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New Savant Archetypes - the Detective & the Paranormalist, inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and H.P. Lovecraft
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<blockquote data-quote="Orion5000" data-source="post: 9106953" data-attributes="member: 7042624"><p>So I found your advice pretty helpful and these subclasses feel more robust now. What do you think?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong><u>Savant Archetype: The Cerebralist </u></strong><u>(renamed to avoid confusion)</u></p><p></p><p></p><p><em><u>Discerning Mind</u></em></p><p>At 1st level, you gain proficiency in <em>Insight, Investigation, and Perception</em>. If you already have proficiency in these skills, you gain an expertise die instead. Additionally, expertise dice in these skills can be upgraded from d8 to d10 and d12, exceeding the usual limit on expertise dice.</p><p>Finally, you gain one additional specialty in each of these skills at 1st, 11th, and 19th level.</p><p></p><p><em><u>Mark of Obsession</u></em></p><p>Also at 1st level, you can use an action to mark 1 creature you are familiar with. You must know either the creature’s name, title, relationship to another creature you are familiar with, or at least two of the creature’s physical characteristics. This mark lasts indefinitely, or until you choose to end it.</p><p>You add an expertise die to all <em>Intelligence </em>and<em> Wisdom </em>ability checks you make which pertain to the marked creature.</p><p>You can only use this feature to mark a creature once between long rests. Starting at 11th level, you can have two creatures marked by this feature at the same time.</p><p></p><p><em><u>Analytical Combatant</u></em></p><p>At 2nd level, you can use your bonus action to target one creature you can see and make an <em>Investigation</em> check against its AC. On a success, the target is considered marked by you for the duration of 1 minute, until you mark another creature, or until you lose concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell).</p><p>When you have a creature marked in this way you add an expertise die to all weapon attacks made against it.</p><p>Additionally, if you are aware that the target of this feature is also the target of your <em>Mark of Obsession</em> feature, you can activate this ability as a free action, and once per turn when you hit that creature with an attack, you deal bonus damage equal to your level in this class.</p><p></p><p><em><u>Uncanny Intuition</u></em></p><p></p><p>At 6th level, your powers of deduction are constantly at work within the hidden recesses of your mind. Once between short rests, you can draw on this power to replicate the effects of the <em>Augury</em> spell. When you do so, it is considered non-magical, and you do not need vocal, somatic, or material components.</p><p></p><p><em><u>Analytical Acumen</u></em></p><p>Also at 6th level, when you successfully mark a creature using your <em>Analytical Combatant </em>feature, you immediately learn 2 of the following:</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If the creature has any damage immunities, and what they are.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If the creature has any damage resistances, and what they are.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If the creature has any damage vulnerabilities, and what they are.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If the creature has any condition immunities, and what they are.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If the creature has any advantage against any conditions, and what they are.</li> </ul><p><em><u>Expert Talent</u></em></p><p>Beginning at 11th level, you almost never make mistakes when performing routine tasks. Whenever you make an ability check on which you roll expertise dice, you treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10.</p><p></p><p><em><u>Resilient Mind</u></em></p><p>At 14th level, you gain proficiency in your choice of <em>Wisdom</em> or <em>Charisma</em> saving throws.</p><p></p><p><em><u>Expect the Unexpected</u></em></p><p>At 17th level, you are hyper-vigilant and able to always be on your guard when you need to be, regardless of the toll it may take on your powerful mind; you can non-magically replicate the effects of the 9th level spell <em>Foresight</em> on yourself without using vocal, somatic, or material components. You can do this once per long rest, and you gain 1 level of <em>Strife</em> when the effects of this feature end.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Savant Archetype: The Paranormalist</u></strong></p><p></p><p></p><p><em><u>Bonus Proficiencies</u></em></p><p>At 1st level, you gain proficiency in <em>Arcana</em>, <em>Insight</em>, and <em>Intimidation</em>. If you already have proficiency in these skills, you gain an expertise die instead.</p><p></p><p><em><u>Crytozoology</u></em></p><p>Also at 1st Level, you are able to put your study of rare creatures to practical use. Choose 3 of the following creature types to be your <em>studied cryptids</em>: aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, monstrosities, oozes, plants, or undead.</p><p>You gain an expertise die on <em>Intelligence </em>and<em> Wisdom </em>based ability checks made to recall information about, or track, creatures of the chosen type.</p><p>You can spend 1 hour, as part of a short or long rest, to consult your notes and change the creature type for one of your <em>studied cryptids</em>.</p><p></p><p><em><u>Memento Mori</u></em></p><p>At 2nd level, you have a <em>memento mori</em> which could be a humanoid skull, necklace of finger bones, or some other macabre object which serves as a reminder of the inevitability of death.</p><p>Once per turn, while you have this object displayed on your person you deal bonus psychic damage equal to your level in this class when you hit a humanoid creature with a weapon attack.</p><p>Additionally, you become able to recall departing souls back to their bodies; you learn the cantrip <em>Spare the Dying</em>, and you can use your <em>memento mori</em> as a spellcasting focus for all spells you are able to cast using this archetype’s features.</p><p></p><p><em><u>Sixth Sense</u></em></p><p>Also at 2nd level, you develop a <em>sixth sense</em>. When you use this ability you benefit from the effects of both the <em>Detect Evil and Good</em> and <em>Detect Magic</em> 1st level spells. You can activate this ability a number of times equal to your <em>Proficiency</em> bonus, and regain all expended uses upon completing a long rest.</p><p>You gain 1 additional use of this feature at 6th, 11th, 14th, and 17th levels (maximum of 10 uses per short rest overall).</p><p></p><p><em><u>Otherworldly Schema</u></em></p><p>At 6th level, you learn one sorcerer <em>arcane invocation</em>. Also, whenever you learn a new <em>clever scheme</em> or replace an existing one, you can instead choose an <em>arcane invocation</em>. However you can only know 5 <em>arcane invocations</em> at any given time.</p><p>If an <em>arcane invocation</em> requires the use of sorcery points, you instead use charges of your <em>Sixth Sense </em>ability.</p><p></p><p><em><u>Séance </u></em></p><p>Also at 6th level, you cast <em>Speak With Dead</em> as a ritual in tandem with a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus, and if you do so you call forth the target’s spirit from beyond, and need not be in possession of the target’s corpse, but instead you must either be familiar with the target, have an item of sentimental value to the target, or conduct the ritual in a place which was either inhabited by the target or where an event of profound emotion happened which pertained to the target.</p><p>Upon completing this ritual, all creatures that participated in the séance (including yourself) must make a <em>Wisdom</em> saving throw against a DC equal to 10 plus the target’s total class levels or CR. On a failure, a creature gains 1 level of <em>Strife</em>, and on a success a creature gains an expertise die on two skills of the Narrator’s choice, which pertain to the conversation you had with the spirit, for the duration of 8 hours.</p><p></p><p><em><u>Sight Beyond Sight</u></em></p><p>At 11th level, you can you can open your mind’s eye to peer beyond the veil of life and death; you can cast the spell <em>See Invisibility</em> by expending two uses of your Sixth Sense feature.</p><p></p><p><em><u>Improved Cryptozoology</u></em></p><p>At 14th level, you gain an expertise die on all contested skill checks and saving throws made against your <em>studied cryptids.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em><u>Practical Occultism</u></em></p><p>At 17th level, you gain one use of the savant’s Ultimate Schema feature per long rest, but you can only use it to replicate a cleric or wizard spell of 5th level or lower from the <em>abjuration</em> or <em>divination</em> schools.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Orion5000, post: 9106953, member: 7042624"] So I found your advice pretty helpful and these subclasses feel more robust now. What do you think? [B][U]Savant Archetype: The Cerebralist [/U][/B][U](renamed to avoid confusion)[/U] [I][U]Discerning Mind[/U][/I] At 1st level, you gain proficiency in [I]Insight, Investigation, and Perception[/I]. If you already have proficiency in these skills, you gain an expertise die instead. Additionally, expertise dice in these skills can be upgraded from d8 to d10 and d12, exceeding the usual limit on expertise dice. Finally, you gain one additional specialty in each of these skills at 1st, 11th, and 19th level. [I][U]Mark of Obsession[/U][/I] Also at 1st level, you can use an action to mark 1 creature you are familiar with. You must know either the creature’s name, title, relationship to another creature you are familiar with, or at least two of the creature’s physical characteristics. This mark lasts indefinitely, or until you choose to end it. You add an expertise die to all [I]Intelligence [/I]and[I] Wisdom [/I]ability checks you make which pertain to the marked creature. You can only use this feature to mark a creature once between long rests. Starting at 11th level, you can have two creatures marked by this feature at the same time. [I][U]Analytical Combatant[/U][/I] At 2nd level, you can use your bonus action to target one creature you can see and make an [I]Investigation[/I] check against its AC. On a success, the target is considered marked by you for the duration of 1 minute, until you mark another creature, or until you lose concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). When you have a creature marked in this way you add an expertise die to all weapon attacks made against it. Additionally, if you are aware that the target of this feature is also the target of your [I]Mark of Obsession[/I] feature, you can activate this ability as a free action, and once per turn when you hit that creature with an attack, you deal bonus damage equal to your level in this class. [I][U]Uncanny Intuition[/U][/I] At 6th level, your powers of deduction are constantly at work within the hidden recesses of your mind. Once between short rests, you can draw on this power to replicate the effects of the [I]Augury[/I] spell. When you do so, it is considered non-magical, and you do not need vocal, somatic, or material components. [I][U]Analytical Acumen[/U][/I] Also at 6th level, when you successfully mark a creature using your [I]Analytical Combatant [/I]feature, you immediately learn 2 of the following: [LIST] [*]If the creature has any damage immunities, and what they are. [*]If the creature has any damage resistances, and what they are. [*]If the creature has any damage vulnerabilities, and what they are. [*]If the creature has any condition immunities, and what they are. [*]If the creature has any advantage against any conditions, and what they are. [/LIST] [I][U]Expert Talent[/U][/I] Beginning at 11th level, you almost never make mistakes when performing routine tasks. Whenever you make an ability check on which you roll expertise dice, you treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10. [I][U]Resilient Mind[/U][/I] At 14th level, you gain proficiency in your choice of [I]Wisdom[/I] or [I]Charisma[/I] saving throws. [I][U]Expect the Unexpected[/U][/I] At 17th level, you are hyper-vigilant and able to always be on your guard when you need to be, regardless of the toll it may take on your powerful mind; you can non-magically replicate the effects of the 9th level spell [I]Foresight[/I] on yourself without using vocal, somatic, or material components. You can do this once per long rest, and you gain 1 level of [I]Strife[/I] when the effects of this feature end. [B][U]Savant Archetype: The Paranormalist[/U][/B] [I][U]Bonus Proficiencies[/U][/I] At 1st level, you gain proficiency in [I]Arcana[/I], [I]Insight[/I], and [I]Intimidation[/I]. If you already have proficiency in these skills, you gain an expertise die instead. [I][U]Crytozoology[/U][/I] Also at 1st Level, you are able to put your study of rare creatures to practical use. Choose 3 of the following creature types to be your [I]studied cryptids[/I]: aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, monstrosities, oozes, plants, or undead. You gain an expertise die on [I]Intelligence [/I]and[I] Wisdom [/I]based ability checks made to recall information about, or track, creatures of the chosen type. You can spend 1 hour, as part of a short or long rest, to consult your notes and change the creature type for one of your [I]studied cryptids[/I]. [I][U]Memento Mori[/U][/I] At 2nd level, you have a [I]memento mori[/I] which could be a humanoid skull, necklace of finger bones, or some other macabre object which serves as a reminder of the inevitability of death. Once per turn, while you have this object displayed on your person you deal bonus psychic damage equal to your level in this class when you hit a humanoid creature with a weapon attack. Additionally, you become able to recall departing souls back to their bodies; you learn the cantrip [I]Spare the Dying[/I], and you can use your [I]memento mori[/I] as a spellcasting focus for all spells you are able to cast using this archetype’s features. [I][U]Sixth Sense[/U][/I] Also at 2nd level, you develop a [I]sixth sense[/I]. When you use this ability you benefit from the effects of both the [I]Detect Evil and Good[/I] and [I]Detect Magic[/I] 1st level spells. You can activate this ability a number of times equal to your [I]Proficiency[/I] bonus, and regain all expended uses upon completing a long rest. You gain 1 additional use of this feature at 6th, 11th, 14th, and 17th levels (maximum of 10 uses per short rest overall). [I][U]Otherworldly Schema[/U][/I] At 6th level, you learn one sorcerer [I]arcane invocation[/I]. Also, whenever you learn a new [I]clever scheme[/I] or replace an existing one, you can instead choose an [I]arcane invocation[/I]. However you can only know 5 [I]arcane invocations[/I] at any given time. If an [I]arcane invocation[/I] requires the use of sorcery points, you instead use charges of your [I]Sixth Sense [/I]ability. [I][U]Séance [/U][/I] Also at 6th level, you cast [I]Speak With Dead[/I] as a ritual in tandem with a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus, and if you do so you call forth the target’s spirit from beyond, and need not be in possession of the target’s corpse, but instead you must either be familiar with the target, have an item of sentimental value to the target, or conduct the ritual in a place which was either inhabited by the target or where an event of profound emotion happened which pertained to the target. Upon completing this ritual, all creatures that participated in the séance (including yourself) must make a [I]Wisdom[/I] saving throw against a DC equal to 10 plus the target’s total class levels or CR. On a failure, a creature gains 1 level of [I]Strife[/I], and on a success a creature gains an expertise die on two skills of the Narrator’s choice, which pertain to the conversation you had with the spirit, for the duration of 8 hours. [I][U]Sight Beyond Sight[/U][/I] At 11th level, you can you can open your mind’s eye to peer beyond the veil of life and death; you can cast the spell [I]See Invisibility[/I] by expending two uses of your Sixth Sense feature. [I][U]Improved Cryptozoology[/U][/I] At 14th level, you gain an expertise die on all contested skill checks and saving throws made against your [I]studied cryptids. [U]Practical Occultism[/U][/I] At 17th level, you gain one use of the savant’s Ultimate Schema feature per long rest, but you can only use it to replicate a cleric or wizard spell of 5th level or lower from the [I]abjuration[/I] or [I]divination[/I] schools. [/QUOTE]
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New Savant Archetypes - the Detective & the Paranormalist, inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and H.P. Lovecraft
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