Archivist Questions

[Cameron]

Well, there's a 3.5 Update for OA in Dragon 318, which I don't have... so I don't know how that affects things

Apart from that, what do you base that on? For example, the Fanfare spell (Brd6, Song and Silence) is 3E material - I'd take the fact that it hasn't been reprinted to suggest that it doesn't exist in 3.5, rather than that it exists in the exact same form.

-Hyp.

I believe that that was the general official rule when they did the change from 3.0 to 3.5.

Once again, your interpretation contradicts an official source.

 

[IanB]

Doesn't matter if it hasn't been republished, since all 3.0 material are still legal so long as it hasn't been reprinted or otherwise stated that it was replaced by anything else.

Hm, I believe this is explicitly not the case for RPGA games, at least.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I believe that that was the general official rule when they did the change from 3.0 to 3.5.

Once again, your interpretation contradicts an official source.

Do you know which official source that is? That was the thrust of my "on what basis" question.

-Hyp.

 

[Cameron]

Do you know which official source that is? That was the thrust of my "on what basis" question.

-Hyp.

Not off the top of my head. I've seen it enough times in the forums though, so if you's ask, I'm sure someone will guide you to it.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Not off the top of my head.

Ahh.

-Hyp.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Not off the top of my head. I've seen it enough times in the forums though, so if you's ask, I'm sure someone will guide you to it.

The version of that statement that I've heard is that an FAQ answer on a 3.0 topic is still valid in 3.5, assuming the topic of the question was not changed in the update.

 

[AllisterH]

1. In the Forgotten Realms, does an archivist need a deity to cast spells, or can he just be a secular caster like a wizard?

Needs a deity. Remember, the FRCS mentions that ALL FR inhabitants have to worship a deity or they become faithless and it also mentions that all divine magic goes through deities via the weave. Just wouldn't be possible IMHO just like how paladins in FR have to worship a deity to get their powers but in the core-rules, a paladin doesn't actually need to worship a deity. Now, in Eberron, I can see a deityless archivist.

2. How does the class compare to a wizard in terms of power level? More powerful? Less?


3. Is the 'learn every divine spell ever' made much use of by players, or is an archivist mostly stuck to his free clerical spells per level?

These two qustions can be combined into one. The Dark Lore/Knowledge ability should not be underestimated. Just like the PHB II beguiler, the class features outside of the spellcasting itself encourage one to stay in the class. Trust me, you'll be using your class abilities much more often than a wizard.

In terms of spellcasting, it is DM dependent. Potentially, an archivist can blow a wizard out of the water.
1. All domain spells are considered divine and can be scribed to scrolls.
2. Ranger, paladin and the OA also increase the chances of getting a better spelllist.

Basically, if you're a core only game and the DM doesn't allow for easy access to non-cleric divine sources, you end up with a weaker cleric. If your DM is the type that allows the wizard to simply pick spells from the Spell Compendium, then your archivist in terms of spellcasting should be mightier than even a wizard.

 

[Zurai]

For example, there's at least one case of a normally 8th-level spell becoming available as a level 4 spell for Archivists: Summon Giants from Frostburn. Normally it's an 8th level Cleric/Winter domain spell. However, the Disciple of Thrym PrC gets a seperate Divine spellcasting progression, and Summon Giants is a 4th level spell on that progression.

Voila, instant "I'll summon 3 Fiendish Hill Giants" at character level 7.

... assuming your DM is foolish enough to let you find a Disciple of Thrym's scroll of Summon Giants, anyway. Most aren't quite that generous.

 

[AllisterH]

For example, there's at least one case of a normally 8th-level spell becoming available as a level 4 spell for Archivists: Summon Giants from Frostburn. Normally it's an 8th level Cleric/Winter domain spell. However, the Disciple of Thrym PrC gets a seperate Divine spellcasting progression, and Summon Giants is a 4th level spell on that progression.

Voila, instant "I'll summon 3 Fiendish Hill Giants" at character level 7.

... assuming your DM is foolish enough to let you find a Disciple of Thrym's scroll of Summon Giants, anyway. Most aren't quite that generous.

This example uses a rules exploit (there is something not entirely kosher about abusing the fact that a PrC has its own Spell progression so that an archivist can get a spell earlier than the PrC itself a la the above example where an archivist gets the spell at character level 7 yet the Disciple has to wait till above 10th level).

Still, with the number of domains out there, even when not using an exploit, its pretty much a certainity that an archivist can get some of the best wizard only spells. What makes this DM dependent is where you're located.

Using the Realms for example, if your home base is in the Moonshaes, I doubt you'd be even able to get any spells from say paladins and even normal clerics since I believe that region has almost all of its divine spellcasters being either rangers, shamans or druids.

If your homebase is Silverymmon, then you should have access to all of the core-divine spell lists. If it is on the paladin's spell list, then you should have access to it.

If your home base is Waterdeep, you probably can get access to any Realms-only divine spellcasting list. Waterdeep is the NYC of the Realms and as such, if it can be found in the Realms, you probably can find it in Waterdeep (or at least be put in contact with someone who does know what you want).

If your home base is Sigil (from the planescape setting), frankly, crack open the Spell Compendium and go wild.

 

[glass]

Do you know which official source that is? That was the thrust of my "on what basis" question.

The source, AFAIK, is the marketing materials publish around the time of the 3.5 release. Not something I set a lot of store by in my games.


glass.