Sea Druids

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13eowulf
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Sea Druids

Unread post by 13eowulf »

Can a Sea Druid learn additional Ocean Magic spells outside of leveling?

The 'Learning New Spells' section is not present, only Spell Casting Abilities, and (to me) it looks like the OCC was compressed a bit in order to fit into allocated space. This makes me think that they might be able to.

Note: I refer only to Ocean Magic (and possibly Whale Singer Spellsongs, as the Whale Singer states they can learn/purchase both these types of spells at any time).
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Bill
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Re: Sea Druids

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Classes that can, such as the Ocean Wizard (see point 8 under that class's abilities), specify that how they can learn additional spells. On the bright side, Ocean Druids get a fun shapeshifting ability and can dabble in spellsongs.
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Re: Sea Druids

Unread post by eliakon »

I am going to agree with Bill here.
The ability to learn spells seems to me to be something that you need to have actually called out. If you are not explicitly said to be able to learn spells at any time....then you can't.
This would seem to be especially true in this case as they are not a scholastic type of class but more of a mystic/priest sort.
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13eowulf
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Re: Sea Druids

Unread post by 13eowulf »

Bill wrote:Classes that can, such as the Ocean Wizard (see point 8 under that class's abilities), specify that how they can learn additional spells. On the bright side, Ocean Druids get a fun shapeshifting ability and can dabble in spellsongs.

But those that cant, going all the way back to the RMB Mystic, still have the 'learning new spells' section that explains they cannot. This section is missing entirely from the Sea Druid.
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Re: Sea Druids

Unread post by say652 »

I would say yes. Equal to current level.
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Re: Sea Druids

Unread post by eliakon »

13eowulf wrote:
Bill wrote:Classes that can, such as the Ocean Wizard (see point 8 under that class's abilities), specify that how they can learn additional spells. On the bright side, Ocean Druids get a fun shapeshifting ability and can dabble in spellsongs.

But those that cant, going all the way back to the RMB Mystic, still have the 'learning new spells' section that explains they cannot. This section is missing entirely from the Sea Druid.

If this class was a "scholastic" type (like say a Temporal Wizard who also has the same lack of spell learning text) I would be pretty willing to accept that they can buy more spell formulas. However they seem to be pretty good examples of an intuitive sort of magic user....and thus I would assume that they have the same limitations as other intuitive types (like priests, shamans, mystics, warlocks, fusionists, etc.) and that they can not just buy a formula.
The rules are not a bludgeon with which to hammer a character into a game. They are a guide to how a group of friends can get together to weave a collective story that entertains everyone involved. We forget that at our peril.

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Bill
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Re: Sea Druids

Unread post by Bill »

13eowulf wrote:
Bill wrote:Classes that can, such as the Ocean Wizard (see point 8 under that class's abilities), specify that how they can learn additional spells. On the bright side, Ocean Druids get a fun shapeshifting ability and can dabble in spellsongs.

But those that cant, going all the way back to the RMB Mystic, still have the 'learning new spells' section that explains they cannot. This section is missing entirely from the Sea Druid.

If you wish to grant the druid the ability to learn additional spells, that is fine with me. However, it's not included in their write-up and I am unaware of any suggestion that magic-using classes gain the ability by default if it is not included. On the other hand, the Ocean Druid is the only druid class that I am aware of that actually uses spell magic. Even the Palladium FRPG Druid uses "magic powers" rather than spells. So maybe the Ocean Druids are special.
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13eowulf
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Re: Sea Druids

Unread post by 13eowulf »

eliakon wrote:
13eowulf wrote:
Bill wrote:Classes that can, such as the Ocean Wizard (see point 8 under that class's abilities), specify that how they can learn additional spells. On the bright side, Ocean Druids get a fun shapeshifting ability and can dabble in spellsongs.

But those that cant, going all the way back to the RMB Mystic, still have the 'learning new spells' section that explains they cannot. This section is missing entirely from the Sea Druid.

If this class was a "scholastic" type (like say a Temporal Wizard who also has the same lack of spell learning text) I would be pretty willing to accept that they can buy more spell formulas. However they seem to be pretty good examples of an intuitive sort of magic user....and thus I would assume that they have the same limitations as other intuitive types (like priests, shamans, mystics, warlocks, fusionists, etc.) and that they can not just buy a formula.


This is true, they do not seem much like the scholastic type.
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13eowulf
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Re: Sea Druids

Unread post by 13eowulf »

Bill wrote:
13eowulf wrote:
Bill wrote:Classes that can, such as the Ocean Wizard (see point 8 under that class's abilities), specify that how they can learn additional spells. On the bright side, Ocean Druids get a fun shapeshifting ability and can dabble in spellsongs.

But those that cant, going all the way back to the RMB Mystic, still have the 'learning new spells' section that explains they cannot. This section is missing entirely from the Sea Druid.

If you wish to grant the druid the ability to learn additional spells, that is fine with me. However, it's not included in their write-up and I am unaware of any suggestion that magic-using classes gain the ability by default if it is not included. On the other hand, the Ocean Druid is the only druid class that I am aware of that actually uses spell magic. Even the Palladium FRPG Druid uses "magic powers" rather than spells. So maybe the Ocean Druids are special.


And that ambiguity, and uniqueness from other Druid classes (both England and PFRPG), is why I pondered the question and put it forth.
From what I can tell, the majority of classes state one way or the other, there is no assumed default, as it is common for either to be stated.

But the posts here have mostly well thought out responses that have given me much thought, and I am now leaning towards the 'intuitive caster' side of things.
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