Knowledge is Power [PrC]

[The Demented One]

Occult Journalist

In many lands, the chronicles and newspapers are given just as much importance as academic texts or religious sacraments. Each paper has a number of dedicated reporters working for it, but none compare to the famous Occult Journalists. Mercenary reporters, they use their divinatory talents to find secrets and writing stories, sending their results to the highest bidder.

d4 HD

Requirements
To qualify to become an Occult Journalist, you must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Gather Information 5 ranks, Knowledge (Any) 10 ranks, Sense Motive 5 ranks
Feats: Spell Focus (Divination), Greater Spell Focus (Divination)
Spells: Must be able to cast one fourth-level divination spell

Class Skills
The Occult Journalist’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Decipher Script (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Spellcasting
1st|+0|+0|+2|+2|Skilled Diviner|–
2nd|+1|+0|+3|+3|Bonus Feat|+1 level of spellcasting class
3rd|+1|+1|+3|+3|Ghostwriting|+1 level of spellcasting class
4th|+2|+1|+4|+4|Effortless Insight|+1 level of spellcasting class
5th|+2|+1|+4|+4|Master Reporter, Prescient|+1 level of spellcasting class
[/table]

Class Features
All the following are class features of the Occult Journalist prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
You gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

Spellcasting
Whenever you gain a new Occult Journalist level except 1st, you gain new spells per day and spells known as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class you belonged to before you added the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained.

Skilled Diviner (Su)
At 1st level, you become more proficient with various divination spells useful to every reporter. When you cast arcane eye or greater arcane eye, the resulting sensor travels at a rate of 20 ft. per round. You do not need a focus to cast the scrying or greater scrying spells. When you cast the augury or divination spells, the result you receive are always accurate. When you cast the commune or contact other plane spells, you may ask questions with a multiple word answer, though you never receive an answer with more words than twice your class level. Finally, your caster level for any divination spell you cast is equal to your character level.

Bonus Feat (Ex)
At 2nd level, you gain your choice of Alertness, Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, or Lightning Reflexes as a bonus feat. You need not meet the feat’s prerequisites.

Ghostwriting (Su)
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to send your stories to anyone you know, regardless of distance. To do so, you must meditate for half an hour, focusing on a news report you have already written, which may be no longer than one page per class level. You must then select a specific individual you know personally to send the message to. The next time that character touches a piece of blank paper, your story immediately appears on it, written as if by a ghostly hand.

Effortless Insight (Su)
At 4th level, divination becomes easy for you. You may ignore any verbal, somatic, or non-expensive material components of any divination spell you cast.

Master Reporter (Ex)
At 5th level, you are recognized as a master of journalism. Newspapers, chronicles, and broadsheets compete for the right to print your stories, and you receive 200 gp at the end of each month in royalties from them.

Prescient (Su)
At 5th level, you gain the ability to peer through time. At the beginning of an encounter, you may expend a 3rd level or higher spell slot that holds or could be used to cast a divination spell in order to act during that round, even if you are surprised. If you do, you also gain an insight bonus equal to half the level of the slot expended, rounded up, to your AC and on all Reflex saves for the duration of the encounter.

[Lucid_Archon]

Interesting. Just one bit of clarification, though:

Master Reporter (Ex)
At 5th level, you are recognized as a master of journalism. Newspapers, chronicles, and broadsheets compete for the right to print your stories, and you receive 200 gp in royalties from them.

It isn't quite clear what the 200 gp entails. Is this a one time event, or a periodic event? And is it automatic, or does the player need to directly seek it out?

[Lord Iames Osari]

Effortless Insight (Su)
At 4th level, divination becomes easy for you. You may ignore any verbal, somatic, or non-expensive material components of any divination spell you cast.

What is non-expensive? How is it defined?

[The Demented One]

Interesting. Just one bit of clarification, though:

It isn't quite clear what the 200 gp entails. Is this a one time event, or a periodic event? And is it automatic, or does the player need to directly seek it out?

Meant to put a once a month bit in there.

What is non-expensive? How is it defined?

Ones without a listed gp cost - basically, the ones that Eschew Materials takes care of.

[sigurd]

Master Reporter (Ex)
At 5th level, you are recognized as a master of journalism. Newspapers, chronicles, and broadsheets compete for the right to print your stories, and you receive 200 gp at the end of each month in royalties from them.

I would stipulate that you must live or have a faithful agent in a town big enough to have a public arcane university. This would create the reader base necessary to support this class.

This is really tough to get into.

I like it, its fun. :)

Sigurd

[The Demented One]

I would stipulate that you must live or have a faithful agent in a town big enough to have a public arcane university. This would create the reader base necessary to support this class.

I figure that, between the ghostwriting ability and the kinds of stories you'll be reporting on, it's assumed that you gradually build up a reader base as you progress in levels.

This is really tough to get into.

Yes, but it gives some rather good benefits.