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Philosodude
2010-06-09, 12:51 PM
I'm looking to make a character (D&D 3.5, Pathfinder, no Dragon Mag.) who is an educated adventurer, the sort who uses an array of textbook knowledge to not only cast spells (I like the arcane) but also hold his own mano e mano.

As far as concepts I'm thinking people like Sherlock Holmes, Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist), Dr. Who, Chrestomancy, Professor X (pre-paralysis), or Ozymandias (Watchmen).

Over all point is I want to emphasize precise strikes, quick thinking and possibly a blend of spell casting and martial prowess without being a full blown Gish. Light armor and such, improvisational style.

A few classes have come to mind, such as Renegade Mastermaker (Magic of Ebberon), Magelord (Lost Magic of Faerun), or the Spellsong (Complete Warrior I think). But they don't do enough for combat or drop too much spell casting.

My d&d group tends to be laxish on RAW because we understand that regardless of your abilities you only have so many actions in a round, and that limits power. Is there something I may have missed, or a home brew that's up my alley?

deuxhero
2010-06-09, 12:55 PM
Factotum of It's Not Outside is perfect.

Swok
2010-06-09, 12:56 PM
The class you are looking for is Factotum. It's in dungeonscape.

Light armor, Intelligence focus, a few spells, martial prowess (int to attacks/damage using inspiration points, also can add to defense) Good skills.

Can also get extra actions.

Ninja'd: For typing too slow.

AtwasAwamps
2010-06-09, 12:57 PM
Knowledge Devotion. So much knowledge devotion.

I'm running a cloistered cleric/ranger who runs off of that right now. "An ooze, eh? I read about that."

Master_Rahl22
2010-06-09, 12:58 PM
Duskblade is exactly what you're looking for. You get all Knowledges as class skills. At level 3 you take Knowledge Devotion from Complete Champion and you get a free +1 attack and damage against everything, that increases if you get a good Knowledge check on your enemy. For example, if you encounter some undead, you roll Knowledge Religion and get a +1 to +5 on attack and damage against anything that can be identified or learned about with Knowledge Religion.

Duskblade is a gish in a can, and coupled with Knowledge Devotion you get exactly what you're looking for. I'm playing a character very similar to this right now and it's great. Here's a handy guide (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=525.0) for Duskblades.

Optimystik
2010-06-09, 01:02 PM
Archivist is also great at being the braniac adventurer, with Dread Secret.

"Comrades! Strike at the base of the shortest tentacle!"
"Nooo! My dread secret!"

Philosodude
2010-06-09, 01:08 PM
Factotum looks pretty good, does anyone have a link to the class online, like in an srd? How about any class A/ class B feats like ascetic mage to give it more casting?

Eloel
2010-06-09, 01:10 PM
It's Archivist from Heroes of Horror. Its' whole shtick is to 'know' about enemies.

Optimystik
2010-06-09, 01:12 PM
Factotum looks pretty good, does anyone have a link to the class online, like in an srd? How about any class A/ class B feats like ascetic mage to give it more casting?

Factotum is not OGL, so you'll need Dungeonscape to get it.

And given that the owner of this very site helped create it (or at least the book it's in), finding you a link of some kind would no doubt be doubly frowned-upon.

Archivist, however, you can get online easily. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20051007a&page=3) They're also a LOT more powerful, but not nearly as good at the skill-monkey role (without heavy optimization.)

Frog Dragon
2010-06-09, 01:12 PM
Factotum isn't open content (which means even if we we're able to find it online, we wouldn't be allowed to link it here.) and there is no such feat in existence. At least not published by WotC.
Edit: Damn swordsages..

Philosodude
2010-06-09, 01:40 PM
For sake of diversity, can anyone think of a more primary casting class matching this sort of concept?

Milskidasith
2010-06-09, 01:46 PM
Archivist.

Cloistered cleric with knowledge devotion. (Cloistered cleric is available online, I think; drops the HD, only light armor proficiency, gets more skill points and all knowledge skills along with the knowledge domain free, which you trade away for knowledge devotion).

Optimystik
2010-06-09, 01:46 PM
For sake of diversity, can anyone think of a more primary casting class matching this sort of concept?

It doesn't get much more "primary casting" than Archivist; They are the most powerful base casting class in the game. The only reason Wizard might edge them out is better PrCs.

They are Tier 1, and on the high end of that, too.