wasn't paying attention? An academy graduate *must* take the Academy Graduate feat? I had understood that it was an option. So I can't create a character with a Chromatic Order backstory unless I give him that feat at 1st level?

 

[Knight Otu]

Hold on. Is this something that slipped by when I wasn't paying attention? An academy graduate *must* take the Academy Graduate feat? I had understood that it was an option. So I can't create a character with a Chromatic Order backstory unless I give him that feat at 1st level?

It shouldn't be required, at least anymore. I'm sure that it originally was, until a proposal was passed to make it optional, and I'm pretty sure that RA made that proposal.

 

[orsal]

It shouldn't be required, at least anymore. I'm sure that it originally was, until a proposal was passed to make it optional, and I'm pretty sure that RA made that proposal.

At any rate, there's nothing in the text of the LEW house rules file making it compulsory, so it would seem your and my understanding is correct.

 

[covaithe]

I'm not quite sure I understand what point is being made with regards to how restrictive the feats are. Are you (Rae) suggesting the possibility of a Master's degree without having first Graduated, and likewise Magus without Master? As someone considering taking these feats (if they pass), I'm personally more concerned with the GP cost.

As a point of data relating to these feats and restrictiveness, it's worth pointing out that in order to take Academy Master and still take Loremaster levels as soon as possible, you must be human. In other words, for nonhumans, a master's degree from the academy actually delays their lore-mastery.

 

[Rystil Arden]

At any rate, there's nothing in the text of the LEW house rules file making it compulsory, so it would seem your and my understanding is correct.

It initially was compulsory and was made noncompulsory. Quite so.

@covaithe--you are correct. It doesn't delay you terribly much for Loremaster though, even for nonhumans. And the Academy is humancentric as well, so if it is a bit more of an investment for nonhumans (can do it, but might delay PrC entry slightly), that isn't necessarily a bad thing either.