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View Full Version : Underrated PRCs: The Urban Savant



Tyndmyr
2010-08-18, 12:06 AM
Source: P 100, Cityscape.

Prereqs: 8 ranks in one of the following, 2 ranks in the rest: Knowledge(dungeoneering, local, and nature). 1 feat blown on Favored(some organization). Must be a member in this org(redundant, since you need this for favored). Must have either bardic knowledge or Knowledge(history, 2 ranks.

Prereq analysis: Not terrible. Knowledges are typically easy to pick up for casters, nothing prevents this PrC from being readily available at level 6 to any arcane caster. Amusingly enough, you don't actually need casting to enter this, a caster advancing PrC class.

Favored is a bit of a poor feat, though. Sure, the organizational bonus may be useful...but most are relatively minor. You do get +2 to a skill, though. If you choose wisely, the benefits can be good(say, 10% discount on a type of good...er can you say magic items?). This is mostly DM dependant though, as organizations vary between campaigns. At worst, it's no different than blowing a feat on a skill focus that you get to pick.


Benefits: Well, it's a 9/10 arcane casting class, with the last level being the one that doesn't advance. This alone makes it viable for 9 levels on nearly any arcane build.

Next up, we have d6 hp, good ref and will, and half bab. 6 sp/level You can tell it was designed with the bard in mind. Could be used with sublime chord, or another arcane caster, though, so no real worries there. It's not perfect for a gish, but it's good enough that it won't mess you up too badly, and the extra survivability is handy on full casters. Already, we have something that's a reasonable choice.

Lastly, abilities. At level ONE, you get the ability to knowledge check any notorious being in the city for their BaB, AC, and combat feats. If the target is non-humanoid, you get special attack and option info as well. While this only works with relation to urban settings, it's remarkably precise...it's very rare for abilities to reveal this kind of information in such detail explicitly. BTW, the DC is static, and low. Success will quickly become automatic.

Level 2, you can swap knowledge checks for diplomacy checks. This is actually better for non-bard types, as it's a huge benefit for those without diplomacy as a class skill. Side benefit, it also works as wild empathy. Urban ability, of course.

Levels divisible by 3 give you a cumulative +1 bonus to all the knowledge skills you needed to get into the class. This is nice, as it provides synergy with it's reliance on knowledge checks. If you so desire, you could no doubt arrange some synergy with knowledge devotion. Together with the prior ability, it's easy to claim that this PrC replaces it's prereq skill points.

Level 4. They started to get sloppy, and forgot to make this ability urban specific. It works like the level 1 ability, though it doesn't reference it, and gives you HD, DR, saving throws, weaknesses, etc. So basically, you automatically know all the weaknesses of everything you face, ever again. Works everywhere, against everything. Only takes a move action. Dear god.

Level 5. Low light vision...marginal, since it's so accessible, but handy for those who play humans. Not limited in environment, but still, a weak level.

Level 7. Like level 4, but this time, your stupidly low check that works everywhere, on everything, gives you and your allies(number and range unspecified) +1d6 weapon damage against them. Up to 3d6 if you beat it significantly. Doing so frankly isn't hard. Your melee friends will love you for this. Hell, you could designate an entire army as your allies, and order them to just fire arrows. Some will roll 20s. You can now kill the terrasque merely by telling level 1's to do it for you.

Level 8. Those knowledge checks? Yeah, you can use them to know whenever a targets appearance has been altered, and by what means. This isn't quite true seeing, but it IS Ex, so it's reliable. urban only, but it works in any urban environment, not a specific one, so it's likely to remain useful.

level 10, not progression casting, is hardly worth mentioning. It gives you the ability to toss out a poorly CLed protection from chaos/evil/good/law on you and party. Sure, it can be boosted by high checks, but basically, it's one buff spell instead of a level of casting. Never take this level.

In conclusion, this PrC is perfect for fullcasters, especially those who value targetting weaknesses. It's a great companion for the sorc/sublime chord in particular, as it shores up weaknesses in those classes while trading away nothing of importance. Sure, it's better in an urban campaign, but you won't regret taking it even if you never set foot in a city again. The only downside of significance is reliance on DM acceptance of an appropriate organization in his campaign world.

Zaq
2010-08-18, 12:14 AM
I've always wanted to take this class, but there's always been one thing or another standing in the way. If nothing else, just for the 6+INT skills per level, it's an upgrade for a lot of casters. (I like skills.) The last level is utterly baffling, really... they really just had to know how weak that is, and that no one would ever take it. Confusing.

Still, though, it's a fun class. I'd play one if I had an arcane caster with nothing specific in mind.

Amphetryon
2010-08-18, 08:15 AM
If you're willing to eat a couple of caster levels with Practiced Caster, it has some interesting synergies with another under-appreciated PrC: the Scar Enforcer. 1/2 Elf Beguiler 7/Urban Savant 9/Scar Enforcer 4? Looks doable.

Dusk Eclipse
2010-08-18, 08:25 AM
Warlocks may also appreciate it,ithis is a prestige class they can enter without much sheneanigans,

zaulsiin
2010-08-18, 09:15 AM
It's a shame that this only advances arcane casting. Would work pretty nicely with a Knowledge Devotion Archivist.

Tyndmyr
2010-08-18, 12:18 PM
Cityscape ranks pretty well on the power curve in general, imo.

Sure, the organizations are generally a bit meh...but unlike the orgs in the complete series, there is no limitation to just picking one. So, no real tradeoff except the organizational standards themselves.

A +1 metamagic to have a spell appear to come from somewhere else? Amazingly useful.

They've got other PrCs as well, at least one more of which I might have to analyze at some time...it has potential.

Thrice Dead Cat
2010-08-18, 01:58 PM
I always remember being intrigued by the Urban Savant, but I didn't realize that some of their abilities were non-urban specific until this review. I'll have to take another look at it the next time I'm looking for a funky prestige class.

Frosty
2010-08-18, 03:21 PM
It's also too bad this PrC doesn't advance spellthief features. The flavor would be amazing.

Greenish
2010-08-18, 03:32 PM
Ha, the 8th level ability (Eyes of the City: Pierce Deception) seems to be written specifically for spotting rakshasas and changelings in Sharn.

Didn't this PrC make it to the thread a while ago about unknown but awesome classes?

Tokuhara
2010-08-18, 03:58 PM
This is great for any uban-based Bard, Beguiler, or Urban Ranger (yeah, its divine, but flavor-wise, its sexy)

In tandem with an "urban" race (Gnomes, Halflings, Humans, and Dwarves), this could be fruitful

Greenish
2010-08-18, 04:16 PM
This is great for any uban-based Bard, Beguiler, or Urban Ranger (yeah, its divine, but flavor-wise, its sexy)

In tandem with an "urban" race (Gnomes, Halflings, Humans, and Dwarves), this could be fruitfulAn urban class good for urban characters? Extraordinary!

But yeah, I'd rather use this with a caster who doesn't otherwise get skills.

Sadly, like for many PrCs, entering as a wizard is completely trivial but entering as a sorcerer requires jumping some hoops. (Not that Education is a bad feat, but meh.)

[Edit]: Most urban race of them all are the Khoravar!

Tyndmyr
2010-08-18, 04:22 PM
Easiest way to enter as sorc is to pick up a level of bard, sadly. This isn't great in itself, but if want to do sublime chord eventually anyhow(and tbh, it's not a terrible idea), you've got to do that anyhow. Being a full spell level behind hurts a bit, unfortunately.

Sorcs do always have it rougher than wizards for PrC qualification, though.

FMArthur
2010-08-18, 07:45 PM
Cityscape ranks pretty well on the power curve in general, imo.

Sure, the organizations are generally a bit meh...but unlike the orgs in the complete series, there is no limitation to just picking one. So, no real tradeoff except the organizational standards themselves.

A +1 metamagic to have a spell appear to come from somewhere else? Amazingly useful.

They've got other PrCs as well, at least one more of which I might have to analyze at some time...it has potential.

Cityscape is also the book with the +0 metamagic Invisible Spell, which is exactly what its name suggests without any mitigating clauses. I think it's extremely useful. I usually take Silent Spell or its Sudden version to qualify for it, plus the Conceal Spellcasting skill trick just to be uber stealthy about casting.