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(Proposal) Learner Prestige Class
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<blockquote data-quote="GnomeWorks" data-source="post: 1427905" data-attributes="member: 162"><p>It's only four skills - that's not too bad. Probably do base DC 10... they only get 4 skill points at each level (not counting any Int bonuses), so if they try to expand their other skills, then they'd have to go with not upping one of those.</p><p></p><p>I think it works with four. Fewer than that, I'd say it should go back up to DC 15... more than four, I think that it's a little unwieldy. But with the number of skill points they get at each level being equal to the number of skills they need, I think it should be fine.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Thanks. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> I'm liking how the spell slot cost system is looking, and though it's still a little rough (as you aptly pointed out <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />), I think it will do fine once we smooth things out.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Hrm...</p><p></p><p>For the mind flayer example, I'll say that a 5th-level character shouldn't have it, and that's the DM's problem. A 5th-level char shouldn't have an ability from a CR 8 creature. Also, do note that, even if this does happen, that the learner could probably only do that <em>once</em> each day, possibly twice if he's got a really nice Cha. Pulling off one <em>mind blast</em> each day is nicer than what most arcane or divine casters can throw around, but they can throw around those slightly weaker abilities a lot more often than the learner can throw around a <em>mind blast</em> (at 5th, anyway).</p><p></p><p>For the filcher - I agree, some abilities don't quite match up. My main issue was <em>quickness</em> from the choker... gaining the broken part of <em>haste</em> for only two spell slots is just evil. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>I have an idea of how to handle this... I'm going to start rambling now, so it'll be rough.</p><p></p><p>The Su or Sp ability has a spell slot cost equal to the CR of the monster it was learned from. In the case of abilities that have a caster level specifically listed, then the spell slot cost of the ability is equal to that caster level - the learner's learner level.</p><p></p><p><strong><em>Example:</em></strong><em> A 2nd-level learner (6th-level character) learns the</em> ethereal jaunt <em>ability from an ethereal marauder. If the ability did not list a caster level for the ability, the ability would cost 3 spell levels in spell slots. However, because it does (CL 15th), then the ability costs 13 spell levels worth of spell slots: 15 for the base cost, minus 2 for the learner's 2 learner levels.</em></p><p></p><p>Note that if a blue spell has an effective CL of 0th for purposes of spell slot costs, then it still requires at least one 0th-level spell slot to cast.</p><p></p><p>At higher levels, the ability becomes cheaper, but the spell is only 8th IIRC, so having it cost 14 for a 1st-level learner and 5 for a 10th-level isn't too big of a problem - it fixes the issue of it being 3 for a learner, period, though, which is an improvement.</p><p></p><p>If a monster's ability indicates that the ability works similarly to a spell, but does not list a caster level, use the creature's CR as the spell slot cost.</p><p></p><p>-----</p><p></p><p>Right now, I don't know if this would work - it's starting to get a little unwieldy. While I'd like to make it so that everything is covered equally, I'm also a little worried about how clunky the mechanics are... I'd like for the whole system to be streamlined, so the DM has as little extra work as possible when dealing with a learner character.</p><p></p><p>Also remember that some abilities that work like spells use them more effectively than normal spellcasters could. For instance, the <em>sleep</em> ray from a gauth beholder works a lot better than the normal <em>sleep</em> spell - that's why I said that if the spell doesn't list a CL, use the monster's CR as the spell slot cost. In most instances, it works out a lot better than saying that it's equal to the spell mentioned in the ability.</p><p></p><p>Of course, there are probably a few problematic areas left... most notably, I don't quite know what to do about the choker's <em>quickness</em> ability, and others like it (if any exist). I'm open to ideas. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="GnomeWorks, post: 1427905, member: 162"] It's only four skills - that's not too bad. Probably do base DC 10... they only get 4 skill points at each level (not counting any Int bonuses), so if they try to expand their other skills, then they'd have to go with not upping one of those. I think it works with four. Fewer than that, I'd say it should go back up to DC 15... more than four, I think that it's a little unwieldy. But with the number of skill points they get at each level being equal to the number of skills they need, I think it should be fine. Thanks. :) I'm liking how the spell slot cost system is looking, and though it's still a little rough (as you aptly pointed out ;)), I think it will do fine once we smooth things out. Hrm... For the mind flayer example, I'll say that a 5th-level character shouldn't have it, and that's the DM's problem. A 5th-level char shouldn't have an ability from a CR 8 creature. Also, do note that, even if this does happen, that the learner could probably only do that [i]once[/i] each day, possibly twice if he's got a really nice Cha. Pulling off one [i]mind blast[/i] each day is nicer than what most arcane or divine casters can throw around, but they can throw around those slightly weaker abilities a lot more often than the learner can throw around a [i]mind blast[/i] (at 5th, anyway). For the filcher - I agree, some abilities don't quite match up. My main issue was [i]quickness[/i] from the choker... gaining the broken part of [i]haste[/i] for only two spell slots is just evil. ;) I have an idea of how to handle this... I'm going to start rambling now, so it'll be rough. The Su or Sp ability has a spell slot cost equal to the CR of the monster it was learned from. In the case of abilities that have a caster level specifically listed, then the spell slot cost of the ability is equal to that caster level - the learner's learner level. [b][i]Example:[/i][/b][i] A 2nd-level learner (6th-level character) learns the[/i] ethereal jaunt [i]ability from an ethereal marauder. If the ability did not list a caster level for the ability, the ability would cost 3 spell levels in spell slots. However, because it does (CL 15th), then the ability costs 13 spell levels worth of spell slots: 15 for the base cost, minus 2 for the learner's 2 learner levels.[/i] Note that if a blue spell has an effective CL of 0th for purposes of spell slot costs, then it still requires at least one 0th-level spell slot to cast. At higher levels, the ability becomes cheaper, but the spell is only 8th IIRC, so having it cost 14 for a 1st-level learner and 5 for a 10th-level isn't too big of a problem - it fixes the issue of it being 3 for a learner, period, though, which is an improvement. If a monster's ability indicates that the ability works similarly to a spell, but does not list a caster level, use the creature's CR as the spell slot cost. ----- Right now, I don't know if this would work - it's starting to get a little unwieldy. While I'd like to make it so that everything is covered equally, I'm also a little worried about how clunky the mechanics are... I'd like for the whole system to be streamlined, so the DM has as little extra work as possible when dealing with a learner character. Also remember that some abilities that work like spells use them more effectively than normal spellcasters could. For instance, the [i]sleep[/i] ray from a gauth beholder works a lot better than the normal [i]sleep[/i] spell - that's why I said that if the spell doesn't list a CL, use the monster's CR as the spell slot cost. In most instances, it works out a lot better than saying that it's equal to the spell mentioned in the ability. Of course, there are probably a few problematic areas left... most notably, I don't quite know what to do about the choker's [i]quickness[/i] ability, and others like it (if any exist). I'm open to ideas. :) [/QUOTE]
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