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View Full Version : My DM has given my wizard an apprentice! ... I have no idea what to do with him.



Malphegor
2018-07-06, 05:48 AM
So in a 3.5 game last night, whilst we were in a village of happy neutralish animal people in the feywild, I figured I'd ask around to see if anyone has any untrained magical talent who wanted to go off and adventure to develop it. Some hip young thing with spells on the brain but no idea how to cast them.

Soon enough, I found myself with a humanoidish Small bat named Adam West who can create a single spell- conjuring up an illusory rose for a few seconds, but looks really sad when he does so, which out of tact (and out of character not wanting to hear about furry Martha Wayne and Thomas Wayne) I have not enquired into.

Overjoyed at having a wizard apprentice who I can use to dump spells into that I don't care to prepare, at least until I can take him to a proper school (The master-apprentice thing just leads to abuse and control issues, imo. And only sorcerers are lazy enough to skip going to college. Bloody sorcerers. Work for your magic, you dragon-botherers!), I took him on.

Then, one dungeon later, our tank dead, and me, distraught, carrying his corpse on a Tenser's Disc stretcher, I'm starting to realise I don't really have much idea of what to do with an apprentice whilst he panics about what to do now.

My plan for the time being after our next rest is to maybe give him some scrolls of cantrips to study, assuming he counts as a 0th level wizard, so he can chuck down some sonic snaps to deafen our enemies in combat.

But I'm not sure what else to do with an apprentice. I suppose I could have him go fetch things while we're travelling. Chores, alchemical reagent obtaining, etc.

I've never actually considered what the *Master* in the master-apprentice relationship thinks about before, but now I kinda get it- you've got a useless lump of magical potential who's sort of schlubbing it about waiting for instruction, sycophantically obeying you. It's like an intern!

Psyren
2018-07-07, 11:39 PM
He/They should be able to help you do spell and item research

Luccan
2018-07-08, 01:46 PM
I think having a wizard's apprentice could be fun. If you want to do it classically, on top of lessons he's basically in charge of "chores". While you're whole party is going to pitch in at camp, probably, he gets the boring manual labor jobs. He likely won't hunt or fish or anything like that, but he gets up at the crack of dawn to light the fire and cook breakfast. He gets water from the stream and makes your tea. He can be expected to use his cantrips to help you in any way you deem necessary (this bit is essentially "wax on, wax off Sorcerer's Apprentice edition"). In town, he buys any supplies you're too busy/important to go get yourself. If you have a more permanent residence, he keeps it tidy and if it's a business, he might handle less important orders. As he gains experience, you might leave him to run the "Magick Shoppe" while you're out of town.

In exchange, you look out for him. He's essentially working for room and board and lessons. Maybe he gets a small income at some point, but you're his main mode of support. He's your responsibility, corrupt him only as necessary.

gkathellar
2018-07-09, 09:53 AM
"Dishes," would be the traditional answer. You know, menial stuff. Mind the shop. Repair the golems. Oil the imps.

Mr.Sandman
2018-07-09, 01:20 PM
Have him do boring, menial tasks continuously, that would be helped by whatever first level spells you want him to learn. For example: Want him to learn Sleep? Make him take care of children constantly. Endure Elements? Make him stand out in the cold all day.

Kaptin Keen
2018-07-09, 04:20 PM
If you cannot invest - to some measure - emotionally in the apprentice, and focus only on how you can mechanically exploit it .. get rid of it.

Whyrocknodie
2018-07-10, 06:29 AM
Grind him into sausages! Delicious.

LibraryOgre
2018-07-10, 08:04 AM
Tactically? Give him magic items. Wands do the same amount of damage whether they're in the hands of a master or an apprentice. If you've got a Wand of Useful Buffs, give him that, so he's less of a priority target, and start with some defensive spellwork (i.e. "Here is how to cast a shield spell. This spell makes you immune to magic missile. I will be testing you on this... with actual magic missiles.")

Practically? As others have said, chores, dishes, etc. If you find an enemy spellbook, check it for traps then have him try to decipher it, and check his work. Teach him the languages you think he will need, as a wizard. Concentration and memorization games. Make him memorize a poem, then throw rocks at him while he recites it. Tomorrow, give him a longer poem to memorize and less time to do it, and throw bigger rocks.

Spell tactics exercises... he is casting X, what do you cast in response. She is known for spell Y, how do you prepare. Develop a cantrip that would provide you a bit of defense from this. Why did you choose those parameters?

In some fights, have him stand there and watch you and other spellcasters. Make him recount, spell by spell, what was cast, without telling him (i.e. Practice your Spellcraft, apprentice).

Yerok LliGcam
2018-07-10, 11:03 AM
If you cannot invest - to some measure - emotionally in the apprentice, and focus only on how you can mechanically exploit it .. get rid of it.

i agree with this completely, and second this motion. why?

1. now your DM has to waste preparation time to consider what your apprentice is doing
2. now you have to waste time figuring out what to do and post it on a forum.

either get to know this person and make it worth the story so your DM can enjoy it just as much as you, or send him to school and be done with it.

BeerMug Paladin
2018-07-10, 01:10 PM
Train your apprentice so they can gain a level in wizard.

Give them menial labors you refer to as a quest or trial. Cast spells like animate rope and tell them that the rope in the next room is a monster they must defeat. (You know, deal 2 points of damage to.) Bonus points if these things involve basements of regular houses.