The Archivist is neat!

[Kunimatyu]

Assuming I ever get to play in a campaign as opposed to running one, I'm really psyched about getting to play an Archivist, one of the new base classes from Heroes of Horror. Why, you ask? Because the in-character dynamics and out-of-character gameplay mechanics work so well together. For those who haven't looked at the Archivist, the neat thing about them is that they're a divine spellcaster that casts using a prayerbook(think wizard's spellbook) but can cast from any divine list. They're considerably weaker than a cleric, and only automatically gain 2 spells from the cleric list per level, but they can cast Cleric spells, Druid spells, Paladin spells, weird Cleric domain spells, etc etc.

Sounds powerful? It is. But there's a catch. In order to get all of those neat divine spells, you have to find divine scrolls, then copy them into your spellbook. Here's what would happen in actual play: the archivist's player would scour the Complete books, maybe others, for interesting cleric domains granting atypical spells (Force domain from Tharizdun for Magic Missile, for instance). Here's the cool bit: once the archivist's player finds all these neat domains, he's going to have his character actively look for these scraps of forbidden divine lore from various and sundry cults, hidden ruins, etc etc. Which is exactly what an Archivist's purpose is. Additionally, if the DM doesn't want the archivist to, say, be able to get Magic Missle, well, the archivist won't find that scroll.

Really cool class.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Agreed. It's also neat that it builds in the Knowledge skills for the Archivist to gain bonuses against various monster types. Once again combining out-of-game player knowledge with in-game mechanic.

Player: Oh crap, it's a mind flayer...
Player's PC (Archivist): ... I hope my Knowledge (dungeoneering) [which covers abberations] roll grants me a bonus against it.

 

[Aaron L]

The Archivist is cool as heck, and will be filling out the priesthood in my world... well, one priesthood. Well, most of them are acolytes and experts, but Archivists will be a lot more common than Clerics, who will be the militant ones.

 

[drothgery]

Sounds powerful? It is. But there's a catch. In order to get all of those neat divine spells, you have to find divine scrolls, then copy them into your spellbook. Here's what would happen in actual play: the archivist's player would scour the Complete books, maybe others, for interesting cleric domains granting atypical spells (Force domain from Tharizdun for Magic Missile, for instance). Here's the cool bit: once the archivist's player finds all these neat domains, he's going to have his character actively look for these scraps of forbidden divine lore from various and sundry cults, hidden ruins, etc etc. Which is exactly what an Archivist's purpose is.

I saw this class and immediately yoinked it for an NPC in my new PBP Eberron game. And I've decided that all NPC Archivists capable of casting 4th-level spells know Castigate from Complete Divine, because the flavor on that spell just guarantees it should be in an Archivist's spellbook.