Yes, words have definitions. Since my copy of the game is written in English, here's the English definition of 'bloodline', "a sequence of direct ancestors especially in a pedigree". http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloodlineThat is the definition for bloodline, a general noun.
That is not the definition for Bloodline, a specific proper noun.
I would hope that you're intelligent enough to see the difference and are just messing with me.
When one person or company uses their own idiosyncratic definitions, it causes confusion.Only in you, apparently. Most people recognize that every fictional setting or game ruleset (as well as any company really, in whatever business) defines its own terms, and accept this as fact and are not confused by it in the slightest.
That's why if I tell you to go mow my yard and I mean I'm going to send you a gift, you have no idea what I mean.Except that's not what's going on here. They're telling you what a Bloodline (a specific new term) is, and directly defining it for you.
It's really more like if I told you to go fetch the Boatwrights, explaining that they are my neighbors and I need to give them something, and you proceed to go find me a bunch of random ship builders because it was "confusing".
if we take everything by it's real world definition, then there should be some restriction on arcane casters, since they are supposed to be few.
arcane [ahr-keyn]
adjective
known or understood by very few; mysterious; secret; obscure; esoteric: She knew a lot about Sanskrit grammar and other arcane matters.
My Sorcerer is pretty well prepared.
My Sorcerer is pretty well prepared.
Spontaneously prepared or prepared spontaneity. Is he just confused, or am I?
I should also mention (as a tangent) that a wizard using preferred spell, most likely also has magical lineage for that spell (like I do with dragons breath), so the cost of metamagic is lessened a bit there.
It's a little easier to know what to "magical linage" when your build is built around a particular spell.
But this is not exclusive to wizards. A blaster sorcerer will also select one blast and build around it, using magical lineage as a base trait to pump the damage.
The advantage of Sorcerer is that they can swap on the fly, and thus don't need to overkill. If the target is already heavy damaged, you could use a intensified fireball instead of an intensified maximized fireball, saving a higher level slot. A wizard can't, because he memorized an intensified maximized fireball and that's what he can cast.
Metamagic aside, sorcerer also have the adventage to be able to spam. If you happen to fight a guy with a lot of magical defenses that you need to dispel, the wizard can use THE dispel magic spell he has memorized. If he roll low, he might use his focus for a second attempt maybe, and that's it. The sorcerer can cast 1 dispel per turn until everything is dispelled, if that's the best course of action. Same goes with other spammable spells. Enervation for example.
Enervation is a great spell to spam. In a long fight, adding 1d4 negative levels *per round* is a great thing. But to do so, a wizard has to memorize Enervation x4 or whatever. What if suddenly there's a undead fight? Then the wizard has 5 slots less. The sorcerer will use his 4th level slots in something else, like dimmensional doors, or intensified fireballs, or whatever.
i have noticed, that all these arguments for wizards being better, involve using spontaneous casting of one problem solving spell, or scrolls and wands for spells you wouldn't normally prepare
in 3.5
Wizards still had scrolls
but instead of getting limited spontaneous casting
they used reserve feats, which were mostly direct damage that was on par with Alchemist Bombs, Rogue Sneak Attack, or Warlock Eldritch blast, minus access to iterative uses, and minus the static bonuses.
Reserve Feats, Cost a feat to use, some were passive, and some granted weak spammable at will powers based on specific spell categories. most of which, were based around combat.
Reserve feats were balanced compared to spontaneous casting, because sorcerers could use them too. much like scrolls, and they required you to conserve your last casting of your highest level slot that you devoted to a particular spell. for example, for a 6th level wizard to deal 3d6+int fire damage from 45 feet away at will, he had to devote a whole 3rd level slot to fireball and never use it. while a sorcerer to get the same benefit, had to merely conserve his last 3rd level slot, and dealt 3d6+cha. thing was, it was easier to boost Int than Cha. because of the Grey Elf being the default wizard race.
The sorc doesn't have to give up that 9th level spell until he actually casts the spell. Big difference.
A sorc has to give up the same 9th level slot if they wish to cast a maximized empowered dragon's breath, so while it sounds menacing when you say it, it's meaningless to the comparison here.
Wait... Weren't we just talking about preferred spell? Are you unaware that you can add metamagic on the fly on a preferred spell?
But you've got -one- spell you can do it with and it costs you two feats.
To basically do what a sorc can but better (standard action) with my chosen spell, while still maintaining my versatility edge in spells known is worth the 2 measly feats, IMO (I have some to spare, so why not)
With this response, it definitely seems as though you knew we're discussing preferred spell. I can only assume you're unaware of the mechanics of the feat.
I never understood how spell perfection and preferred spell were considered good feats.
Take an incredibly versatile spell caster and turn him into a one-trick pony.
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I never understood how spell perfection and preferred spell were considered good feats.
Take an incredibly versatile spell caster and turn him into a one-trick pony.
Man I must have missed the clause in one of those spells that stated "Loses the ability to cast other spells".
It's right there next to "I have no reason to cast anything but this one spell anymore"
Might as well say "I full-attack" and be done with it.
The 5 buff scenario mentioned pre-supposes that the wizard has a 'mass' version of the spell at hand - but that means less offensive/utility high level spells.
Precisely because the wizard can create scrolls and use his arcane bond to grab any spell from his book, means he is very likely to have the communal version available.
And are you suggesting a Sorceror whom that after buffing his party and only has first level spells left has more offensive potential than a Wizard whom uses one spell and still has a third, all his second and all firsts left to cast?
The key words there are 'well prepared'. And I would argue that that isn't as often as people like to think.
In reality what I see wizard players do (many good ones and myself included too) is simply have the spell once or maybe twice at most - "that will just have to do, I'm not giving up Teleport or Fly, whatever just so you have some fire resistance."
If a Sorcerer has the spell typically most if not all of the party can have it if need be (This also means that they are probably less likely to know the 'mass' version). I see it time and time again, the wizard has the spell, but only enough for themselves - the Sorcerer, if need be, can pull the party out of the hole, fly across the chasm, make everyone invisible, etc.
Well prepared is the name of the game for a wizard. If you're in a campaign that doesn't allow for it, or you don't know how to go about preparing properly, I've said before and will say again, the sorc will be a better option.
Prepared. They have more useable spells and get the good ones faster as they level up.
Just emphasizing the fact that you are talking about something you can do for only -one- of your spells and only at a steep cost.
I don't know about you, but two feats that I will indeed be using that lets me do the sorcerer's thing better than they can on the only spell I really need it for is far from a "steep cost". It's a bargain if you ask me.
Its not a matter of not allowing it. Its a matter of it being hard to do.
I often get the feeling that wizard fans treat BBEGs (who have huge Int or Wis or both - smarter than Sun Tzu could conceive) as being absolutely clueless wrt counter-intelligence
If you're finding that it's hard to do, then you're not doing it right. That, or the GM is deliberately making your life difficult.
What are you getting at with the BBEG comment? If you're suggesting that counter-intelligence (AKA Being Prepared) is hard to beat, then I agree.
It's right there next to "I have no reason to cast anything but this one spell anymore"
Might as well say "I full-attack" and be done with it.
So you have option A, which is incredibliy powerful. And then you got option B, which is so good, that makes (in your opinion), option A irrelevant by comparison.
How is that not a good feat?
If you're finding that it's hard to do, then you're not doing it right. That, or the GM is deliberately making your life difficult.Its not a matter of not allowing it. Its a matter of it being hard to do.
I often get the feeling that wizard fans treat BBEGs (who have huge Int or Wis or both - smarter than Sun Tzu could conceive) as being absolutely clueless wrt counter-intelligence
Or the GM just use wandering monsters
What are you getting at with the BBEG comment? If you're suggesting that counter-intelligence (AKA Being Prepared) is hard to beat, then I agree.
He means the BBEG can use counter-intelligence measures to avoid your divinations. A BBEG with access to Mind Blank can't be researched through magical means.
I HATE it when GMs go easy on players. It robs the players of a real sense of accomplishment.
There's probably a happy medium. The GM who writes things against you as he goes and spontaneously gives the boss mind blank or fiats rolls against you is different than the one that sets up an encounter in town to give you a feel of danger and is different than that guy who gave everyone free rerolls anytime they asked nicely.
Just thinking that personally I'd find it very immersion-breaking if the hyper-intelligent demi-lich didn't have some kind of anti-clairvoyance in place.
Who suggested that? You quoted me, but then you stated something entirely different that had nothing to do with what I said...
Or the GM just use wandering monsters
How often are you encountering these wandering monsters? Is your GM going off the AP script? Is it a homebrew? Either way it might be a good idea to setup a travelling set of prepared spells, that cover some various contingencies.
Again, this falls under the category that I've already conceded. If you can't prepare properly then the Sorc has the advantage. This is the "GM is making your life difficult" category.
He means the BBEG can use counter-intelligence measures to avoid your divinations. A BBEG with access to Mind Blank can't be researched through magical means.
Like I said... This BBEG is well prepared. Hard to beat that.
Two feats you indeed will be using only because you have Sorcerer envy and if it's the only spell you really need it for then IMHO your GM is going soft on you.Just emphasizing the fact that you are talking about something you can do for only -one- of your spells and only at a steep cost.I don't know about you, but two feats that I will indeed be using that lets me do the sorcerer's thing better than they can on the only spell I really need it for is far from a "steep cost". It's a bargain if you ask me.
HA! Good one :)
Its not a matter of not allowing it. Its a matter of it being hard to do.
I often get the feeling that wizard fans treat BBEGs (who have huge Int or Wis or both - smarter than Sun Tzu could conceive) as being absolutely clueless wrt counter-intelligence
If you're finding that it's hard to do, then you're not doing it right. That, or the GM is deliberately making your life difficult.
What are you getting at with the BBEG comment? If you're suggesting that counter-intelligence (AKA Being Prepared) is hard to beat, then I agree.
Does your GM use Screen, Nondetection, Mind Blank, Illusions? Give your BBEG access to divination spells? Or skills like Perception and Sense Motive? Or rotate their guards and change their patrol patterns? Use wandering monsters? Have the BBEG send his forces (such as assassins) after you at random times (such as when you're in an inn sleeping) when you're in town?
If not, then your GM is IMHO playing soft with you.
I HATE it when GMs go easy on players. It robs the players of a real sense of accomplishment.
Is your GM using Screen, Nondetection, Mind Blank, Illusions, ect. for every aspect of the game? In my experience these things are generally used by only the most B of BBEG's. 95% of the game is open to whatever divinations I wish to use. For the other 5% I seek out the building layout using less counter-able divinations such as Prying Eyes. BTW, if I know who the BBEG is, I know what spells to prepare for him.
Now if the BBEG is sending forces after you in your sleep, the Sorc is just as vulnerable as he gets Coup de Gras by said assassin.
What you call GM being soft, I call players using their abilities the way they were intended. It doesn't rob anybody of anything.... Except you of your argument ;) Kidding of course.
I don't know why people keep saying that spontaneous casters are more fun to play. doesn't casting haste (or whatever) get boring after the 500th time you cast it? in my opinion prepared casters are both better AND more fun to play than spontaneous casters. and before anyone talks about the prepared caster preparing the wrong spell and being screwed, what about the spontaneous caster picking wrong spell as his only high level spell and being screwed all day, every day, with no way of adapting?
Pages of spell knowledge.
Always spontaneous casters.
1) There is a presumption that is usually true but certainly not always that higher level spells are automatically better and therefor lacking them, you lack the ability to fulfill your role adequately. Simply ain't the case.
2) Its not that spontaneous casters get more spell slots, its that they get more usable spell slots; preparing spells leads to spell rationing which dramatically reduces your ability to fulfill your role.
Ex.: a 10th level Sorcerer (for instance) has at his disposal 10 Black Tentacles a day or 10 Dimension Doors a day or 10 Phantasmal Killers a Day or 10 Enervations a day... whereas a prepared caster will likely only have one or two of each - and if he gets in a situation where one spell is called for over the other, the rest of his prepared slots become wasted.
I see prepared casters finishing the day with prepared spells they never got to use all the time... I never see that with spontaneous casters. Ever.
Prepared casters really only shine if 1) they are working to exploit specific (and often reidiculous) metamagic combos or 2) they have a copious amount of warning regarding exactly what they are going to face ahead of time... even if that were reliably available, what the hell fun is that? Moreover, spontaneous casters almost always get better class features apart from spells.
I've played prepared casters that I've enjoyed - the Void Mage and the Conjurer on the Wizard side and a Mad Dwarf on the Clerical side to name two - but I've never enjoyed them as much as I have spontaneous casters. We've actually seriously discussed putting together a party of all Sorcerers, something that seems much more viable than an all-Wizard party would ever be.
I will also say, though, I usually play Human Sorcerers when it comes to full casters for the favored class bonus and when possible, almost always take the Arcane Bloodline benefits via Eldritch Heritage feats as well.
I don't know why people keep saying that spontaneous casters are more fun to play. doesn't casting haste (or whatever) get boring after the 500th time you cast it? in my opinion prepared casters are both better AND more fun to play than spontaneous casters. and before anyone talks about the prepared caster preparing the wrong spell and being screwed, what about the spontaneous caster picking wrong spell as his only high level spell and being screwed all day, every day, with no way of adapting?
He can use his high level spell to cast any other lower level spell with metamagic.
What can I say? I HATE GMs who play soft ball and rob the sense of accomplishment from the players.
Hating people you don't know over different gaming habits isn't really a healthy thing.
Intended by whom? And you know that how?
Reading between the lines is pretty easy if you've played any AP, and you don't really have to read into anything if you stick around long enough.
It's been stated on quite a few occasions that the game's default assumptions change past a certain level. They expect you to have Teleport. They expect you ti use Divination.
It's a rarity that a BBEG will have specific protection against such methods unless they are the biggest, baddest EG in the Path.
Spontaneous casters for no other reason than the fact that I am lazy. Well that and early on I always prefered the thought of using charisma as my casting stat rather than intelligence.
So does anyone have anyone actually have any better arguments other than,
sorcerers are good because they can do wizard stuff as well.
wizards are good because they can do sorcerer stuff as well.
It's almost like each has their own strong points and merits and, with investment, borrow the other one's merits. I play sorcerers because I don't like having to prepare. Does that mean I think they are better than wizards, absolutely not. Spontaneous is a playstyle just like prepared, and having read through this whole thing I just don't see why one is sooooooo much better than the other.
Because neither is better than the other. It's a secret to everybody.
What can I say? I HATE GMs who play soft ball and rob the sense of accomplishment from the players.
In my experience these things are generally used by only the most B of BBEG's.
Just exactly how many encounters are you running into that are protected by things such as Screen, Nondetection, Mind Blank, Illusions, ect anyway? Like I said.. 95% of encounters don't involve that.
It seems to me that your GM hates his players.
Intended by whom? And you know that how?
What you call GM being soft, I call players using their abilities the way they were intended.
Intended by the game. Divinations and Knowledge skills are in the game for a reason. Use them.. learn your creatures weaknesses. Before setting out on a journey, investigate what exactly you may be up against before heading out. You are a PREPARED caster. If you don't prepare, then you might as well play a commoner.
In my experience, the people who will have problems with a Wizard, are those that don't know how prepare properly... Or they have a GM who is deliberately keeping him from preparing properly.
Screen, Nondetection, Dimensional Anchor, Bluff, Illusions, etc. are also in the game for a reason. Use them and have your BBEG use them to.
And in those 5% of encounters, the Wizard and Sorc will be on equal ground. Congratz :p
I'm still waiting for your evidence.
Buy a random AP.
Read it.