wac's page

Long time first edition player (+one practice session of 2e), playing Abomination Vaults with a group with limited 2e experience.

Group composition will be (Only specifics known):

Spirit Barbarian
Monk (Per description: high AC and trip/disarm)
Enigma Bard
Wizard
+me

I'm quite possibly going to be the only healer, definitely primary, but I built up an affection for the Thaumaturge and a bit of character concept before knowing.

Does that Divine Font make Cleric the clear choice or is Thaumaturge with Medicine training + Battle Medicine at 1st, then Lay on Hands at 2nd from (free archetype) Blessed One, good enough for an in-combat healer?

I'll take it as read that I should play the character that I want and all builds are fine. I'm looking for advice on the mechanical viability/advisability of this. Or if it's a no-brainer that I should go cleric, then to know that.

The con organisers have decided not to offer PFS (or any other supplement to the lottery games) in the middle (afternoon) slot at Paizocon.

This means that, in the middle of the con every day, unless we luck out and manage to snag a lottery game, we get to roam around and hope to find a pickup RP game (with all the attendant problems).

There are some vocal people who are for it, citing an ability to now be free to do other things at the con, despite always having that option, before, by no scheduling themselves in that slot.

Are my wife and I (and the person who PM'd me) the only ones who have a problem with that being sprung on us? The only ones that think that there should be some RP opportunities organised by the con, especially after they have sold the tickets?

These are genuine, non-rhetorical questions.

There are many attendees, if we really are the only ones who think this is wrong, we'll just quiet down.

(Throwing myself in front of the bus again).

Blessed Book is considered a must have for wizards to reduce costs and load. Cost to Buy (not craft) - 12,500GP

Ignoring all benefits of smaller size, weight and durability there are a thousand pages to take spells at no cost. An effectively cost of 12.5 GP.

I propose making the cost to copy into a regular, clunky spellbook 12.5GP per page.

Because of discussion in the thread " Scribing costs - putting wizards in the poor house" I came up with this:

Most of those opposed to my initial suggestion seem to at least acknowledgment (albeit tacitly) that wizards need to know more spells than they get at each level the moment. (Not cast per day, know)

So this got me to thinking that maybe the very simplest thing is to just have the wizard get 3 spells known per level, rather than 2.

This changes the rules less than other suggestions and a budding wizard doesn't rely absolutely on the vagaries of DMs - whether they choose to provide wizardly schools and mentors or not. It still restricts knowing vast numbers of spells but provides some of the flexibility (with preparation) that wizards are supposed to have.

I think the scribing costs for wizards should be done away with, or at least significantly reduced.

Wizards need to spend at least as much on gear as the other classes, but then they also have to buy scrolls and then pay 100GP per spell level to scribe them into their books.

The ability to have an appropriate spell, with enough forewarning is what is supposed to set the wizard apart from the raw power of the sorcerer, but the economics make this cost prohibitive.

I have two questions regarding this passage:

'Whenever a wizard attains the listed
level, he can choose one spell from his school to prepare every
day as a bonus spell. Instead of gaining a spell of the listed
level, the wizard can instead choose a spell of a lower level,
which he can then prepare twice per day (except for 2nd level).
A universalist can choose spells from any school. Once chosen,
these spells cannot be changed.
2nd Level: The wizard can cast any first level spell from his
chosen school. This spell is prepared once per day for every
two caster levels he possesses.
4th Level: The wizard can cast any second level spell from
his chosen school once per day.'

1 - Does the wizard gain a bonus spell per day, or is this a bonus spell known as well?

2 - Are only the Universalist's bonus spells unchangeable or all specialists' as well?