What classes/prestige classes should I use to make an Archeologist?

[jcsw]

I'm DMing a campaign, and somewhere along the way the PCs are gonna meet an Archeologist/Geologist NPC.

He needs to be decent at combat (but not exceptionally, he dosen't need to be indiana jones)
He needs to be level 6.
The playing-world we live in is a giant archipelago, so that might be important to know.

So with that, what kind of classes/prestige classes would fit the role of an Archeologist/Geologist well? All I could think up was Knowledge Domain Cleric.

[cupkeyk]

I'm DMing a campaign, and somewhere along the way the PCs are gonna meet an Archeologist/Geologist NPC.

He needs to be decent at combat (but not exceptionally, he dosen't need to be indiana jones)
He needs to be level 6.
The playing-world we live in is a giant archipelago, so that might be important to know.

So with that, what kind of classes/prestige classes would fit the role of an Archeologist/Geologist well? All I could think up was Knowledge Domain Cleric.

Archivist from heroes of horror?

[JaxGaret]

Factotum. Bam.

[Chronos]

Archivist and Factotum were my first two thoughts, but a divination-specialized wizard would also work.

[cupkeyk]

isn't there that indiana jones styled prc in ecs?

[Jothki]

I don't have an idea for a class, but I do have some more suggestions for requirements.

He would want to be able to understand and possibly use any magical devices he might come across, so you might want either a caster or someone who could specialize in UMD.

He would need to be able to navigate uncharted, unstable, and possibly heavily trapped or monster-infested ruins. He wouldn't necessarily need to be able to overcome everything himself, but he would need to know what he's facing.

[Frosty]

I'm sure there's a Temple Raider of Olidimarra in Complete Divine or something.

[JaxGaret]

An Archivist/Factotum/Geomancer might work really well as a flavorful geologist build.

Factotum casting counts for PrC access, right? Maybe not, I don't remember...

[de-trick]

id go rogue/ranger, since your the DM give yourself almost every knowledge skill

Arcana (ancient mysteries, magic traditions, arcane symbols, cryptic phrases, constructs, dragons, magical beasts)
Architecture and engineering (buildings, aqueducts, bridges, fortifications)
Dungeoneering (aberrations, caverns, oozes, spelunking)
Geography (lands, terrain, climate, people)
History (royalty, wars, colonies, migrations, founding of cities)
Local (legends, personalities, inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions, humanoids)
Nature (animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, seasons and cycles, weather, vermin)
Nobility and royalty (lineages, heraldry, family trees, mottoes, personalities)
Religion (gods and goddesses, mythic history, ecclesiastic tradition, holy symbols, undead)
The planes (the Inner Planes, the Outer Planes, the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, outsiders, elementals, magic related to the planes)

im not sure if there is one knowledge you would not want

just thought of a better class Bard

[Xyk]

Try Savant from Dragon Compendium. It's got everything as a class skill. Also the kind of abilities good for an Archaeologist.

[SilverClawShift]

Factotum basically IS Indiana Jones. Archivist is Indy minus the whip and gun, and tossing in a bigger brain and some spooky semi-religious stuff.

In Pimping mode, there's also the Sawbones class in my sig, which is an (unfortunately unfinished) attempt at creating an Indiana Jones style "Intelligent Adventurer" kind of feel.

[Aquillion]

Artificer could also work if you want to go the "expert with the relics of an ancient civilization" route. He tracks down ancient artifacts, takes them apart, and uses the ancient hidden knowledge he's uncovered from them to assemble new ones. He can also use them all more effectively in various ways.

[hylian chozo]

Factotum basically IS Indiana Jones. Archivist is Indy minus the whip and gun, and tossing in a bigger brain and some spooky semi-religious stuff.

Archivist is Benjamen Gates.

[Nebo_]

Archivist is Benjamen Gates.

Ah, that explains all the spells he cast...


Factotum or Archivist fit the best.

[dspeyer]

What an archeologist or geologist needs most are skills: knowledge, perception, movement and maybe a few crafts. For that, not much beats a simple rogue. Pick up the educated feat to make the knowledge skills class. Consider using the wilderness rogue variant (UA) (gain survival, lose decipher script and gather information -- could go either way) and/or the fighter feats variant (since you probably won't be doing much sneaking.

The other thing that would be really handy is divination magic. Unfortunately, decent mages are generally short on skill points (beguiler is an exception, but doesn't really fit). UMD and lots of scrolls will probably do nicely.

[jcsw]

Hmm I decided to go with human archivist 6,

So far I've finalized the ability scores
Abilities: Str: 10 Dex: 12 Con: 10 Wis: 14 Int: 19 Cha: 10

Unmodified except for the extra point at level 4

And the skills:

Spoiler

Show

Concentration: 9
Spellcraft: 9+2+4
Knowledge(History): 9+5
Knowledge(Geography): 9+5
Knowledge(Arcana): 5+5
Knowledge(Religion): 5+5
Knowledge(Nature): 5+5
Knowledge(Architecture and Engineering): 5+5
Knowledge(Nobility): 5+5
Knowledge(The Planes): 5+5
Knowledge(Local): 2+5
Search: 4+2
Skill Tricks: Collector of Stories: Gain +5 to any one trained knowledge check

The bonuses factor in stats, synergies, and bonuses from feats

And two of the feats which are Master of Knowledge (Heroes of Horror) and Knowledge Devotion (Complete Champion)

So are there any feats/spells you can reccomend? I'd say any divine spell (below level 3) is fair game since he's a widely traveled archeologist.

[Tempest Fennac]

I know this is a bit late, but I would have said Rogue or Beguiller for an Indiana Jones-style acgheologist due to their emphasis on skills (Archivist works well for a more realisting archaeologist, though).

[Illiterate Scribe]

Illumians get the 'loredelver' class, which goes on from archivist; it basically is the 'archaeologist' PrC.

[Talya]

I'm sure there's a Temple Raider of Olidimarra in Complete Divine or something.

That's always struck me as Lara Croft-ian.

[Worira]

Expert. pointless text goes here.

[Albonor]

Rogue1/ranger1/rogue2/ranger1 - shader hunter1 (Champions of Ruin (FR))

It IS a non-good PrC but since you are the DM...

THAT is Indy. But Iny had favored ennemy (Nazi) instead of shades or whatever you choose for your setting...

[jcsw]

If you must know, he is temporarily living on an Island called Scorched Island (Research on the volcano, the fire plane is currently contingous with the material plane (Yes it's Ebberon)), all our (planned) quests and sidequests are on separate, self contained islands. Guess what the PCs will be fighting here? Water Elementals. I love irony.