Words of Power FCB Confusion


Rules Questions


Hi everyone, I've seen a few threads about this, but no definitive answer, so I thought I'd try my hand at sorting it out. I've been reading through the Words of Power rules, and it seems unclear whether a favored class bonus that normally provides a spontaneous caster with extra spells known would still provide spells known, or merely Words of Power known. For example, the sorcerer FCB allows a human to learn another sorcerer spell from their spell list, provided that it is at least one level below what they can normally cast, so they could learn magic missile at 3rd, etc.

On the one hand, it's stated in the Words of Power rules that "A character who elects to be a wordcaster in a spellcasting class typically cannot use the spells of that class". Which would seem to make the claim that the FCB wouldn't allow a spontaneous caster to learn new spells, but rather new Words of Power.

On the other, it's clear that it is possible for wordcasters to use normal spells, since sorcerers can gain spells through their bloodlines, and oracles through their mysteries. In addition, there is no, to my knowledge, clarification that things like FCBs should be changed from spells to Words of Power. This means that, RAW, the FCBs would likely allow casters to gain actual spells.

In my opinion, it seems like the FCB would let any class with such an FCB, either spontaneous or prepared (alchemist, arcanist, bard, inquisitor, oracle, shamandebatable because the wording is kind of funky on the FCB, skald, sorcerer, witch and wizard), gain actual spells with their FCB, in addition to their already-known wordspells.


There is no definitive answer. The Words of Power system provides general platitudes, but no hard rule to go on. The game master has to make a ruling and stick with it.

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