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Solaris
2009-01-02, 07:10 AM
Game Rule Information
Scholars have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Intelligence and Charisma are most important for the scholar's spellcasting, but Constitution is paramount if she's to survive with her fragile Hit Dice. Dexterity is important to supplement the light armor she wears.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills
The scholar's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Forgery (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

Scholar
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th| 9th

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Scribe Scroll, read magic, origami familiar, practical knowledge (tactics) 3/day|3|1

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Lore mastery|4|2|-

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+3|Practical knowledge 4/day|4|2|1|-

4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Bonus feat|4|3|2|-|-

5th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Improved scribe, practical knowledge (puissance)|4|3|2|1|-|-

6th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|Practical knowledge 6/day|4|3|3|2|-|-|-

7th|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+5|Lore mastery|4|4|3|3|2|-|-|-

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+2|
+6|Bonus feat|4|4|3|3|2|-|-|-|-|-

9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+3|
+6|Practical knowledge (foe) 6/day|4|4|3|3|2|1|-|-|-|-

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+3|
+7|Improved origami familiar|4|4|4|3|3|2|-|-|-|-

11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+3|
+7|Practical knowledge (dread secret)|4|4|4|4|3|2|1|-|-|-

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+4|
+8|Bonus feat, lore mastery, practical knowledge 7/day|4|4|4|4|3|3|2|-|-|-

13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+4|
+8|Perfect scribe|4|4|4|4|4|3|2|1|-|-

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+4|
+9|Practical knowledge (foreknowledge)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+5|
+9|Practical knowledge 8/day|4|4|4|4|4|4|3|2|1|-

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+10|Bonus feat|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|3|3|2

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+10|Lore mastery|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|3|2|1

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+11|Practical knowledge 9/day|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|3|3|2

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Perfected origami familiar|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|3|3

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Bonus feat, Tenure|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|4|4[/table]

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the scholar class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Scholars are proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor but not shields.

Spellcasting: Unlike other spellcasters, the scholar can only cast spells from scrolls.
To learn or scribe a spell, a scholar must have an Intelligence score equal to 10 + the spell level (Int 10 for 0-level spells, Int 11 for 1st-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a scholar's spell is 10 + the spell level + the scholar's Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a scholar is limited in how many spells of a certain level he can scribe per day. Her base daily allotment is given in Table 1-1: The Scholar. In addition, she receives bonus scrolls per day if she has a high Intelligence score (see Table 1-1: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells, PHB p 8). The scholar is capable of stockpiling unused scrolls from one day to the next with no penalty.
Unlike a bard or sorcerer, a scholar may know any number of spells (see Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook, PHB p 179). While the scholar is considered an arcane spellcaster, she may scribe any scroll she encounters into her spellbook. A scholar begins play knowing four 0-level spells and 2 1st-level spells, all chosen from the Wizard spell list.

Bonus Languages: A scholar may substitute Draconic for one of the bonus languages available to the character because of her race. Many ancient tomes of magic are written in Draconic, and apprentice scholars often learn it as part of their studies.

Read Magic (Sp): At will, the scholar can cast read magic, as the spell.

Scribe Scroll: At 1st level, a scholar gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat. This feat enables her to create the magic scrolls necessary for her spellcasting. Unlike normal casters, each scroll she scribes requires only 10 minutes apiece. The other costs remain the same.

Origami Familiar: A scholar can summon a special familiar. Doing so requires a ritual that costs 100 gp and requires eight hours of meditation and a DC 15 Craft (origami) check. Success means that the scholar has imbued a piece of rice paper with animation and sentience. This familiar is a construct that can take the shape of any animal sized Tiny or Diminutive.

Practical Knowledge: Three times per day, a scholar can draw upon her extensive knowledge of monsters, granting her allies benefits against the creatures they face. Doing this counts as a standard action. The secrets of practical knowledge pertain only to aberrations, elementals, magical beasts, outsiders, or undead.
A scholar unlocks new practical knowledge abilities as his level increases and can also call upon his practical knowledge more often, gaining one additional daily use for every three scholar levels (4/day at 3rd level, 5/day at 6th level, and so forth).
Using practical knowledge requires a Knowledge check of a type appropriate to the creature faced. A Knowledge (arcana) check reveals secrets of magical beasts, Knowledge (dungeoneering) pertains to aberrations, Knowledge (religion) covers undead, and Knowledge (the planes) applies to outsiders and elementals. The DC of the check is 10 + creature's HD (using the highest one if multiple creatures are present). Most of the scholar's practical knowledge abilities increase in effectiveness if she succeeds on her Knowledge check by 10 or more. Practical knowledge can only be used once against any given creature.
The scholar's practical knowledge can affect a single creature or all creatures of the same race, depending on the effect used. A target must be within 60 feet, and the scholar must be aware of the creature's presence, although she need not have a line of sight to it. The effects of practical knowledge last for the duration of the encounter, unless stated otherwise.

Tactics: The scholar knows the general combat behaviors of creatures of that race, granting his allies a +1 bonus to attack rolls made against them. For example, a scholar confronted by chokers who succeeded on his Knowledge (dungeoneering) check would grant her allies the attack bonus against all the chokers they fought in that encounter. For every increment of 10 that the scholar's Knowledge check exceeds the DC, increase this bonus by +1. For example, if the scholar succeeded on her Knowledge check by 20, then this bonus increases to +3.

Puissance: Starting at 5th level, the scholar can use her practical knowledge to help her allies fight off the corrupting influence of other creatures. Allies within 60 feet of the scholar gain a +1 bonus on saving throws against the affected creature's abilities. For every increment of 10 that the scholar's Knowledge check exceeds the DC, increase this bonus by +1 as with tactics.

Foe: Starting at 8th level, a scholar can direct her allies to attack vital spots of her enemies. On a successful Knowledge check, she grants them a bonus to weapon damage rolls equal to 1d6 points of damage. For every increment of 10 that the scholar's Knowledge check exceeds the DC, this bonus increases by +1d6 points of damage.

Dread Secret: By speaking aloud a dread secret of the target creature, a scholar of 11th level or higher can dazzle a target creature for 1 round. Unlike other practical knowledge, this ability can be used only against a single creature. If the scholar succeeds on her Knowledge check by 10 or more, then the target is dazed for 1 round. If the scholar succeeds on her Knowledge check by 20 or more, then the target is stunned for 1 round (if the target is immune to being stunned but not immune to being dazed, such as most undead, then the scholar can choose to daze the target instead of stunning it).

Foreknowledge: Starting at 14th level, a scholar can better prepare her allies for the attacks of the affected creature, making it harder for the creature to land blows and successfully deal damage. Allies within 30 feet of the scholar gain a +1 insight bonus to Armor Class that applies to attacks by the affected creatures only. For each increment of 10 that the scholar's Knowledge check exceeds the DC, this bonus increases by +1.

Bonus Feat: At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, the scholar gains a bonus feat. This bonus feat must be chosen from the following list: Armor Proficiency (medium), Armor Proficiency (heavy), Augment Summoning, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Diligent, Greater Spell Focus, Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Counterspell, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Magical Aptitude, Nimble Fingers, Skill Focus (any Knowledge skill), Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, any metamagic feat, or any item creation feat. The scholar must meet the prerequisites of these bonus feats, if any.

Improved Scribe: At 5th level, the scholar's ability to scribe scrolls improves. She must now only pay a base price of the scroll's spell level x its caster level x 10 gp and and no XP to scribe a scroll.

Improved Origami Familiar: At 10th level the scholar's origami familiar can take the shape of any animal size Diminutive to Large.

Perfect Scribe: At 13th level, the scholar gets +1 caster level whenever she casts from a scroll she scribed herself.

Perfected Origami Familiar: At 19th level the scholar's origami familiar can take the shape of any animal regardless of size.

Tenure (Su): The scholar has transcended mortality, becoming an Outsider with the (Native) and (Augmented humanoid) subtypes. He retains all of his previous subtypes. He gains a +10 insight bonus on all Knowledge checks, a +4 insight bonus to Armor Class, and a +4 insight bonus on all saving throws. The scholar no longer takes penalties for aging, but bonuses still continue to accrue. He will not die of old age.

Origami Familiar
An origami familiar is a fragment of the scholar's personality, brought into physical form and a semblance of life via techniques of binding magic into paper similar to those used to scribe scrolls. An origami familiar at rest appears to be a simple square of rice paper, often colored on one side but simple white on the other, about six inches to a side. When it becomes active, the familiar quickly folds itself into a wonderfully intricate origami sculpture of the animal it intends to mimic, then grows to the appropriate size.
Because it is an extension of its creator's personality, a scholar's origami familiar is in some ways a part of her. That's why, for example, a scholar can cast a personal range spell on her origami familiar even though normally she can cast such a spell only on herself.
An origami familiar is treated as a construct for the purposes of all effects that depend on its type.
An origami familiar grants special abilities to its master, as shown on Table 1-2: Origami Familiar Special Abilities table below. In addition, an origami familiar has a personality (being a fragment of its master's personality), which gives its master a bonus on certain types of checks or saving throws, as given on the Table 1-3: Origami Familiar Personalities table below. These special abilities and bonuses apply only when familiar and master are within 1 mile of each other.
Origami familiar abilities are based on the master's arcane caster level. A character who has multiclassed into a class that grants a familiar may not take a familiar while he still has an origami familiar, and vice-versa.
An origami familiar cannot speak, but it can understand all languages its master knows. This is a supernatural ability.

Origami Familiar Basics: Use the statistics for the base animal, but make the following changes.

Saving Throws: An origami familiar uses its master's base saving throw bonuses and ability modifiers on saves, though it doesn't enjoy any other bonuses its owner might have (from magic items or feats, for example).

Abilities: When in its inert, unfolded state, an origami familiar has no Strength score and no Dexterity score. As a construct, it also lacks a Constitution score regardless of its form.

Skills: An origami familiar has the same skill ranks as its owner, except that it has a minimum of 4 ranks each in Spot, Listen, Move Silently, and Search. (Even if its owner has no ranks in these skills, an origami familiar has 4 ranks in each.) An origami familiar uses its own ability modifiers on skill checks.

Spells: Unlike most familiars, the origami familiar can be imbued with spells of its own. Doing so is identical to scribing a scroll, but instead of parchment its master uses the origami familiar itself. The scholar can scribe any spell she can cast onto the origami familiar, paying all costs as normal. This counts against her scrolls scribed for that day. The origami familiar can then either cast the spell on its own (caster level equal to the master's -2, minimum of 1) or let the master read it off of its body to cast as normal. Once cast, the spell disappears (but the familiar is unharmed) and the master can scribe another spell in its place. A scholar with the Improved Origami Familiar ability can scribe three spells at a time on the origami familiar and cast them at -1 to the master's caster level, while a scholar with the Perfected Origami Familiar ability can scribe up to five spells at a time on her familiar at -1 to the master's caster level.


Table 1-2: Origami Familiar Special Abilities
Owner Level Natural Armor Adj. Int Wis Cha Special
1st-2nd +0 3 10 1 Alertness, improved evasion, paper, personality, animation, share spells, sighted, telepathic link
3rd-4th +1 4 10 3 Deliver touch spells
5th-6th +2 5 11 5 Telepathic speech
7th-8th +3 6 12 7 DR 5/slashing
9th-10th +4 7 13 9 -
11th-12th +5 8 13 10 Spell Resistance
13th-14th +6 9 13 11 Sight link
15th-16th +7 10 14 12 Channel spell
17th-18th +8 11 14 12 DR 5/slashing and adamantine
19th-20th +9 12 14 13 DR 10/slashing and adamantine

Origami Familiar Ability Descriptions: All origami familiars have special abilities (or impart abilities on their masters) depending on the caster level of the master, as shown on the table above. The abilities on the table are cumulative.

Natural Armor Adj. (Ex): This number noted here is an improvement to the base animal's natural armor bonus. It represents the magical paper's preternatural durability.

Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma: The origami familiar's mental ability scores, regardless of form. Origami familiars are as smart as people (though not necessarily as smart as smart people).

Alertness (Ex): The presence of an origami familiar sharpens its master's senses. While an origami familiar is within arm's reach (adjacent to or in the same square as its master), the scholar gains the Alertness feat.

Improved Evasion (Ex): If an origami familiar is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails.

Paper (Ex): Regardless of its shape, an origami familiar is still made out of paper. As such, it takes double damage from fire.

Personality (Ex): Every origami familiar has a personality. See Table 1-3: Origami Familiar Personality, below.

Animation (Su): As a standard action, its master can will the origami familiar to change into any allowed animal form or to revert back to a seemingly-inanimate sheet of paper.

Sighted (Su): Although it has no physical sensory organs (or any other kind of organ, for that matter), an origami familiar can sense its environment as well as a creature with normal vision and hearing. Darkness (even supernatural darkness) is irrelevant, as are areas of supernatural silence, though an origami familiar still can't discern invisible or ethereal beings.

Telepathic Link (Su): The scholar has a telepathic link with her origami familiar out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The scholar cannot see through the familiar's eyes, but they can communicate telepathically.
Because of the link between an origami familiar and its master, the master has the same connection to an item or place that the origami familiar does. For instance, if her origami familiar has seen a room, the master can teleport into that room as if she has seen it too.

Deliver Touch Spells (Su): If the master is 3rd level or higher, her origami familiar can deliver touch spells for her. If the master and familiar are in contact at the time the scholar casts a touch spell, she can designate her origami familiar as the "toucher." The origami familiar can then deliver the touch spell just as the scholar could. As usual, if the scholar casts another spell before the touch is delivered, the touch power dissipates.

Telepathic Speech (Su): If the master is 5th level or higher, the origami familiar can communicate telepathically with any creature that has a language and is within 30 feet of the familiar, while the origami familiar is also within 1 mile of the scholar.

DR 5/slashing (Ex): If the master is 7th level or higher, the origami familiar becomes resistant to all but cutting damage.

Spell Resistance (Ex): If the master is 11th level or higher, the origami familiar gains spell resistance equal to the master's level + 5. To affect the origami familiar with a power, another spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check that equals or exceeds the origami familiar's spell resistance.

Sight Link (Sp): If the master is 13th level or higher, the scholar can scry on the origami familiar (as if casting the scry spell) once per day.

Channel Spell (Sp): If the master is 15th level or higher, she can cast spells through the origami familiar to a distance of up to 1 mile. The origami familiar is treated as the spell's originator, and all ranges are calculated from its location. When channeling a spell through her familiar, the master still pays all associated costs of casting the spell (including using up a scroll). She is still subject to attacks of opportunity and other hazards of casting a spell, if applicable (for instance, she becomes visible when casting an offensive spell if invisible, as does the origami familiar).

DR 5/slashing and adamantine (Su): If the master is 17th level or higher, the origami familiar becomes resistant to all but cutting damage from adamantine weapons.

DR 15/slashing and adamantine (Su): If the master is 19th level or higher, the origami familiar becomes highly resistant to all but cutting damage from adamantine weapons.

Origami Familiar Personality (Ex): Each origami familiar has a distinct personality, chosen by its master at the time of its creation from among those given on the following table. At 1st level, its master typically gets a feel for an origami familiar's personality only through occasional impulses, but as the master increases in level the origami familiar's personality becomes more pronounced. At higher levels, it is not uncommon for an origami familiar to constantly ply its master with observations and advice, often severely slanted toward the familiar's particular worldview. The master always sees a bit of herself in her origami familiar, even if magnified and therefore distorted.

Table 1-2: Origami Familiar Special Abilities
Personality Benefit to Owner
Artiste +3 bonus on Craft checks
Bully +3 bonus on Intimidate checks
Coward +3 bonus on Hide checks
Friendly +3 bonus on Diplomacy checks.
Hero +2 bonus on Fortitude saves
Liar +3 bonus on Bluff checks
Meticulous +3 bonus on Search checks
Nimble +2 bonus on Initiative checks
Observant +3 bonus on Spot checks
Poised +3 bonus on Balance checks
Resolved +2 bonus on Will saves
Sage +3 bonus on checks involving any one Knowledge skill the master already knows; once chose, this does not vary
Single-minded +3 bonus on Concentration checks
Sneaky +3 bonus on Move Silently checks
Sympathetic +3 bonus on Sense Motive checks


The class is basically a tweaked-out UMD-user with Dark Knowledge (tinkered with to make it more palatable for me) and a wacky origami familiar. The triple-question marks at 20 are because I really have no idea what I should do for a capstone ability on this class.

Zeta Kai
2009-01-02, 09:32 AM
The spells for Level 14 are missing, & the spells for Level 16/17 are probably flipped.

Solaris
2009-01-02, 10:05 AM
That's a distinct possibility. Lemme fix that, then...

zeruslord
2009-01-02, 01:45 PM
This class is not going to be able to keep up with other classes because its core mechanic is to spend XP in order to fight. If a wizard had to pay XP for every spell he cast or a fighter had to pay XP every time he swung his sword, nobody would play them.

What is this guy's fundamental model? Is he meant to have every spell at his fingertips, to miserly hoard scrolls from day to day, or to have huge spike power to unleash when he really needs it?

Solaris
2009-01-03, 10:30 AM
Well, the dark knowledge is more its core mechanic. I left the name Scrollcaster 'cause I'd originally conceived it as a guy who could only cast from scrolls - and do nothing else. I suck with class names, can't ya tell?

I would've made it more of a dedicated skillmonkey, but I do not want to make another Rogue Replacement class. Thus, the lack of trapfinding and not too many rogue-style skills. I think of it as a mostly Knowledge-based character. You gotta be smart to play it - the trick is whether the class is playable at all without banning other spellcasters.

The spellcasting is more secondary to the class, and the guy's s'posed to hoard his scrolls. He is not the 'nova'-style caster that 3.X really embraced (even if there is no limit to the number of scrolls per day that he can cast from, just a limit to the number he can scribe). That said, scrolls are pretty cheap so far as treasure goes, so it's conceivable for a character to dump his money on them instead of potions or magic gear if he wants to use his magic.

Athaniar
2009-01-03, 03:29 PM
The Origami Familiar is a nice touch.

Solaris
2009-01-04, 06:05 AM
Thanks, I thought so.

Some changes:
Changed the class's name to Scholar.

Added Appraise, Disable Device, Open Lock, Speak Language, and Use Magic Device as class skills. Took out Gather Information.

Increased the Hit Dice from d4 to d6.

Changed the name of Dark Knowledge to Practical Knowledge. It's not an archivist, despite the ability being almost identical. I don't need to strive to make it seem all dark and morbid.

Added several feats to the list of bonus feats the scholar can choose from: Armor Proficiency (medium), Armor Proficiency (heavy), Augment Summoning, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Diligent, Greater Spell Focus, Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Counterspell, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Magical Aptitude, Nimble Fingers, Spell Focus, and Spell Penetration.
Most of those are useful for casters, but the scholar can pick up armor proficiency and most of the Combat Expertise tree as bonus feats. Remember, she doesn't have an arcane spell failure chance on account of the scrolls.

The Improved Scribe ability is amended to take away the XP costs of scribing scrolls. GP costs remain, as I don't want scholars to be slinging spells around like madmen.

The Perfected Scribe ability is amended to give the scholar +1 caster level when she casts a spell from a scroll she scribed.

The origami familiar gets the following ability:
Spells: Unlike most familiars, the origami familiar can be imbued with spells of its own. Doing so is identical to scribing a scroll, but instead of parchment its master uses the origami familiar itself. The scholar can scribe any spell she can cast onto the origami familiar, paying all costs as normal. This counts against her scrolls scribed for that day. The origami familiar can then either cast the spell on its own (caster level equal to the master's -2, minimum of 1) or let the master read it off of its body to cast as normal. Once cast, the spell disappears (but the familiar is unharmed) and the master can scribe another spell in its place. A scholar with the Improved Origami Familiar ability can scribe three spells at a time on the origami familiar and cast them at -1 to the master's caster level, while a scholar with the Perfected Origami Familiar ability can scribe up to five spells at a time on her familiar at -1 to the master's caster level.

Still trying to figure out a good capstone ability, if any. This class is turning into the 'adventuring teacher' type, methinks.

Galileo
2009-01-04, 07:31 AM
I think the Origami Familiar is a brilliant idea, and the overall flavour of "adventuring teacher" is really cool.
Two minor errors I can see:
The list of abilities for the familiar says that it gets DR10/slashing and adamantine, the ability itself says DR15; and scholars lose all spell slots at 14th, according to their ability chart.

I hope you think of a capstone soon, I'd really like to play one of these sometime. And as a bonus, here's a few sage words from a high level Scholar.
"Stay back, Refill! He's got flaming adamantine scissors!"

Solaris
2009-01-04, 08:23 AM
Son of a monkey's uncle, I missed the correction on my hard copy. Thanks for pointing that out.
Again.
(I'd copy-pasted a lot of the document from a Wordpad doc that missed earlier corrections I'd made to the forum version. The spells for levels sixteen and seventeen were swapped out, too).

It's s'posed to be DR 15/slashing and adamantine.
Heheh. Flaming adamantine scissors.

Solaris
2009-01-07, 03:07 AM
Hm. I came up with a couple of different ideas, including the ability to drone on and on and on, resulting in most everything within earshot falling asleep unless they succeed at a Will save, and the idea for an ability called 'Thesis' - but no idea what it'd do, sorry - but I'm thinking this one could work:

Tenure (Su): The scholar has transcended mortality, becoming an Outsider with the (Native) and (Augmented humanoid) subtypes. He retains all of his previous subtypes. He gains a +10 insight bonus on all Knowledge checks, a +4 insight bonus to Armor Class, and a +4 insight bonus on all saving throws. The scholar no longer takes penalties for aging, but bonuses still continue to accrue. He will not die of old age.

The Neoclassic
2009-01-07, 09:51 PM
I like it, and the origami familiar is lovely. That said, I agree that the whole needing to spend xp thing to cast spells, well, sucks. Also, at high levels, that's a lot of time spent per day writing out the scrolls too. As nifty as scrolls are, I might recommend you chuck that and just have them use spellbooks similarly to wizards.

I want flaming adamantine scissors...

Galileo
2009-01-08, 03:28 AM
2 people found my flaming adamantine scissors joke funny. A new record!

Solaris
2009-01-10, 10:12 AM
Like I've said, the spellcasting isn't really the primary function of this class. He's a jack-of-all trades - "Those who can't do, teach" is the theory behind it.
Well, there's a few things to consider about the peskiness of using scrolls:
It stops costing XP at 5th level, and I actually want scholars to think carefully about the use of their spells rather than simply burning them all in a single encounter. That said, they can use pretty much any spell in the game, get a healthy amount of skill points, a lot of skills to choose from, and with the origami familiar can be true and utter rat-bastard with appropriate thought behind his deeds.
I mean, who's gonna notice the innocuous little six-by-six piece of paper stuck in his spellbook... until it's suddenly ORIGAMI TIGER IN UR BASE, EETING UR FACE!

But ya, it wouldn't kill the class if you wanted to use a variant wherein he casts spells as a wizard. Just limit the spell list.

Fredthefighter
2009-01-10, 10:17 AM
I like it, sort of mixes bard with a bit more wizard and some new abilities.
Good Job. :smallbiggrin: