A few questions about the rules' intent or where certain things are documented:

- The FAQ states that wizards begin with Channelling and Spellcraft, while priests do not have their equivalents. Is this stated in the rulebooks; in particular the first part? Do the rules (outside the FAQ) state that starting wizards don't need to purchase Channelling and Spellcraft?

edit: page 42 of the Tome of Mysteries in the background text! Thanks to a buddy of mine for that one.

- The advancements section states that only wizards may take spell action cards as an example. Does this appear as an actual rule elsewhere? Is similar documented for priests?

- The character creation rules don't give the above restriction; do the rules intend for any characters to be able to take Channel Power or the like, and begin using it when they've also grabbed Channelling and/or Spellcraft as advanced skills?

Thanks!

Are you speaking of...

unsanctioned magic? By Sigmar, the very thought of it!

I don't think the rules explicitly prohibit this, so I think it's possible. But... If the character can't take spells as action cards (not being a wizard), why would you need Channeling etc. ?

Precisely! Heretics, hedge wizards, and the like.

Unless they pick up a proper career, nothing after creation, but the loophole (if, indeed, it is one) would allow them to grab channeling, cantrip, and other basic spells.

That sounds cool and it would invite a lot of roleplaying opportunities and intrigue, I think.

As has been discussed above concerning Hedge Wizards and such, I think it's a great idea if you want your game to go down that path. I would make the character pick up Channeling and Spellcraft as non-career advances first but after that would allow them to acquire the "Basic" spell actions with further advances. To acquire spell actions from any of the specific Colleges, I would make the character become formally indoctrinated into said College.

As another thought, I might only require Hedge Wizards to acquire Spellcraft before taking Basic spell actions. They can still cast spells if they chose not to take Channeling, it just means that they have to wait longer for the slow build-up of equilibrium and can never "over-channel"...which actually kind of brings the right flavor to the concept of people who can dabble in magic but not really have true mastery or understanding of it. Me likes!