So far I have resisted the temptation to pay 5000 gp to the Cowled Wizards to get my magic licence. A nice "feature" of SoA is that the CWs show up only when you cast mage spells outdoors.

But what counts as casting mage spells (apart from the obvious casting of memorised spells)? I can use wands without having them show up. But once I had Aerie drink a potion of icedust (to protect against fire & magma mephits) and those #%&@^* immediately showed up!

Wow, that's really weird. I've never used a potion of Icedust, but other potions I've used haven't triggered the cowled ones.

I could be wrong (naaaaaah! [img]smile.gif[/img] ), but I think that I've triggered them before using some of the protagonist's innate spell-like abilities, like horror.

Interesting thing for the Avenger. He can use all his innate Bhaalspawn powers and as they are memorized as priest spells, he can use his wizard spells as well, both without triggering cowls. So even though an Avenger casts mage spells he doesnt have to pay anything.

Keldorn's Hallowed Redeemer also activates the Cowled Wizzards (it says Wizzard right there on their hats) if you don't have the patch from baldurdash.