One of my players (lvl 4 Alchemist Artificer) has managed to wrench the amulet from a shield guardian that was rendered inert and it's master taken prisoner. They are determined to figure out how it works. At level 4 I think it would be a better decision to give them access to the Summon Homunculus spell form the Artificer list rather than fudge the result after they spend time studying the amulet. What is the general rule for players learning spells that are higher level than they could normally have access to?
The player is an Artificer so it's not from a different classes spell list. I'd just be swapping out their ability to control the Shield Guardian with their ability to control a Homunculus via the usual spell, just a couple levels early. That is if they spend the down-time to study the amulet and discover how it works through dice rolls.
Okay so I spent some time studying the Artificer class myself and realized that creating a Homunculus is an Infusion not a spell. But my question still stands, is letting a player learn new class feature early better than giving them an OP magic item like controlling a Shield Guardian?
Only you know how much magic you want to put in the game. Every DM has their own opinion on the availability and strength of magical items/spells in their campaign. Now, if you are simply allowing this 4th level Artificer to have access to something has a prerequisite of 6th level, that is not earth-shattering.
BUT, if you do, make sure that the player understands, all the other actual costs and opportunity costs are involved. Don't give the player a free infusion, that is above and beyond the actual number that artificer can use.
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One of my players (lvl 4 Alchemist Artificer) has managed to wrench the amulet from a shield guardian that was rendered inert and it's master taken prisoner. They are determined to figure out how it works. At level 4 I think it would be a better decision to give them access to the Summon Homunculus spell form the Artificer list rather than fudge the result after they spend time studying the amulet.
What is the general rule for players learning spells that are higher level than they could normally have access to?
The player is an Artificer so it's not from a different classes spell list. I'd just be swapping out their ability to control the Shield Guardian with their ability to control a Homunculus via the usual spell, just a couple levels early. That is if they spend the down-time to study the amulet and discover how it works through dice rolls.
Okay so I spent some time studying the Artificer class myself and realized that creating a Homunculus is an Infusion not a spell. But my question still stands, is letting a player learn new class feature early better than giving them an OP magic item like controlling a Shield Guardian?
Only you know how much magic you want to put in the game. Every DM has their own opinion on the availability and strength of magical items/spells in their campaign. Now, if you are simply allowing this 4th level Artificer to have access to something has a prerequisite of 6th level, that is not earth-shattering.
BUT, if you do, make sure that the player understands, all the other actual costs and opportunity costs are involved. Don't give the player a free infusion, that is above and beyond the actual number that artificer can use.