Half-elf Arcane Training in PFS


Rules Questions

The Exchange

Spoiler:
Half-elves occasionally seek tutoring to help them master the magic in their blood. Half-elves with this racial trait have only one favored class, and it must be an arcane spellcasting class. They can use spell trigger and spell completion items for their favored class as if one level higher (or as a 1st-level character if they have no levels in that class). This racial trait replaces the multitalented racial trait.

In Society play when purchasing a wand of mage armor would it be at caster level 2 when I use it since it is on the Unchained summoners spell list? or would this apply only to spells that an Unchained summoner could cast such as a Rejuvenate Eidolon, Lesser wand??


Nope, the CL of that wand would still be 1. The character themselves is considered 1 CL higher for purposes of using items, which matters mostly for scrolls, where they might have to make caster level checks to use them.

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It doesn't raise the caster level of the spell trigger or spell completion items. It raises your effective level. Your level, however, has no effect on spell trigger items like wands (although you'd be at +1 CL when using a staff). The only effect for spell completion items (scrolls) is when making a caster level check to try to activate a scroll above your level.

The best use for this ability is to choose a class that you don't have levels in, so you can use wands and scrolls without UMD. It's great for Fighters who want to use shield, or monks who want to use mage armor.


RainyDayNinja wrote:

...

The best use for this ability is to choose a class that you don't have levels in, so you can use wands and scrolls without UMD. It's great for Fighters who want to use shield, or monks who want to use mage armor.

It's also nice for a Staff Magus.

The Exchange

Yeah, Probably still going to take it since I am going half-elf Unchained summoner (not multi-classing) so not sure what I might use it for but maybe it will come in handy.

thanks for clearing up the confusion.


RainyDayNinja wrote:


The best use for this ability is to choose a class that you don't have levels in, so you can use wands and scrolls without UMD. It's great for Fighters who want to use shield, or monks who want to use mage armor.

The problem is that the choice has to be your favored class. and to take this trait you have to give up your second favored class. So it's a rather steep price just to be able to dispense having to UMD a CLW wand.

Scarab Sages

leonvios wrote:

[spoiler=Half-elves occasionally seek tutoring to help them master the magic in their blood. Half-elves with this racial trait have only one favored class, and it must be an arcane spellcasting class. They can use spell trigger and spell completion items for their favored class as if one level higher (or as a 1st-level character if they have no levels in that class). This racial trait replaces the multitalented racial trait.[/spoiler]

In Society play when purchasing a wand of mage armor would it be at caster level 2 when I use it since it is on the Unchained summoners spell list? or would this apply only to spells that an Unchained summoner could cast such as a Rejuvenate Eidolon, Lesser wand??

Shouldn't affect wands (except with certain archetypes), but it would matter for the casting of scrolls that require a higher caster level. Staves would be affected too.

In example, a 2nd level wizard with this trait would be counted as third level when using scrolls. So, a 2nd level wizard with this trait could cast 2nd level wizard scrolls without a caster level check, since his effective caster level is 3rd, which is the minimum level required to cast 2nd level wizard spells.

Shadow Lodge

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Drahliana Moonrunner wrote:
The problem is that the choice has to be your favored class. and to take this trait you have to give up your second favored class. So it's a rather steep price just to be able to dispense having to UMD a CLW wand.

Should I mention that half-elves qualify to take Eclectic?

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