Work in Progress - the Loremaster

Since the original post in the Allowed Materials thread (found  here ) doesn't allow for much discussion outside of PMs, I asked Clem if I could start a thread to help us hash out the details as we test the archetype out.  So, I'll start by going through what's been happening with it, so far. After batting around three or four different possible builds, Clem pointed me to the Loremaster archetype for wizard that had recently been released.  I managed to find a site that would take my payroll card, and purchased a copy to look over. For starters, the archetype has many of the same traits as a normal wizard.  It has d6 Hit Dice, 2+Int skill points/level (instead of the PRC's 4), and the same saves, BAB and spell progression.  It has the same weapon and armor proficiencies, though it has the class skills associated with the Loremaster PRC. It loses the bonus wizard feats at levels 5, 10, 15 and 20, as well as the Scribe Scroll feat.  It also loses either arcane bond or arcane school, and arcane school is severely limited (to divination) if it is chosen. In exchange, it received the same special abilities that the Loremaster PRC had, but spread out over twenty levels instead of 10.  It received Lore at 2nd level, Greater Lore at 14th and True Lore at 18.  It received two bonus languages (6th and 10th) and a bonus Skill Focus (in a Knowledge skill) at first.  It also received a secret at 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20.  These secrets were functionally identical to the PRC's versions, with the exception of Instant Mastery which was changed from "4 ranks in a skill that you possess no ranks in" to a new class skill.  I felt that the was a bit watered down for an archetype, so I spoke to Clem.  I then put the archetype in a document that Clem could edit. Clem increased the skill points per level to the PRC's original 4.  He added in more Skill Focus (Knowledge) feats at 5, 9, 13 and 17.  He borrowed the loremaster ability from bard for levels 3, 7, 11, 15 and 19, and added a Language Mastery which allowed the loremaster to learn an additional language with each rank of the Linguistics skill.  Many of these were intended to give the class an ability at every level, as well as to make the loremaster a true master of lore.  Diminishing the archetype's spells per day was discussed at this point, but not implemented. Looking the changes over, I made several suggestions to Clem, and he said to go ahead and see what I could do with it.  I substituted Scholar's Edge for the extra four Skill Focus feats, since both were limited to Knowledges and intended to make the class the best at that skill.  Plus, with the Lore ability already giving the archetype a growing bonus to Knowledges, Skill Focus just seemed like overkill (over-skill?).  Scholar's Edge was actually a bit weaker, since Skill Focus would benefit any Knowledge, but only six out of ten Knowledges can fully benefit from skill unlocks, since most of those unlocks involve bonuses for creature identification.  I also took out Language Mastery, as it seemed to me that having a huge list of languages didn't really add much benefit. I then tackled the secrets table, which was now greatly imbalanced.  (Technically, it always has been, since some of the strongest secrets weren't the ones at the higher end of the list.  Weapon Trick, for instance, gives a +1 to ALL attacks, which is way more than any feat gives.  The save bonuses each gave a +2, just like the corresponding feat, except they were unnamed so they could actually stack with that feat.)  To try to even things out, I simply tossed the table out of the window and instead put in five abilities that were either set in stone, or had a very small selection to choose.  These were Instant Mastery (a class skill) at 4th, Combat Training (a small selection of low-level combat feats) at 8th, Secret of Resistance (+1 to saves) at 12th, Newfound Arcana (+2 to Int for determining bonus spells only) at 16th, and Applicable Knowledge (a bonus feat) at 20th.  I then added in a choice of one more weapon proficiency at start from another short list. After posting this in the Allowed Materials thread, we received a small amount of feedback.  One of these suggested that the class was still a bit overpowered, and suggested the same diminished spellcasting that had been considered before (though also suggested that this may end up swinging it back to the weak side).  This change has been implemented in the most current build. This is still very much a work in progress, so any opinions or feedback is appreciated.  I've been considering suggesting removing the first level Skill Focus to put back the wizard's usual Scribe Scroll, which is arguably just as thematic for a loremaster as the other.  I've also been batting around a few ideas in case it does end up being weakened too much from the lesser spellcasting. The current model can be found  here .

Looking at it, yes, that was way too strong of a nerf, a whole 25% reduction in a wizards primary function. One option would be to give those spell levels back, but take out the extra goodies (Scholar's edge, resistances, bonus languages, combat training), though I feel that would make it really just a badly rewritten version of a wizard. One idea that I did come up with was that, leaving the current (diminished) spell levels, the Loremaster gets the ability to cast any spell with modifiers, even if not previosly prepared. I hope I get the format right *Ancient adaptations* : A Loremaster has, in his long studies, stumbled upon hidden knowledge, from extremely rare wizard and sorcerer manuscripts, from which he learnt to modify spells as he is about to cast them. He can modify any spell he is about to cast, increasing the casting time just as if it was a spontanously cast one, but applying any metamagic feat (even if he doesn't posses that feat), without casting that spell at a higher spell level. He can do this how ever often he wants, but he cannot go over the total spell levels modified in a single day. He can improve a total of 1 spell level at lvl 7, and this increases by 1 every 4 levels thereafter (11, 15, 19). He still cannot improve a spell to be cast at a spell level he cannot cast (he cannot cast an empowered fireball at lvl7), nor can he use it to cast spells with metamagic feats whose prerequisites he does not meet (Ya-Mimic Spell, Verdant Spell, Toxic spell). [Possible downtoning, if this is too much would be that he cannot cast anything for a number of rounds equal to the metamagic adjustment (1 for still spell, 3 for maximized), after casting it, or to leave the loremaster exhausted after using this. This was forbidden knowledge for a reason.] Another possible solution would be to keep the current casting, yet let the maximum spells per day reach to 4 for every spell level except 8 and 9. So lvl 1 spells would reach 4 spells per day at lvl 10, lvl 2 spells at lvl 12, and so forth. It would still keep the Loremaster weaker for a while, compared to the wizard, even in the complete endgame, while giving that little umph later on. Another fun solution, any monster who the Loremaster fully identifies, he can blast them harder due to knowing their specific weaknesses. The DC for his spells become 1 higher against them, and all damage spells he casts against them deal 1 point/2lvls of extra damage. This bonus comes only once, not for each ray/missile, and as such, needs to be decided before the attack is done. Keep in mind that I'm trying not to go overboard. You can always twist the numbers. One last solution, if none of them seem right, might be that while a loremaster can choose a specialist spell school, he never gets the bonus abilities for any of them (not even universal), but does get the extra spell slots. However, if so, give him back the basic wizard spell levels. I think this one might be the closest to balancing it all out, but leaves it a bit bland.

I missed the spell per day chart. I assumed it was normal. If you think it to good, just remove the school and arcane bond instead of this spell progression, it doesn't make sense to lose spells as they are the peak of knowledge. PC spell casters need spells at level 1. If I have this right You lose either your school or arcane bond  Bonus feats worst full caster...that table is so odd.

The spells/day chart was only changed today, Ben.  It was normal wizard progression when you first saw and responded. I'm not too concerned with the spell diminishing.  Spellcasters already tend to bump up their spellcasting ability score whenever possible, and the focus on an INT-based skill just guarantees that the character will bump up the stat at every chance.  Those bonus spells will start to add up, and the Newfound Arcana will probably give at least one bonus low-level and one bonus mid-level (maybe even a high-level, but not unless the character gets their hands on a few wishes prior to the ability). I think that the simplest way to balance it out, if it has been over-nerfed, would be to focus on other abilities that are weaker overall, rather than worrying too much about the spellcasting.  I had taken out the language mastery (which would have given the loremaster two languages per rank in Linguistics, instead of just one), but it could be added back in and wouldn't be an overpowering ability.  Scribe Scroll could be tacked back on at first level, or the weapon proficiencies could be toyed with a bit.  (I personally imagine the class as more active seeker of knowledge, rather than passive, so a dungeoneering type of character [Indiana Jones?] comes to mind.) Personally, I still don't like how the secrets overhaul came out, particularly combat training and Secret of resistance.  They just seem so forced, and don't flow well with the class.  I've been trying to think of things to put in their place that would be more thematic, even if it's just repeating another level's ability. The bonus when identifying creatures is actually something that's already been considered, and was part of the reasoning behind adding Scholar's Edge.  The skill unlocks for Knowledge are almost entirely devoted to giving benefits when identifying creatures.