Mage of the Arcane Order questions

[random user]

One of my players is interested in taking this prestige class, and I had two questions:

1. has anyone played one or had one in their campaign? Did it seem balanced? Or were there any other problems with it?

2. From reading the text, it says after you take a full round action to get a spell from the spellpool, you can cast it "immediately." I assume that it still takes a standard action? Or does that mean you cast it as a free action (a la quickened spell?)

Any thoughts of advice would be appreciated!

 

[Storm Raven]

One of my players is interested in taking this prestige class, and I had two questions:

1. has anyone played one or had one in their campaign? Did it seem balanced? Or were there any other problems with it?

I've played one. It seemed fine, the DM didn't have any complaints. It allows a Wizard a little bit of flexibility, at the cost of having to leave slots open and make sure his account balance isn't overdrawn.

2. From reading the text, it says after you take a full round action to get a spell from the spellpool, you can cast it "immediately." I assume that it still takes a standard action? Or does that mean you cast it as a free action (a la quickened spell?)

He can cast it using the normal rules for casting right away. It's not quickened or cast as a free action. The action sequence would look like this (in combat):

Round One: Wizard begins calling a spell from the spellpool, he must continue to do this until the beginning of his next action.

Round Two: The called spell appears in the Wizard's mind. He may cast the spell normally.

 

[Scharlata]

[...] had one in their campaign?

Yepp! A fellow player who maxed out his wizard to take the PrC joining a group of PCs at 8th/9th levels.

I'm writing as DM and player alike.

Did it seem balanced?

Nope! At first I liked the idea of having a wizard around that has the opportunity to "shop for" spells. Later in the game the wizard developed a strategy to have the right spell handy (his prerogative, and very useful to have around). That mixed, IMO, the themes of wizard [who must prepare in advance or leave slots open to fill them later] and sorcerer [(MMM = Magic Missile Machine) who can hurl spells like a berserker].

Or were there any other problems with it?

Watch out for traps as "fishing" for metamagicked spells or building a spell power base with enoughs slots in the pool.

Try it and stop it when you are dissatisfied. It can be fun to have that PrC around but you are asking for trouble.

Have fun!