Arcanist [3.5 Base Class] (WIP!)

[DragoonWraith]

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Obviously incomplete, but this is a start. I'm away from books, so I've been using the SRD for the Orbs, but I don't actually have the Ardent to compare it to - I don't know if he's getting too few or too many Orbs at this point. And, heh, needs the spells per day table filled out - I was thinking roughly Sorcerer level, perhaps a bit less, but then the spells known would probably need considerable improving. Feel free to comment, though. Also thinking I'd like to give some actual, ya know, class features, but I haven't determined what those will be yet.

Anyway, yeah, I decided there needed to be a Wisdom-based Arcane caster, so I made one. Pretty simple.

The Arcanist is, as his name suggests, an Arcane spell caster. What he is not, however, is a Wizard, or a Sorcerer. A Wizard studies the Arcane to manipulate it to his exacting ends. A Sorcerer lives Arcana to force his will and self upon it, to make it do what he wishes. An Arcanist, on the other hand, tries to live in harmony with the Arcane. He sees the Arcane as a flowing river, that can be redirected elegantly to solve problems, without the force of a Wizard or Sorcerer. All it takes is awareness of where Arcana is and where it is going, and what it might be able to do for you in between.

Alignment
Arcanists tend towards neutrality on at least one axis, though any alignment is quite possible.

Hit Dice
d4.

Skills
Skill Points at 1st Level
(4 + Int modifier)x4.

Skill Points per Level Thereafter
4 + Int modifier.

Class Skills
The class skills of the Arcanist (and the key ability modifier for each) are Appraise (Int), Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (each skill taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis).

Class Features
The following are all class features of the Arcanist:
{table=head]Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special
1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Channel Arcana, Orb of Arcana, Summon Familiar
2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 |
3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Orb of Arcana
4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 |
5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Bonus Feat
6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 |
7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Orb of Arcana
8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 |
9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 |
10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Bonus Feat
11th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 |
12th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Orb of Arcana
13th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 |
14th | +7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +9 |
15th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +9 | Bonus Feat
16th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Orb of Arcana
17th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 |
18th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 |
19th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 |
20th | +10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Orb of Arcana, Bonus Feat[/table]

Armor and Weapon Proficiencies
The Arcanist is proficient in all simple weapons, but not in any armor. Armor of any kind may interfere with his arcane spells.

Spellcasting
The Arcanist casts Arcane spells much like the Ardent manifests Psionic powers - the Arcanist gains spells known by selecting from various Orbs of Arcana, similar to Psionic Mantles. Each Orb has one spell of each Spell level, 1st through 9th, and the Arcanist may cast any of these without preparing them beforehand. He starts with a single Orb of Arcana, and gains a new one at 3rd, 7th, 12th, 16th, and 20th. In addition to these, every Arcanist knows certain spells, listed below in the Arcanist Spell List. These spells are known by every Arcanist who can cast spells of the appropriate level.

The Arcanist, like other spellcasters, may only cast a limited number of spells each day. The number of spells of each level that he may cast in a given day at a given level is listed in the table below. In addition, the Arcanist gains bonus daily spell slots for having a high Wisdom score. He may cast any spell from any of the Orbs of Arcana that he has selected, providing he has and uses a daily spell slot of the appropriate level, and has a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell's level.

Arcanist Spells Per Day
{table=head]0th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th
5 | 3 | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 4 | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 5 | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 3 | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 4 | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0* | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0* | 0*
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0*
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0*
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5[/table]
* An Arcanist may cast spells of this level provided he has bonus spell slots of that level due to a high Wisdom score, and that his Caster Level and his Character Level are both at least twice the spell's level.

To regain spell slots, the Arcanist must get at least 8 hours of sleep (or rest and general inactivity, if a race that does not sleep), and then must spend at least 15 minutes in meditation, contemplating the flow of Arcana around him. After these 15 minutes are finished, his spell slots for the day are restored. He does not regain any spell slots used within the previous 8 hours.

The save DC against the Arcanist's spells are 10 + the spell's level + his Wisdom modifier.

Further, the Arcanist may select a number of Cantrips each day from the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list equal to his Wisdom modifier. He may cast these spontaneously throughout the day by using his 0th level spell slots.

Any spell included in any Orb of Arcana, even those the Arcanist has not selected, are considered to be on his Spell List for the sake of Spell Trigger and Spell Completion items (e.g. Scrolls and Wands).

Channel Arcana
Like a Sorcerer, the Arcanist must extend the casting time of his spells in order to use Metamagic. However, he may attempt to make a Spellcraft check, with a DC of 15 + twice the spell's new level (that is, after the Metamagic feat(s) are applied), to eliminate the need to extend the spell's casting time. If he fails when casting a spell that requires a Standard Action to cast (and therefore requires a Full-Round Action when cast with Metamagic), and has already used his Move Action for the round, he must cast the spell without the Metamagic feats, but he still uses the higher spell slot to do so. If he fails and does still have his Move action available, he must use a Full-Round action to cast the spell with the Metamagic. For spells of other casting times, simply cast as normal for a spell of that casting time that is cast with Metamagic.

Summon Familiar
As the Wizard feature.

Bonus Feats
At 5th level, and every 5 levels thereafter, the Arcanist gains a Bonus Feat from the Wizard's Bonus Feat List.

Arcanist Spell List

Spoiler

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The following spells are known by every Arcanist:
Cantrips

• Detect Magic
• Read Magic
• Arcane Mark
• Prestidigitation

1st Level Spells

• Mage Armor
• Identify
• Magic Missile
• Enlarge Person
• Feather Fall
• Reduce Person

2nd Level Spells

• Magic Mouth
• Bear's Endurance
• Bull's Strength
• Cat's Grace
• Eagle's Splendor
• Fox's Cunning
• Owl's Wisdom

3rd Level Spells

• Dispel Magic
• Arcane Sight
• Greater Magic Weapon

6th Level Spells

• Greater Dispel Magic

Orbs of Arcana

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Some Orbs of Arcana that the Arcanist might choose:

To Answer the Call

1. Mount
2. Summon Swarm
3. Phantom Steed
4. Dimensional Anchor
5. Lesser Planar Binding
6. Planar Binding
7. Banishment
8. Greater Planar Binding
9. Gate

Change Is Immutable

1. Disguise Self
2. Alter Self
3. TBD
4. Polymorph
5. Baleful Polymorph
6. Transformation
7. TBD
8. Polymorph Any Object
9. Shapechange

The Charmed Life

1. Charm Person
2. Daze Monster
3. Hold Person
4. Charm Monster
5. Dominate Person
6. Mass Suggestion
7. Mass Hold Person
8. Mass Charm Monster
9. Dominate Monster

Freedom That Cannot Be Taken

1. Expeditious Retreat
2. Invisibility
3. Fly
4. Greater Invisibility
5. Passwall
6. Mislead
7. Ethereal Jaunt
8. Mind Blank
9. Freedom

The Hand of Bigby

1. Bigby's Tripping Hand
2. Bigby's Slapping Hand
3. Bigby's Disrupting Hand
4. TBD
5. Bigby's Interposing Hand
6. Bigby's Forceful Hand
7. Bigby's Grasping Hand
8. Bigby's Clenched Fist
9. Bigby's Crushing Hand

(Anyone know of a 4th level Bigby spell?)

Knowledge is Power

1. Detect Secret Doors
2. Locate Object
3. Clairaudience/Clairvoyance
4. Scrying
5. Contact Other Plane
6. True Seeing
7. Greater Scrying
8. Discern Location
9. Foresight

Magebane

1. Silence
2. Spellcaster's Bane
3. Lesser Globe of Invulnerability
4. Feeblemind
5. Antimagic Field
6. Spell Turning
7. Protection from Spells
8. Mage's Disjunction

The Magic of the Mists

1. Obscuring Mist
2. Fog Cloud
3. Stinking Cloud
4. Solid Fog
5. Cloudkill
6. Acid Fog
7. Control Weather
8. Incendiary Fog
9. Wail of the Banshee

To Protect and Serve

1. Protection from (Chaos/Evil/Good/Law)
2. Resist Energy
3. Magic Circle Against (Chaos/Evil/Good/Law)
4. Lesser Globe of Invulnerability
5. Mage's Faithful Hound
6. Globe of Invulnerability
7. Mass Hold Person
8. Protection from Spells
9. Imprisonment

The Pursuit of Happiness

1. Alarm
2. Arcane Lock
3. Explosive Runes
4. Fire Trap
5. Secret Chest
6. Guards and Wards
7. Instant Summons
8. Antipathy
9. Refuge

Seeing Is Believing

1. Silent Image
2. Minor Image
3. Major Image
4. Illusory Wall
5. Persistent Image
6. Permanent Image
7. Project Image
8. TBD
9. TBD

(any high level figments out there?)

The Summoning of Monsters

1. Summon Monster I
2. Summon Monster II
3. Summon Monster III
4. Summon Monster IV
5. Summon Monster V
6. Summon Monster VI
7. Summon Monster VII
8. Summon Monster VIII
9. Summon Monster IX

Wallbuilder

1. Shield
2. Web
3. Wind Wall
4. Wall of Fire
5. Wall of Force
6. Wall of Iron
7. Forcecage
8. Maze
9. Prismatic Sphere

[Vaynor]

Uh, do they have spellcasting, perhaps?

[Anonymouswizard]

Uh, do they have spellcasting, perhaps?

And spells per day: mwahaha, and am the Arcanist Bob McRubbishfighter.

[DragoonWraith]

Note the spoiler at the end: It's incomplete. Yes, I need to fill in the spells per day. I suspect they'll be similar to the Sorcerer's, at a guess, but I need to look at the Ardent and consider how the Spells Known works out/doesn't work out.

EDIT: Moved the spoiler to the beginning so people can't miss it.

[arguskos]

Note the spoiler at the end: It's incomplete. Yes, I need to fill in the spells per day. I suspect they'll be similar to the Sorcerer's, at a guess, but I need to look at the Ardent and consider how the Spells Known works out/doesn't work out.

EDIT: Moved the spoiler to the beginning so people can't miss it.

These guys get very few spells known, I don't think the Sorcerer progression is a good one. Perhaps the volume of the sorcerer at the progression of the Wizard, to compensate for the fact that they have very very VERY few spells known?

[jiriku]

This is an excellent concept, similar to a similar variant called path magic that was proposed several years ago in Dragon magazine. I think it's an excellent, excellent way to take the "I do everything!" wizard and create a) a caster whose power level is closer to Tier 3, and b) encourage a more flavorful caster whose abilities are thematic and have a sort of logic to them, rather than being a grab bag of whatever spells the player thinks are "best".

Some suggestions:
The arcanist has too few spells known at low level, especially from levels 1-2. I can think of two ways you might correct this

1. Grant two orbs at level 1.
2. Put two spells per level into some orbs.

When Dragon introduced path magic, spells were organized into greater and lesser paths. A greater path had about twice as many spells in it as a lesser path (lesser paths typically had fewer than 9 spells in them). You could create greater and lesser orbs in the same fashion, and provide a greater orb and a lesser orb at 1st level. If the lesser orb only provides, say, 4 spells from levels 1-4, you're opening up the throttle a little at the lowest levels without giving away the entire PHB spellset at higher levels.


No other arcane class has Wisdom as a casting attribute, but based on the fluff I think you're doing that on purpose.

The list of class skills seems highly esoteric. You've got some intuitive skills, some studious skills, and some martial/outdoors skills. If you really want all those as class skills, I'd encourage you to expand the fluff and explain why those disparate realms of knowledge are natural for an arcanist. Right now I'm not seeing it.

[DragoonWraith]

I considered Greater and Lesser, but was concerned that it would overcomplicate things (see my Mystic Theurge, which was horrifically over-complicated, though not only because of this). I'll consider it further. I agree about level 1 being far too sparse in terms of spells known, so I'll fix that. Assuming I stuck with 9-level Orbs, how many would be appropriate? I'm concerned about giving too many 9th level spells, but ya know.

For that matter, "Path" seems like a far better word than "Orb". I chose Orb as a semi-tribute to the Tome of Fiends' "Spheres", which are used by fiends (and a revision of the Warlock) to access spells, but "Path" seems to sound much better...

[Tavar]

Very similar idea to the Furycrafter in my sig, in terms of making a ardent like vancian caster, though I went for slightly more spells known per path, but in return fewer paths, and a staggered caster progression. Be interested to see how this turns out.

[A.J.Gibson]

I totally agree with jiriku; this is a great way of creating a thematic mage. Also; more orbs at level 1. Because of the way Orbs are set up, characters are going to have a lot of duplicate and redundant spells, so don't worry if they have a few more spells known then a sorcerer; number of spells known is the trade of for flexibility in choice. I would also recommend that you consider not limiting each orb to a specific number of spells at each level. It's okay if some orbs have a few extra spells at few level, you'll find it a pain in the butt designing orbs if you force yourself to choose a certain number of spells at each level every single time.

[DragoonWraith]

Heh, I was really trying to go for having one spell per level per Orb, and no redundancy, but yeah, that's going to get really ugly really fast.

Maybe I'll give Orbs three 1st level spells, two 2nd and 3rd level spells, and then keep the one-each for the other levels? Might work, might not, depends on whether or not I can find fitting spells.

*thinks about the sheer number of spells printed for 3.5* Yeah, probably won't be a problem.

[Pigkappa]

The concept is really nice IMHO. In order to improve versatility, I would do something like this: give each orbs 3 spells for levels 1, 2 and 3, 2 spells for levels 4, 5 and 6, one spell for levels 7, 8, 9. This also means that you don't know as many 9th-level spells as you know 1-st level spells, which makes sense IMO. He will know more spells than a sorcerer at high levels, but he couldn't really choose them all one-by-one.

Also, maybe the Arcanist should be able to use magic items (scrolls, wands) that cast spells which appear in some Orb.

[A.J.Gibson]

Heh, I was really trying to go for having one spell per level per Orb, and no redundancy, but yeah, that's going to get really ugly really fast.

Maybe I'll give Orbs three 1st level spells, two 2nd and 3rd level spells, and then keep the one-each for the other levels? Might work, might not, depends on whether or not I can find fitting spells.

*thinks about the sheer number of spells printed for 3.5* Yeah, probably won't be a problem.

You can do that if you like, but if you hold yourself to a specific set-up, you'll run into problems making decisions. What if there are 3 level 3 spells that really go well with the Orb's theme, but only 1 level 2 spells? If you set the number of spell at each level, you're going to have to make choices based on what is available, instead of what is 'cool'. Don't limit yourself unnecessarily in the name of some sort of consistency.

[DragoonWraith]

Added a short list of spells all Arcanists have, added some more Orbs. Still need to figure out spells per day, add more Orbs, and consider actual class features.

[DragoonWraith]

Added spells per day, added some more Orbs.

How do people feel about the 0* entries in the spells per day? That one is supposed to mimic the Ardent's ability to continue to progress even if they lose caster (manifester) levels. Practiced Spellcaster would obviously be useful here.

[A.J.Gibson]

How do people feel about the 0* entries in the spells per day? That one is supposed to mimic the Ardent's ability to continue to progress even if they lose caster (manifester) levels. Practiced Spellcaster would obviously be useful here.

The 0* is meant for classes the have weaker than normal spell progression, like Bards. For a primary spellcaster, it is inappropriate. A character with an 18 in their primary stat would have a level 4 spell at level 1.

[DragoonWraith]

Note the requirement that your Caster Level be at least twice the spell's level.

I suppose you could abuse it if you could pump Caster Level bonuses, though, I had not considered that. Which means a special clause about that...

Added to it saying that your Character Level has to be at least 2*SpLv too. That should cover everything, you now can't get any spell levels earlier than normal - you can just continue to get them even if you multiclass.

For example, a Arcanist 3/Cleric 3 with Practiced Spellcaster for the Arcanist and 20 Wis (after a +2 item) would be able to cast a single 3rd level spell per day, since his Wis is high enough and both his Caster Level and his Character Level are at least 6. Makes going Mystic Theurge an interesting option.

You'll pretty much never have more than one spell per day of a level higher than you could cast without that feature.

Again, the Ardent does the same, because Power Points are not level-based and you know all the Powers that are listed in your Mantle.

[Dante & Vergil]

Bump here too.

[DragoonWraith]

Yeah, I really ought to come up with some more Orbs for this. And feedback on the 0* thing as well as how spells known stands at this point would be nice.