Switching to Apprentice Wizard career
Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2019 9:01 pm
How would you set up learning to do magic after a switch from a mundane career?
Background
I have a player who wants to play a wizard. I did random careers for character creation, he had no luck. He is not advancing in his career, instead is saving all his xp to switch to the Apprentice Wizard career. I have warned the player that he will probably need 200 xp (career switch) + at least 400 xp (advances) before he can actually cast any spells, and those will be Petty Magic. I have also already introduced the character to a potential wizard mentor in game.
But, so, we have a character who does not have any magical skills or background becoming a wizard in game. I am going to rule that probabilities* do not matter at all, he actually has the talent and will be able to learn. WFRP 2e p. 141 lists four criteria for casting spells: Magic characteristic, Channeling skill, Speak Arcane Language skill, and access to spells (Petty Magic talent here). [Hedge Wizards do not need to Speak Arcane Language contrary to the list, but whatever, we are going the Arcane route.] Out of the Apprentice Wizard's magical skills and characteristics this seems to leave only Magical Sense off the list. Thus, the character will take some time to develop witchsight.
I would like comments on how to proceed in-game:
My current plan is that the character will get to learn the basics in just a few months. While I think it might be more in keeping with the Warhammer background to tell the player to roll up a new character to continue adventuring while the current character goes through the joys of true apprenticeship, for which he is too old to being with, that seems a bit harsh on the player, and the other PCs need to keep going.
This training break will probably happen during Death on the Reik. 400 xp will get him the four advances he needs.
I am considering that I would not give the character the full set of Petty Magic spells, though, but, rather, require him to learn the spells on his own or with his mentor one by one over a longer period of time. I would probably make him study them in CN order, meaning he would get Magic Dart and Sleep (and Marsh Lights) last. Still, he could get Drop as his second spell, that has some usefulness in combat.
Thoughts, comments from my more experienced colleagues?
* WFRP 2e p. 141 flavor text seems to indicate one in a million can be a wizard and one in ten billion a Battle Wizard. I estimate the population of the Empire to be around 5 million citizens, so these numbers seem totally off.
Background
I have a player who wants to play a wizard. I did random careers for character creation, he had no luck. He is not advancing in his career, instead is saving all his xp to switch to the Apprentice Wizard career. I have warned the player that he will probably need 200 xp (career switch) + at least 400 xp (advances) before he can actually cast any spells, and those will be Petty Magic. I have also already introduced the character to a potential wizard mentor in game.
But, so, we have a character who does not have any magical skills or background becoming a wizard in game. I am going to rule that probabilities* do not matter at all, he actually has the talent and will be able to learn. WFRP 2e p. 141 lists four criteria for casting spells: Magic characteristic, Channeling skill, Speak Arcane Language skill, and access to spells (Petty Magic talent here). [Hedge Wizards do not need to Speak Arcane Language contrary to the list, but whatever, we are going the Arcane route.] Out of the Apprentice Wizard's magical skills and characteristics this seems to leave only Magical Sense off the list. Thus, the character will take some time to develop witchsight.
I would like comments on how to proceed in-game:
My current plan is that the character will get to learn the basics in just a few months. While I think it might be more in keeping with the Warhammer background to tell the player to roll up a new character to continue adventuring while the current character goes through the joys of true apprenticeship, for which he is too old to being with, that seems a bit harsh on the player, and the other PCs need to keep going.
This training break will probably happen during Death on the Reik. 400 xp will get him the four advances he needs.
I am considering that I would not give the character the full set of Petty Magic spells, though, but, rather, require him to learn the spells on his own or with his mentor one by one over a longer period of time. I would probably make him study them in CN order, meaning he would get Magic Dart and Sleep (and Marsh Lights) last. Still, he could get Drop as his second spell, that has some usefulness in combat.
Thoughts, comments from my more experienced colleagues?
* WFRP 2e p. 141 flavor text seems to indicate one in a million can be a wizard and one in ten billion a Battle Wizard. I estimate the population of the Empire to be around 5 million citizens, so these numbers seem totally off.