The Polymath [3.5 Base Class] [PEACH]

[The Pressman]

The Polymath

The Polymath functions as a combination of a naturalist, alchemist, and engineer. They can build, research, concoct, doctor, but their magic isn't so hot.

The Polymath

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{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th

1st|+0|+0|+0|+2|Manipulate, Improvise 4/day, Scribe Scroll|3|—|—|—|—|—|—

2nd|+1|+0|+0|+3|Research 2/day, Infuse Item, Brew Potion|3|1|—|—|—|—|—

3rd|+1|+1|+1|+3|Craft Wondrous Item|3|2|—|—|—|—|—

4th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Assemble 2/day, Improvise 5/day|3|3|1|—|—|—|—

5th|+2|+1|+1|+4|Research 3/day, Craft Magic Arms and Armor|4|3|2|—|—|—|—

6th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Improved Alchemy|4|3|2|—|—|—|—

7th|+3|+2|+2|+5|Improvise 6/day, Craft Wand|4|3|3|1|—|—|—

8th|+4|+2|+2|+6|Research 4/day, Assemble 3/day|4|3|3|2|—|—|—

9th|+4|+3|+3|+6|Craft Rod|4|3|3|3|—|—|—

10th|+5|+3|+3|+7|Improvise (Move Action)|4|4|3|3|1|—|—

11th|+5|+3|+3|+7|Research (1 round/subject), Assemble (full round)|4|4|4|3|1|—|—

12th|+6/+1|+4|+4|+8|Craft Staff|4|4|4|4|2|—|—

13th|+6/+1|+4|+4|+8||4|4|4|4|3|—|—

14th|+7/+2|+4|+4|+9|Forge Ring|4|4|4|4|4|1|—

15th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+9||4|4|4|4|4|2|—

16th|+8/+3|+5|+5|+10||4|4|4|4|4|3|—

17th|+8/+3|+5|+5|+10||4|4|4|4|4|4|1

18th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+11||4|4|4|4|4|4|2

19th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+11||4|4|4|4|4|4|3

20th|+10/+5|+6|+6|+12||4|4|4|4|4|4|4


[/table]

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8

Class Skills

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Knowledge, Craft, Heal, Disable Device, Concentration, Open Lock, Spot, Search, Use Rope, Decipher Script, Use Magic Device and 1 of the player's choosing.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (5 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 5 + Int modifier

Class features

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Special Abilities
Manipulate: The Polymath can move small objects instinctively, to the point where psionics does the work. This ability lets him move a small (3lb or less) at a distance of max 20 ft, but with out much force. If it hits something, it will stop. He can also use this ability like Stick, and can adhere something up to 4 lbs to another. It can be removed easily, but will stick while something is disturbing it if the caster maintains concentration (1 standard action). All effects are subject to DM fiat.
Assemble: The Polymath, after honing his skills, can now assemble things, like mechanisms, or concoct things, like potions. It can lift no more than 5 lbs at a time, and complexity is subject to DM fiat. They must have first collected all the ingredients needed for the object, and must have the blueprint/formula/plan in their portfolio. It takes 1 or more hours to make an object, depending on complexity. In special occasions, the time can be very small, with some simple potions produced in rounds.
Improvise: The Polymath often has studied in diverse fields, and is very intelligent. If faced with a problem, he can improvise a device or compound as a 3 minute action. The complexity of the device/compound is limited, and if it overreaches the boundaries of what could be sensibly found there, it becomes negated. To use, the player makes a DC 10 Craft check for the craft most closely related to the item to be produced. Also subject to DM fiat.
Research: The Polymath can absorb information and transcribe it for later use. The information can come from diverse sources, such as books*, Scrolls*, animals, plants, mechanisms, compounds, locations, people, etc. The information can be used to add to their Portfolio.
*including those of magic
Improved Alchemy
The Polymath can brew potions with considerably less cost to both components and time. He has to use 25% less components, and they take 50% less time to make. Note, however, that because he usually works on his own, he cannot make more than 3 at a time with this ability. Making beyond this is subject to the usual constraints.
Improptu Spellcasting
The Polymath has spontaneous spellcasting.
Item Creation
The Polymath has the same Item creation feat progression as the Artificer.
Improptu Weapon
The Polymath studies many disciplines. This has let them develop their skills to the point where they know how to fight with many things that people would not think of as weapons. This lets them fight with tools like hammers, crowbars, planks, etc, and not be penalized. Damage done is by the weapon closest in category to the improptu armament.
Alchemical Splash
The Polymath can create potions that have a damage factor. Learned from his days enduring chemical spills, he can create several potions, including Fireball, Explosion, and Smokescreen. It takes 8 hours to prepare potions, and he can make 3 at a time. These are mechanical (game mechanics) potions, and therefore are different from standard potions. They act as splash-damaging objects.
Infuse Item
The Polymath can imbue an item that they have built or bought with spells from his portfolio, and then that item, when activated, produces an effect akin to the spell being cast. This could be when the item is thrown, is drunk, is activated, explodes, etc. It could even be when a clock finally rings.
Armor and Armament
The Polymath is proficient with light and medium armor, and all simple weapons. As he has studied many ways of doing things, he is exempt from arcane spell casting failure.

Spellcasting

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The Polymath uses a portfolio to keep blueprints, diagrams, recipes and spells in one place. The Portfolio is not a bound book, but instead a briefcase/folder kind of thing. Starting size is 100 pages.


Polymath Spell-List:
In Progress
0th (Sketches): Detect Magic, Mage Hand, Read Magic, Mending, Detect Poison, Detect Secret Doors, Resistance, Dancing Lights, Light, Message, Open/Close, Stick, Arcane Mark, Prestidigitation
1st: Identify, Know Greatest Enemy, Master's Touch, Alarm, Endure Elements, Hold Portal, Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Shield, Mage Armor, Obscuring Mist, Grease, Tenser's Floating Disc, Disguise Self, Silent Image, Animate Rope, Enlarge Person, Erase, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Jump, Magic Weapon, Reduce Person
2nd: Make Whole, Know Vulnerability, Weapon Shift, Status, Dispel Magic, Arcane Lock, Protection From Arrows, Web, Detect Thoughts, Locate Object, See Invisibility, Continual Flame, Darkness, Invisibility, Minor Image, Alter Self, Darkvision, Knock, Levitate, Pyrotechnics, Rope Trick, Spider Climb
3rd: Quick Potion, Know Opponent, Ruin Delver's Fortune, Dispel Magic, Explosive Runes, Tongues, Suggestion, Leomund's Tiny Hut, Wind Wall, Illusory Script, Invisibility Sphere, Major Image, Fly, Gaseous Form, Haste, Secret Page, Shrink Item, Water Breathing
4th: Globe of Invulnerability, Dimension Door, Leomund's Secure Shelter, Minor Creation, Arcane Eye, Invisibility (Greater), Mass Enlarge Person, Polymorph, Stone Shape
5th: Break Enchantment, Leomund's Secret Chest, Major Creation, Teleport, Dominate Person, Bigby's Interposing Hand, Persistent Image, Seeming, Fabricate, Passwall, Telekinesis, Permanency
6th: Antimagic Field, Analyze Dweomer, Contingency, Permanent Image, Programmed Image, Control Water, Disintegrate, Move Earth
7th: Drawmij's Instant Summons, Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion, Phase Door, Greater Teleport, Teleport Object, Control Weather, Reverse Gravity, Limited Wish
8th: Demand, Sympathy, Clone, Polymorph Any Object, Temporal Stasis
9th: Gate, Refuge, Teleportation Circle, Foresight, Shapechange, Time Stop, Wish

The Assemblage Fund

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The Polymath has an Assemblage Fund that works much like the Artificer's craft reserve. That is, it lets the maker use crafting points instead of XP when building, concocting, or constructing. The points are not cumulative, and expire with each level.

Assemblage Fund

{table="head"]Level|Fund Points
1|20
2|40
3|60
4|80
5|100
6|150
7|200
8|250
9|300
10|400
11|500
12|700
13|900
14|1200
15|1500
16|2000
17|2500
18|3000
19|4000
20|5000[/table]

[jiriku]

So essentially your powers are the ability to craft mundane alchemical items in rounds instead of hours? You should probably stat this as a 3- or 5-level prestige class, as the abilities you're considering are quite limited in scope.

I'd recommend a mechanism for determining whether you can assemble or improvise something successfully. Using a traditional Craft check would probably work.

I'd say this class SCREAMS for 4 skill points per level. You need to be able to craft a variety of things.

Decipher Script and Knowledge (arcana) would be logical additions to the class skill list.

For a class name, how about Gifted Alchemist?

[NecroticPunch]

What Jiriku said. I have a few other things to say though.

I like the class in general, and I like the Alchemy. How about making the name Scholar

[The Pressman]

I'd recommend a mechanism for determining whether you can assemble or improvise something successfully. Using a traditional Craft check would probably work.

Will do. If I ever try to play this, I'll make a DC table and run it by the DM.

I'd say this class SCREAMS for 4 skill points per level. You need to be able to craft a variety of things.

Decipher Script and Knowledge (arcana) would be logical additions to the class skill list.

Will do, although the Knowledge is covered by the Knowledge class skill. Kind of like the archivist in having that.

EDIT: Got it!
EDIT²:Would like suggestions for what spell list to steal, or what spells to have.

[jiriku]

Oops. I missed seeing Knowledge on that list. Carry on, then.

Obvious choices for spells (all from PHB or Spell Compendium unless otherwise noted)

detect magic
read magic
mage hand
prestidigitation
identify
quick potion
mending
make whole
know greatest enemy
know opponent
know vulnerability
master's touch (PH2)
weapon shift
detect poison
detect secret doors
status
ruin delver's fortune
spell enhancer
dispel magic

[The Pressman]

Oops. I missed seeing Knowledge on that list. Carry on, then.

Obvious choices for spells (all from PHB or Spell Compendium unless otherwise noted)

detect magic
read magic
mage hand
prestidigitation
identify
quick potion
mending
make whole
know greatest enemy
know opponent
know vulnerability
master's touch (PH2)
weapon shift
detect poison
detect secret doors
status
ruin delver's fortune
spell enhancer
dispel magic

What does ruin delver's fortune do?

[TaintedLight]

What does ruin delver's fortune do?

It's a pretty sweet little trick. As an immediate action, you add your CHA bonus to a saving throw of your choice and get an ability that helps out with that variety of save or alternatively gain some temp HP.

[jiriku]

Essentially, it's a panic button whose exact benefits can be tailored to the threat you're being attacked with at that moment. I listed it because it has a certain MacGuyverish feel that seems to mesh with the class.

[The Pressman]

Any other ideas? Anyone? Anyone?
EDIT:What about ability score priorities?

[Morph Bark]

Why is this class 11 levels? Is it supposed to be a base class or a PrC?

And what's up with the weird Reflex progression?

[Frog Dragon]

Why is this class 11 levels? Is it supposed to be a base class or a PrC?

And what's up with the weird Reflex progression?

That's the medium save progression. It's basically between good and bad. I say it's a good addition to the game.

[Ashtagon]

That's the medium save progression. It's basically between good and bad. I say it's a good addition to the game.

Eh, it's more of a medium addition to the game

[The Pressman]

Why is this class 11 levels? Is it supposed to be a base class or a PrC?

And what's up with the weird Reflex progression?

I originally thought of it to be a base class, but I might make it a prestige class.

[Frog Dragon]

Eh, it's more of a medium addition to the game

That was terrible.

[lesser_minion]

That's the medium save progression. It's basically between good and bad. I say it's a good addition to the game.

While I can see why you might think like that, it works out as something pretty ugly (1 + 5/12). Have fun explaining that as a sentence of the form "you gain an increase every even-numbered level".

I agree with Ash. It's medium at best.

[The Pressman]

Spells added.
Would Like more, so as to be able to make a full spell list.
EDIT: Fixed class skills added features.
EDIT:Will use wiz spell list with some artificer type stuff.

[The Pressman]

Also, although the entire wiz/sorc spell list is huge, I will cut some out.

[Milskidasith]

This is incredibly weak... it gets a few item creation feats with no mitigating factors on the cost, mediocre spellcasting, and some fluff abilities.

You could easily get the exact same effect from a wizard who takes item creation feats, but with a much better spell list, and ninths.

[The Pressman]

Just so you know, the spell list isn't done. Just sayin'.
EDIT:It also has the artificer crafting reserve thingy to mitigate the item costs.
EDIT²:What do you suggest I do to make it stronger?

[The Pressman]

Spell list is mostly finished. Will add some more stuff. Advice wanted!