Talent/Spell of the Week: Scholar

[JohnPaulB]

I suggest a sub-talent.

IQ 12 Talent
Learned:(2): Can research and teach. Knows a good deal about history and about customs of various races and peoples, and can (on a 4-die roll vs IQ) make a very good guess about the origin of most artifacts or objects. Prerequisite: Literacy.

Someone that is Learned (LER-ned) does not have the diploma from a university that gives them the respect in all civilized areas. They also might not recognize any languages seen.

Also, here is a thread on Research.
http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread...ed#post2342411

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My view of a wizard who does research into magic would the LEARNED Talent at the same 2 point cost, but only related to the field of magic.
If they majored in Magic, then they do not get any bonus for other fields. They know a good deal about magical history and about customs of various magical races and magical techniques, and can (on a 4-die roll vs. IQ) make a very good guess about the origin of most magical artifacts or magical objects.
They will always identify Sorcerer's Tongue.

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by JohnPaulB

I suggest a sub-talent.

IQ 12 Talent
Learned:(2): Can research and teach. Knows a good deal about history and about customs of various races and peoples, and can (on a 4-die roll vs IQ) make a very good guess about the origin of most artifacts or objects. Prerequisite: Literacy.

Someone that is Learned (LER-ned) does not have the diploma from a university that gives them the respect in all civilized areas. They also might not recognize any languages seen.

Given the precedent set by talents like Priest/Theologian, Physicker/Master Physicker, Locksmith/Master Locksmith, etc., it is curious that a talent like Scholar is not tiered (especially given the example provided by real-world academic hierarchy).

[pzmcgwire]

Mathematician is another talent that seems to beg for a higher level, since its description is math below calculus. However what in-game use of a Master Mathematician would there be in the typical quasi-medieval TFT milieu?

Interesting that wizards can easily be accountants and mathematicians but have to work harder to be lawyers. and lawyer is only IQ8.

Wouldn't there be some synergy between magic and law?

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by pzmcgwire

Mathematician is another talent that seems to beg for a higher level, since its description is math below calculus. However what in-game use of a Master Mathematician would there be in the typical quasi-medieval TFT milieu?

Interesting that wizards can easily be accountants and mathematicians but have to work harder to be lawyers. and lawyer is only IQ8.

We’ll have to give Mathematician its own thread sometime.

Wouldn't there be some synergy between magic and law?

I don’t know that common and criminal law and the Laws of Thaumadynamics would have much to do with each other, but if mathematics is related to magic, you would think physics would be. The relation between mundane law and magic would probably be the proscription of certain spells in specific jurisdictions.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by 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?

Character types:

Court Philosopher
Wandering Mystic
Skald
Warrior Poet
Healer
Royal Counselor
Cleric

Combinations: Really any combination that can be justified by the access to education. Noor Inayet Khan (secret agent), Alfred the Great (King), Anne Frank (refugee), Fitzroy Maclean (adventurer), Winston Churchill (politician).