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Temotei
2013-01-25, 03:57 AM
Cartographer

Maps are full of life! At least, they fill my life, that's for sure.
-- Anonymous cartographer

Cartographers are masters of maps, able not only to craft perfect maps, but also to change them and therefore the land they describe. Filling a primarily utilitarian role, a cartographer maps locations, creatures, and objects alike. Nothing is safe from the scrutiny of a cartographer's eye.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements
To qualify to become a cartographer, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Skills: Knowledge (dungeoneering) 3 ranks, Knowledge (geography) 8 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 3 ranks, Spot 5 ranks.

Class Skills: The cartographer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Forgery (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (architecture and engineering) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier

CARTOGRAPHER


Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special


1st
+0
+2
+0
+0
Cardinal sense, cartography, mighty pen


2nd
+1
+3
+0
+0
Great eye, map object


3rd
+2
+3
+1
+1
Freedom step, map creature


4th
+3
+4
+1
+1
X marks the spot


5th
+4
+4
+1
+1
Landscaper



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

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Cartographers gain proficiency with their mighty pens.

Cardinal Sense (Ex): A cartographer's vast experience in mapping allows them to always know which direction they are facing.

Cartography (Ex): The cartographer's namesake feature grants him the ability to create detailed maps of a region, world, or plane. If the cartographer sees at least 75% of a given region (a city, a shrine, an arbitrary amount of land with no boundaries, etc.), he can make a map of it by spending 4 hours drawing it out. The size of the region must be at least a 1/2 square mile. Details on the insides of buildings, shrines, and the like are impossible to make unless the same rules are adhered to for mapping: 75% of the inside must be observed; otherwise, the cartographer simply maps the outside of the structure. There is no limit to the number of maps a cartographer can possess at a time. If a cartographer intentionally rids himself of a map, all of its contents are erased instantly and its magical toughness (if made with the cartographer's mighty pen) is removed. A map removed unintentionally from a cartographer's possession is erased after 1 day, the marks gradually fading over the course of 24 hours.

At 3rd level, the cartographer becomes so practiced that he can combine maps that show areas adjacent to each other on the same plane into one map. The materials of the maps meld together, taking up no extra space and weighing no more. Since the new map does not grow and the mapped locations have the same details, the mapped locations shrink on the map. However, the cartographer can "zoom" in on the map to the degree of the old maps by simply willing it while studying the new map. "Zooming" requires no action and can be used to zoom in or out.

At 5th level, the cartographer need only see at least 50% of a given region to map it properly.

Mighty Pen: Every cartographer has at least one drawing utensil to make maps with. A cartographer can make one such utensil a "mighty pen," making it useful in combat and even more useful for mapping. A mighty pen is a melee weapon that deals 1d4 slashing or piercing damage with a critical range of 19-20 and a critical multiplier of x2. The mighty pen has a +1 enhancement bonus. If the mighty pen is already useful as a magical weapon, any enhancement bonus gained in this way is added onto the existing amount. In addition, when the cartographer uses his mighty pen to make a map, the map is magical, becoming as tough as stone (hardness 8, 15 hit points/inch of thickness (minimum 15)) while remaining as flexible as the material it's mapped on. Such magical maps cannot be affected by dispel magic or similar effects, though an antimagic field will suppress the maps toughness until it is removed from the area. Finally, any maps made by the mighty pen will change automatically to match any changes to the land, regardless of the cartographer's knowledge of such changes.

Great Eye (Ex): At 2nd level, a cartographer has trained his eye to spot things farther off than any other of his race can see. Any penalties to Spot checks from distance are reduced by 4. In addition, the cartographer gains superior low-light vision (he can see four times as far as a human in low light conditions) and darkvision out to 120 feet. Finally, he ignores natural fog's effects on his sight. He can still see the fog, but only as an outline; it doesn't obscure his sight.

Map Object (Ex): The cartographer can map objects onto a map made with cartography as long as he is within 60 feet of the object when doing so as a full-round action. Mapped objects move on the map when they are moved in reality. Objects moved outside the range of a map are removed from this effect unless returned to the range of the map. These objects count against the cartographer's limit on number of objects mapped at one time. If the object is destroyed, it disappears from the map, but the cartographer can sense its last location as if he was under the effects of locate object, though the effect has no limit on range or duration and cannot be blocked by anything short of polymorph any object. When the duration of such an effect wears off, the locate object effect reasserts itself. A cartographer can have a number of objects mapped equal to twice his level. Mapping another object after reaching this limit is impossible unless the cartographer erases a previously mapped object.

Freedom Step (Ex): At 3rd level, a cartographer is a free explorer, unfettered. Once per day as an immediate action, the cartographer gains jump, longstrider, and freedom of movement effects for 5 rounds. The cartographer's caster level for the purpose of jump's enhancement bonus is equal to his Hit Dice.

At 5th level, the cartographer is constantly under the effects of jump and longstrider. In addition, he can use his freedom of movement one more time per day and the duration is extended to 1 minute.

For every 3 Hit Dice the cartographer gains after his 5th level in cartographer, he gains another use of freedom of movement and the duration is extended by 1 minute.

Map Creature (Ex): The cartographer can map creatures when using cartography as long as he is within 60 feet of the creature when doing so. Mapped creatures move on the map when they move in reality. If the creature dies, it disappears from the map, but the cartographer can sense its last location as if he was under the effects of locate creature, though the effect has no limit on range or duration and cannot be blocked by anything short of mislead or polymorph. When the duration of such an effect wears off, the locate creature effect reasserts itself. A cartographer can have a number of creatures mapped equal to his level. Mapping another creature after reaching this limit is impossible unless the cartographer erases a previously mapped creature.

X Marks the Spot (Ex): At 4th level, a cartographer is an expert on location, whether the location be on body, land, or water. As a standard action, the cartographer may mark a location on a creature within 50 feet per class level or on a map created by the cartography ability. This location is marked with an X. Attacks against marked creatures have double the critical threat range and deal an amount of extra damage on a critical hit equal to 5 x cartographer levels. Marking an X on a map allows travel to the X's location in the mapped region as long as the cartographer is within 50 miles per cartographer level. Any creature allowed by the cartographer within 5 miles can go to the marked location by spending a standard action. Creatures allowed by the cartographer are instantly aware of the effect and can travel. The cartographer himself need not spend another standard action to travel. This effect is supernatural, though marking a creature is not. A cartographer can use this transportation ability once per day per cartographer level. The travel must take place on one plane. The X disappears after 1 round per cartographer level.

Landscaper (Su): At 5th level, the cartographer is able to not only map existing lands with incredible accuracy, but also change them by altering maps of the lands. By taking 5 minutes, the cartographer can alter lands as if with the move earth spell once per day. However, the cartographer is free to move any natural land formation, including rocks, without restriction. He can alter lands on any map he has created.

The cartographer is also capable of imbuing lands he has mapped with special effects for a limited time. Once per day, the cartographer can use each of the following effects on an area mapped with cartography by spending 1 round focusing: bless water, consecrate, curse water, desecrate, hallucinatory terrain, sanctuary, status, warp wood, zone of silence, zone of truth. All effects affect everything they normally would, except in the entire mapped area instead of the stated area. For example, status allows every creature in the area to know each other's statuses. No components, material or otherwise, are required for these effects. For the purpose of duration, a cartographer's caster level is considered equal to his Hit Dice.

sreservoir
2013-01-25, 09:46 PM
entry after 4, (Ex) greater teleport to known locations by 8 ??

freedom step being 1/day with no scaling at all ??

... why is everything (Ex), incidentally?

for cartography: what things need to be seen? what about the inside of buildings?

if we see this 5 ft. square, can we then spend 4h to produce a map of this 5fs and later use X marks the spot to essentially teleport there?

Temotei
2013-01-26, 12:44 AM
entry after 4, (Ex) greater teleport to known locations by 8 ??

Oh, boy. Some of this I made a really long time ago and I was really tired when I finished this, so I probably just plain overlooked that. I'll change the teleportation to supernatural and tone it down.


freedom step being 1/day with no scaling at all ??

Hmm...I'll make it scale a bit. I tried to make it so the class wasn't reliant on ability scores at all, so I'm hoping to avoid those.


... why is everything (Ex), incidentally?

I generally copy-paste class templates from class to class. This time I just plain forgot to replace Extraordinary abilities with Supernatural in a few cases.


for cartography: what things need to be seen? what about the inside of buildings?

Insides of buildings would be subject to the same rules: 75% seen until level 5, at which point it's reduced to 50%. Otherwise, the maps would detail only the outside of the buildings.


if we see this 5 ft. square, can we then spend 4h to produce a map of this 5fs and later use X marks the spot to essentially teleport there?

Hmm...technically, I suppose. Maybe I'll put a minimum required area.

Thanks for the comments. I'm glad this didn't just skirt by.

EDIT: Alright. The following changes were made:


Landscaper became supernatural.
The travel effect on X Marks the Spot became supernatural, has a range limit, limited uses per day, and can only facilitate travel on a single plane at a time.
Freedom step grants permanent jump and longstrider effects at 5th level. It also grants another use of freedom of movement and extends the duration. Also, the original duration (at 3rd level) is 5 rounds now. Finally, every few Hit Dice gained grant another use of freedom of movement and extend the duration further.
Cartography elaborates on rules for insides of buildings and such and has a lower area limit of a 1/2 square mile.


Thanks again. I was getting discouraged since no one seems to want to post in my homebrew lately. :smallsigh: