So,

Crunch is good and all, but I have a new player joining our game and she wanted to play a scholar. I said 'sure' 'fine' and thought about the classes I've seen much like it, but I'm not doing so good when trying to come up with a rank 2 scholarly person who isn't an investigator (which we already have). I know there's some awesome RPers in here who favor the less combaty careers.

Anyone have a couple suggestions to help me out?

Perhaps a member of a book-binding guild aka a wandering librarian that has access to other guild-house stockpiles? They could officially be in charge of inspecting various book binding operations in <appropriate part of the empire> sort of like a surprise health inspector at a restaurant. It would give the character access to stores of knowledge and well known book collectors (well known to book binders anyway) which can help out in investigative scenarios, and the traveling bit allows them to move more freely about the Empire without having to be Sherlock or Watson.

Another way to slice it is that perhaps they are somehow attached to the traveling circuit judges? Like a Warhammer version of a wandering paralegal. They'd be able to have wicked knowledge of empire law, but they aren't quite jumped up enough to actually be a judge (that's next rank ). The character is again free to wander the length and breadth of the old world, more or less. They also would have something to offer in social situations and debate, since they are more of a legal-minded individual.

Another interesting thing to consider is whether or not the player wants to be straight lace-scholar the entire time. It's pretty easy to dip into Charlatan for expert giggles and con-artistry! In the two above cases:

A book binding guild charlatan may be making bootleg copies of things and selling them on the side in cheap fall-apart bindings for plenty of karls...as long as they are out of town before the book collector realizes they bought 200 blank pages wrapped in well oiled boot leather.

The charlatan paralegal may be trumping up "legal" documents to folks that might have use for that kind of thing...as long as the character is gone by the time the fraudulent papers are discovered.

I am absolutely sure there are better ways to play a scholar but that's what fell off my fingers at the moment.

Cheers

There are a whole bunch of characters that fit the scholar role in the spectrum between Indiana Jones and some dusty old book worm.

Just some ideas off the top of my head. Not knowing what your game is about, a scholar could be:

-doing research for a book (on a topic that fits the premise of your game)

-writing a book/serial on the adventures of the group

-looking for ancient tomes or other artifacts

-trying to use academics as a means of social/political advancement

-socially/politically radical and attempting to bring about change in the Empire

-out of a job due to academic politics and looking to get back at their rival by doing any of the above.

Also their character could be influenced greatly by what their first career was. Just because you're a scholar doesn't mean you started off as a student or scribe.

You could set up the scholar as someone who's an expert on proscribed books. Maybe the character is an ex-Initiate or similar, and haunts book shops and libraries in order to ensure their inventories only contain approved works. If lower-level proscribed works are discovered (like seditious pamphlets or politically disfavored plays), the character notifies the local authorities. In more serious cases (Chaotic grimoires, etc.), the character also sends a letter back to the home temple in order to summon the witch hunters...

My sister played an inquisitive young scholar who was aiding the Vereneans in producing articles for the Warhammer equivalent of Encyclopedia Britannica.

It was pretty fun, actually, because she had to be quick on her toes around particularly dour Sigmarites or other NPCs who weren't happy with the emerging middle class thanks to the printing press. Especially the idea of more and more people becoming literate.

It was entertaining to come up with whatever article she was writing based on the themes of the adventure of the day. Exploring a haunted ruin? Well, she'd get a great start on "A Treatise on ceremonial burial rituals of the ancient whatever tribes". Chasing after goblins in the hills? How about a chapter on "A study of Goblin social dynamics".

Another possible idea is a scholar studying or putting together maps. Geography. The maps are always needing updating, borders being investigated. Would be good with a "compass" or star gazing etc. Instead of using the Order powers of stargazers, uses learning and invention to perform similiar things. You could use this to open tradecraft and thus allow the character to invent minor tools etc.

Spelunker (Caver) A scholarly pursuit of cave exploring and all the hazards it entails. Could double as someone investigating sewers, crypts etc mapping locations, determining hazards or some such.

A census agent is another possibility. Here's a stack of empty journals, a notary stamp and a map of Nordland...go talk to everyone that lives there so that we can properly tax them.

*knock knock* Imperial census! *knock knock* Is anyone ho...MUTANTS...ahhhhhh!

Callidon said:

I think it would go more like this....

*knock knock* "Imperial Census, everyone here pays taxes right?"

Mutants.."Agh run away!!!"