Elemental savants can't shoose to cast other energy spells?

[Dykstrav]

On page 33 of Complete Arcane, the elemental savant's elemental specialty class feature states; "When the savant casts a spell that normally deals energy damage, its energy descriptor changes to the savant's chosen energy type, and it deals damage of that energy type instead of its normal energy type."

The way this is phrased makes me think this happens automatically, whether or not the elemental savant wants to cause their chosen energy damage or not. Does this mean that an elemental savant can't choose to deal energy damage from a type that they haven't specialized in? Seems like an awfully big limitation, especially if you're fighting monsters that have multiple immunities and resistances. Not to mention you already get this benefit from Energy Substitutuion, which is required to enter the prestige class anyway.

 

[frankthedm]

On page 33 of Complete Arcane, the elemental savant's elemental specialty class feature states; "When the savant casts a spell that normally deals energy damage, its energy descriptor changes to the savant's chosen energy type, and it deals damage of that energy type instead of its normal energy type."

The way this is phrased makes me think this happens automatically, whether or not the elemental savant wants to cause their chosen energy damage or not. Does this mean that an elemental savant can't choose to deal energy damage from a type that they haven't specialized in? Seems like an awfully big limitation, especially if you're fighting monsters that have multiple immunities and resistances. Not to mention you already get this benefit from Energy Substitutuion, which is required to enter the prestige class anyway.

You are right, it sure sounds that way.

I know there are stipulations on being able to surpress special defences in this rules set, but that probably does not apply here.

Take a look at the class, does it offer a large power boost to the character? That might be a built in balance. It is not a unique thing, just look at the limitations of the Alienist.

 

[Dykstrav]

The elemental savant is basically a transformational class, you gradually gain elemental resistances and immunities. The capstone ability makes you immune to your chosen element and you actually gain the elemental type. You even lose two caster levels over the course of your career, and most of the cooler benefits (the elemental resistances and immunities) are efefctively nullified by the class' capstone abilities.

Unfortunately, I really like the flavor of the class, the caster in question in an elven 'storm-wizard' that enjoys using fly to rain down lightning bolts on her enemies from above. I even took Improved Familiar to get a small air elemental familiar. I guess I really need to ask my DM what he thinks... But I'm probably going to stick with elemental savant anyway, and just look at more force spells or spells that don't cause energy damage. Seems like a crummy tradeoff though.

 

[frankthedm]

The elemental savant is basically a transformational class, you gradually gain elemental resistances and immunities. The capstone ability makes you immune to your chosen element and you actually gain the elemental type. You even lose two caster levels over the course of your career, and most of the cooler benefits (the elemental resistances and immunities) are efefctively nullified by the class' capstone abilities.

Unfortunately, I really like the flavor of the class, the caster in question in an elven 'storm-wizard' that enjoys using fly to rain down lightning bolts on her enemies from above. I even took Improved Familiar to get a small air elemental familiar. I guess I really need to ask my DM what he thinks... But I'm probably going to stick with elemental savant anyway, and just look at more force spells or spells that don't cause energy damage. Seems like a crummy tradeoff though.

You think you got it bad, look at the poor Alienist! A Summoning PRC that gets the character shut off to ALL non templated outer planar creatures.

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=186552