D&D 3e/3.5e/d20The forum for conversations specifically related to the rules and procedures of Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition, 3.5 Edition, or any fantasy game using the d20 system or a variant thereof (commercially published or not).
Background: Right now I'm about a level 1 College Student/4 Mathematician, but it's hard to tell IC. I started out about 10 years ago and became a College Student, then after a few years prestiged into Mathematician. When I got a BS in Mathematics and BA in Mathematics Education I became Mathematician 2, then after I passed my qualifying exams I became a Mathematician 3, then got an MA and now I'm a Mathematician 4, I think. I took the feat Skill Focus (Mathematics), which should come in handy for my quest. Also, I could be off somewhere.
What's happening now: I'm on a long quest. I started by searching various places, namely the department website, to get paperwork for getting a PhD. I filled it out, printed it off, but that wasn't the end. I needed to secure people to give me trials, namely comprehensive exams. After contacting them we agreed on the dates of the trials. I need five signatures. The first I just completed, the simplest, getting the signature of someone outside of the department, essentially just having to walk to his office.
Here comes the tricky part. Tomorrow and Wednesday I have to pass two comprehensive exams. It basically comes down a series of Knowledge (Mathematics) checks and maybe some Diplomacy. I have max ranks in Knowledge (Mathematics) and I've written up notes for the two exams. As the exams are somewhat informal, I can bring my notes, which I assume work as masterwork tools and give me a +2 circumstance bonus. I also have been studying for them a lot, so I might get some other bonus, but I'm not sure the type or how much. Unfortunately I can't take 10 or take 20 because I'll be both threatened and rushed.
After completing the aforementioned trials I'll acquire their signatures and have 3 down, 2 to go. Then I'll get a break (hopefully), and my mentor/advisor will give me his signature for free... assuming I can ever meet him. The final signature will be the simplest of all, just asking my department chair after having the other 4.
Finally, with all the paperwork and signatures I can complete the quest by giving the material to the director of graduates studies.
Question: Should completing this quest bump me up a level? I'm already partially to the next level as I've gained experience through publishing papers and attending conferences and studies of my own. In any case, I might need to level up for
What's to come: All of these shenanigans, if they can be called that, are really just part of a larger quest, obtaining a PhD. That's another story, however.
Honestly, you would have been better off pumping all your ranks in Bluff, instead of trying to max out two skills (not sure how many you get per level with your homebrewed classes). A Veil of Allure would have helped too.
Interesting. I'm also in math grad school, but I generally just stat myself out as being an expert with a few ranks in knowledge(mathematics). What is your intended area of research? Good luck on quals.
Some responses! I was afraid I wouldn't get any :P
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Originally Posted by ILM
Honestly, you would have been better off pumping all your ranks in Bluff, instead of trying to max out two skills (not sure how many you get per level with your homebrewed classes). A Veil of Allure would have helped too.
Hmm the Veil wouldn't bee nice. Might be kind of weird busting that thing out for comps though.
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Originally Posted by JoshuaZ
Interesting. I'm also in math grad school, but I generally just stat myself out as being an expert with a few ranks in knowledge(mathematics). What is your intended area of research? Good luck on quals.
Ahh, if I were to not be silly and really try to stat myself out, I'd probably consider myself a level 1 Commoner. When I think of the difference between myself now (mathematically, anyway) and myself in undergrad I think I earned a level or two.
Oh right, area of research. I work with quasi-metrics, which some people call other things. Basically we get a weakened version of the triangle inequality. Think L^p for p between 0 and 1. I mean, I do more general stuff, but that's the most common example. And you?
Oh right (again). Not to nitpick but I did my quals a couple years ago. Now I'm going up against... the comps. Like fighting different types of dragons or something.
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Originally Posted by Spuddles
I've been taking levels in biologist. Bigger hd and more exciting quests.
Can't argue there. I wonder how the PrC's would compare side-by-side...
See if you can convince your DM to hold off on leveling you up just for the moment. At Level 6, you can take the Academic Researcher prestige class, which has some pretty nice buffs. I'd suggest grabbing the Leadership feat if you do that, though, because having research assistants really provides big bonuses to the class's abilities.
Unfortunately, under the 3.5 revisions to the university code, you need to already have the PhD quest completed to take Academic Researcher. It used to be available with just completion of a MA quest, but the latest revisions really nerfed MAs.
__________________ Patchwork Magisters - Volume III is now available! You know, if you like that sort of thing.
You're a Mathematician 4 with Skill Focus (mathematics). Couldn't you figure this out yourself?
Zing. I did, however, laugh heartily.
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Originally Posted by Friv
See if you can convince your DM to hold off on leveling you up just for the moment. At Level 6, you can take the Academic Researcher prestige class, which has some pretty nice buffs. I'd suggest grabbing the Leadership feat if you do that, though, because having research assistants really provides big bonuses to the class's abilities.
Unfortunately, under the 3.5 revisions to the university code, you need to already have the PhD quest completed to take Academic Researcher. It used to be available with just completion of a MA quest, but the latest revisions really nerfed MAs.
That's a tough call. Level sooner to help with completing the PhD quest or level later for bigger rewards. Hmmm...
Honestly, at this point I think I'm burnt out enough that my long-term standards are lowering. And man, nothing like getting the nerf bat. Did 3.5 do anything good for us students?
Oh right, area of research. I work with quasi-metrics, which some people call other things. Basically we get a weakened version of the triangle inequality. Think L^p for p between 0 and 1. I mean, I do more general stuff, but that's the most common example. And you?
I'm doing algebraic number theory. Right now, I'm working on counting Artin representations of bounded conductor. Essentially tightening some of the bounds in this paper(pdf), especially those connected to Proposition 8.
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Oh right (again). Not to nitpick but I did my quals a couple years ago. Now I'm going up against... the comps. Like fighting different types of dragons or something.
This may be a notational differece. I think what you are calling quals we called pre-quals and what you are calling comps we called quals.
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Can't argue there. I wonder how the PrC's would compare side-by-side...
I suspect the bio people have a much easier time qualifying for PrCs that actually sound like D&D PrCs. I can reasonably see a "geneticist" PrC for example, although what the D&D version does would likely be pretty different from the version the biologist qualifies for. Although I do seem to recall now that I think about it some PrC that was called a "Geometer". Does someone know what book that was in?
I'll have to check that paper. I'm on my phone at the moment. My guess is I won't get much out of it though. I'm more on the analysis side.
Ahh I see. I never heard of quals and pre-quals, only comps and quals. Hmm. Do you go to college in the US?
It's funny you mention Geometer. I would label myself as a Quasi-Metrician, but a big chunk of the stuff I do (dealing with Gromov-Hausdorff distance and embeddings and stuff) is more Geometry.
Calm the hell down,as far as I can tell, you're just completing the fluff requirement for the Prestige Class PhD, from Complete Student; Schoolhouse Adventures. The fluff requirement means nothing on it's own, you still need to get the experience before you level. You won't qualify if you level before the fluff requirement is complete.
Normally I'd say sign up for a tour in some 3rd world country (cough Afghanistan cough), but College Students usually do better traveling abroad, abusing the Romance Encounters rules for roleplay xp, hobby-grinding, or some combination. Anything that gets you an xp farm without SAN drain.
Some performance-enhancers will give an Alchemical bonus for the test, just take out your lucky d%, because the addiction rules are not fun to deal with.
Having good night's sleep for at least the 2 days immediately prior to the exam should net you a +1, while Sleep Deprived hits you with -2.
EDIT: See if your DM will let you make a hobby and your occupation into the same activity. IIRC nothing's explicitly preventing you, but it's pretty overpowered because it shatters the Work vs Play into little bitty pieces, and shoots your Happiness levels through the roof.
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Originally Posted by Emperor Tippy
By level 20 though, you aren't capturing a wizard. A character lives to level 20 by being the most ruthless, lucky, capable, and paranoid bastard around. A wizard is throwing around a 30+ Int score and has, entirely in character, planned contingencies for his contingencies. He may well be running around with flat out total immunity to harm, he does not walk outside without an entire bevy of defensive magics around him and enough magic items to buy himself a nation.
Last edited by Slipperychicken : 10-30-2012 at 01:06 PM.
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How much experience should I get for this?
