Topic: multiclassing as in D&D

[commandant]

Except in the FAQ it is clarified that "the wearer is not a actually wizard" which is why they can wear armour. However not being a wizard stops them from casting spells.

[Minsc]

Except in the FAQ it is clarified that "the wearer is not a actually wizard" which is why they can wear armour. However not being a wizard stops them from casting spells.

And this means nothing according to the rules. It's a piece of flavourtext and you're making your own interpretation about it instead of just taking it for what it is, a piece of flavour text. This is literally the "discarding broken lances"-FBIGO bit from the first FAQ again. You're trying to interpret a rule that doesn't exist, so you're making up your own rule and overthinking it.

What does mean something according to the rules, are the actual rules for the Wizarding Hat, and they are extremely clear: The wearer is a Level 1 Wizard, with all that entails. The FAQ just clarifies that the Ogre Tyrant wearing it isn't an actual wizard (the power comes from the Hat) and can still wear his armour - but he still follows all the rules for a Level 1 Wizard thanks to said Hat. Nothing in the FAQ changes this.
Thats all there is to the FAQ, it's just a clarification that the Wizarding Hat doesn't prevent the wearer from using armour. Nothing more.

Answer me this, can a character with a Wizarding Hat:
- Cast spells? If yes, what bonuses does he have and why?
- Dispell spells? Regardless of "Yes" or "No", why Yes or No?
- Miscast? And if so, what happens?

... I guess I am standing on this hill after all. 

[commandant]

Can he cast spells? While wearing the hat he can cast spells like a level 1 wizard.

Can he dispell spells? No because he is not a wizard

Can he miscast? Yes because the hat casts spells like a wizard.

Is "the wearer is not actually a wizard" flavour text? Only in the sense that "the wizard is a level 1 wizard" is flavour text.

Clearly if the character is a level 1 wizard the the character can't wear armour.   However because the character is not a wizard then the character can wear armour. However because the character is not a wizard the character also can't have arcane items.

I could be wrong but I would point out the last time I argued counts-as-X =/= X I was correct.  Games workshop updates the rules to state that lances can be used both when X and when counts-as-X.   

Here of course we have a situation where the FAQ is over ruling the BRB. according to the BRB the wearer of the wizarding hat is a level 1 wizard. According to the FAQ the wearer is not a level 1 wizard. There might be further clarifications in the future which alter the rules again but atm the rules are very clear. The wearer if the wizarding hat is not a wizard. Therefore he can't dispel.

The miscast is more complex though because he is casting like a wizard rather than like a bound item so I'm not sure.

[Minsc]

Can he dispell spells? No because he is not a wizard

But he is a wizard...
The Rules for Wizarding Hat clearly say so.

Clearly if the character is a level 1 wizard the the character can't wear armour.   However because the character is not a wizard then the character can wear armour. However because the character is not a wizard the character also can't have arcane items.

This is where you are overthinking it. There was debate pre-FAQ about if Wizarding Hat prevented armour or not (since the rules said the wearer was a Level 1 Wizard), but now the FAQ allows it. The FAQ does not in any way change the rules for the Wizarding Hat itself, the wearer is still a Level 1 Wizard.

Here of course we have a situation where the FAQ is over ruling the BRB. according to the BRB the wearer of the wizarding hat is a level 1 wizard. According to the FAQ the wearer is not a level 1 wizard. There might be further clarifications in the future which alter the rules again but atm the rules are very clear. The wearer if the wizarding hat is not a wizard. Therefore he can't dispel.

No, the FAQ does not say "he is not a level 1 wizard", it says in a noticeably playful tone that "he isn't actually a wizard", because of course the Tyrant isn't a bloody wizard! He's a Tyrant with a magic item that turns him into a level 1 Wizard for all intents and purposes, except for the armour thing which the FAQ cleared up.

If the FAQ really wanted to make this massive change of the Wizard Hat that you imply they did, they could've and would've been way more clear about it. They aren't, because they're only answering the "can he wear armour"-part, they're not reworking the entire magic item.

Another quick question commandant; Before this FAQ, would you've let the wearer of a wizarding hat dispell magic?
I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that you'll say "Yes" to this question right?

[commandant]

Yes indeed. Before the FAQ it was clear the character was a wizard.

How could they be more clear than saying " the wearer is not a wizard"?

We have to be careful with playful tones though.

[Minsc]

Yes indeed. Before the FAQ it was clear the character was a wizard.

I think this is what it boils down to then.

You interpret that sentence as an actual (but unclear) ruling that massively nerfs an already bad magic item.
I took that sentence as a tounge-in-cheek throwaway flavourtext.

Nothing we say will convince the other, so I think we'll just have to agree to disagree. 

[commandant]

 

This is likely correct. Though I question how much it nerfs the item as its very questionable if that character should be dispelling

[The Peacemaker]

I think hammerhand is much better. Doppleganger was sweet with the mace but now its almost a dead spell. Even ogre blade on a wizard is only S5, AP2. Might as well just take more demigryphs for that 400ish points.

Wizardhat plus hammerhand on a champion sounds great. Demigryph champ especially, you got 3 wounds before he dies. Can squeeze in a charmed shield too. ...this guy is a much better minicharacher than most of the Empires characters!

And he'll be up close to enem lines do once in a while can dispel if not in combat.

[Athiuen]

I think hammerhand is much better.

Wizardhat plus hammerhand on a champion sounds great. Demigryph champ especially, you got 3 wounds before he dies. Can squeeze in a charmed shield too. ...this guy is a much better minicharacher than most of the Empires characters!

And he'll be up close to enem lines do once in a while can dispel if not in combat.

This is a great idea. I'll try it if I get a game in on thursday.