Blackguard Spellbook

[Steve]

It dawned on me today that one lingering issue with hooking Blackguard to a modified Paladin spellbook, is that Blackguard has a "funny" way of calculating Caster Level. As is:

At 2nd level, the Blackguard gains a spellbook. Spells require a base Wisdom score of 10 + spell level to be cast and can be picked in that list.

NOTE ON BLACKGUARD CASTER LEVELS: Caster level calculation for Blackguard is: Blackguard levels + (non-Blackguard levels/2) = Caster Level. So a level 30 character with 8 or 9 Blackguard levels will have CL19 while a level 30 PC with 10 Blackguard levels will have CL20. Dragonslayer counts up to 6 of its levels as Blackguard levels, as per its optional Blackguard spell progression. For example a 10 rogue 10 Blackguard 10 Dragonslayer would have CL23.

Which means, currently, with Practiced Spellcaster: Blackguard, the maximum CL is 24. That...might be a problem, Houston. Considering that in Epic Areas of the Server, if your build has less-than-25 CL, you might as well not cast a spell, or, have a bijillion castings memorized (or (do-me) it, just use Elixirs, right?!?!?).

Anyway, just something to keep in mind. Cheers.

[Kitunenotsume]

At 2nd level, the Blackguard gains a spellbook. Spells require a base Wisdom score of 10 + spell level to be cast and can be picked in that list.

NOTE ON BLACKGUARD CASTER LEVELS: Caster level calculation for Blackguard is: Blackguard levels + (non-Blackguard levels/2) = Caster Level. So a level 30 character with 8 or 9 Blackguard levels will have CL19 while a level 30 PC with 10 Blackguard levels will have CL20. Dragonslayer counts up to 6 of its levels as Blackguard levels, as per its optional Blackguard spell progression. For example a 10 rogue 10 Blackguard 10 Dragonslayer would have CL23.

Which means, currently, with Practiced Spellcaster: Blackguard, the maximum CL is 24. That...might be a problem, Houston. Considering that in Epic Areas of the Server, if your build has less-than-25 CL, you might as well not cast a spell, or, have a bijillion castings memorized (or (do-me) it, just use Elixirs, right?!?!?).

Anyway, just something to keep in mind. Cheers.

Technically, 27 is the maximum CL: level 30, with 10 Blackguard and 10 Dragonslayer, plus Practiced (if available).

And the spell-list seems to be taken straight from SRD, so any imbalance in spell options between classes is a result of a lack of supplements implemented to affect the class.

[Terankar]

It is an issue that you need tonrely on another Prc to make the spells viable.

And furthermore, thematically, blackguard is such a specific entity, that it still seems odd that it needs so much from other classes to be viable.

[mrm3ntalist]

If a class has a spellbook, in this case BG, the max CL should go up to 30CL and if it doesnt it should be changed to like it was done with rangers and paladins. Contrary to PnP low cl builds are just not viable with this game, which is not turn based and the dispels are working -kind of - differently and have bigger impact. So if you get BG to 10, your cl should be 30

EDIT: Converting it to a paladin kit would be the optimal thing to do IMO

[Terankar]

It would also fit into the whole idea of blackguards being fallen paladins. Limit them to a certain playstyle in a sense as well and easily adjust their power

[Steve]

Technically, 27 is the maximum CL: level 30, with 10 Blackguard and 10 Dragonslayer, plus Practiced (if available).

And the spell-list seems to be taken straight from SRD, so any imbalance in spell options between classes is a result of a lack of supplements implemented to affect the class.

Ugh, that damn Dragon Slayer!

Well, the SRD listed spellbook is a tad bit better than the NWN2 implementation.

Also, one glaring omission is:

Corrupt Weapon

Blackguards have access to a special spell, corrupt weapon, which is the opposing counterpart of the paladin spell bless weapon. Instead of improving a weapon’s effectiveness against evil foes corrupt weapon makes a weapon more effective against good foes.

[Bobthehero]

Yeah I guess it's neat in concept, but corrupt weapon would be like Smite Good. Utterly useless outside of PvP and DM events.

[Terankar]

Corrupt weapon would have a ton of uses, as alignment also affect the monsters of the world, making it a great tool for pve against certain mobs.

[Bobthehero]

What mobs are good?

[Terankar]

Technically, very few and most likely NPCs rather than direct monsters out in the world.

From the looks of it, it soo few actual "normal" and lower levels monsters that are good aligned. Appearently elves are almost all good aligned

That would also be something to look at when it comes to updating the PvE content of things.

[Steve]

Yeah I guess it's neat in concept, but corrupt weapon would be like Smite Good. Utterly useless outside of PvP and DM events.

Agreed, difficult to “put to good use” on BGTSCC.

Better that corrupt weapon would be at 1 Negative dmg at lvl 6, 1d4 at lvl 9.

[Ewe]

I don't really like a solution that pools all BG and Pal spells together in one book, feels weird and would be cluttered.