Character Training
Advancing Levels
As experience is earned, player characters will want to advance levels. When this happens, they will require training in the skills they have chosen. The cost of training varies with each character class, but is usually dependent upon what skills are to be learned. In this section, use of the term "level" for calculating costs refers to the level to be gained, unless otherwise specified.
All training normally takes place in organised establishments for the character's class, e.g. in a sect building for wizards, or a warrior guild for fighters. Some classes have the option to train themselves, which is cheaper but takes a while longer.
A general note about feats is required here. Each new feat normally costs 50gp and where feats are to be learned, training is extended by an extra day. Only one day is added even for multiple feats, and there are exceptions to this cost and time structure depending on the class.
Most organisations provide training in feats, but only in those that relate to their own classes. If a character wanted to learn something outside what his own organisation teaches, he might have to go to an organisation that supports it. For example, if a sorcerer wanted to learn an armour feat, they could not get it from their own sect, and would probably be best going to one of the warrior guilds for that training. Each separate organisation used in this way would extend training by a day, no matter how many feats they teach. Paladins and clerics that wish to train this way will have to pay for their own feat training in these instances, and for Monks this training would incur the extra time that they are normally exempt from.
Fighters, Rangers and Barbarians
The cost of organised training for these are simplest
- 100gp per level for tuition, taking 1 week
- 50gp per feat learned, learning one or more feats adds 1 day to the training time
These costs assume that the character is using their own guild facilities (even if in another town or city), and may be far higher if they use the facilities of other guilds. As a guideline, associated guilds will charge double and training at unaffiliated places will cost up to four times the basic cost.
Alternatively the fighter can train himself, for free, but this will take three weeks. If the character needs to learn a new feat, then this will cost an extra 50gp per feat, and adds the normal extra day. PCs cannot normally train themselves in feats and usually must hire professional help. The only exception here is if the character has spent time in the previous level attempting to learn some skills relating to the feat, for example learning an armour feat by wearing the armour in real combat and suffering the penalties for doing so. As a rule of thumb, the character should have done this for at least a quarter of the previous level - although the DM will decide if they have done enough.
Rangers, when they reach appropriate level, pay the same as clerics in both time and money for their spells. Some warrior guilds provide ranger spell support, but it is common for rangers to use the facilities of the Cult of Nature.
Paladins
All training costs for paladins will be met by their church, provided they maintain their tithe level. All training requires one week plus one day if they are learning new feats. The only outlay for training comes when the paladin can learn clerical spells. They must make the same sacrifice as a cleric when it comes to learning a new spell level, although he may retain enough money for this purpose.
If the Paladin is attempting to learn feats that are outside the skills normally taught by their church or warrior guild, then they must pay normal costs as other classes would.
Clerics and Druids
The Druid is considered a cleric of the Cult of Nature for both tithing and training. The training costs for clerics and druids are assumed to be paid by their church, provided they are up-to-date with their tithes. However, before a cleric can learn a new level of spells, they are required to make a sacrifice to their deity of 100gp value per spell level, e.g. if a cleric wanted to learn 3rd level spells from now on (after gaining 5th level), it would cost a sacrifice of 300gp.
If the cleric is forced to pay for their training costs, they will pay 200gp per level being learned and 50gp per feat.
Training takes one week, an additional day if the cleric will be learning a new level of spells, and an additional extra day if feats are to be learned. The cleric must use the facilities of a branch of their own cult, no other cult can train them, and they cannot train themselves.
Wizards and Sorcerers
Training for wizardry is an expensive and time-consuming business. Mages should always seek training from their own sect, and the cost for this is
- 200gp per level, and takes one week.
- Gaining a new level of spells takes an extra day and will cost an extra 50gp per new spell level, as they prepare to handle this new, more powerful magic.
- 50gp per feat, one or more feats add another day to training time.
Included in the training costs for wizards is one free spell of his highest level from his own school, if one is available, or from one of the other primary schools of the sect. Additional spells can also be purchased at this time, provided the wizard had capacity in their spell book.
If the Wizard does not have access to his own sect, then these costs are doubled when using an associated sect. It is not normally possible to train as a Wizard at any other sect.
The prices are on a lower scale for sorcerers, as they train with little instruction; their work is largely self-focussed and involves practice. They do, however, need to hire safe facilities and have access to wizard materials especially if changing or adding spells|
- 100gp per level, taking one week.
- 50gp per spell level when learning a new level of spells, and this adds an extra day
- 50gp per feat, adding an extra day in the normal way
When sorcerers train for a new level, their 'known spell' list can be changed. Most sects will allow sorcerers to replace any known spell with any unknown spell of the same level from any of the magic schools they teach. They will not charge for this service. Additionally, the sorcerer will be allowed a new spell at the highest level (or lower if the sorcerer requires) they are able to cast. If the Sorcerer can add more than on new spell with their new level, then the additional spells are also available for purchase.
These costs assume the Sorcerer can use training facilities of their own or an associated sect; unfortunately, this may not always be possible. If the mage has to hire training facilities from another sect, then training costs are doubled, and spell costs are usually charged at the market rate.
Rogues
Rogue training is normally
- 100gp per level at an organised guild, taking one week.
- 50gp for each new feat, adding a day to training time if any feats are learned.
Rogues can also train themselves for free, and this will take three weeks. The closed shop nature of thief guilds, however, frowns on this; they do not like 'freelance' rogues.
These costs assume that the PC trains with their own thief guild, costs can be many times higher if he is forced to go elsewhere, and there is often a negotiation to take place (why would a thief guild train a rogue for one of their competitors?)
Bards
For bards to train, they need to have their musical instrument to hand. They must spend one week working as a rogue at a thief guild, and one week working as a magic user to learn spells (bards never get a free spell, and do not, normally, belong to a mage sect). Thief guilds usually charge full price for this service, but mage sects often have a discount rate for bards; they can normally be trained by quite low-level mages, and so the training fees are one quarter of those for wizards (after allowing for premiums for non-membership of the sect). Spell costs are unchanged. During this time, they are also assumed to practice their musical instrument in their own time. New feats can be learned at either the mage sect or the thief guild (or they can even be learned from other sources such as warrior guilds or in the church, depending on what feat is being learned); these will add a day in the normal way and cost 50gp per feat.
Monks
Monks train like no other class. There are several major organisations for Monks in Arthea - they all have slightly different outlooks, but all are humble organisations. Their training costs, therefore, are low; as the monk is expected to maintain very little in the way of possessions; but despite this, the costs of maintaining the monasteries must be met. Monk training always takes two weeks; the monasteries charge a nominal 50gp per level for such training, but will charge double that when teaching one who is not their own initiate. Feats are trained at a cost of 25gp, but they do not add time onto the training.
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