Arcanist - What exactly does the Elven Favored Class Bonus give you?

[Caliban_]

It seems that the Elven favored class bonus for Arcanist is much better than the similar Gnome favored class bonus for Arcanist.

Quote:

Elf - Arcanist: Increase total number of points in the arcanist's arcane reservoir by 1.

Quote:

Gnome -Arcanist: Add 1/6 to the number of points the arcanist gains in her arcane reservoir each day.

It seems like they give a similar bonus, except that the gnome one is much weaker.

Is it supposed to be that the elf FCB only increases your total maximum points without adding to your initial starting points each day, while the gnome FCB increases your initial points without increasing your maximum possible point?

[Melkiador]

Caliban_ wrote:

Is it supposed to be that the elf FCB only increases your total maximum points without adding to your initial starting points each day, while the gnome FCB increases your initial points without increasing your maximum possible point?

That is the generally agreed upon decision, though I haven't seen anything official.

The Elf FCB is good because it's very dippable. You wouldn't want to take it at level 1 when the hp is too valuable, but you would want to grab a few more maximum pool points here and there as you level up. Especially since as you level up the odds of you needing your lower level spells decreases, so you can just consume those out of combat for a full tank.

[Chess Pwn]

You are correct in your assessment at the bottom. It increases your cap and not how much you start with. while the gnomes increases the starting amount but not the cap.

Had you done a search for "arcanist elf" you'd have found a few posts all asking the same question, with answers already there.

[RumpinRufus]

Yeah, it's a poorly written FCB. Because when I ask, "My backpack can hold 10 apples, and it currently has 4 apples, what is the total number of apples in my backpack?" I think we can all agree the answer is not "10."

Needs errata IMO to change "total" to "maximum".

[Caliban_]

Chess Pwn wrote:

You are correct in your assessment at the bottom. It increases your cap and not how much you start with. while the gnomes increases the starting amount but not the cap.

Had you done a search for "arcanist elf" you'd have found a few posts all asking the same question, with answers already there.

I did do a search, and found a single post from a year ago that didn't have a definitive answer one way or the other. I also checked the FAQ's and came up empty.

But thanks for making a (false) assumption and then being condescending, it was really helpful.

[Caliban_]

Melkiador wrote:

Caliban_ wrote:

Is it supposed to be that the elf FCB only increases your total maximum points without adding to your initial starting points each day, while the gnome FCB increases your initial points without increasing your maximum possible point?

That is the generally agreed upon decision, though I haven't seen anything official.

I figured as much, was hoping something more definitive had come out.

[Arcanic Drake]

RumpinRufus wrote:

Yeah, it's a poorly written FCB. Because when I ask, "My backpack can hold 10 apples, and it currently has 4 apples, what is the total number of apples in my backpack?" I think we can all agree the answer is not "10."

Needs errata IMO to change "total" to "maximum".

I also agree that it increases the maximum.... Though I do wish that it increases per day instead, it just wouldn't make sense.

[Melkiador]

As I said above, the elf FCB is pretty great for an elf. The elf arcanist with a low hit die and low constitution will need to use his FCB for hit points in his low levels. Also in the low levels you tend to have more than enough pool points. The elf FCB gives him what he needs when he needs it.

[Caliban_]

Melkiador wrote:

As I said above, the elf FCB is pretty great for an elf. The elf arcanist with a low hit die and low constitution will need to use his FCB for hit points in his low levels. Also in the low levels you tend to have more than enough pool points. The elf FCB gives him what he needs when he needs it.

The character I'm working on is probably going to be a half-elf Arcanist(Occultist).

He doesn't have a Con problem, but having extra Arcane pool capacity that he can fill and then convert into a Summon Monster X is pretty great.

Between that and the Human FCB for Arcanist, I think it will work out pretty well.

[Melkiador]

Yeah. With occultist I like to have enough points to cast up 2 summons per encounter plus fuel any other exploits you need.

[Ravingdork]

Considering that maximum isn't even a hard limit per day so much as it is an "at any one time" limit, the elf FCB for arcanist is somewhat wasted.