The Soothsayer (An NPC Class!)[Opinions Welcome]

[Metastachydium]

A fixed-list specialist caster, the soothsayer sees (or hears (or knows)) much and tells some, by the grace of some mysterious patron. Good for making weather forecasts and finding lost trinkets, a character with this simple little class can be anything from a small-time dedicated fortuneteller to a crazy old person spouting cryptic musings.

Alignment: Lawful neutral, neutral or chaotic neutral.
Hit Die: d4.

Class Skills
The soothsayer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (history, local, religion, the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int) and Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: The Soothsayer

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+0		1	–	–	–	–
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+0	Trance	2	–	–	–	–
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+1		3	–	–	–	–
4th	+2	+1	+1	+1		4	1	–	–	–
5th	+2	+1	+1	+1		4	2	–	–	–
6th	+3	+2	+2	+2		4	3	–	–	–
7th	+3	+2	+2	+2		4	4	–	–	–
8th	+4	+2	+2	+2		4	4	1	–	–
9th	+4	+3	+3	+3		4	4	2	–	–
10th	+5	+3	+3	+3		4	4	3	–	–
11th	+5	+3	+3	+3		4	4	4	–	–
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+4		4	4	4	1	–
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+4		4	4	4	2	–
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+4		4	4	4	3	–
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+5		4	4	4	4	–
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+5		4	4	4	4	1
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+5		4	4	4	4	2
18th	+9/+3	+6	+6	+6		4	4	4	4	3
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+6		4	4	4	4	4
20th	+10/+5	6	+6	+6		4	4	4	4	4

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the soothsayer.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Soothsayers are not proficient with any weapon, nor are they proficient with any armour or shields.

Spells
A soothsayer casts divine spells, which are drawn from the soothsayer spell list (see below). When she gains access to a new level of spells, she automatically learns all the spells for that level on the soothsayer spell list. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. Essentially, her spell list is the same as her list of spells known.

To cast a soothsayer spell, she must have a Wisdom score of 10 + the spell's level (Wis 11 for 1st-level spells, Wis 12 for 2nd-level spells and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a soothsayer's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the soothsayer's Charisma modifier. Like other spellcasters, a soothsayer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. The base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Soothsayer. In addition, she receives bonus spells for a high Wisdom score. A soothsayer need not prepare spells in advance. She can cast any spell she knows at any time, assuming she has not yet used up her spells per day for that spell level. A soothsayer's caster level is equivalent to her class level.

Not unlike other divine casters, soothsayers possess and use divine foci. A soothsayer's divine focus can be any small item designated as such, as long as it has a nominal value roughly equivalent to that of a wooden holy symbol. Soothsayers often use coins, dice, decks of cards, semi-precious gems, various talismans or small knives as a divine focus.

Trance (Su)
As a full-round action, a soothsayer can enter an oracular trance. While entranced, she gains a +4 insight bonus on Appraise, Decipher Script, Forgery (for the purpose of identifying forged documents) and Sense Motive checks, in addition to casting all divination spells at a caster level 1 higher than normal. However, for the duration of the trance, she loses the ability to make Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Forgery (for the purpose of creating forged documents) and Use Magic Device checks (such checks fail automatically); nor can she cast spells from the schools of Enchantment, Illusion and Transmutation or use magic items that produce such effects.

Maintaining the trance requires that the soothsayer concentrate on it. She can enter an oracular trance whenever she chooses to, provided that she hadn't spent more than 1 minute per soothsayer level entranced that day.

Soothsayer Spell List
Soothsayers can learn the following spells:

Spoiler: 1st Level

Show

Ancient KnowledgeMoE
Appraising Touch^SpC
Deathwatch
Detect Aberration^ECS
Detect Alignment
Detect Animals or Plants
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
Detect Secret Doors
Detect Snares and Pits
Detect Undead^CM
Guided Path
Know Direction
Locate City^RoD
Locate Water^Sand
Naturewatch^CD
Omen of Peril^CD
Read Magic

Spoiler: 2nd Level

Show

Arcane SensitivityShS
Animal Spirit^MoI (self only)
Augury
Circle Dance^SpC
Comprehend Languages
Detect Thoughts
Devil's Eye^BoVD
Discern Bloodline^RoD
Expose the Dead^SpC
Identify
Know Motivation^OA
Marked Object^SpC
Scholar's Touch^RoD
Status

Spoiler: 3rd Level

Show

Arcane Sight
Blessed Sight^BoED
Chain of Eyes^SpC
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance
Detect Metal and Minerals^RoF
Discern Shapechanger^SpC
Forest Eyes^CC
Locate Object
See Invisibility
Share Husk^SpC
Speak with Animals
Speak with Plants
Treasure Scent^SpC
Weather Eye^CD

Spoiler: 4th Level

Show

Blindsight^SpC (self only)
Detect Curse^OA
Detect Scrying
Discern Lies
Divination
Glimpse of Truth^BoVD
Revelation^DrF
Scrying
Speak with Dead
Tongues

Spoiler: 5th Level

Show

Commune
Commune with Nature
Contact Other Plane
Flowsight^Storm
Know Vulnerabilities^SpC
Scry Location^CS
True Seeing

[JoshuaZ]

This is mostly well done. Two thoughts. First, I'd consider bumping trance to level 2 rather than level 1. This is because there might be some circumstances where a PC might want to take level dip in this if it were 1 level. (If you think that's ok then sure.)

Second, I'd consider giving them even as an NPC some tiny ability to customize their spell list. Maybe they one additional divination spell from either the sor/wiz or cleric lists at 5, 10, 15 and 20 of spell at most class level/5.

[Metastachydium]

This is mostly well done.

Thank you! (For that and the feedback alike.)

Two thoughts. First, I'd consider bumping trance to level 2 rather than level 1. This is because there might be some circumstances where a PC might want to take level dip in this if it were 1 level. (If you think that's ok then sure.)

Hm. You're right. I'm not sure what it is, but there's almost certainly a way to somehow abuse it, not to mention that Adept kind of sets a precedent for putting the class feature at level 2. I'll move it.

Second, I'd consider giving them even as an NPC some tiny ability to customize their spell list. Maybe they one additional divination spell from either the sor/wiz or cleric lists at 5, 10, 15 and 20 of spell at most class level/5.

Well, they spell list is almost as long as the adept's as it is, and I had the impression that most low-level Divination spells I didn't put in there already are more of a thing for combat, something this class is uniquely ill-suited to participate in. I'll think about it, nevertheless.

[rel]

Seems fine for an NPC class. Consider adding knowledge religion to the skill list as I can see using it to represent a 'gods speak to me' style oracle.

[Metastachydium]

Seems fine for an NPC class. Consider adding knowledge religion to the skill list as I can see using it to represent a 'gods speak to me' style oracle.

Thanks and thanks! The idea was more like "something something speaks through me and it's weird", hence the poor Will progression and the lack of that skill, but you're right. One does not have to train all those skills, so I might as well leave room for that type.