Tuzenbach
First Post
Tired of the clunky, old Fighter/Wizard/Ranger/Rogue/Sorcerer/Cleric scenario? Wish your Fighter or Barbarian could nonchalantly pull a spell from up his or her sleave when the going gets tough, but don't desire to add a whole new class to the build? Fancy a single, 4th level Arcane spell, yet are made naseus by all the rest?! Then have I got the perfect solution for you!!!
Spells For Non-Spellcasters 101
Once upon a time, my Dwarven Fighter was dungeoneering and stumbled across a bookcase in a Wizard's Laboratory. He touched a book, and voila! He then possessed the ability to cast a Fireball spell, free of charge! This got me to thinking, if a non-spellcasting class can "accidentally" learn a spell without it affecting his class make-up, why could not the same class learn a single (or slight handful of) spell(s) on purpose? Hence, my scheme:
1. This is for non-spellcasters; Fighters, Barbarians, Rogues, Monks, Assassins, Cavaliers, etc.
2. The aforementioned-classed character must first desire to learn a spell (obviously).
3. The character from above must then seek out a mentor. This person has to be from one of the primary spellcasting classes (Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric, & Druid) and must know the spell being sought. The mentor must also be twice the level of the learner.
4. The character must meet the level prerequisite ordinarily associated with the spell. This varies in the following manner: if a non-spellcasting class wishes to learn Fireball from a Sorcerer, the would-be learner must wait until 6th level. However, should the teacher be a Wizard, the pupil can learn the spell at 5th level. This reflects the prerequisite levels associated with the respective mentors. It's not that Wizards are necessarily superior teachers, but that they have access to higher level spells quicker than Sorcerers.
If, however, a character wished to learn a Divine spell (as oppposed to the above Arcane example), either Clerics or Druids mentor equally.
5. The non-spellcasting character pays for the spell in two ways:
a) Experience Points & Gold. This is determined via the following equation: Spell Level Squared x 1000. Thus, learning a 4th level spell would cost 4x4x1000 or 16,000. Aha, but 16,000 what? This total can be equally divided between gold and experience (8,000 each) or divided non-equally out to a ratio of 75% to 25% or anywhere in between. Hence, the learner MUST pay either 4,000 in gold OR experience points and have the 12,000 be made up of the other, or have combinations anywhere in between. In no event will the smaller sum be lower than 25% of the total cost, so a 15,000 gp and 1,000 exp. buy is out of the question.
b) Physical Ability OR Hit Point Loss. The other portion of the buying procedure takes the form of EITHER (payer's choice) the loss of physical ability points OR hit points. The former follows this equation: Spell Level/2 rounded up. Thus, if a 5th level spell is learned it's 5 divided by 2 (2.5) and then rounded up (3). The player must then decide where the 3 ability points will be lost. The choices are Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. The point loss can be 2 from CON and 1 from STR, 1 from DEX and 2 from CON, or whichever combination is desired by the learner. This is done to simulate the slight shift in focus off the fighting or stealth attributes and on to the more mental pursuit of learning a spell.
The alternate choice would be a hit point loss, again, to simulate "mental studying" rather than "physical studying". This figure is based upon the following equation: 7 x Spell Level. Thus, learning a 6th level spell would leave the character EITHER 1) down 3 physical attribute points, OR 2) down 42 hit points. Again, it's the player's choice. Unlike the gold and experience point payment from above, this cannot be equally or otherwise divided between ability score points and hit points.
6. The amount of time it takes to acquire the spell equals 1 month per spell level. The character has to learn the spell from the same mentor the entire time and cannot just nonchalantly "switch" teachers at some intermediate point. To do this, the character would have to start the process all over again. Thus, if a character sets out to learn a 9th level spell and his or her mentor died after 8 months of tutelage, the character is out of luck. The gold and experience points aren't refundable (these are lost at the beginning of the process), though the ability and hit points are kept (these are lost upon learning the spell).
7. For purposes of spell use, the principle ability score of the non-spellcasting class in question is based upon that of the mentor. Hence, if the mentor was a Sorcerer, Charisma would be the relevant ability (where applicable), Wisdom for a Cleric or Druidic tutor, and Intelligence for a Wizard tutor.
Spells For Non-Spellcasters 101
Once upon a time, my Dwarven Fighter was dungeoneering and stumbled across a bookcase in a Wizard's Laboratory. He touched a book, and voila! He then possessed the ability to cast a Fireball spell, free of charge! This got me to thinking, if a non-spellcasting class can "accidentally" learn a spell without it affecting his class make-up, why could not the same class learn a single (or slight handful of) spell(s) on purpose? Hence, my scheme:
1. This is for non-spellcasters; Fighters, Barbarians, Rogues, Monks, Assassins, Cavaliers, etc.
2. The aforementioned-classed character must first desire to learn a spell (obviously).
3. The character from above must then seek out a mentor. This person has to be from one of the primary spellcasting classes (Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric, & Druid) and must know the spell being sought. The mentor must also be twice the level of the learner.
4. The character must meet the level prerequisite ordinarily associated with the spell. This varies in the following manner: if a non-spellcasting class wishes to learn Fireball from a Sorcerer, the would-be learner must wait until 6th level. However, should the teacher be a Wizard, the pupil can learn the spell at 5th level. This reflects the prerequisite levels associated with the respective mentors. It's not that Wizards are necessarily superior teachers, but that they have access to higher level spells quicker than Sorcerers.
If, however, a character wished to learn a Divine spell (as oppposed to the above Arcane example), either Clerics or Druids mentor equally.
5. The non-spellcasting character pays for the spell in two ways:
a) Experience Points & Gold. This is determined via the following equation: Spell Level Squared x 1000. Thus, learning a 4th level spell would cost 4x4x1000 or 16,000. Aha, but 16,000 what? This total can be equally divided between gold and experience (8,000 each) or divided non-equally out to a ratio of 75% to 25% or anywhere in between. Hence, the learner MUST pay either 4,000 in gold OR experience points and have the 12,000 be made up of the other, or have combinations anywhere in between. In no event will the smaller sum be lower than 25% of the total cost, so a 15,000 gp and 1,000 exp. buy is out of the question.
b) Physical Ability OR Hit Point Loss. The other portion of the buying procedure takes the form of EITHER (payer's choice) the loss of physical ability points OR hit points. The former follows this equation: Spell Level/2 rounded up. Thus, if a 5th level spell is learned it's 5 divided by 2 (2.5) and then rounded up (3). The player must then decide where the 3 ability points will be lost. The choices are Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. The point loss can be 2 from CON and 1 from STR, 1 from DEX and 2 from CON, or whichever combination is desired by the learner. This is done to simulate the slight shift in focus off the fighting or stealth attributes and on to the more mental pursuit of learning a spell.
The alternate choice would be a hit point loss, again, to simulate "mental studying" rather than "physical studying". This figure is based upon the following equation: 7 x Spell Level. Thus, learning a 6th level spell would leave the character EITHER 1) down 3 physical attribute points, OR 2) down 42 hit points. Again, it's the player's choice. Unlike the gold and experience point payment from above, this cannot be equally or otherwise divided between ability score points and hit points.
6. The amount of time it takes to acquire the spell equals 1 month per spell level. The character has to learn the spell from the same mentor the entire time and cannot just nonchalantly "switch" teachers at some intermediate point. To do this, the character would have to start the process all over again. Thus, if a character sets out to learn a 9th level spell and his or her mentor died after 8 months of tutelage, the character is out of luck. The gold and experience points aren't refundable (these are lost at the beginning of the process), though the ability and hit points are kept (these are lost upon learning the spell).
7. For purposes of spell use, the principle ability score of the non-spellcasting class in question is based upon that of the mentor. Hence, if the mentor was a Sorcerer, Charisma would be the relevant ability (where applicable), Wisdom for a Cleric or Druidic tutor, and Intelligence for a Wizard tutor.
