I feel that the language is kind of ambiguous when it comes to this rule, and my party and I are having a discrepancy. The rule states:
Whirlwind Lesson (Ex): You can quickly browse through a magical tome or manual, gaining its benefits with only a single 8-hour study session (rather than the usual 48 hours over a period of 6 days). At 7th level, you may allow another character to join in your study; both of you gain the full benefit of having read the book. At 15th level, you may share your whirlwind lesson with a number of characters equal to your oracle level. The benefits to you are permanent, whereas your students gain the tome or manual’s benefits for a number of days equal to your Charisma modifier but then forget what they have learned.
The question comes under the subsection underneath the 15th level ability, and its relevancy to the 7th level ability. When reading with one other person, "both of you gain the full benefit of having read the book" seems like both characters will receive permanent benefits. but the statement that says "your students gain the tome or manual’s benefits for a number of days equal to your Charisma modifier but then forget what they have learned" under the 15th level ability seem to apply to the whole ability. Is this the case? Is the lesson only forgotten after a certain number of days when teaching to more than one person as opposed to only one person?
Thanks,
A newbie.
I am pretty sure the intent here is that the benefits to you are always permanent, and whenever you take on a "student" (whether one or many), those students receive the bonus temporarily as described.
I am 100% sure of that, actually. Not that discussion/disagreement won't ensue.
It does seem that your student(s) forget the lesson regardless of rather there is one or many. However, this makes it a very poor mystery, IMO so I'm not sure what the RAI was.
It looks to me like if you have just one student, you can both permanently gain the effects of the book. Whereas if you have multiple students, those students only gain the benefits temporarily.
At least as far as the wording goes.
One interpretation makes it a great money saver, and could offset wealth-by-level guidelines. The other interpretation makes the ability nearly useless.
le sigh.
Magicdealer wrote: It looks to me like if you have just one student, you can both permanently gain the effects of the book. Whereas if you have multiple students, those students only gain the benefits temporarily.
At least as far as the wording goes.
One interpretation makes it a great money saver, and could offset wealth-by-level guidelines. The other interpretation makes the ability nearly useless.
le sigh.
It also seems like an odd class ability as it can only be used s set number of times ever with any real effect. Once for each attribute or well 5 times for each attribute if you actually waste money and use it multiple times. Once you have gain the benefits of a manual for each of your stats the ability turns into nothing but a really long duration "Bull's Strength Spell" requiring a VERY expensive component to cast.
What's really disturbing is that it could *potentially* be used to gain the +5 to a stat at no cost to the party by making it and selling it along with the appropriate lesson to someone else. The oracle can accelerate their training, and gain the benefit as well.
Total cost to the oracle? 0gp.
But, in reality, is this where an Oracle of Lore draws her power? Her spell list and mysteries aren't overwhelmingly powerful (in fact they seem pretty lame), but this one seems to be powerful in the area of stat increases. Otherwise, yes, it does seem useless unless the oracle herself has the tome, and just wants to read it on her own. And even then, it takes up a whole day. I know I have to leave it up to the discretion of the DM... so of course that's what I'm going to do, unless an official ruling says otherwise, in which case I'll bring it up, then shut up forever.
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