I loved this series back when D&D and Forgotten Realms was truly alive and kicking --- http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archfr/frcc
These articles were written wonderfully, with careful attention on Realmslore and attempting to adapt these classes into the rich world of the Forgotten Realms without any precedence from previous editions.
So my question is, what can we do to adapt the new APG classes into the Realms?
Alchemist: This shouldn't be too hard, what with the dozens of different types of magic the Realms have practiced with over thousands of years. This could be a rare tradition that is slowly gaining new prominence or just a very minor profession scholars of magic don't pay entirely too much attention to because of its singular focus.
Cavalier: This actually has precedence in the Realms and would work just fine. It's also different enough from the Knight class so the two don't overlap.
Inquisitor: With the dozens of religions in the Realms, this shouldn't have too much of a problem fitting in. They'll be more common in more violent churches such as Tyr, Torm, Bane, Cyric, Tempus, and others. Also, this could just be a really small sect within a church (much like how the US has the CIA) or a growing order in the world.
Oracle: Again, the large number of deities makes this, though I would probably have Oracles in the Realms be extremely rare, moreso than the Favored Soul. Fortunately, there's enough mechanical and fluff differences between the two to warrant different origin stories. A Favored Soul is born with divine energy and gifted to perform duties for one deity in particular. The Oracles are said to be chosen by a pantheon of deities dedicated to a common theme (Fire, Death, Water, Darkness, etc.). With good and neutral deities, this would make sense (there is plenty of Realmslore to back up the fact that a group deities have blessed an individual or a set of individuals), this would be more rare with the evil deities. So I am unsure how this would work with Oracles of more. Though Talos does had a set of deities that pay lip service to him, Auril, Malar, and a couple of others, that could work well. Though Oracles tend to come with curses attached, I don't know how this works with good deities.
Summoner: This one is unique enough to warrant one hell of a story necessary to incorporate into the Realms. Maybe an ancient magic once possessed by Narfell, only now gaining popularity or maybe newly discovered? This can make great campaign arcs where organizations, such as the Red Wizards, would be curious to get "samples" to study this magic from and wrest control and mastery of it for themselves.
Witch: I would've loved to have seen different titles for this class, but I guess witch would do. It'll be hard to avoid confusion with a Witch and the Witches of Rashemen. But, again, a different type of magic practiced. And practiced by very few, more likely in more isolated nations possibly. This is general enough to work into the Realms.
What about the others? Any ideas to share or lore that would help flesh these out in the Realms?
It's been awhile since I read the APG playtest OR the Forgotten Realms lore (and all that was 2nd or 3rd Ed... ain't touching 4th Ed Realms with a standard issue adventurer's 10' pole)... so this will be vague and possibly wrong, but...
Alchemist: Luskan. Oh the fun we shall have. Plus I can see Alchemists Guilds in major "adventure cities" like Waterdeep having some of these fellows in their numbers.
Cavalier: As you say, should fit just fine. I can especially see lots of Cavaliers of Cormyr.
Inquisitor: This was the one whose fluff in the APG seemed vague, so hard to say but... beyond what you said, Inquisitors of Helm? Seems like it would make sense for the Watchful God to have some watchers in his number. Or on a dark spin, Inquisitors of Mask and Cyric...
Oracle: As you say, should be rare and hard to work in in some places. But I might make some Oracles of dead gods? Ones who are really fuelling their faith from some other source but it's in name of say Moander or aaaaaa.... that sun god whose name I can't think of right now. Likewise, perhaps as representatives of long lost civilizations.
Summoner: Not sure. Perhaps a Red Wizard or a Mystran discovered a Summoner while planeswalking and brought back the art?
Witch: I've never actually seen the 3.5 mechanics for Witches of Rashemen if there were any. Could this class in fact be used for them?
It's been awhile since I read the APG playtest OR the Forgotten Realms lore (and all that was 2nd or 3rd Ed... ain't touching 4th Ed Realms with a standard issue adventurer's 10' pole)... so this will be vague and possibly wrong, but...
Inquisitor: This was the one whose fluff in the APG seemed vague, so hard to say but... beyond what you said, Inquisitors of Helm? Seems like it would make sense for the Watchful God to have some watchers in his number. Or on a dark spin, Inquisitors of Mask and Cyric...
You're right on the lack of fluff, though it's generic enough that it should fit, yes, definitely for Helm and especially Bane, Tyr, Tempus, Torm, and several others. Any other deity and it'd be a rare event, though I am sure almost all the churches need "avengers against the true rivals and enemies of the faith", except for Eldath.
Oracle: As you say, should be rare and hard to work in in some places. But I might make some Oracles of dead gods? Ones who are really fuelling their faith from some other source but it's in name of say Moander or aaaaaa.... that sun god whose name I can't think of right now. Likewise, perhaps as representatives of long lost civilizations.
Ah, you're thinking of Amaunator. Though the Oracle description depicts it representing a main ideal, which can overlap with more than one deity. Unless a particular deity has total rule over the cosmic force the oracle represents.
Witch: I've never actually seen the 3.5 mechanics for Witches of Rashemen if there were any. Could this class in fact be used for them?
It could for some, but not for all of them. The Witches of Rashemen were like traditional wizards or sorcerers, except they can draw magic from the land itself (I believe even calling out divine spells, despite being primarily arcane users). They also wear masks, which I believe gives them abilities, too. Though nothing is preventing a few of the witches from being members of the actual Witch class, that could work just fine.
Don't forget that rashemi wtches had always been arcanists primarily, but with access to divine magic as well ;)
Oracle: As you say, should be rare and hard to work in in some places. But I might make some Oracles of dead gods? Ones who are really fuelling their faith from some other source but it's in name of say Moander or aaaaaa.... that sun god whose name I can't think of right now. Likewise, perhaps as representatives of long lost civilizations.Ah, you're thinking of Amaunator. Though the Oracle description depicts it representing a main ideal, which can overlap with more than one deity. Unless a particular deity has total rule over the cosmic force the oracle represents.
Ah yes.
My brain is deity bound because the Realms are so deity-dominant.
They might almost work more as genius loci of given areas.
Witch: I've never actually seen the 3.5 mechanics for Witches of Rashemen if there were any. Could this class in fact be used for them?It could for some, but not for all of them. The Witches of Rashemen were like traditional wizards or sorcerers, except they can draw magic from the land itself (I believe even calling out divine spells, despite being primarily arcane users). They also wear masks, which I believe gives them abilities, too. Though nothing is preventing a few of the witches from...
Don't forget that rashemi wtches had always been arcanists primarily, but with access to divine magic as well ;)
So Witch/Wizard/Mystic Theurge with Mask as the Arcane Bond item? I'm sure I'm pushing it, though. :)
Witch: I've never actually seen the 3.5 mechanics for Witches of Rashemen if there were any. Could this class in fact be used for them?
It could for some, but not for all of them. The Witches of Rashemen were like traditional wizards or sorcerers, except they can draw magic from the land itself (I believe even calling out divine spells, despite being primarily arcane users). They also wear masks, which I believe gives them abilities, too. Though nothing is preventing a few of the witches from...Don't forget that rashemi wtches had always been arcanists primarily, but with access to divine magic as well ;)So Witch/Wizard/Mystic Theurge with Mask as the Arcane Bond item? I'm sure I'm pushing it, though. :)
Heh, in the FR book there was a PrC for them - Harthan
full spells, whip proficiency, bonuses to leadership (required feat), can spontaneously cast any spell known while in Rasheman or alter spells with metamagic without increased casting time if she is a spontaneous caster, gains circle magic ....