(Proposal) Academy of the Chromatic Order

[Velmont]

I was looking at this, and personally, I see a flaw for one of the specialist: The Illusionists. My point is, the illusionist main abilities is to use illusion, which mean, those spells are just that, illusion. If I were an Illusionist (and it is the case for one of my character), I wouldn't for anything, tell to anyone else that I am an Illusionist, simply because it would give them an hint that the spell I just cast could have been an illusion, and walking in a green robe is just as telling your opponent "Hey, the fireball I just throw at you was a shadow magic."

I suppose that there are some who doesn't mind to give such information, but I would bet that the greatest illusionist wouldn't be in the Academy just for that reason, or they may have join as a generalist instead (Would it be possible?)

Anyway, that's just my point of view, and how I generally try to play my illusionist (no wonder that Opale have +10 to Bluff at first level )

 

[El Jefe]

But an Illusionist isn't restricted to just casting illusion spells. True, he or she has to give up a couple of schools, but assume you had an illusionist who gave up Conjuration and Enchantment (no great loss). The Illusionist keeps the Evocation school, and can still cast fireballs (and illusions of fireballs) to his heart's content. That last fireball...was it live, or was it an illusion?

Likewise, the trim on the cloak needn't be a giveaway. I'd expect that an illusionist could cast an illusion on the cloak to change the color of the trim, if he or she wanted to pose as a different kind of specialist. And there is always the option of reversing the cloak to the camoflage side, if they don't want to advertise that they're a wizard at all.

 

[Velmont]

I must confess I devellop that style of roleplay for illusionist during the 2nd edition. But still, if you are an illusionist, you are more likely to cast illusion, and so people can get more suspicious. And if the Academy is a bit like the Tower of High Sorcery (Dragonlance), you meet people at the Academy on a neutral ground, but nothing will prevent you to have a feud and fight another member outside the Academy, every little piece of information can help your opponent.

But the example of fireball is just one. Look at yours, if someone knows that you can't use conjuration and you summon a Arrowhack (one of my favorite summon) it will be easy for him to identify it as a shadow conjuration or even just an illusion.

If I know my opponent is an evocator, I'll avoid him in direct combat. If he is an enchanter, I'll become suspicious of my friends. If he is a diviner, I'll try to seek him down before he gain too much information on me. Now, if he is an illusionist, I'll may be suspicious of thing I see, but it would have a lesser impact than having a friend backstabbing you, having your opponent throw a chain ligthning at you or having him know that you wife is hidden for her safety in a small village on the coast.

But all that is still relative. I must tell with the 3rd edition, it is less cut on there strenght than in 2nd, even more for illusionist, as they had to forgave 3 school before. But I am not sure I would like to show my color if I was an illusionist (or a necromancer by the way, as the necromancy is generally bad seen).

 

[Jdvn1]

But I am not sure I would like to show my color if I was an illusionist (or a necromancer by the way, as the necromancy is generally bad seen).

One side of the double-sided cloak is colored a green brown camaflauge pattern for traveling.

I imagine this side would be used much more often for adventurers. Personally, I'd only use the side with my color for ceremonial/formal situations.

 

[LogicsFate]

Some tangible benefits would be excellent, but for now I'm just happy to be a member

 

[Velmont]

There is one obvious advantage, even if it is not written. I would be more easier to find a spell you want IC. If you are a member of the Academy, you'll have access to there library, which is surely full of basic spells, and you can have many fellow member that could teach you some spells in exchange of some of your spells. I think that's an advantage enough. I'm a bit against advantage given like that. Maybe a PrC Academician, build on 5 level, could show the advantage of raising in ranks in the Academy...

 

[Manzanita]

I did a little more work on this. I"d like to get it off the pending list after all this time. I basically eliminated sorcerors (& bards) from the academy, to make it more focused. I also added a feat requirement. I put it in the first post, & I'll reprint it here:

Academy Graduate
Graduates of the Academy of the Chromatic Order have been taught in a rigorous ciriculum by the best professors in the land. This gives the graduates an edge in certain skills.

+2 Knowledge (arcana)
+2 Spellcraft
+2 circumstance bonus for Bluff, diplomacy, and intimidate when against one who knows about the academyThis feat can be substituted for skillfocus(spellcraft) or skillfocus(knowledge –arcana) for the purposes of meeting the prerequisites of the Loremaster, the Archmage, and similar arcane Prestige classes.

I felt the best way to give an advantage to academy graduates was in the form of a feat. This way there was a sacrifice (having to use a feat), but also a benefit to being a graduate. This feat has two advantages over a more traditional feat, but these are offset by lack of choice of feats, since this one is required. If others feel this feat is too powerful, perhaps it could be scaled back to a +1 bonus on spellcraft or knowledge(arcane). I felt the circumstance bonuses were minor, considering wizards generally aren't any good at diplomacy, intimidate, or bluff anyway. It's more for the feel of it.

I felt it important to allow this feat to take the place of the required skill focus feats for the PrCs. Currently the only two that require this feat are the Archmage and the Loremaster. The Loremaster in particular, uses feat as one way to restrict access to higher level PCs. A non-human PC can't afford to take a feat not on that list and without delaying entry into the PrC. I feel it's important that the academy doesn't restrict access into these sorts of PrCs. The feat itself is in form and function extremely similar to skill focus in spellcraft or knowledge (arcana), so it seems reasonable to me. My own PC, Iggy, who professes to be a graduate, would then be able to take this feat at his next opportunity, 6th level.

Let me know what you think.

 

[orsal]

I did a little more work on this. I"d like to get it off the pending list after all this time. I basically eliminated sorcerors (& bards) from the academy, to make it more focused. I also added a feat requirement. I put it in the first post, & I'll reprint it here:

Academy Graduate
Graduates of the Academy of the Chromatic Order have been taught in a rigorous ciriculum by the best professors in the land. This gives the graduates an edge in certain skills.

+2 Knowledge (arcana)
+2 Spellcraft
+2 circumstance bonus for Bluff, diplomacy, and intimidate when against one who knows about the academy
This feat can be substituted for skillfocus(spellcraft) or skillfocus(knowledge –arcana) for the purposes of meeting the prerequisites of the Loremaster, the Archmage, and similar arcane Prestige classes.

I felt the best way to give an advantage to academy graduates was in the form of a feat. This way there was a sacrifice (having to use a feat), but also a benefit to being a graduate. This feat has two advantages over a more traditional feat, but these are offset by lack of choice of feats, since this one is required. If others feel this feat is too powerful, perhaps it could be scaled back to a +1 bonus on spellcraft or knowledge(arcane). I felt the circumstance bonuses were minor, considering wizards generally aren't any good at diplomacy, intimidate, or bluff anyway. It's more for the feel of it.

I felt it important to allow this feat to take the place of the required skill focus feats for the PrCs. Currently the only two that require this feat are the Archmage and the Loremaster. The Loremaster in particular, uses feat as one way to restrict access to higher level PCs. A non-human PC can't afford to take a feat not on that list and without delaying entry into the PrC. I feel it's important that the academy doesn't restrict access into these sorts of PrCs. The feat itself is in form and function extremely similar to skill focus in spellcraft or knowledge (arcana), so it seems reasonable to me. My own PC, Iggy, who professes to be a graduate, would then be able to take this feat at his next opportunity, 6th level.

Let me know what you think.

If you want to scale it back, I'd recommend dropping or reducing the bonus to the Cha skills, leaving this just as a nonstandard +2/+2 feat. For one thing, the two magic-related skills seem more appropriate to the feat; for another, if it's going to substitute for a skill focus feat in one of those skills, it should give something close to what they give. I've got mixed feelings whether that's needed. I'm willing to give a little more slack to a feat that not everyone can take without writing an appropriate backstory, because it's an incentive to fit in an appropriate backstory. On the other hand, this might be a bit much.

One change I would recommend: specify that the bonuses do not stack with those from Magical Aptitude, Negotiator or Persuasive. The reason is that, by the RAW, it is impossible to get more than a +5 to any skill just from feats (skill focus + the appropriate +2/+2 feat). Once we start creating new +2/+2 feats that partially overlap the existing ones, that changes unless specifically restricted. (Magical Aptitude is a silly combination anyways.)

 

[Velmont]

I felt the circumstance bonuses were minor, considering wizards generally aren't any good at diplomacy, intimidate, or bluff anyway. It's more for the feel of it.

Well, for my wizard, it would be welcome. Already at +10 Bluff and she is only level 1... but it is true that wizard generally doesn't want much to do the negotiation, leaving it to the cleric/paladin/rogue. But the big question to see if the feat is strong, it is what percentage of the population know about the order? The feet would be stronger if it is a majority. If it is a minority, that's another matter.

 

[Manzanita]

OK. I think we should bag the bluff etc circumstance bonus. If the DM wants to, he/she can figure in some extra weight to a bluff by someone who has graduated from a prestigious college, but it probably has no place in this feat. If I drop that, then we have a basic feat, adding 2 to two different skills. Very standard. The only unusual thing about it is that is can replace a skill focus in one of those skills for the purpose of meeting the requirements of certain arcane PrCs. Does everyone understand why I want this feat to do this? If it didn't, then a non-human wizard wanting to be a loremaster couldn't take this feat, and thus couldn't write the academy into his background, without delaying entry into this Prc.

It seems a pretty minor adjustment. I'll modify the feat in the first post. Any more comments?