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Wrigs13
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
201 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 22:25:50
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Just a quick question:
Arcane Schooling says you can use spell trigger items as if you were an arcane spellcaster of 1st level.
So does this really mean that with this feat you can use any wand or staff that replicates an arcane spell? This seems a very powerful feat. It can turn any class into a spell castings maelstrom.
Surely this can't be right?
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Do not try to understand the 4th edition. Thats impossible. Instead...only try to realise the truth. There is no 4th edition. |
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Raith
Seeker
USA
76 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 22:53:30
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| Forgive me for not doing my homework, but which book did you get this feat out of? |
"Power and dominion are taken by the Will. By divine right Hail and Kill!" |
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Knight of the Gate
Senior Scribe
USA
624 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 00:31:53
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| FRCS, IIRC. And, yes that is how it works. I think it's kind of overpowered, but not ridiculously so. It DOES kind of obviate one of the most useful aspects of use magic device. |
How can life be so bountiful, providing such sublime rewards for mediocrity? -Umberto Ecco |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4702 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 01:14:09
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Arcane Schooling [Regional] Deep Imaskari, human, planetouched; Benefit: activate wands as if you had one level of brd, sor or wiz
PGtoF, p. 33 |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3252 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 03:10:15
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| First off, the racial prereq is a big hurdle. And b), it's not much different than handing a first level bard, sorcerer or wizard a wand of fireball (CL 20) and telling them to go to town. |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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Wrigs13
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
201 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 09:47:42
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Well it does make the Magic Item Attunement Feat from Complete Mage, which bypasses some of the Use Magic Device skill limits, look totally pointless.
Also my concern is not about wizards with fireball wands but fighters or clerics. It can render wizards a little pointless at low levels if a fighter can buy half a dozen wands and blow the proverbial out of a warband at range and run in and finish them off with a twohanded sword while wearing full plate armour.
Reasonable?
I think it is possibly the best feat I have ever seen. |
Do not try to understand the 4th edition. Thats impossible. Instead...only try to realise the truth. There is no 4th edition. |
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Knight of the Gate
Senior Scribe
USA
624 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 11:52:30
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Also my concern is not about wizards with fireball wands but fighters or clerics. It can render wizards a little pointless at low levels if a fighter can buy half a dozen wands and blow the proverbial out of a warband at range and run in and finish them off with a twohanded sword while wearing full plate armour.
That is predicated on the availability of wands: To avoid M.I. overload, I've done a bit of fancy footwork in the past. A Thayan Enclave opened in (town) this drove out all the other wizards/purveyors of M.I.'s. then the Lord/Sherriff/Temple to Tyr/Harpers shut down the enclave for any number of reasons. Meaning that (in this region, at least) you can't buy any magic items.
Having said that, I still don't think it horribly overpowered. |
How can life be so bountiful, providing such sublime rewards for mediocrity? -Umberto Ecco |
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3252 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 13:38:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Wrigs13
Also my concern is not about wizards with fireball wands but fighters or clerics. It can render wizards a little pointless at low levels if a fighter can buy half a dozen wands and blow the proverbial out of a warband at range and run in and finish them off with a twohanded sword while wearing full plate armour.
Until said fighter runs into a band of gnoll rogues with improved evasion... |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 15:41:44
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Complete Mage is core, and that Feat isn't available (technically) outside of FR, or even outside of those regions listed for it. So if your DM doesn't allow FR feats in his non-FR game, you would need the stuff from CA.
It is an incredibly useful Feat, but I believe it is a total non-issue in 4e (IIRC, anyone can 'do' magic).
Also, it only alleviates a one-level dip into an arcane class, which is what I would have done if the Feat didn't exist (which has other benefits as well, and well-worth it).
I can't see anyone burning a Feat - which you get every three levels - when a one-level dip achieves so much more, except in the case of that Feat (I give regional Feats out for free at 1st level).
You really want to break the rules, become a cleric of Mystra - you get to wear armor, and you cast Arcane spells as if they were divine. I did that in 2e, and multi-classed with Fighter taking a thief-like Kit (talk about your one-man army  ).
Party? What Party? I AM the party.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 28 Feb 2009 16:23:27 |
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Artemel
Learned Scribe
USA
110 Posts |
Posted - 28 Feb 2009 : 15:50:15
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Quote from a player to rest of party, "You are all just window dressing."
They were complaining about that player (and me) were dominating the game. Well, when one shows up, talks to the DM between games, has more goals than "killing things and taking their stuff," than, yeah, "dominating" the game is easy.
Oh, and he only said it to tweak the whiners. It worked. From how long that joke has lasted, you'd think it was a regular quote from him, rather than something he has only said once. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 28 Feb 2009 : 16:28:27
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A perfectly balanced group (IMHO) contains both RPers and 'thwackers'.
I love RPers, but when the entire group is composed of them, you can't even get the adventure started - they spend the whole session talking to folks in the Inn.
Now, thats not a bad thing, but it can grow tiresome (especially for the DM, who is running out of personalities and funny voices), and a DM gets some of his fun by 'thwacking' the PCs back with monsters.
The DM needs to have fun too. 
The 'Hack & Slash' players keep the RPers from going overboard (usually by gettig bored, and throwing themselves sword-first at the Orcs the party is trying to talk to). |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Artemel
Learned Scribe
USA
110 Posts |
Posted - 28 Feb 2009 : 17:17:00
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So true, Markus.
To get back on topic though... I don't see the feat as unbalanced. All the regional feats are very potent. They are at least worth 1.5 feats for most, maybe 2 feats for some of the better ones.
Militia? Very sweet! Saves a 1-level dip into a Martial class for proficiencies (like the Arcane Schooling does for dipping into Sorcerer or whatnot).
Otherworldy? Sorry, not a humanoid, an outsider, with Darkvision... and a Diplomacy boost, to boot. (I like to think of them as Planetouched lite)
So, no, Arcane Schooling doesn't seem that out of line.
Oh... and Luck of Heroes? +1 to all Saves and +1 to AC. Gimme. Now. ;) |
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Nicolai Withander
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1093 Posts |
Posted - 01 Mar 2009 : 19:49:52
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| Well to me its only usefull at low level... what happens to the usefulness at lvl 20... My char have spells that damage over 500... so what if a fighter can cast a fireball from a wand! |
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Wrigs13
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
201 Posts |
Posted - 02 Mar 2009 : 09:00:47
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| That may well be true but with enough money can't you buy wands that replicate your spell damage? |
Do not try to understand the 4th edition. Thats impossible. Instead...only try to realise the truth. There is no 4th edition. |
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Nicolai Withander
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1093 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2009 : 10:30:21
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| Well I would say that epic wands can dublicate some effects, but the amount of exp contra the outcome would not be enough for me, if I were a fighter. But yes, one could created devestating epic wands, with that amount of spell damage! |
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Arcane Schooling
