Partial Caster Research Rates

Improving the Viability of A2/A3 Human Classes

In the course of working out details for an A3 “Sage” class, I encountered an interesting dilemma: magic research rate scales based on caster level, but campaign XP threshold scales based on character level. This results in a circumstance where partial casters, with caster levels typically two to five levels behind their character level at the point significant magic research is available/affordable as an option, cannot actually gain XP and advance based on magic research.

Consider a 9th level mage, with a 600gp per day research rate, able to conduct 18,000gp of research in a typical 30-day month compared to his 10,000gp monthly campaign XP threshold: he earns 8000 XP. Comparatively, a 9th level character of an A2 or A3 class has only CL 7th, and a research rate of only 200gp per day — in that same month, he only conducts 6000gp of research, well below his threshold to start earning XP.

By 11th level, the gap widens, with the A3 researcher (CL 9th) performing 18,000gp of research and the A2 researcher (CL 8th) only 12,000gp, compared to their 45,000gp thresholds. The A3 researcher is only marginally able to gain XP from research at 8th level (6000gp possible vs 5000gp threshold), and the A2 researcher finishes at 3rd level (210gp possible vs 150gp threshold)! For the same reasons, such classes will never be able to support their lifestyles principally from magic research above those levels, either.

The main factor ameliorating this disparity is that there are no published A2/A3 human classes (apart from the 1e Warlock, whose ability to earn XP was not impacted by slower progression in the 1e rules), and so any such class has alternative options. An Elven Courtier doesn’t need magic research to advance, because even without magic research it’s a full F2/T2 class. To a Zaharan Ruinguard, magic research is almost merely incidental, compared to being a conquering warlord! So in the cases that actually arise in play and not merely in theory, there’s no particular issue.

But to a human class that places three build points in Arcane or Eldritch spellcasting, magic research remains the core expectation of how NPCs of such a class might advance. The T1/A3 or F1/A3 builds I have considered for a Sage still read as principally a mage that trades a bit of spellcasting progression for some class powers, as would a direct update of the 1e Warlock. A2 classes are more flexible, but arcane magic is half the class, and still can reasonably be expected to influence their options for campaign activities. If one strictly follows the present rules, the natural conclusion is that such classes simply should not exist — which is fair enough, the published corpus abides by that restriction, and things work out fine that way.

However, if a Judge wants it to be viable for human A3 classes to exist, or wants to make human A2 classes more competitive, I think the solution is straightforward: base magic research rate off of character level, not caster level. Full caster classes will still retain advantages in magic research, having superior magic research throws and unlocking access to more advanced research options sooner, but this way the partial casters will still be able to effectively make use of their ability to perform research.

Even if a 9th level character of an A3 class can still only make potions and scrolls, being able to do so at the full 9th level rate means that he isn’t wasting his time doing so. This also better parallels other campaign activities: thief skills (and thus hijinks) scale purely off of character level, and qualifying for military command likewise is simply a matter of the character’s level, with a bonus at 5th level for appropriate stronghold types. On the whole then, I think it a small but valuable tweak, to open up the class design space and to help compensate the A2/A3 racial classes for their lofty XP costs.