Help me finish this prestige class - the Arcanist

[Quartz]

This is intended as an arcane-casting class for a delayed-magic game. (NB delayed, not low). Characters will have 2 or 3 classes before taking this prestige class.

It seems about right on first inspection, but not quite right.

The Arcanist

An arcane class for a delayed-magic game

Requirements
Alignment: Any
Skill: Alchemy 11 Ranks, Use Magic Device 11 Ranks, Scribe: 11 Ranks (*)
Feat: Magical Aptitude, Diligent
Special: must have created his own spellbook from the hide of a magical creature.

* Campaign rule: once a character has taken a class, all those class skills in which the character spent at least one class skill point remain available as class skills.

Class Skills: as wizard
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier
HP: d4 (d6?)
BAB: Poor
Saves: Fort poor, Ref poor, Will good.

Feats: the Arcanist gains one Metamagic or Item Creation feat every even level. The Arcanist may also choose Skill Focus, Eschew Materials, or Spell Mastery. The Arcanist may opt to gain a familiar instead of choosing a feat.

Spells per day: the Arcanist gains spells as on the table below (cf Divine Crusader)

Lvl 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1st 0
2nd 1 0
3rd 2 1 0
4th 2 2 1 0
5th 3 2 2 1 0
6th 3 3 2 2 1 0
7th 3 3 3 2 2 1 0
8th 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 0
9th 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 0
10th 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 0
11th 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 1
12th 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2
13th 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2
14th 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 (max)

Spellcasting Stat: Int

Bonus spells: as normal, but the Arcanists gains the same number of bonus 0 levels spells as he would bonus 1st level spells.

Spell schools: the Arcanist initially chooses one spell school and one more school at 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels. The Arcanist always has access to the Universal spells. (Campaign note: the Evocation school does not exist). The Arcanist may only memorise spells from his chosen schools, but may cast others from scrolls.

Go on, rip it to shreds - you know you want to!

 

[Bad Paper]

looks good to me. I take it that the skill called Alchemy is usually known as Craft (Alchemy), and that Scribe is usually known as Profession (Scribe)? Do the PCs still get one feat every three levels? What base classes do you see leading into this PrC? The UMD requirement looks like "rogue" to me, unless there's also a "bard" type available. How do you get spells (like, two per level)?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Moved to House Rules.

-Hyp.
(Moderator)

 

[Quartz]

Likely characters would be some combination of Fighter, Ranger, and Rogue. Maybe some levels of Knight or Paladin.

 

[szilard]

Hmmm... if you want a PC who takes this class to be comparable (spellcasting-wise) to a Wizard 20 by the time that character has 20 levels, you might want to go with something like:

Lvl 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1st 1
2nd 1 1
3rd 2 2 1
4th 2 2 2 1
5th 2 2 2 2 1
6th 2 2 2 2 2 1
7th 3 3 2 2 2 2 1
8th 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 1
9th 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 1
10th 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 1
11th 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 2
12th 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

(assuming characters qualify for this class at level 8)

-Stuart

 

[Quartz]

Hmmm... if you want a PC who takes this class to be comparable (spellcasting-wise) to a Wizard 20 by the time that character has 20 levels, you might want to go with something like:

Interesting idea, but I think that might make it too good. Unless I were to ban Practiced Spellcaster.

 

[Quartz]

Yes, definitely too good - compare a Ftr 4 / Rog 4 / your Arc 12 with a normal Wiz 20. Far too good. I think mine might be a bit too good also. How about dropping it slightly to:

Lvl 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1st 0
2nd 1 0
3rd 2 1 0
4th 2 2 1 0
5th 2 2 2 1 0
6th 3 2 2 2 1 0
7th 3 3 2 2 2 1 0
8th 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 0
9th 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 0
10th 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 0
11th 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 1
12th 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2
13th 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2
14th 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2
15th 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 (max)

 

[Nifft]

What's your goal here? Should a full-on Arcanist be the same as a Wizard by level 20? Or more like a Rog3 / Wizard 17?

(Wiz17 *can* cast 9th level spells.)

Thanks, -- N

 

[szilard]

Yes, definitely too good - compare a Ftr 4 / Rog 4 / your Arc 12 with a normal Wiz 20. Far too good. I think mine might be a bit too good also.

My understanding was that there was no Wiz 20 in the setting that this would be used in - but if you wanted a spellcaster to be as powerful as a Wiz 20 by level 20, I figured that the progression I put up there would work.

-Stuart

 

[Quartz]

My understanding was that there was no Wiz 20 in the setting that this would be used in - but if you wanted a spellcaster to be as powerful as a Wiz 20 by level 20, I figured that the progression I put up there would work.

Ah, right. I simply think that that progression would give too strong a character.