Lore-based Question: Khalid & the Harpers

abacus

So, I'm fooling around with a Bard on NWN2, and I realise that I've accidentally made myself eligible to take the Harper prestige class.

This gets me thinking about Jaheira and, more to the point, Khalid...
Now the NWN2 engine requires spellcasting ability in order to become a Harper which, as a basic scrapper, Khalid does not have.

So, to any Lore-savvy bods, is Khalid a legit Harper? Is the spellcasting requirement just an edition-specific thing?
Or, do I now have reasonable grounds to keeper Khalid into something more interesting (in the same way as I do with Minsc)?

MERLANCE

You dont need to have levels in the Harper Agent (or any of the other Harper prestige classes) to be a Harper. Its just specialized training that some Harpers are eligible to receive.

DreadKhan

The biggest restriction Harpers have is their stricture against disrupting balance... its very important to the Harpers that memebrs do not actually, you know, DO anything.

Rogues are good at not doing things, casters are usually the best, but Fighters are capable of not doing things too, they just have to work harder at it.

Abi_Dalzim

DreadKhan said:

The biggest restriction Harpers have is their stricture against disrupting balance... its very important to the Harpers that memebrs do not actually, you know, DO anything.

Rogues are good at not doing things, casters are usually the best, but Fighters are capable of not doing things too, they just have to work harder at it.

If not doing things is the key imperative, Khalid certainly has the right attitude for the job...

Archaos

There are actually various Harper prestige classes for Harpers.

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Harper

"Most members are either good/neutral-aligned rangers or bards, though many wizards and druids are also their willing allies. Five prestige classes are tied to the Harpers including the Harper paragon, Harper mage, Harper priest, Harper agent and Master Harper. It should be noted that this wiki considers Harper agent and Harper scout to be the same prestige class in two different versions of the game (3.5 and 3rd, respectively). "

Also the Harper Agent PrC is utter garbage. It has no idea what it wants to be, giving you nothing important and requires two useless feats as well as some other stuff.

Even if it had no requirements and took it as a Bard, it would be setting 5 Bard levels on fire.

JuliusBorisov

abacus said:

is Khalid a legit Harper?

Y-y-yes

Elzarath

Interesting that Master Harper is a prestige class, isn't that what Jaheria becomes in BG2 and Elminster gives her that pin? (May be related to her romance plot line)

Blackraven

@Elzarath, I don't think the diaologue states that she becomes a Master Harper when Terminsel appears and gives her the pin, and the pin is simply called Harper Pin (not Master Harper Pin, like there is a Master Harper Amulet you can get in ToB). But you could of course roleplay the event as the moment in which she becomes a Master Harper.

Elzarath

Oh that's what it was! Yep, thanks for the correction, got my wires crossed there

SionIV

Didn't they meet each other on harper business to start with? She mentions it in the SoA romance, no?

Kamigoroshi

To become a Harper, one only needs to do one thing: play the harp!
Yes... no other instrument is tolerated by these musical extremists. Got a flute? They'll rebuke you to the Fluters. You're proud of your old and trusted bagpipe? The Harpers don't want you. Better try your luck with the Backpipers. Harpers...pfeh!

Me, I'm a long time member of the Thereminer.

Abi_Dalzim

I'm a card-carrying member of the Mellotroneers, myself.

Calmar

Now we see why 3rd edition prestige classes aren't necessarily the best way to represent whole organisations...

DreadKhan

Eh, I love the fact that certain organizations have unique skill sets/talents.

It just so happens that the Harper PrCs aren't much better than Adept levels, while the Zhent Skymage is a total boss. Zhent Spy is pretty solid too actually, very good RP utility.

scriver

...They're not supposed to do that anyway.

Calmar

scriver said:

...They're not supposed to do that anyway.

Not all of them, sure, but the Harper Agent certainly seems to be meant to.

DreadKhan

Calmar said:

scriver said:

...They're not supposed to do that anyway.

Not all of them, sure, but the Harper Agent certainly seems to be meant to.

Except the big founder himself didn't take any levels in it?? Not seeing your point.

kcwise

I can't believe all of you keep harping on this topic! Sheesh.