I played an archivist in a STAP PbP game for a bit. We were hurt by the lack of a true cleric. Assuming you have one, then an archivist is a great addition:
- Lots of targets for their Dark Knowledge ability (though this comes an goes; say half of the monsters in the first module are applicable). This becomes even more true near the endgame (pretty much everything is a fair target).
- Can fill several different roles depending on what you have. If you lack a druid, have the archivist bone up on nature spells (they can learn every Druid spell). If your cleric doesn't buff a lot, you archivist can. Or your archivist can be the party blaster or summoner. Lots of options... if the archivist knows ahead of time (like a wizard).
An archivist makes a great 5th PC in my mind.
One of my friends has promised to run STAP for us someday (we need to finish SCAP first). I'm interested in the Archivist class from the Heroes of Horror for a PC. Has anyone had experience with one fo those, and how has it been? Should I fall back on a wizard, or a plain ol' line-fighter? Assume a 5-player group.
There's one in my group, and he kicks ass. Originally the player had an elven warblade, but he died in a nasty fight in a lhosk cave (one of my sidequests), and then opted to roll an archivist. He works pretty well with the party, which is:
Elf duskblade/wizard/abjurant champion
Human fighter/blackguard
Half-drow rogue/swordsage
Human druid (Vow of Poverty)
Human archivist
