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The Questioner is an archetype for the Investigator. Instead of alchemy, he casts spells like a bard, except with Intelligence instead of Charisma. What I can not figure out is if a Questioner ignores the Arcane Spell Failure chance for light armor and shields. Unfortunately, I can not find description of the archetype to link to. Thank you in advance.
If it does not say that it changes the class feature, said feature operates as normal.
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I have a bad feeling it doesn't. Usually, this is listed in proficiencies, not spellcasting, and if you consider the Cabalist and Warlock archetype, I believe they explicitly call it out, even in the Cabalist's case, where the Magus also ignores spellcasting in light armour.
Whether it's an oversight or intended on the author's part, not sure.
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The Questioner is an archetype for the Investigator. Instead of alchemy, he casts spells like a bard, except with Intelligence instead of Charisma. What I can not figure out is if a Questioner ignores the Arcane Spell Failure chance for light armor and shields. Unfortunately, I can not find description of the archetype to link to. Thank you in advance.
In what product it appear?
It say it is an arcane caster?
The Questioner is an archetype for the Investigator. Instead of alchemy, he casts spells like a bard, except with Intelligence instead of Charisma. What I can not figure out is if a Questioner ignores the Arcane Spell Failure chance for light armor and shields. Unfortunately, I can not find description of the archetype to link to. Thank you in advance.In what product it appear?
It say it is an arcane caster?
It is an arcane caster. It's from the Magic Tactics Toolbox. It doesn't mention anything about being able to ignore ASF while wearing armor.
Arcane spell failure still applies unless the archetype says otherwise. If it looks unintentional, then this should be FAQ'd.
Is there anybody who thinks it was not an oversight but rather intention?
To leave Questioner with Arcane spell failure in light armor.
Well the investigator purposely didn't get the ability to use wands from alchemy. So maybe it purposely didn't get free casting in light armor.
I now no longer trust that they forgot to include but decide that it must be intentional.
Wow, I didn't notice missing text about spell-trigger items before. You are right. That is lame!
I still don't think it was intentional because otherwise it will be the only (I have found so far) class / archetype which is not full caster and cannot use any type of armor without chance to fail his or her casting. Divine casters and extractors don't care and everybody else (who is not full caster) can either cast in light or even medium armor without incurring arcane spell failure.
Wrong. Eldritch scoundrel rogues, kensai maguses (& another magus archetype or two IIRC) & geisha bards all have no ability to cast in armor without arcane spell failure.
Thanks for other examples. I could be intentional.
Wrong. Eldritch scoundrel rogues, kensai maguses (& another magus archetype or two IIRC) & geisha bards all have no ability to cast in armor without arcane spell failure.
I found time to check these archetypes and all of them specifically mention, that they loose clases' ability to ignore Arcane Spell Failure. That Rogue's achetype even doesn't need to mention it. So I still think they just have forgotten to write it in Questioner and RAI – he should ignore Arcane Spell Failure in light armor.
Armor Proficiencies
An eldritch scoundrel is not proficient with any armor or shields. Armor sometimes interferes with an eldritch scoundrel’s gestures, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail. This alters the rogue’s armor proficiencies.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Geisha are proficient in all simple weapons and one monk weapon. Geisha are not proficient in any armor or shield; unlike bards, geisha are subject to arcane spell failure even when casting in light armor or when using a shield. This replaces the normal bard armor and weapon proficiencies.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A kensai is proficient in simple weapons and in a single martial or exotic melee weapon of his choice. A kensai is not proficient with armor or shields and suffers normal arcane spell failure chance when casting magus spells while armored.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A bladed scarf dancer is proficient in simple weapons and bladed scarves. Additionally, a bladed scarf dancer can wield a bladed scarf as a one-handed melee weapon. A bladed scarf dancer is not proficient with armor or shields and suffers the normal arcane spell failure chance when casting magus spells while armored.
After a careful reading of the rules, I'd say by RAW that it doesn't suffer ASF and there is a plausible argument for any interpretation by RAI.
On the subject of RAW, there is no general rule for arcane spell failure. There is a line of text that says that arcane spellcasters must "usually" make an ASF check to cast in armor. Given its context - in the chapter on armor and equipment rather than the chapter on magic - this is not strongly worded enough to constitute a general rule for arcane spellcasters. The archetype does not include any text to indicate it suffers ASF or inherits that property of Bard spellcasting, so it doesn't.
As far as the RAI goes, it's pretty clear this is an oversight. Every class and archetype that provides arcane spellcasting explicitly specifies how it handles ASF, so an archetype that is silent on the matter is very likely an oversight. Unfortunately this doesn't leave clear what the RAI should be. Was the text omitted because the author thought ASF generally applied to arcane spellcasting? If so it should suffer ASF on everything. Was the text omitted because the author thought that ASF only applied if it was explicitly called out? Then it's not meant to have ASF at all. Did the author just never stop to think about this? Then it's probably intended to work like the Bard and suffer ASF only in medium or heavier armor.
Personally I'd be inclined to go with "works like a Bard", since it seems the fairest middle ground ruling and makes a reasonable amount of sense in context. Still, FAQ'd for an official answer.
Actually is there any other class or archetype which grants both Armor Proficiency and Arcane Casting without mentioning how it interacts with Arcane Spell Failure Chance?
unfortunately there are "recently" been a few items that seemed like clear oversights that were intentional, so I've lost all trust in things being oversights.
he casts spells like a bard
If it said that, I'd take that to include ASF in armor. However, it doesn't actually say that. It casts spells from the bard list, has the same number of spells/slots as a bard and learns new spells like one. The missing piece though is it never actually SAYS they cast like one, just "casts arcane spells drawn from the bard spell".
So I'd say no to ignoring ASF.
unfortunately there are "recently" been a few items that seemed like clear oversights that were intentional, so I've lost all trust in things being oversights.
Yeah, I'll agree with that.
Actually is there any other class or archetype which grants both Armor Proficiency and Arcane Casting without mentioning how it interacts with Arcane Spell Failure Chance?
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Alchemists are proficient with all simple weapons and bombs. They are also proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
Spell Knowledge discovery: "Benefit(s) Select a single spell from the sorcerer/wizard spell list that is at least 2 levels lower than your highest-level extract known. You can prepare and cast this spell as an arcane spell."
Actually is there any other class or archetype which grants both Armor Proficiency and Arcane Casting without mentioning how it interacts with Arcane Spell Failure Chance?
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Alchemists are proficient with all simple weapons and bombs. They are also proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
Spell Knowledge discovery: "Benefit(s) Select a single spell from the sorcerer/wizard spell list that is at least 2 levels lower than your highest-level extract known. You can prepare and cast this spell as an arcane spell."
So no other archetype or class. I hope, that we will collect enough FAQs to the original question so that it will be answered or errated.
So no other archetype or class.
Other than alchemist [that has a CLEAR option to cast arcane spells and has armor]? I wouldn't be surprised if there are more but I don't feel like searching.
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Arcane spellcaster suffer spell spel failure when wearing armor. It is in the equipment section as it change with each kind of armor.
It is a general rule.
Arcane Spell Failure Chance: Armor interferes with the gestures that a spellcaster must make to cast an arcane spell that has a somatic component. Arcane spellcasters face the possibility of arcane spell failure if they're wearing armor. Bards can wear light armor and use shields without incurring any arcane spell failure chance for their bard spells.Casting an Arcane Spell in Armor: A character who casts an arcane spell while wearing armor must usually make an arcane spell failure check. The number in the Arcane Spell Failure Chance column on Table: Armor and Shields is the percentage chance that the spell fails and is ruined. If the spell lacks a somatic component, however, it can be cast with no chance of arcane spell failure.
Shields: If a character is wearing armor and using a shield, add the two numbers together to get a single arcane spell failure chance.[/quote+
Classes that don't suffer from arcane spell failure chance should mention that specifically.
2)
A character who casts an arcane spell while wearing armor must usually make an arcane spell failure check.
That one word muddies the water. The rest of the text indicates that the class in question is the determining factor of when and how arcane spell failure applies, and that just takes us back to the original problem of this archetype: it doesn't say one way or the other.
A character who casts an arcane spell while wearing armor must usually make an arcane spell failure check.That one word muddies the water. The rest of the text indicates that the class in question is the determining factor of when and how arcane spell failure applies, and that just takes us back to the original problem of this archetype: it doesn't say one way or the other.
There are other reason that an arcane caster might not have ASF other than this issue though. For instance, special materials can drop it to 0%, feats, class features, spell has no somatic components, ect... So "usually" isn't exactly pointing to any one thing IMO. To me the 'usual' comment is setting a general rule and pointing out things can change that: that means that it's not saying 'one way or the other' falls back to the general rule [that you roll ASF checks for arcane].