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View Full Version : [3.5] Covert Arcanist PrC



Andion Isurand
2010-07-29, 10:06 PM
I expanded this custom brew PrC from 5 to a 10 levels despite it being cut from the list of eligible contest participants. :smallfrown: Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions or criticisms?

Covert Arcanist

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/434/0covert011.jpg

Without additional consideration and practice, the covert use of magic in the presence of others is a difficult task. When required, the covert arcanist is adept at concealing evidence of his spellcasting activities. Possessing penchants for pervasive insight, self-sufficiency and interpersonal efficacy, the covert arcanist often fills a role in support of a larger cause or entity. While they can certainly kill using methods any arcanist might use, they work well as investigators, saboteurs, spies and thieves. To eventually master their art, covert arcanists must also develop the physical and meditative aspects of their being.
Hit Die: d4.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
To qualify to become an covert arcanist, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Bluff 1 rank, Concentration 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 9 ranks, Knowledge (local) 5 ranks, Knowledge (any other) 4 ranks, Spellcraft 9 ranks, Sense Motive 1 rank
Feats: Eschew Materials and Guerrilla Scout (HoB 97).
Spells: Ability to cast 3rd-level arcane spells.

CLASS SKILLS
The covert arcanist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:
Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at each Level: 4 + Int modifier

{table=head] Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spellcasting
1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Descry, Skill Focus (Spellcraft) | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Bonus feat | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Skill Focus (any one Knowledge) | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Bonus feat | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Subtle Magic | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | - | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Ninja Pockets | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8th | +6 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Slieght of Spell | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th | +6 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Covert Casting | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10th | +7 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Spellwoven Ki Pool | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class[/table]

CLASS FEATURES
All the following are class features of the covert arcanist prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Covert arcanist gain no proficiency with any weapon, armor or shield.
Spellcasting: With each level you gain as a covert arcanist, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other class feature a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a covert arcanist, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.
Descry (Ex): At 1st level, the covert arcanist can access knowledge in the same manner as a bard can. This ability functions like the bardic knowledge ability, except that the bonus for the check equals the character's covert arcanist level + his Int modifier. If the covert arcanist has another such lore ability from another source (such as bard or loremaster levels), his covert arcanist levels stack with levels of all other classes that grant such an ability for the purpose of Descry checks.
Bonus Feats: At 2nd and 4th level, the covert arcanist may select any of the following feats as a bonus feat, as long as they meet the prerequisites: Arcane Strike, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Invisible Spell, Mysterious Magic, Silent Spell, Smiting Spell, Somatic Weaponry, Spell Mastery, Still Spell, Sudden Extend Spell, Sudden Enlarge Spell, Sudden Silent Spell or Sudden Still Spell.
Subtle Magic: At 5th level, the spells you cast often don’t register to divination magic. If a divination is attempted against one of your spells, the caster of the divination must succeed on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against a DC of 15 + your caster level. The subtle magic class feature covers only your spells; the magic items you possess still register normally to detect magic and other spells.
Ninja Pockets (Su): At 7th level, the items you possess often don’t register to divination magic. If a divination is attempted against one of the objects in your possession, the caster of the divination must succeed on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against a DC of 15 + your caster level.
Sleight of Spell: At 8th level, the Ninja class becomes an additional favored class for you. (see Complete Adventurer, pg. 5)
Covert Casting (Ex): At 9th level, if he possesses the corresponding feat (standard or Sudden) and the Ki power class feature, the covert arcanist may spend a daily use of that Ki power while casting a spell to grant it the effect of the Silent Spell or Still Spell feat without affecting the casting time or spell slot of the spell. He may spend two daily uses of his Ki power while casting a spell to grant it the effect of both feats in the same manner.
Spellwoven Ki Pool: At 10th level, the Covert Arcanist gains one extra daily use of his Ki power for each metamagic feat he possesses.

Covert Arcanists in the Field
Covert Arcanists often make a point of utilizing mundane means of accomplishing every day tasks when traveling about in hostile territory and restrict their spellcasting activities when they are unnecessary. When in combat, they often don masks to prevent their lips from being read and the verbal components of their spells from easily being overheard. They also use cloaks or large sleeves to conceal their arcane gestures. Even if the spells of covert arcanists often don't register to divinations, their components can still be observed and identified if not well concealed. Many simply use metamagic or somatic flourishes of weaponry to further conceal evidence of their spellcasting.
Gathering information on covert arcanists can be difficult, since anyone with the right skill set could be considered both covert and an arcanist. True covert arcanists are those that master and employ the methods of subtle magic and even covert casting. By then, in their quest to obtain this mastery, they have developed a strong set of complimentary skills and techniques. While some covert arcanists never complete the physical or meditative aspects of their training to master the ability of covert casting, they suffer little pregidous for it.
Covert arcanists, if identified, can be found amongst any civilized race and can be of any alignment. Most new covert arcanists learn their craft in the traditional manner of an apprentice, typically selected as such by one or more veteran or retired covert arcanists. Often secretive, they typically don't teach these methods in a formal institution of any kind, although some form small circles hidden within them. Many train in hidden strongholds that are either isloated or disguised in plain sight as something innocuous.

Glimbur
2010-07-29, 10:56 PM
Honestly, this PrC seems to be very similar to the Beguiler from PHB II. The Ki connection seems kind of tacked on. Why does it require only one rank in several skills? That is unusual.

Milskidasith
2010-07-29, 11:04 PM
Why does it increase penalties from armor? That seems rather weird. It's also weird it has meh BAB despite requiring a weapon, and doesn't do much with weapons.

Anyway, this doesn't seem to give much, but it doesn't really take much to enter, so... meh. Free bonus metamagic feats for two feats that aren't terribly useful, and a few minor class features, keep this squarely at the same power as a normal wizard, although you need to get a martial weapon proficiency from your race. The ki for silent or still spell is useful, but those don't give much of a power boost.

Andion Isurand
2010-07-29, 11:23 PM
Honestly, this PrC seems to be very similar to the Beguiler from PHB II. The Ki connection seems kind of tacked on. Why does it require only one rank in several skills? That is unusual.

the prerequsites for one of the PrC classes this is based off of required 2 ranks of Sense Motive...
but to help Sorcerers I split those ranks into 1 for Bluff and 1 for Sense Motive


Why does it increase penalties from armor? That seems rather weird. It's also weird it has meh BAB despite requiring a weapon, and doesn't do much with weapons.

Its doesn't increase them... lots of prcs simply restate the rules in that spot... but I suppose I could simply remove it.

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It was originally a 5 level PrC based on a combination of...

Harper Mage PrC (5 levels, similar prerequsities, d4 HD, 4+Int skills, bonus skill focus feats, moving Eschew Materials to be a prerequisite, and the Lore ability) ..errata removed the education reguirement and added Knowledge (local).

Moonstar Agent PrC (5 levels, 4+Int skills, medium BAB, good Ref, good Will, and the Lore ability)

Those two PrCs have the capstones of Mystra's Grace or Uncanny Dodge respectively, but I gave mine the Subtle Magic feature from Luckstealer PrC because I thought it was too good a feature to leave solely to halflings.

I wanted to make a less "organization specific" version of these two classes... which in many ways could be percieved as intelligence operatives.

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It wasn't until recently I decided to expand it, that the last portion of the class evolved into a multiclass option. For those who want only the original 5 level PrC, they need only stop at level 5.

Despite being rather unusual and almost worth a PrC idea of its own (perhaps progressing sudden strike and ki pool as per class level)... I kind of liked giving the ninja a bit of play in last bit of the PrC.