D&D 3E/3.5 Fochlucan Lyrist's Unbound feature and Arcane Hierophant

[rgard]

Hi, looking for some input. The Fochlucan Lyrist (FL) has a feature called 'Unbound' which allows the FL to cast spells, etc., in light metal armor:

"Unbound: A Fochlucan lyrist's druid oaths are relaxed, allowing her to wear light metal armor with no loss of spellcasting, supernatural, or spell-like abilities. A lyrist also suffers no experience point penalty for multi-classing."

So, say the FL decides to go with Arcane Hierophant at Epic levels. Arcane Hierophant (AH) specifically says you can't cast in metal armor:

"Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no proficiency in any weapons or armor. You abide by the same armor restrictions that druids do, and you lose your divine spellcasting ability and supernatural or spell-like class abilities if you wear prohibited armor or carry a prohibited shield."

So, your thoughts? Would the ability to cast in light metal armor carry over from FL to AH? I would certainly think this would work if the PC was AH before FL as the metal armor restriction is lifted after abiding the by the AH restriction. Not sure about the reverse though, FL to AH.

I'm thinking it does carry over. The FL advances his or her Druid casting. AH is doing the same. When the character takes level of AH, light metal armor is no longer 'prohibited' as that was lifted by the FL Unbound feature.



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[Mannahnin]

I think you're correct. Unbound from FL gives the character a limited exception to those armor restrictions.

 

[glass]

"Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no proficiency in any weapons or armor. You abide by the same armor restrictions that druids do, and you lose your divine spellcasting ability and supernatural or spell-like class abilities if you wear prohibited armor or carry a prohibited shield."

IMO, the text I have bolded is key here. The "same armour restrictions as druids" is the same armour restrictions that Unbound modifies, so you're good. If you had another class that had a similar restriction but did not tie it back to the druid, then Unbound would not help.

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glass.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Yeah, I agree with the others. Because FL specifically says your Druid oaths are relaxed, and AH is specifically saying that "you abide by the same armor restrictions druids do," you benefit. As others noted if some other class or PrC had an unrelated oath with the same restrictions, however, that oath would still apply. E.g. if you were a gestalt Druid/Monk for some reason, monks can't wear any armor, that is a separate consideration. I don't think any such completely non-Druid "oath not to wear metal" classes exist, but if they did, that's what would happen.

 

[glass]

E.g. if you were a gestalt Druid/Monk for some reason, monks can't wear any armor, that is a separate consideration.

Funnily enough, one of the players in my Sunday-night game is a druid//monk. They do not wear armour (and at the moment neither does their pet allosaur).

I don't think any such completely non-Druid "oath not to wear metal" classes exist, but if they did, that's what would happen.

I'm not either, but there are other cases of multiple similar restrictions which follow the same principle. I think. No examples are actually coming to mind.

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glass.

 

[Deset Gled]

Funnily enough, one of the players in my Sunday-night game is a druid//monk. They do not wear armour (and at the moment neither does their pet allosaur).

Of course, a druid/monk/bard/Fochlucan Lyricist/Arcane Hierophant would have a BAB of somewhere around +8 at level 20. The saves would be amazing, though.

 

[glass]

Of course, a druid/monk/bard/Fochlucan Lyricist/Arcane Hierophant would have a BAB of somewhere around +8 at level 20. The saves would be amazing, though.

They are an unchained Monk, and gestalt, so they have full BAB at the moment. OTOH, gestalt takes them out of the running for Fochlucan Lyrist (and Arcane Heirophant for that matter). They could take Bard levels, but since they have not great charisma it is probably not the best idea....

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glass.

 

[rgard]

They are an unchained Monk, and gestalt, so they have full BAB at the moment. OTOH, gestalt takes them out of the running for Fochlucan Lyrist (and Arcane Heirophant for that matter). They could take Bard levels, but since they have not great charisma it is probably not the best idea....

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glass.

How is the intelligence score? 1 level of Wizard, 1 level of prestige Bard?

 

[glass]

How is the intelligence score?

Probably not that stellar either. They are obviously heavily invested in Wisdom, and need basically all the physical stats since they are front-liners (it is a two-player campaign, so everyone's a front-liner).

1 level of Wizard, 1 level of prestige Bard?

I strongly suspect that the player would be happiest sticking with Druid//Monk all the way up. And I cannot really blame them; that's a fair number of class features, plus full nine-level casting. It is not like they need a lot more than that.

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glass.