Talent/Spell of the Week: Scholar

[Shostak]

This IQ 13 talent represents skill with languages and research, and knowledge of history, art history, anthropology, and geography. One can assume Scholar does not include theology & occultism, zoology, botany, mathematics, or chemistry, since those are represented by other talents. Scholars enjoy status among those who value such learning, getting a bonus on reaction rolls.

One must invest four talent points to learn Scholar, due to its prerequisite of Literacy. The scholarly wizard may be a common cliché in literature, but, in my experience, the scholarly wizard in TFT is somewhat rarer, probably due to the Wizard's Tax which doubles the aforementioned cost.

Scholar could be especially useful in games in which many languages are spoken, or in which there is some advantage to knowing historical or cultural lore, but I've seldom seen Scholar used, even in such games.

Conversation starters:

• What are the arguments for and against Scholar being revised to be accessible to wizards at standard cost?
• Are there synergies to be found by combining Scholar with other skills?
• If you've had a memorable Scholar in your games, share some highlights of their adventures.
• What character types might work well with a Scholar lens?
• What incentives might a GM give to entice players to fill the Scholar niche?
• What challenges does Scholar present a GM?

[Axly Suregrip]

Great questions. I have always used Scholar on NPCs and not player characters since it very useful for combat or adventuring.

I agree, it seems it should be allowed for Wizards at normal cost.

To point out one potential synergy: scholar talent should be something someone like a thief or assassin could make use. These types of heroes may get disguised(talent)/glamored(spell) and use mimic(talent) to sound like someone, but that does not make them actually speak the language and speak it like a native. But that is a lot of talents for a thief/spy/assassin to learn the result would be someone that can infiltrate any race that they know the language.

[Bill_in_IN]

I think that many of the talents that are reserved for the brainiac types should be standard IQ cost. In my opinion, Scholar talent certainly should be at standard cost for a wizard. It has no basis in physical skills other than the ability to use their eyes, ears, or speaking.

One could argue that mathematics, chemist, and alchemy are not purely magical pursuits or in promotion of manipulating the environment via magic and are more of a physical nature. Thus, allowingfor the wizard tax. However, a talent such Scholar is far more generic like it's prerequisite, Literacy. I think that removing the wizard tax from it is warranted. It also should help a wizard to perform research in creating new spells.

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Bill_in_IN

It also should help a wizard to perform research in creating new spells.

Excellent point, Bill.

[phiwum]

The concept of a scholarly wizard is attractive. After all, there's a kind of parallel between modern scholars and some of the representations of wizards. (Unseen University is an obvious example.)

However, I always figgered the wizard tax had to do with the fact that wizards spend their time focused on other-worldly things. If you look at the benefits of the Scholar talent, it is rooted in languages, history and customs, which are not quite the interest of the typical Wizard.

If I had a player interested in a Wizard Scholar (or if I wanted an NPC with that combination), I'd write a variant of the current Scholar talent. Advantages would be in the identification and history of magical items, knowledge of the magical races, the cultures of magic throughout the world. I'd probably give the same linguistic advantages for at least the magic-using races. I'd give the same +1 reaction roll because I have a certain interest in believing that well-educated people are respected, and to hell with all the contrary evidence.

So, a wizard wanting the stock Scholar talent would pay the wizard tax, while one wanting a somewhat differently focused Scholar talent would not.

[Bill_in_IN]

Originally Posted by phiwum

The concept of a scholarly wizard is attractive. After all, there's a kind of parallel between modern scholars and some of the representations of wizards. (Unseen University is an obvious example.)

However, I always figgered the wizard tax had to do with the fact that wizards spend their time focused on other-worldly things. If you look at the benefits of the Scholar talent, it is rooted in languages, history and customs, which are not quite the interest of the typical Wizard.

If I had a player interested in a Wizard Scholar (or if I wanted an NPC with that combination), I'd write a variant of the current Scholar talent. Advantages would be in the identification and history of magical items, knowledge of the magical races, the cultures of magic throughout the world. I'd probably give the same linguistic advantages for at least the magic-using races. I'd give the same +1 reaction roll because I have a certain interest in believing that well-educated people are respected, and to hell with all the contrary evidence.

So, a wizard wanting the stock Scholar talent would pay the wizard tax, while one wanting a somewhat differently focused Scholar talent would not.

Interesting point about the wizardly focus in terms of what it means to them to be scholarly. Such a talent should definitely be a plus for researching existing magic/spells as well as researching new spells and magic items. Some of that is built in based upon IQ level. However, would such a talent trim off IQ differences that govern spell casting requirements (gestures, no gestures, etc.) or levels of new spells researched and/or created.

What would this talent be called and how much IQ would it require? The same IQ as for Scholar Talent would be a fair start.

Potential Names:
Wizardly Scholar
Magic Scholar
Scholastic Wizardry
Magical Knowledge
...

I guess that any further discussion should go into house rules.

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by phiwum

If I had a player interested in a Wizard Scholar (or if I wanted an NPC with that combination), I'd write a variant of the current Scholar talent. Advantages would be in the identification and history of magical items, knowledge of the magical races, the cultures of magic throughout the world. I'd probably give the same linguistic advantages for at least the magic-using races. I'd give the same +1 reaction roll because I have a certain interest in believing that well-educated people are respected, and to hell with all the contrary evidence.

So, a wizard wanting the stock Scholar talent would pay the wizard tax, while one wanting a somewhat differently focused Scholar talent would not.

Something like this old idea I had for a wizardly scholar talent?

Illumined Scholar (3) This talent very similar to Scholar, but focuses somewhat more on the arcane, the occult, and religion than on the mundane (“Emperess Niharis III was most notable, not for her solidification of the K’hulp’het Dynasty, but for raising Shek-Baroopath the Lame to the office of High Priest.”); standard Scholars might be skeptical of an Illumined Scholar’s interpretations of history and current affairs.

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Shostak

• Are there synergies to be found by combining Scholar with other skills?

A scholar who also has Charisma (+1 on reaction rolls), Courtly Graces (+1 on many), and Bard (+1 on most) could be an exceptional "face" for a party of adventurers, since on many reaction rolls they will have at least +3, making a friendly reaction almost guaranteed. Alternatively, use either the Look Your Best (+2) or Persuasiveness (+2) spells to buff up for nearly automatic friendly reactions.

[Axly Suregrip]

Originally Posted by Shostak

A scholar who also has Charisma (+1 on reaction rolls), Courtly Graces (+1 on many), and Bard (+1 on most) could be an exceptional "face" for a party of adventurers, since on many reaction rolls they will have at least +3, making a friendly reaction almost guaranteed. Alternatively, use either the Look Your Best (+2) or Persuasiveness (+2) spells to buff up for nearly automatic friendly reactions.

Yes there is synergy as you stated. I just want to remind you there is a maximum of +3 to reaction rolls. ITL page 7, "The modifiers to a reaction roll cannot give a character or party better than a +3 bonus. Nobody is so charismatic that they make friends every time."

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Axly Suregrip

Yes there is synergy as you stated. I just want to remind you there is a maximum of +3 to reaction rolls. ITL page 7, "The modifiers to a reaction roll cannot give a character or party better than a +3 bonus. Nobody is so charismatic that they make friends every time."

Thanks for that reminder. The bonus cushion beyond +3 could soak up an penalties, though.