Need an 'archaeologist' class

[Shpadoinkle]

This is for an e6 game, as the tag says; I'm DMing. Anyway, my players discovered some ancient ruins, and they've taken some of the artifacts they found there to a university and managed to cut a deal with the head of the archaeology department to show her where these ruins are (in exchange for money, or course.)

The primary problem is that I've banned the wizard class, which was my first thought for how to stat her.

That aside, I've considered using the bard as a base, except dropping Bardic Music (it simply doesn't fit the kind of skills she'd have acquired) and replacing it with the Warlock's invocations (barring blast shape and blast essence invocations, since she wouldn't have an Eldtrich Blast ability to apply them to.) The ability to cast Spider Climb at will is something she'd find very useful poking around ancient ruins all the time, just as one example.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[CharonsHelper]

In Pathfinder - the bard actually has an archaeologist archetype. You might want to check that out.

[Thurbane]

Factotum?
...

[Shpadoinkle]

In Pathfinder - the bard actually has an archaeologist archetype. You might want to check that out.

I hadn't thought to check Pathfinder for ideas, mostly because after how horribly it was unbalanced when it first came out, I pretty much gave up on it and stopped thinking about it... After looking up the Archaeologist Bard archetype they have, though, it looks just about perfect.


Factotum?
...

That had occurred to me, but the factotum just doesn't really have the feel I want for the character.

[Palanan]

The Eldritch Scoundrel (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/rogue/archetypes/paizo-rogue-archetypes/eldritch-scoundrel-rogue/) is a rogue archetype that might be worth looking at. You get all the skills of the rogue, plus a modest progression of arcane spells.

Not at all game-breaking, but it does help provide some utility spells on a rogue chassis, which might fit your concept.

[Nifft]

Cloistered Cleric (from here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#clericVariantCloistere dCleric)) might be appropriate -- certainly has all the Knowledge skills, and has enough of the Wizardly Divination spells to find artifacts & relics.

Maybe the cloister was also a museum.


Alternately, a Rogue with the Education feat.

[Arkain]

If you want to stay in 3.5, archivist may fit the fluff of an archaelogist very well, in addition to having some knowledge based class features. It's basically in the same boat as wizards, though.

[Troacctid]

Anyone can put ranks in Profession (Archaeologist). That plus Appraise and Knowledge (History) should get you there with pretty much whatever, I think. I'd be somewhat inclined towards a rogue with the Antiquarian variant.

[Maat Mons]

If he makes a career out of ruin-delving in the D&D universe, he should probably have trapfinding.

Dragonfire adepts have the magic insight invocation, which gets you all the benefits of identify, but with no material component cost, and only two rounds taken up per item.

But if being able to breathe fire violates your concept, a least dragonmark of finding would at least get you a no-gold-cost identify 1/day.

[Kurald Galain]

Clearly any archaeologist needs a whip. This spell may help...

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/r/rock-whip

[Crake]

Uhh, the head of the archeology department, in an e6 game, sounds like an expert (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/npcClasses/expert.htm) to me.

Literally just put skills in prof (archeology), know (history) and appraise as troacctid said, and boom, you're done. Even have a few skill points spare for other fields of study, or perhaps diplomacy for grant money and convincing backers to fund expeditions, maybe search for scouring ancient ruins for artifacts, use rope for climbing in and out of tight spaces, and so on.

You don't need to shoehorn every NPC into a PC class just because they're good in their field. Hell, the DMGII even has a name for these kinds of NPCs, they're called specialists, and it even has fees for hiring such characters.

[Maat Mons]

Clearly any archaeologist needs a whip.

But of course. (https://www.deviantart.com/jmcinnis23/art/Tomb-Raider-2-456372903)

[Goaty14]

A Truenamer...

No, really. Once they get 2nd level utterances (ECL 4, IIRC?), Truenamers can really boost their checks!

[Sto]

You could use an Archivist. I don't know the rules of e6 but Archivist is a fantastic choice for an archeologist. It's litterally the Divine wizard though.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Crake
Literally just put skills in prof (archeology), know (history) and appraise as troacctid said, and boom, you're done.

No, you're not. The OP specified he wants the character to be able to cast Spider Climb and other arcane utility spells.

[Pleh]

No, you're not. The OP specified he wants the character to be able to cast Spider Climb and other arcane utility spells.

No, that was an example of fitting character abilities, not a build requirement.

I'd recommend taking a look at Skill Tricks in Complete Scoundrel (indiana jones was one of the many inspirations that book was drawing from). An archeologist should have plenty of spare skill points and 1/encounter abilities are useful, but not very powerful.

[Nifft]

Psion (Seer) has some powers which might answer a lot of questions that an archaeologist or anthropologist might have.

Specifically:
- http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/objectReading.htm - up to one hour at E6, which is 12 owners back
- http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/sensitivitytoPsychicImpressions.htm - up to 100 years per manifester level, or 600 years in E6

[daremetoidareyo]

There is a dragon magazine with archaeology feats. I'll dig it up...issue 347 in the class acts section. Chronicle allows appraise checks to boost value of items based on age + an amazing affiliation boosting mechanism. Find relic allows a free search check when within 10 feet of an item worth more than 1000 gp.