Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Nov 05, 2003 11:55:48	I recently bought Heroes of Light, and the one PrC that caught my eye first was the White Arcanist. For those of you not familiar with the class, it's basically a good necromancer who doesn't have Powers Checks when casting some of the classic "evil" spells. At 10th level, the White Arcanist becomes an intelligent undead. (i.e. a ghost) Has anyone else been thinking that this might be a little srange? I mean, the guy reaches 10th level and suddenly turns transparent? Granted, at 7th level he does go pale, but isn't this still a bit weird? I thought that a more gradual transformation might be in order, such as gaining fortification, immunity to diseases, agelessness, etc. as the character progresses, ultimately getting - Con and all hit die as d12s at 10th level, but without becoming ye classic see-through ghost. Does this seem reasonable to you?
#2 zombiegleemax Nov 05, 2003 12:08:58	I don't know. When one dies, she often does it abruptly. She does not go immune to diseases a few months before, neither does she start to decompose before death and so on. Maybe the White Arcanist manages to pull off some ritual as a final parting act as a culmination of perfecting her skills? Not all transformations need to be gradual, you see.
#3 zombiegleemax Nov 05, 2003 12:44:30	A valid point, but consider the fact that as the White Arcanist's entire "career" is simply a path towards the ultimate goal, she might somehow be able to slowly take on something akin to undeath, thus slowing the metabolism etc. The ritual thing seems quite fitting, but then why does the White Arcanist receive a +6 bonus (I think) against poison, diseases, etc. as well as going "unnaturally pale" at lvl. 7? Another ritual, perhaps?
#4 The_Jester Nov 05, 2003 22:19:11	A lich doesn't slowly become one, they just do it when the reach a certain power level. True they have to prepare but the acctual change to undeath is quick.
#5 zombiegleemax Nov 06, 2003 7:35:01	True, but then again, the lich is a template whereas this is a class... Anyway, over at the main D&D site there is something called "Savage Progressions." It's abou making templates into classes (for those guys who get bit by a vampire in mid-campaign and suddenly becomes unkillable) slowly achieving the "true" template. And this White Arcanist suddenly becoming a ghost is quite unbalancing, not to mention annoying for me as a DM, (Suddenly, the guy can float through walls and possess people, etc.) and a gradual transformation makes it easier to balance. Perhaps it's just me...
#6 gotten Nov 06, 2003 7:49:35	You could also check the Book of Exalted Deeds for inspiration. They have a PrC called the Exalted Arcanist, an arcanist very close to his religious beliefs. It could serve as a sauce to flavor your white arcanist, should you choose to roleplay a religious arcanist. I see well an Ezra Arcanist, for exemple. But beware, some powers at higher levels are perhaps unsuited for Ravenloft or Ezra (the alignment-related powers, the "aspect of the deity" spells), so adjustments are probably recommended. Jo
#7 zombiegleemax Nov 08, 2003 9:30:58	Thanks for the tip, I might check it out if the BoED ever comes out here in Norway.