At Last, The Observer Comes Forth...(3.5 Specialist Wizard PrC, PEACH)

[NeoSeraphi]

The Observer

http://i837.photobucket.com/albums/zz297/dark_myst/Rachel%20Alucard/1.jpg
An observer's eyes can see all


Prerequisites: In order to become an observer, you must meet the following prerequisites:

Spells: Able to prepare and cast at least 5 arcane divination spells of 1st level or higher, at least one of which must be 4th level or higher.
Feats: Spell Focus (Divination), Greater Spell Focus (Divination), Skill Focus (Spellcraft)
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks
Special: Minor esoterica (Divination) class feature, must be a specialist diviner wizard


HD: d4
Class Skills: The observer has Appraise, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Gather Information, Knowledge (All skills, taken individually), Listen, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, and Spot as class skills.
Skill Points: 4+Int per level

The Observer
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spells

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Knowledge is Power|+1 level of existing spellcasting class

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Observe the Mystic|+1 level of existing spellcasting class

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Eyes and Ears of the Observer|+1 level of existing spellcasting class

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Observe the Truth|+1 level of existing spellcasting class

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Senses of the Observer|+1 level of existing spellcasting class

6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Observe the Unseen|+1 level of existing spellcasting class

7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Powerful Scrying|+1 level of existing spellcasting class

8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|Observe the Azure|+1 level of existing spellcasting class

9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Bring Down The Curtain|+1 level of existing spellcasting class

10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Observe the World|+1 level of existing spellcasting class [/table]

Class Features: The following are the class features of the observer.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The observer gains no additional proficiencies, however, by making a DC 20 Appraise check and practicing with a weapon for a full four hours, she may permanently gain proficiency with that weapon. An observer may only make one such attempt per day, and may not take 10 or take 20 on the Appraise check.

Knowledge is Power (Ex): Wizards are often regarded as the most intelligent beings in existence, and rightly so. But diviners are a step above that. Their ability to comprehend and understand surpasses that of their fellow scholars, and thus, they are able to fight and understand with ease. An observer gains the Knowledge Devotion feat as a bonus feat if she does not already have it. If she does already have the Knowledge Devotion feat, or later spends a feat slot to acquire it, the insight bonus to attack and damage rolls she receives from the feat is doubled.

Spellcasting: At each level, an observer gains additional spells per day, access to higher spell levels, and an increased caster level as if she had gained another level of wizard. She does not, however, gain any other benefits of the wizard class (such as familiar progression, extra spells per day from the Spellbook class feature, or bonus feats).

Observe the Mystic (Su): An observer knows all, even if she does not wish to. Beginning at 2nd level, an observer constantly detects magic, as the spell. This ability cannot be voluntarily suppressed, and is automatically resumed as a free action on the observer's next turn if it is dispelled or suppressed by an antimagic field.

Eyes and Ears of the Observer (Sp): An observer can simply concentrate, and she can see and hear things far away. Beginning at 3rd level, an observer may cast clairaudience/clairvoyance as a spell-like ability at will, with a caster level equal to her diviner caster level.

Observe the Truth (Su): An observer knows all. She can see the horrendous things that people actually think of each other. And she can never escape it. Beginning at 4th level, the observer continuously detects thoughts, as the spell. The save DC for this ability is 13+her Intelligence modifier, with additional bonuses to the DC as if it were a divination spell she were casting (such as a +1 if she has the Spell Focus (Divination) feat). This ability cannot be voluntarily suppressed, and automatically resumes on her turn as a free action if it is dispelled or suppressed by an antimagic field.

Senses of the Observer (Sp): An observer is linked to the Eye of the World, and thus, has a sixth sense that lets her track and find anyone. Beginning at 5th level, whenever the observer hears a creature's name (a specific name, such as Tordek Giantbane, not "the archdevil" or "that bear") she automatically casts locate creature as the spell, as a spell-like ability as an immediate action with a caster level equal to her diviner caster level. This works even if she is completely unfamiliar with the creature. However, unlike the actual spell, which will last for a long time, this sixth sense only lasts for one round, basically turning her in the right direction. Once this sense has kicked in for a specific creature, it will not work for that same creature again until 10 minutes have passed.

Observe the Unseen (Su): An observer knows all. She can see the creatures that mask their appearance in an effort to sneak around, she can see their pitiful cowardly tactics. Starting at 6th level, an observer continuously sees invisibility as the spell. This effect cannot be voluntarily suppressed, and is automatically resumed as a free action on the observer's turn if it is dispelled or suppressed by an antimagic field.

Powerful Scrying (Su): Upon reaching 7th level, the observer's eyes can pierce through a creature's very skin. No creature, no matter how obscure, can hide from her visions. The observer treats every creature on the same plane as her as if it was familiar to her for the purposes of determining the save DC bonus of her scrying spell and similar spells.

Observe the Azure (Su): An observer knows all. She can even see the very essence of the Azure, the magic of the world. Beginning at 8th level, the observer's Observe the Mystic ability improves to instead grant her a continuous arcane sight effect. This ability cannot be voluntarily suppressed, and automatically resumes as a free action on the observer's turn if it is dispelled or suppressed by an antimagic field.

Bring Down the Curtain (Su): An observer spends her life in the audience, watching as the rest of the creatures of the world affect each other, and some of them even have power to alter the fate that the observer knows is inevitable. By 9th level, the observer finally has gained the power to intervene, almost as if she were a god. Beginning at 9th level, when an observer successfully scries on a creature or area, she may cast any one arcane spell she has prepared with a range of Close, Medium, or Long through the scrying and have it affect a valid target or area that she is able to see. (Such as striking down an unjust executioner who was about to decapitate her ally with a well-timed lightning bolt). This is otherwiste treated as a normal casting of the spell, and all requirements of the spell apply (such as a ranged touch attack or a saving throw or spell resistance, whatever the spell itself requires). An observer may not use this ability more than once per scrying.

Observe the World (Su): The observer knows all. She cannot even be blinded or misled by the deception of her fellow casters, though she wishes she could remember what it was like to dream...to see something other than the truth. At 10th level, the observer is continuously affected by a true seeing spell, and her Observe the Azure ability improves to grant her a continuous greater arcane sight spell effect. Neither effect can be voluntarily suppressed, and both resume automatically as a free action on the observer's turn if they are dispelled or suppressed by an antimagic field. However, this much information constantly flowing into the observer can be dangerous if it is shut off all at once. If either of these two effects is dispelled or suppressed, the observer is suddenly struck by the world as others see it, and all the illusions and falsehoods and sugar coatings overwhelm her. She is dazed for 1 round. (No save)

[Pyromancer999]

Looks good so far. Still, where does the Minor Esoterica class feature come from?

[NeoSeraphi]

Looks good so far. Still, where does the Minor Esoterica class feature come from?

The Master Specialist prestige class from Complete Mage.

[Noctis Vigil]

You don't actually say when Observe the Mystic kicks back in if dispelled or suppressed, but other than that it looks pretty good. I was slightly disappointed that they don't get a way to freely detect someone's alignment, but that's a minor thing. Well done, sir. :smallsmile:

[NeoSeraphi]

You don't actually say when Observe the Mystic kicks back in if dispelled or suppressed, but other than that it looks pretty good. I was slightly disappointed that they don't get a way to freely detect someone's alignment, but that's a minor thing. Well done, sir. :smallsmile:

Well, to be honest, detect evil/good etc are the rare spells that stay useful pretty much throughout your career, if you're interested in that kind of thing. I mean, at level 10, you probably won't have much else to spend your 1st level slots on (especially your free divination-only slots).

[DracoDei]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The observer gains no additional proficiencies, however, by making a DC 20 Appraise check and practicing with a weapon for a full four hours, she may permanently gain proficiency with that weapon. An observer may only make one such attempt per day, and may not take 10 or take 20 on the Appraise check.
In any but the most fast-paced campaigns, this is functionally equivalent to granting proficiency with all weapons the party loots, including exotic weapons, for the price of a few skill-ranks.


Knowledge is Power (Ex): Wizards are often regarded as the most intelligent beings in existence, and rightly so. But diviners are a step above that. Their ability to comprehend and understand surpasses that of their fellow scholars, and thus, they are able to fight and understand with ease. An observer gains the Knowledge Devotion feat as a bonus feat if she does not already have it. If she does already have the Knowledge Devotion feat, or later spends a feat slot to acquire it, the insight bonus to attack and damage rolls she receives from the feat is doubled.
Depending on how big the bonuses for the feat(which I have never seen) are, this makes them a reasonably good gish I should think.

Spellcasting: At each level, an observer gains additional spells per day, access to higher spell levels, and an increased caster level as if she had gained another level of wizard. She does not, however, gain any other benefits of the wizard class (such as familiar progression, extra spells per day from the Spellbook class feature, or bonus feats).
Shouldn't this go before the other class features?
10/10 and a feat at 1st level means this may be a bit too good of a 1(or more) level dip, even for a wizard. Consider dropping spellcasting advancement at first level. Definitely seeing some gish dips (not that that is necessarily a bad thing).

Observe the Mystic (Su): An observer knows all, even if she does not wish to. Beginning at 2nd level, an observer constantly detects magic, as the spell. This ability cannot be voluntarily suppressed, and is automatically resumed as a free action on the observer's next turn if it is dispelled or suppressed by an antimagic field.
Don't know of any reason why you would WANT to suppress it, but there is probably something wrong with it. Note that a cheesy player could just always aim the cone away from anything that might be dangerous to look at in that way, since mechanically that doesn't have any effects of flat-footedness or blindness to anything looked away from. Still I like the fluff, you just may need to modify the crunch to make it reflect the fluff a bit more. One brute-force solution would be to make this and the similar effects omni-directional.

Eyes and Ears of the Observer (Sp): An observer can simply concentrate, and she can see and hear things far away. Beginning at 3rd level, an observer may cast clairaudience/clairvoyance as a spell-like ability at will, with a caster level equal to her diviner caster level.
This requires one to be a specialist? Does the pre-requisite feat have divination specialist at a requirement?

Observe the Truth (Su): An observer knows all. She can see the horrendous things that people actually think of each other. And she can never escape it. Beginning at 4th level, the observer continuously detects thoughts, as the spell. The save DC for this ability is 13+her Intelligence modifier, with additional bonuses to the DC as if it were a divination spell she were casting (such as a +1 if she has the Spell Focus (Divination) feat). This ability cannot be voluntarily suppressed, and automatically resumes on her turn as a free action if it is dispelled or suppressed by an antimagic field.

Ok, now THIS I seem to remember being a problem in the case of certain creatures. Still, the business with always aiming the cone straight up, or at least away from anything that might be problematic is an issue.


Senses of the Observer (Sp): An observer is linked to the Eye of the World, and thus, has a sixth sense that lets her track and find anyone. Beginning at 5th level, whenever the observer hears a creature's name (a specific name, such as Tordek Giantbane, not "the archdevil" or "that bear") she automatically casts locate creature as the spell, as a spell-like ability as an immediate action with a caster level equal to her diviner caster level. This works even if she is completely unfamiliar with the creature. However, unlike the actual spell, which will last for a long time, this sixth sense only lasts for one round, basically turning her in the right direction. Once this sense has kicked in for a specific creature, it will not work for that same creature again until 10 minutes have passed.

What is "The Eye of the World"?
Can they speak the name of a creature themselves to trigger this effect?


Observe the Unseen (Su): An observer knows all. She can see the creatures that mask their appearance in an effort to sneak around, she can see their pitiful cowardly tactics. Starting at 6th level, an observer continuously sees invisibility as the spell. This effect cannot be voluntarily suppressed, and is automatically resumed as a free action on the observer's turn if it is dispelled or suppressed by an antimagic field.

The fluff is a bit grammatically awkward.
Otherwise this is good, although it does occur to me that a lot of this could be fairly closely matched with permanency... not that there is anything wrong with that, especially since it doesn't require re-spending XPs if dispelled, and you are getting some or all of the stuff two or more levels earlier than you could permanency it.


Powerful Scrying (Su): Upon reaching 7th level, the observer's eyes can pierce through a creature's very skin. No creature, no matter how obscure, can hide from her visions. The observer treats every creature on the same plane as her as if it was familiar to her for the purposes of determining the save DC bonus of her scrying spell and similar spells.

This is a bit more unique. Note that scrying is one of the more abusable divination spells from what I hear (see: Scry and Die).


Observe the Azure (Su): An observer knows all. She can even see the very essence of the Azure, the magic of the world. Beginning at 8th level, the observer's Observe the Mystic ability improves to instead grant her a continuous arcane sight effect. This ability cannot be voluntarily suppressed, and automatically resumes as a free action on the observer's turn if it is dispelled or suppressed by an antimagic field.

And back to stuff that could be duplicated by permanency...


Bring Down the Curtain (Su): An observer spends her life in the audience, watching as the rest of the creatures of the world affect each other, and some of them even have serious power to alter the fate that the observer knows is inevitable. By 9th level, the observer finally has gained the power to intervene, almost as if she were a god. Beginning at 9th level, when an observer successfully scries on a creature or area, she may cast any one arcane spell she has prepared with a range of Close, Medium, or Long through the scrying and have it affect a valid target or area that she is able to see. (Such as striking down an unjust executioner who was about to decapitate her ally with a well-timed lightning bolt). An observer may not use this ability more than once per scrying.

I would remove the word "serious". You also should clarify that spell-resistance, saving throws, etc, still apply. Also, if SLA's have a standard action time to use, instead of the normal time (in this case 1 hour), then this becomes spammable.


Observe the World (Su): The observer knows all. She cannot even be blinded or misled by the deception of her fellow casters, though she wishes she could remember what it was like to dream...to see something other than the truth. At 10th level, the observer is continuously affected by a true seeing spell, and her Observe the Azure ability improves to grant her a continuous greater arcane sight spell effect. Neither effect can be voluntarily suppressed, and both resume automatically as a free action on the observer's turn if they are dispelled or suppressed by an antimagic field. However, this much information constantly flowing into the observer can be dangerous if it is shut off all at once. If either of these two effects is dispelled or suppressed, the observer is suddenly struck by the world as others see it, and all the illusions and falsehoods and sugar coatings overwhelm her. She is dazed for 1 round. (No save)
I like this. The fluff is ironically opposite to the crunch, but I still like it, and there is nothing to say that both aspects can't be true at the same time (but adding additional fluff, without removing what you already have could be good).

I was slightly disappointed that they don't get a way to freely detect someone's alignment, but that's a minor thing. Well done, sir. :smallsmile:
Are the alignment detecting spells granted by the feat that the class requires?

[NeoSeraphi]

In any but the most fast-paced campaigns, this is functionally equivalent to granting proficiency with all weapons the party loots, including exotic weapons, for the price of a few skill-ranks.

Depending on how big the bonuses for the feat(which I have never seen) are, this makes them a reasonably good gish I should think.

Hidden prerequisites: Spell Focus (Divination), Must be a Specialist Diviner. The Minor Esoterica (Divination) class feature is granted by the Master Specialist prestige class in Complete Mage, so you need to take 3 levels of wizard and 4 levels of master specialist, all of which grant poor BAB. It's not a good class for a gish at all.


Shouldn't this go before the other class features?
10/10 and a feat at 1st level means this may be a bit too good of a 1(or more) level dip, even for a wizard. Consider dropping spellcasting advancement at first level. Definitely seeing some gish dips (not that that is necessarily a bad thing).


It's not going to be dippable for gishes. See above.




This requires one to be a specialist? Does the pre-requisite feat have divination specialist at a requirement?


Yes.



Ok, now THIS I seem to remember being a problem in the case of certain creatures. Still, the business with always aiming the cone straight up, or at least away from anything that might be problematic is an issue.


Perhaps, but then you're not getting the benefits of the class feature as well. Plus, if you're always detecting thoughts, then you're even doing it when flat-footed, which means someone else can surprise you and overwhelm you. Very handy for a sneaky DM.



What is "The Eye of the World"?
Can they speak the name of a creature themselves to trigger this effect?


The Eye of the World is a source of arcane magic (especially for divination-like abilities like scrying), similar to the Weave in Faerun. It's from a video game.

And yes, they can speak the name themselves.



The fluff is a bit grammatically awkward.
Otherwise this is good, although it does occur to me that a lot of this could be fairly closely matched with permanency... not that there is anything wrong with that, especially since it doesn't require re-spending XPs if dispelled, and you are getting some or all of the stuff two or more levels earlier than you could permanency it.


Yeah, that's why I didn't really see the issue with putting it in as a class feature in a 10/10 class.



This is a bit more unique. Note that scrying is one of the more abusable divination spells from what I hear (see: Scry and Die).


Yes, yes it is. That's also one of the few offensive skills that a specialist diviner has, so I'm not worried about it.




I would remove the word "serious". You also should clarify that spell-resistance, saving throws, etc, still apply. Also, if SLA's have a standard action time to use, instead of the normal time (in this case 1 hour), then this becomes spammable.


I'm pretty sure SLAs have the same casting time as the spells they mimic.



I like this. The fluff is ironically opposite to the crunch, but I still like it, and there is nothing to say that both aspects can't be true at the same time (but adding additional fluff, without removing what you already have could be good).


Thank you.

[Milo v3]

Their aren't many good options for Diviners. So I think they all Diviners need to thank you!

This is a perfect class for an omnisentient being.

Also that is a very.... Interesting image of Rachel.:smalltongue:

[NeoSeraphi]

Their aren't many good options for Diviners. So I think they all Diviners need to thank you!

This is a perfect class for an omniscient being.

Fixed that for you. :smallwink: And thank you very much.



Also that is a very.... Interesting image of Rachel.:smalltongue:

Oh, leave me alone, you know how hard it was to find a decent picture of her that was Atlus-made? So hard that I actually had to use a fan-made picture instead!

By the way, since you don't have Valkenhayn, I'll go ahead and tell you that the title is Haku-men's battle quote against Valkenhayn (the one that he says at the beginning of battle)

[NeoSeraphi]

Found a better picture.