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View Full Version : Archivist Conversion: 3.5e to 2e



Jimp
2008-01-27, 07:08 PM
For an upcoming 2e game I'm playing a homebrewed Archivist conversion. Just wanted a quick balance check. It's basically a Priest kit with Turn Undead swapped for Dark Knowledge.

HP: d6
XP: as Cleric
Saves: as Priest
Proficiencies: as Priest except heaviest available armor is (either brigandine or breastplate. I'm not sure what the best Medium Armor Proficiency equivilent is).
Free Proficiencies: reading and writing, religion.
Thac0: as Priest
Spellcasting: uses the Priest spell list. Progression as Priest. Highest available level determined by Int, bonus spells determined by Wis. Greater access to all spheres (the challenge is finding the higher level spells). Casts from a prayer book which operates in the same manor as a Mage's spellbook.
Dark Knowledge: works in the same way as 3.5e. A check is made against the appropriate knowledge proficiency. The different types of Dark Knowledge are all available from level 1. The abilities grant the lowest effect listed in Heroes of Horror. Stronger effects can be granted with at DM's discression. Can be used 3/day, with an extra use gained every 3 levels (4/day @ 3rd, 5/day @6th, etc).
Turn Undead: the Archivist CANNOT turn undead.
Still Mind: at 4th level the Archivist gains a +2 bonus on saves against enchantment effects.
Scribe Scroll: at 6th level the Arhcivist gains Scribe Scroll. This works in the same manor as the Mage's Scribe Scroll ability.

Does this seem like a mechanically fair conversion?

LibraryOgre
2008-01-27, 07:16 PM
I'd limit weapons as per a wizard, maybe with a couple more options like clubs and such... nothing big.
Armor should be limited to Chain; that's the usual cut-off in 2e.
ThAC0 should be as a Wizard, not as a priest
Dark Knowledge: difficult to adjudicate. I'd make them proficiency or Intelligence checks, with a thresh-hold for the different bonuses (say 1-10 gives a +1, 11-14 gives a +2, 15-18 +3, 19 +4, provided its successful).

Otherwise, looks good.

EDIT: You might also take a look at Spells and Magic; you could rough out a Archivist pretty easily based on what's in there.

Chronos
2008-01-28, 02:38 AM
I see a problem: How do you learn new spells? I don't think there are divine scrolls in 2nd edition. So you'd either gain no spells at all, or you'd effortlessly gain access to all divine spells, and I don't think that either would work right.

Jimp
2008-01-28, 12:44 PM
I see a problem: How do you learn new spells? I don't think there are divine scrolls in 2nd edition. So you'd either gain no spells at all, or you'd effortlessly gain access to all divine spells, and I don't think that either would work right.

Luckily my 2e DM is into putting fluff before crunch, so I'd be gaining new spells by reading magical tomes, religious texts etc. He'd provide opportunities.


Armor should be limited to Chain; that's the usual cut-off in 2e.
ThAC0 should be as a Wizard, not as a priest

Alright, Chain will be the max armor.
Yeah you're right about the Thac0. I'll change it to Mage.
My group is using weapon proficiencies of our choice so the weapon limitation doesn't matter too much.

LibraryOgre
2008-01-28, 11:10 PM
I see a problem: How do you learn new spells? I don't think there are divine scrolls in 2nd edition. So you'd either gain no spells at all, or you'd effortlessly gain access to all divine spells, and I don't think that either would work right.

There are cleric scrolls in 2e. They're just not as common as wizard scrolls, largely because they weren't as necessary... wizards NEEDED scrolls to get spells, in most cases (especially if you used Gygax's draconian spell trading rules... those were pure stupidity).

LibraryOgre
2008-01-28, 11:15 PM
I see a problem: How do you learn new spells? I don't think there are divine scrolls in 2nd edition. So you'd either gain no spells at all, or you'd effortlessly gain access to all divine spells, and I don't think that either would work right.

There are cleric scrolls in 2e. They're just not as common as wizard scrolls, largely because they weren't as necessary... wizards NEEDED scrolls to get spells, in most cases (especially if you used Gygax's draconian spell trading rules... those were pure stupidity).