Quick Questions...

[ether]

Hello, everyone... long time lurker here... but I was looking through my copy of FC, and a question occurred to me. I couldn't find the answer in a forum search, so I thought I'd ask.

Does Hidden Spell really only allow an individual to cast in silence? I ask because it seems to me that a spell is hardly "hidden" if a caster is still waving around bat guano or chicken heads or whatever contents of his or her Mage's Bag are required. Also, there appears to be no way to shed the Mage's Bag requirement. Am I missing something? (I'm aware of abilities that allow characters like the Rune Knight to treat weapons as Mage's Bags.)

My next question is  a little easier and more of an afterthought... could some kind soul direct me to the most up-to-date version of the origin/talent/class creation guidelines? I checked a while back but wasn't sure the version I saw was the latest. I appreciate your help!

[Dawnblade]

HIDDEN SPELLS
You can cast spells without muttering or gesturing.
Prerequisites: Spellcasting 1+ ranks
Benefit: Your Spellcasting checks are not obvious. You
make no sound while casting and may cast even when you can’t
speak.

The line that says "Without muttering or gesturing" is the key here.  your not waving your arms around with your bat guano, in fact your making no gestures.  and as far as spell pouch goes...

DRACONIC
HERITAGE
You’re a descendant of mighty
dragons, feared and admired by all.
Prerequisites: Level 1 only
Benefit: You gain thick hide 3
and
 
"are always considered to have a
mage’s pouch (see pages 13 and 159,
respectively)."
 
When taking the Basic Skill
Mastery feat you have access to a new skill pair: Conqueror
(Impress & Tactics).

The two of those feats which I take with almost any Spellcaster I make ( I tend to like the stealth casters, /love mist dancer) allow you to cast spells without making sounds, movements, and no minor reagents needed.  you could be naked and cuffed and it wont stop you from casting knock on the cuffs and cell door and streaking through the jail (Preferable Invisible).

[Krensky]

Also, by default anyone can try to cast without being obvious using Prestidigitation.

As for doing without a Mage's Pouch, if you don't want to take Draconic Heritage or a Origin that grants Nothing Up My Sleeve, buy some cheap weapon with the Drake upgrade. Like maybe a club, quarter staff or short staff.

[ether]

Thanks, folks. That's what I figured. I was kind of hoping there was something more, that there was something I was missing, but I guess there's always Spellbound. 

Anyone have a line on those origin/talent/class creation guidelines?

[paddyfool]

Talent/species/speciality guidelines may be found here.

The basic skeletons for class creation may be found here.


You may also want to look at the homebrew already posted on the FC database.

[ghaele]

Unrelated question- do two darkvision I qualities gained from origin/species feats make darkvision II or is it pretty much just a waste? I can't find anything about this.

[aegis]

They do. That's why low-light vision has been renamed darkvision I most of the time.

[Coyote0273]

Any time you gain any power with a numerical value (Darkvision, Circle of Power, Evasion, etc), you gain the next step. Doesn't matter what it is, even if it's a racial ability like Darkvision or even a natural attack like Bite.

[ghaele]

Cool beans, thanks!

[Fastidious Monk]

Any time you gain any power with a numerical value (Darkvision, Circle of Power, Evasion, etc), you gain the next step. Doesn't matter what it is, even if it's a racial ability like Darkvision or even a natural attack like Bite.

What happens if it max's out?  I have a player with Darkvision II from Spider Nation Feat and Darkvision I from Path of Darkness, but there is no Darkvison III.

Thanks

[Mister Andersen]

As written, nothing. This can be changed if you take a leaf from AD&D where infravision (ie, no-light vision) typically had limited range:

Darkvision I (low light vision) applies to all 10 visual increments.
Darkvison II (no-light vision) applies to your first 5 visual increments; for increments 6-10 you still enjoy the benefits of darkvision I
Darkvison III (no-light vision) applies to your first 6 visual increments; for increments 7-10 you still enjoy the benefits of darkvision I
Darkvison IV (no-light vision) applies to your first 7 visual increments; for increments 8-10 you still enjoy the benefits of darkvision I
Darkvison V (no-light vision) applies to your first 8 visual increments; for increments 9-10 you still enjoy the benefits of darkvision I
Darkvison VI (no-light vision) applies to your first 9 visual increments; for increment 10 you still enjoy the benefits of darkvision I
Darkvision VII (no-light vision) applies to all 10 visual increments.

Dark vision sources
Dark-Earth Folk species feat: DV II
Deep Born species feat: DV II
Elemental Heritage (Darkness) species feat:  DV II
Northern Horde species feat: DV II
Owl Nation species feat: DV I
Raven Nation species feat: DV I
Spider-Nation species feat: DV II
Night fighting terrain feat: DV I
Path of Darkness I: DV I
Scout 6: DV I

An elf-blooded orc (amongst other combinations) sorcerer could take a -2 attribute hit to pick up both Spider Nation and Northern Horde to begin with DV IV. Sticking with scout until level 6 and presuming they can pick up PoD via Blessed or campaign quality on top of Night Fighting, they could feasibly be at DV VII. On further investigation, our cross-breed friend could conceivably pick up another instance of DV II via Elemental Heritage (Darkness) granted by the 4th level Paladin ability to top out at DV IX

So in addition to the incremental restructure, you'd treat it like thick hide or natural attack, where II+II=III instead of IV. So our above example yields II+I+I+I+I+I=darkvision VII. Which we can reach by setting the 2nd grade to start at 5 increments.

[aegis]

I agree. Although non-official, darkvision range increase would be a simple yet balanced option, which you can simply add by specifying the actual range between brackets after the option itself.

[Gentry]

I'd be half-inclined to throw a +2 bonus to the player with Notice checks (or Ref saves, or Init, or something) in total darkness. Something to reflect that he's somehow become *better* working in the dark than in the light. That's a "more art than science" move because there's no telling how it'll get used/misused and I don't know your players, but it felt worth mentioning.

[Fastidious Monk]

Thanks for the advice.  I do have another question.  What is the best way to do the sub-species from the Adventure Companion which require using more Feats than first level provides?  My player wanted to be a Drow which needs 2 extra Feats and 2 level 1 only Feats.  I just gave everyone else 2 extra Feats to make up the difference, but was curious what others have done.

Thanks

[Krensky]

Thanks for the advice.  I do have another question.  What is the best way to do the sub-species from the Adventure Companion which require using more Feats than first level provides?  My player wanted to be a Drow which needs 2 extra Feats and 2 level 1 only Feats.  I just gave everyone else 2 extra Feats to make up the difference, but was curious what others have done.

Thanks

Um...

You take Spider Nation and The Gift at level one, and Abide as you level up?

If that's too slow there's always Fast Feats. Or giving everyone extra feats at level one, like you did.