Class Question [Pathfinder]

[Hyde]

In the context of Pathfinder, is there a consensus on the Scholar (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-party-classes/tripod-machine/scholar#TOC-Erudition-Ex-)Third-party class?

My impressions are that is seems like it can do too many things, but none of them particularly well. Getting improved evasion and SR seems like a bit much.

It's probably not a class anyone would even dip when optimizing, but I'm not too great at judging classes on their face, and would like some playground opinions.

[The Boz]

Class seems like utter cheese to me.

[Psyren]

It's actually kind of weak - I'd put it at T4. It's basically yet another attempt to make a sneak-attack-less rogue, like the Savant or Mountebank, and this one gets very little in the way of magic or combat ability. No armor proficiency, spells, or martial weapons means this guy will be pretty weak in a fight early on, and even in a purely social campaign he's not much better than a rogue or bard would be.

Eventually it can take 10 on UMD checks, which is always nice and lets it function as a pseudo-caster even in combat. But the earliest it can do that is level 14, which is a bit late for many campaigns. And of course you're dependent on the DM for many of the more useful items (i.e. spell-trigger and spell-completion) rather than having full access like a Warlock would. The capstone is rubbish as well..

Magically, it gets the ability to use a cantrip or 1st-level spell as an SLA a couple of times per day. Without UMD and items you'll never go above that, and you can't learn the 1st-level spell until 4th-level minimum (even later if you want both an arcane and a divine one) which is barely strong enough to bother with.

[The Boz]

It's actually kind of weak - I'd put it at T4. It's basically yet another attempt to make a sneak-attack-less rogue, like the Savant or Mountebank, and this one gets very little in the way of magic or combat ability. No armor proficiency, spells, or martial weapons means this guy will be pretty weak in a fight early on, and even in a purely social campaign he's not much better than a rogue or bard would be.

Eventually it can take 10 on UMD checks, which is always nice and lets it function as a pseudo-caster even in combat. But the earliest it can do that is level 14, which is a bit late for many campaigns. And of course you're dependent on the DM for many of the more useful items (i.e. spell-trigger and spell-completion) rather than having full access like a Warlock would. The capstone is rubbish as well..
The class can get 0th and 1st level wizard and cleric spells, and these have plenty of utility, and can then choose from a plethora of spell-like spells. Additionally, the class has access to pretty much every single X to Y ability in the game, making it quite SAD if played well.

[Psyren]

The class can get 0th and 1st level wizard and cleric spells, and these have plenty of utility, and can then choose from a plethora of spell-like spells. Additionally, the class has access to pretty much every single X to Y ability in the game, making it quite SAD if played well.

1st-level spells aren't impressive, and neither are cantrips (especially since the class is limited to X/day instead of infinite cantrips, unless you burn an extra Secret to free two of them.)

The SLAs it can choose from are:
- Detect Magic at will
- Magic Circle 1/day
- Resurrection 1/day, must provide components.
- Dispelling Touch (touch range Dispel Magic, can't be used to counter or area.)

The animal companion is nice but the class still doesn't get enough to make it strong.

As a dip I agree it's great, due to the X to Y abilities it gets - Int to attack and AC with no restrictions for a 2-level dip is highly useful, especially with such a great skill list to choose from. Pop in for a couple of levels and then move on to another Int-based class. But being great for a dip isn't enough to move you out of the lower tiers - after all, Monk is a great dip too.

[The Boz]

1st-level spells aren't impressive, and neither are cantrips (especially since the class is limited to X/day instead of infinite cantrips, unless you burn an extra Secret to free two of them.)

The SLAs it can choose from are:
- Detect Magic at will
- Magic Circle 1/day
- Resurrection 1/day, must provide components.
- Dispelling Touch (touch range Dispel Magic, can't be used to counter or area.)

The animal companion is nice but the class still doesn't get enough to make it strong.

As a dip I agree it's great, due to the X to Y abilities it gets - Int to attack and AC with no restrictions for a 2-level dip is highly useful, especially with such a great skill list to choose from. Pop in for a couple of levels and then move on to another Int-based class. But being great for a dip isn't enough to move you out of the lower tiers - after all, Monk is a great dip too.
I agree, that's what I was getting at, if clumsily. The class isn't OP, but it has cheese, and everyone would want a bite.
However, I still think it blows many specialists cleanly away when played straight. Rogue, bard, ranger, monk, gunslinger, etc? They would all have a hard time catching up to this guy. Firmly T3, IMO. I called it cheese not because it was too good but because it's randomly immune to A while having access to B and performing C on a regular basis, while being D enough so that E is never a problem, and these letters do not a word make.