Mage'elf and spallcasting?

I'm not sure I understand how the stacking of mage ability and the elf racial features work.  If I had an elf at 1st level with value 4 mage and value 4 elf, how is he different than a level one normal mage?  What about at level 8?

Elf 4 Arcane 4 means double the spells per day. Progression to the next spell level is still based the standard Mage build, but the experience cost would be 5000base and have a level cap of 8. In other words, that Elf 4 Arcane 4 caster at first level would have the ability to cast two first level spells per day versus just one, but would require 5000xp to level 2 instead of 2500 for a standard human mage.

<- not an Autarch

Do they get twice the numbver of learned spells too?

 

The amount of spells available on an arcane caster's repertoire is always spells per day plus (or minus) intelligence modifier. 

[quote="BAMF"]

Do they get twice the numbver of learned spells too? [/quote]

The number of spells they can learn of any given level is calculated the same way it is for other mages: (Number of spells per day) + (intelligence modifier). Because their number of spells per day is higher, they will learn more spells... but but nothing about this particular class combination doubles their intelligence modifier, so the number of spells known will only be exactly double that of the same character as a mage if their intelligence modifier is 0.

[quote="GMJoe"]

Hmm, seems like a crappy deal for such a high XP cost, oh well.

 

Do they get twice the numbver of learned spells too?


-BAMF

 

The number of spells they can learn of any given level is calculated the same way it is for other mages: (Number of spells per day) + (intelligence modifier). Because their number of spells per day is higher, they will learn more spells... but but nothing about this particular class combination doubles their intelligence modifier, so the number of spells known will only be exactly double that of the same character as a mage if their intelligence modifier is 0.

[/quote]

[quote="Lucerious"]

Elf 4 Arcane 4 means double the spells per day. Progression to the next spell level is still based the standard Mage build, but the experience cost would be 5000base and have a level cap of 8. In other words, that Elf 4 Arcane 4 caster at first level would have the ability to cast two first level spells per day versus just one, but would require 5000xp to level 2 instead of 2500 for a standard human mage.

<- not an Autarch

[/quote]

 

Actually somewhere it says elf mages get a 125xp reduction or something like that to mage class so it would be less :P

That cost is already factored in at Elf 4

[quote="BAMF"] Hmm, seems like a crappy deal for such a high XP cost, oh well. [/quote]

Due to the low level cap and lack of access to high level abilities, I would agree. However, an Elf 2 Arcane 4 build (150% spells per day) with an eleventh level cap is worth consideration. 

1. Access to Wakefulness and Pass Without Trace on your proficiency list due to elf

2. Even with the experience gap, you'll have more castings per spell level per day 

3. At a cap of 11 vs 14, the former will have 6/5/5/5/3/2 while the later will have 4/4/4/4/3/3 (spells per day per level)

The only additional sacrifice is a single class and general proficiency that would otherwise occur at level twelve and thirteen respectively. 

[quote="Lucerious"]

 

Hmm, seems like a crappy deal for such a high XP cost, oh well.


-BAMF

 

Due to the low level cap and lack of access to high level abilities, I would agree. However, an Elf 2 Arcane 4 build (150% spells per day) with an eleventh level cap is worth consideration. 

1. Access to Wakefulness and Pass Without Trace on your proficiency list due to elf

2. Even with the experience gap, you'll have more castings per spell level per day 

3. At a cap of 11 vs 14, the former will have 6/5/5/5/3/2 while the later will have 4/4/4/4/3/3 (spells per day per level)

The only additional sacrifice is a single class and general proficiency that would otherwise occur at level twelve and thirteen respectively. 

[/quote]

 

That was actually a helpful break down, thanks :)

I'm glad it helped. I also wish my phone's autocorrect would have recognized that I wanted to type "latter" and not "later". Uff da!