Blackened Oracle and the Gnome FCB

[Melkiador]

I'm wondering how this works together. Hoping there is something official I missed, but wondering what current popular opinion is if there isn't.

Gnome FCB wrote:

Oracle: Add +1/2 to the oracle's level for the purpose of determining the effects of the oracle's curse ability.

Blackened wrote:

Blackened: Your hands and forearms are shriveled and blackened, as if you had plunged your arms into a blazing fire, and your thin, papery skin is sensitive to the touch. You take a –4 penalty on weapon attack rolls, but you add burning hands to your list of spells known. At 5th level, add scorching ray and flaming sphere to your list of spells known. At 10th level, add wall of fire to your list of spells known and your penalty on weapon attack rolls is reduced to –2. At 15th level, add delayed blast fireball to your list of spells known.

So for example, would a level 7 oracle who has invested in this FCB, gain Wall of Fire as a 3rd level spell? At level 10 would you be able to cast Delayed Blast Fireball as a 5th level spell?

[FLite]

I would say you add them, but they are added as spells of the level they would normally be. (Which won't do you any good till you get the slot to cast them.

Remember, as far as your curse is concerned, you are tenth level, so it is adding wall of fire to your spell list the same way (and at the same spell level) as it would if you were tenth level...

[Melkiador]

FLite wrote:

I would say you add them, but they are added as spells of the level they would normally be. (Which won't do you any good till you get the slot to cast them.

Remember, as far as your curse is concerned, you are tenth level, so it is adding wall of fire to your spell list the same way (and at the same spell level) as it would if you were tenth level...

Does this then make the FCB mostly worthless for this curse?

[FLite]

Lets say "less than optimally useful." It would still let you get wall of fire at 8th instead of 10th (as a 4th level spell, which I believe is what it is normally.) And you could get flaming sphere and scorching ray a level early as well. But beyond taking 4 levels, there probably isn't any benefit to more.

[Melkiador]

How do you mean wall of fire is normally at 4th? It's not on the oracle spell list. And it's 3rd level for summoners.

[FLite]

When a class doesn't have it on it's spell list, it defaults to wizard / cleric depending on if it arcane or divine. If there is neither class, then there is a succession of other classes you check in order.

[Weirdo]

Agreed with FLite - it's a little unclear, but that appears to be the most reasonable interpretation.

You always have the option of the standard HP or skill point.

[Bifty]

FLite wrote:

I would say you add them, but they are added as spells of the level they would normally be. (Which won't do you any good till you get the slot to cast them.

Remember, as far as your curse is concerned, you are tenth level, so it is adding wall of fire to your spell list the same way (and at the same spell level) as it would if you were tenth level...

I have to agree but would you not be able to cast the spells with the bonus spell per day given by the ability score (assuming that you have a high enough Charisma of course)?

[DrakeRoberts]

This is analagous to a wizard scribing a found spell in his book prior to getting to a level high enough to cast it. With the exception of archetypes that reduce your spells per day and specify that 0 still lets you cast high-stat bonus castings, I don't believe you get your high stat bonus spells until you're high enough level to normally cast spells of that level.

It is worth noting that (unless I'm misremembering how the FAQ worked out in the end), if a class feature adds a spell to your known list, then it also adds it to your class list. This would mean that even if you can't yet cast the spells as early as you add them, you would be able to use those spells from scrolls and wands without UMD... But only once the curse gave them to you.

[bbangerter]

Bifty wrote:

I have to agree but would you not be able to cast the spells with the bonus spell per day given by the ability score (assuming that you have a high enough Charisma of course)?

You don't get bonus spells for a level of spells you cannot actually cast yet through normal spell slots. Or did you mean something else by this question?

[Bifty]

bbangerter wrote:

Bifty wrote:

I have to agree but would you not be able to cast the spells with the bonus spell per day given by the ability score (assuming that you have a high enough Charisma of course)?

You don't get bonus spells for a level of spells you cannot actually cast yet through normal spell slots. Or did you mean something else by this question?

Nope I meant exactly that. Thanks for answering!!