3.0 Candle caster

[vlimmere]

Not sure whether there are any other people still playing 3rd edition, but I had a discussion on the candle caster from T&B with my DM and just want a second opinion.

The description says that a candle works just like a scroll, but only talks about candle caster being able to light candles. In addition, there is the 'unfettered' candle that just works like a potion and that can be lit by anyone.

Now, I am currently playing a cleric of Kossuth and have taken the fire domain. Because my character is very fond of fire (it is cleansing after all), I was planning on buying candles instead of scrolls and buy a nice candelabra and cary it in my off-hand.

Unfortunately, my DM ruled that my cleric is unable to light any candles unless the are unfettered (which double the price of the candles).

How would you guys rule on this?

 

[Dandu]

Allow me to shed some light on the situation.

As per my understanding of the Candle Caster class, only someone with levels in the PrC can use scroll-candles. Unless your cleric takes levels in that class somehow, you're restricted to unfettered candles.

 

[vlimmere]

Allow me to shed some light on the situation.

As per my understanding of the Candle Caster class, only someone with levels in the PrC can use scroll-candles. Unless your cleric takes levels in that class somehow, you're restricted to unfettered candles.

So you would rule just like my DM , but the text on page 53 of T&B says literally: 'All rules, XP costs, and expenses that apply to Scribe Scroll also apply to this ability.' and as a cleric I can cast any scroll that is on my spell list.

Why would you rule differently?

 

[Dandu]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a scroll of an arcane spell unavailable for divine casters, even if the spell is on both spell lists?

 

[udalrich]

While you would be unable to use candles created by a Candle Caster (unless you have levels in that class or use UMD), there is no reason that you cannot buy regular scrolls which you describe as being made of wax with a wick, and that you "read" by burning.

That is, take the regular scroll mechanics and use candle themed fluff to describe them. If you encounter an actual Candle Caster, you could even get into an argument about how his candles are made "wrong".

Unless I am misunderstanding, you do not actually want any of the mechanics of the class: you just want to be able to say "I burn a candle of Cure Light Wounds" instead of "I read a scroll of Cure Light Wounds". How you describe your actions should be largely up to you (assuming its not inconsistent with the basic principles and tone of the GM's world) and a GM should be happy to have a player who is coming up with creative ways to describe his actions.

 

[Empirate]

I believe Complete Mage has a whole chapter dedicated to this kind of reskinning (adding new flavor while keeping the mechanics). I heartily support udalrich's suggestion!

 

[vlimmere]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a scroll of an arcane spell unavailable for divine casters, even if the spell is on both spell lists?

As far as I can tell from reading T&B, there are two prestige classes in the book that can be accessed without being able to cast arcane spells, which are the candle caster and the elemental savant. So, I would of course buy candles scribed by a cleric/candle caster. Cleric 5 would do the trick to enter the PrC, as the text states 'Able to cast spells of 3rd level or higher.'

Or did I miss something?