RCS; Elemental Guardsman- misprint ?

[Ohtari]

Elemental Guardsman, Prestige class from Rokugan Campaing setting, pg 68.

I think its a misprint, just checking. Its says;
- +1 caster lvl; at lvl 1,2,4,5,7 & 8 one gains a level in previous class (spells per day also)
- spells per day; at lvl 2,4,6 & 8 one gains a level in previous class (spells per day also)

This looks like a lot more caster levels and spells per day then is logical. This is even without the class specific bonus spells (not spells per day). I cannot find any errata or other people who has asked this.

I presume they accidently forgot to delete the old caster level progression when they made a change.


Pls enlighten me, thnx :)

[Vaz]

I'm in the middle of writing a Handbook on Rokugan, and the Elemental Guardsman stood out to me too.

It is an odd fish of a class.

According to the text, it gains from "+1 Caster Level" on EG1, EG2, EG4, EG5, EG7, and EG8 additional spells per day as if they advanced Shugenja. (So Shugenja 12 spellcasting, assuming Shu6 entry). They also gain additional spells known (this is the table columns under "Spells"). This is because you only get Spells per day from +1 Caster Level ability, not spells known. (An EG10 has 4 Additional 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th level spells known on top of those gained by Shugenja. A Shugenja 10/EG 10 therefore knows 14 Cantrips, 10 1st, 10 2nd, 9 3rd, 9 4th, 9 5th, 4 6th, 4 7th, 4 8th and 4 9th Level Spells known, half of each must be of his Chosen Elements).

And then we get to the heading Spells Per Day. As +1 Caster Level is a Class Feature, this is taken as well. It adds a further 4 levels of Shugenja spells per day at EG2, EG4, EG6 and EG8. Why this wasn't folded into Caster Level, I don't know, and why it chose those levels, I really don't know, even more so, as it gives you 10/10 Casting, but in the following format;

EG1; +1 Caster Level
EG2: +2 Caster Level
EG3: -
EG4: +2 Caster Level
EG5: +1 Caster Level
EG6: +1 Caster Level
EG7: +1 Caster Level
EG8: +2 Caster Level
EG9: -
EG10: -

So; technically, you can be a Shu6/EG8 for ECL14, but in reality, you're casting at ECL14 as if you were an ECL16 Shugenja. At 20th Level with Shu12/EG8 you have spells per day as a 22nd Level Shugenja.

Have fun with that. Typically, we completely ignore the "Spells per day" column.

[Ohtari]

Thanks.
The spells per day entry also doesnt show on the prestige class shortlist at even levels.

The player who wants to use it is usually the dm who refuses things like this. I wonder, as a player he will prolly be for it now ;p

[Vaz]

If you have no other casters, it is decent. He is playing phoenix clan so he doesn't have much oomph elsewhere, and if playing strict oa shugenja, then shugenja is less powerful, and he might be pressured by his other teammates if he forgoes one of the four roles.

[Ohtari]

I agree.
Shugenja seems bit underpowered, so I think I am ok with it also.

I'd probably connect Kami's into the enhanced progression somehow. The char does little with kami's atm and would like to do more, so some nice roleplay options to introduce a bit more kami power. Them teaching him special kami secrets or something.

Thanks Vaz !