Occultist (3.5e Class)

Summary::A specialized spontaneous spellcaster and practitioner of the dark arts. Length::10 Minimum Level::1 Base Attack Bonus Progression::Poor Fortitude Save Progression::Poor Reflex Save Progression::Poor Will Save Progression::Good Class Ability::Spontaneous Arcane Spellcasting Class Ability Progression::Other

Occultist
Occultists are spellcasters born with the ability to manipulate magic. Some spend years studying their inborn magical capacity and fine tuning their abilities, while others make magic effortlessly. The source of their powers differ from person to person, as does their specific magic capability.

Making a Occultist
Like any spellcaster, an Occultists spells are their strong point. Unlike sorcerers, occultists can keep on casting spells all day without tiring. They also gain miscellaneous abilities to augment the type of magic they have most affinity with with, ecouraging them to specialize.

Abilities: Occultists cast from either intelligence, wisdom, or charisma. Their spellcasting stat is, to no ones surprise, their most important stat. Like everyone they value constitution for the HP and dexterity for the AC.

Races: Any.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Gold: 6d4&times;10 gp (150 gp).

Starting Age: Moderate.

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

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Occultist are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a Occultist's gestures, which can cause their spells with somatic components to fail.

They have five spellcasting slots. An Occultist can take a full round action to prepare each available slot with a spell or to change what spells are prepared in each available slot. When they want to cast the spell they do so per the standard rules for arcane spell casting and the slot becomes unusable (cannot be cast from) for an hour. No more than three slots can hold spells of your highest level (this restriction does not apply until you gain the ability to cast 2nd level spells), although as that requirement is met a slot can hold a spell of any level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Occultist’s spell is 10 + 1/2 the Occultist's class level + the Occultist’s spellcasting modifier (see below). Your caster level is equal to your class level. You can't use metamagic.

At each level after first they learn one new spell of level no higher than his class level divided by two (rounded down). At 3rd level and every 3 levels there after, you may replace a spell known with another of the same level.

Your save DCs are based on this, and as you level you may gain miscellaneous bonuses based on this stat.

Choose any school of magic. You gain Spell Focus in that school. One spell slot must hold a spell of that school at all times. Choose two other schools to become your prohibited schools. You can not learn or prepare spells of either of these schools. These schools must be chosen at first level and can't be.

Choose any five skills. These skills become class skills.

 : Years of manipulating dangerous arcane energies have battered your body and twisted your soul. At first level, and again at 5th level, an occultist gains a single thematic trait chosen from the list below:
 * Tomb-Tainted Soul: In addition to being healed by positive energy, you are healed by negative energy.  If a spell or effect treats undead differently than living targets, you can choose to be treated as undead is it would be beneficial to you.
 * Elemental Savant: Choose an elemental damage type from the following list: Fire, Cold, Sonic, Acid, Electricity.  You become immune to that energy type.  You gain Energy Resistance to the other listed energy types equal to your class level.
 * Occult Perception: You gain Darkvision 120 ft and Blindesight 10ft.
 * Voidborn: You gain Spell Resistance equal to 7 + your class level.
 * Master of Minds: You gain Telepathy 100ft. You gain a +4 bonus to saves against Mind-Affecting Effects and illusions.
 * Magical Defense: You gain a shield bonus to AC equal to your spellcasting modifier. Choose a saving throw (Will, Ref, or Fort), you gain your spellcasting modifier as a resistance bonus to that save.

 : A 1st level Occultist can choose any three cantrips. This decision can never be changed once made. He can cast the chosen spells at will as Spell-Like Abilities.

At level 2 and every two levels there after a Occultist can choice one of the following abilities.
 * Descriptor Specialist: Choose a spell descriptor. When casting spells with this descriptor add +2 to the DC and a +2 bonus to caster level checks to pierce SR.  This does not stack with other feats or abilities that improve the DC of your spells.
 * Elementalist: Choose an elemental damage type from the following list: Fire, Cold, Sonic, Acid, Electricity, Negative, Positive, Force.  Every spell that does damage of that type does damage of that type from this point on is automatically empowered.  If you choose positive, this also applies to healing spells.
 * Counterspeller : You can counterspell any spell as an immediate action, without expending a spell slot.  You do not need to ready an action to do use this ability, but the spellcaster whom you are counterspelling must be within short range.
 * Elemental Blast : Choose an elemental damage type from the list above. As a standard action you can fire a bolt of magical energy that deals 1d6 damage per class level of that damage type to anyone you hit with a ranged touch attack within short range.
 * Relaxed Caster: Your unavailable spell slots become available after 30 minutes rather than an hour.
 * Telekinetic : You gain an Unseen Servant with an effective strength and dexterity score equal to your spellcasting stat. It can be directed mentally as a move action (and if you so choose, after you direct it, it will move instantly to your square), has a 30ft perfect fly speed, and unlike the normal Unseen Servant it can preform complicated tasks.  It uses your skill ranks if it ever needs to preform a skill check.  It can not be destroyed.  If it enters an antimagic field or leaves close range it reforms in your square.
 * Stealthy Spell: None of your spells require somatic or verbal components to cast.
 * Dark Arts: You can take a full round action, provoking attacks of opportunity, to focus your energies. The first spell you cast in your next turn is treated as being cast with a supernatural ability, bypassing SR and not provoking additional attacks of opportunity.
 * Arcane Eyes : You are under the effect of a constant Arcane Sight effect.
 * Warmage: You gain proficiency in all simple and martial weapons as well as shields and light and medium armor. You can cast in any armor you are proficient in without arcane spell failure and can still preform somatic components even if both of your hands are full.
 * Bonus Feat: You gain a bonus feat.

Playing a Occultist
Religion: Religion varies from Occultist to Occultist.

Other Classes: Varies depending on campaign setting. They fit in where ever sorcerers fit in, considering that they are almost identical fluff wise (meant only to differ based on casting mechanics).

Combat: Occultists are full spellcasters and should do what full spellcasters do, which can be practically anything. They can buff, debuff, summon, blast, and do battlefield control just like the rest of them.

Advancement: The reason that this class ends after level 10 is to encourage multiclassing. No two occultists are the same and naturally they should all take prestige classes to support their specialties.

Occultists in the World
Daily Life: From healers to necromancers to war mages, there is no field or industry a properly dedicated Occultist can't excel in. They can be found anywhere, doing anything.

Notables: Varies by campaign setting.

Organizations: Varies by campaign setting. Typically factions exists for each occultist specialty, although most are not restricted to occultist and contain plenty of wizards and sorcerers.

NPC Reactions: Varies by campaign setting. Typically the same as sorcerers.

Occultist Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) can research Occultists to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Occultist in the Game
Adaptation: Occultists fit everywhere.

Sample Encounter: To Do.

EL <- EL Number ->: To Do.