On Thayan Knights

[The Butcher]

I was helping out a friend with a build when he expressed interest in making a Thayan Knight. I read through the Lords of Darkness and the Unapproachable East to understand what is typically allowed and disallowed, and though I couldn't find it, I remember someone mentioning that Thayan Knights are not allowed to be arcanists/casters. Is this true, and if so, what is its source?

It's important, because I was thinking of telling him to make a Fighter/Wizard/EK/TK build.

[Cornuto]

My instincts are to tell you no, and then resent you for asking.



... but I'll look it up.

[BedlamX]

What I was told when I took a caster level with Ursus: No caster levels or you get spanked by the actual Red Wizards and horribly killed over and over. Direct from Saulus on that one (with some of my own over dramatizing to make it more dire ).

Ursus is now a caster-free toon :P

[Cornuto]

Looks like its fighter monk or ranger.

Your wussy wizard/fighter need not apply.

[The Butcher]

Looks like its fighter monk or ranger.

Your wussy wizard/fighter need not apply.

So Fighter + Other base class not Monk or Ranger is unacceptable?

[Gamling]

There's nothing that says you can't, though in my experience they're not common because it's counted as rivalry. Though from what I've seen it would be up to the red wizard from what I've read about Thay, knights and Red Wizards. It's a personal taste in how the knight behaves over a general ruling. Though there are cultural stigmas, of course.

[Dirty Goblin]

Hm... Well, I'm in love with the Thayan faction, and I want to try this build, s'pose I'll grit my teeth and not go Thayan Knight.

On the bright side, it won't restrict me from serving as a Thayn, just not as a Knight or Red Wizard. Perhaps an indebted slave, or some such.

[roguethree]

I don't think the Thayans would want servants with as much caster ability as an Eldritch Knight has: that whole magical submission thing might be compromised. Best to keep them nonarcane.

[The Butcher]

I don't think the Thayans would want servants with as much caster ability as an Eldritch Knight has: that whole magical submission thing might be compromised. Best to keep them nonarcane.

This is more of an argument of ideology based on individuals, which doesn't seem so strong given all of what Red Wizards do, and who they rely on.

Look at the nature of Red Wizards and the way they rely on their apprentices heavily in PnP for Circle Magic, for example. Their apprentices are very capable of betraying them. That in mind, I don't think that all would dismiss the idea of having both a Thayan Knight to protect them, as well as a slave to fuel their circle magic, all in one; more reliable than an apprentice, less reliable than a fighter Thayan Knight, but twice the benefits.

I was hoping for something more definite in the books, because it all seems pretty vague on this matter.

[Vaelek]

This is more of an argument of ideology based on individuals, which doesn't seem so strong given all of what Red Wizards do, and who they rely on.

'praps so, but it seems like this is less about Red Wizards as a whole and more about the Sundren enclave.
Judging by experience with the NPCs and a few PCs of the faction, allowing their most trusted servant and bodyguard to the same level of arcane secrecy as themselves and their peers would be very out-of-character.

[Cornuto]

You could have a badass Thayan Knight Monk though... that'd be different.

Actually, multi-classing monks are usually failsauce, so nevermind.

[Gamling]

But a monk thayan knight would just be badass. Which I don't understand since they need longsword focus.

[Cornuto]

So they can... um... *shrugs*

[Gamling]

*Demands reqs are changed so I can become ultra-maxiumus, monk of Thay - knight edition*

[Doubtful]

It's probably something to do with the symbolic power of the sword, and all that kind of crap.