Occultist Savant (3.5e Class)

Author: Zhenra-Khal (talk) Date Created: 11/9/2016 Status: Complete Editing: Clarity edits only please

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A wielder of magic and psionics who gives up high levels of power in order to broaden their horizons and give themselves more control over the more intricate aspects of their power.

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Prepared Arcane Spellcasting, Spontaneous Arcane Spellcasting, Prepared Divine Spellcasting, Spontaneous Divine Spellcasting, Alternate Magic, Psionics, Invocations,

"Soulmelds" is not in the list (Prepared Arcane Spellcasting, Spontaneous Arcane Spellcasting, Prepared Divine Spellcasting, Spontaneous Divine Spellcasting, Arcane Spellcasting, Divine Spellcasting, Prepared Spellcasting, Spontaneous Spellcasting, Alternate Magic, Psionics, ...) of allowed values for the "Class Ability" property.

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"Other." is not in the list (Prepared Arcane Spellcasting, Spontaneous Arcane Spellcasting, Prepared Divine Spellcasting, Spontaneous Divine Spellcasting, Arcane Spellcasting, Divine Spellcasting, Prepared Spellcasting, Spontaneous Spellcasting, Alternate Magic, Psionics, ...) of allowed values for the "Class Ability" property.

Other

Occultist Savant

Wizards practice magic via arcane syllables and complex gestures. Clerics pray to their deities, then upon casting, call out the them and present their holy symbols to channel the spell. Sorcerers and Favored Souls find their magic within, through their bloodline. What they all have in common, is they are all magic. All the base life essence of the world, flowing in and out of everything, everywhere and nowhere at once. Psions and others like them tap into the power of the mind, focusing that which is latent within all living minds; Warlocks make pacts to draw upon a collective of power they do not know the origin of, and Meldshapers pull soul energy from beyond life and death to bring them power. But again, there is a common factor here. All of these are forms of power that were discovered and shaped by strife, by the fight to survive, a will to thrive and better themselves. Wizards seek knowledge; Clerics seek to further the will of their cause; Psions seek to prefect their minds, yet how to they go about that? By putting themselves in danger. By learning from the primal instinct awakened by combat, they gain experience, learning how their power can best be used.

Where these practitioners all use that primal animal instinct as a surrogate to increase their power, the Occultist Savant starts there. That primal emotion in the heat of combat, the memories of what made them feel what emotion, of what situations made them think of what other situations, learning these tiny connections. And thus, this allows them to tap into power both arcane and divine, both learned and innate, both from the mind and soul, and ultimately, from the collective billions of living creatures who experience that basic fight or flight instinct every day, every moment. They travel and learn, seeking to experience and simply live life and reflect on said life, using what they learn and experience to their advantage. They give up the specialized power others gain from following merely one path, but in return, they gain so much more.

Making an Occultist Savant

The Occultist Savant is a caster, and despite only having access to 6th-level and lower abilities, they are full casters, and like full casters, can fill many roles - In fact, an Occultist Savant can be anything from a daring warrior to a kind healer to a cunning thief, depending on what abilities they've chosen. However, in the end, all of their power stems from their magic, and without it they are weak.

Abilities: The Occultist Savant relies on his mental abilities more than anything. Intelligence dictates the highest-level spell they can learn and how many spells they can prepare each day. Wisdom dictates their bonus power points and their Strain threshold. Charisma governs their saving throw DCs, for spells, powers and most other class abilities. Dexterity is also useful, as the Occultist Savant doesn't wear armor; And Constitution helps offset their low base hit points.

Races: Races like Elves, Gnomes, Illumians and Planetouched, with heritage so deeply touched by superstition and magic, are far more likely to take up the mantle of the Occultist Savant than warlike races like Dwarves or Orcs.

Alignment: Any. Those who follow this path come from all walks of life, and thus may be of any alignment; However, your alignment dictates your class abilities somewhat. You cannot choose a Cleric Domain or Psionic Mantle that you do not share an alignment component with; And your alignment also dictates what Soulmelds you can use, and some of your other abilities.

Starting Gold: 3d4×10 gp (75 gp).

Starting Age: Moderate. Much of their power is innate, like a Sorcerer; Yet much of their power is gained through training and study, like a Wizard, thus they find themselves somewhere in the middle.

Table: The Occultist Savant

Hit Die: d4

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Power Points/Day	Powers Known	Maximum Power Level Known	Invocations Known	Chakra Binds	Soulmelds Known	Essentia Points
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Spells, Psionics, Occult Channel, Occult Blast 1d6, Meldshaping	0	1	1	—	—	1	1
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Totem or Crown Chakra, Least Invocations	2	1	1	1	1	1	1
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Occult Metamagic I	4	2	1	1	1	1	2
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Third Psionic Mantle	6	2	2	1	1	2	2
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Occult Blast 2d6, Open Least Chakra	8	3	2	2	1	2	3
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Spellbind, Open Least Chakra	10	3	2	2	1	2	3
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Bonus Feat, Third Domain	12	4	3	2	1	3	4
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Lesser Invocations, Dispelling Orb	14	4	3	3	1	3	4
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Occult Blast 3d6, Open Lesser Chakra	16	5	3	3	2	3	5
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Open Lesser Chakra	18	5	4	4	2	4	5
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Blastbind, Open Lesser Chakra	20	6	4	4	2	4	6
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Occult Metamagic II	22	6	4	4	2	4	6
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Occult Blast 4d6, Greater Invocations	24	7	5	5	3	5	7
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Third Psion Discipline	26	7	5	5	3	5	7
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Greater Dispelling Orb	28	8	5	5	3	5	8
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Third Wizard School	30	8	6	6	4	6	8
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Occult Blast 5d6	32	9	6	6	4	6	9
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Open Greater Chakra, Fourth Domain	34	9	6	6	4	6	9
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Dark Invocations, Open Greater Chakra	36	10	6	7	5	7	10
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Occult Metamagic III	38	10	6	7	5	7	10
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Control Shape (Wis), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (All skills; taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Truespeak (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Psionic Device (Cha).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Occultist Savant.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Occultist Savants are proficient with no armor nor shields, and are proficient only with the quarterstaff, dagger, club, light crossbow, heavy crossbow and shortspear, as well as their Eldritch Blast.

Occult Attunement (Su): The Occultist Savant may use Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, and Detect Magic as supernatural abilities at will. They may also use Cure minor Wounds, Light and Mending as supernatural abilities a number of time per day equal to their Charisma modifier. They also treat all these spells as being on their class spell list for the purposes of magic items.

Spells: The Occultist Savant can cast spells of both divine and arcane nature, thought they can cast neither with the same proficiency as someone who specialized in one or the other. The Occultist Savant chooses two Cleric domains and two Wizard specialist schools as their primary areas of study; These groups of spells compose the class spell list that they may choose their spells from. They may gain the grant ability of ONE domain they have access to, with one-half (rounded down, min 1) of their Occultist Savant level acting as their effective Cleric level for the power. The Occultist Shaman's caster level for all his spells is equal to his class level. Their alignment and sometimes subtype(s) limit their Domain choices, however; They must share the alignment component of the Domain they choose.

The Occultist Savant begins play with one Arcane and one Divine spell chosen from his primary areas of study. At each level thereafter, he may learn one arcane spell or one divine spell of any level he has access to; With the limitation that the number of spells of each sort they know must be within 1 of each other - Thus 4th-level occultist Savant could know two Arcane spells and three Divine spells, or three Arcane and two Divine, but not 1 Arcane and 4 Divine. This limitation doesn't apply to spells added to their spellbook via Spellcraft checks, but common sense should be used regardless.

At 7th level, the Occultist Savant gains a third domain. However, he cannot learn more spells from this domain than he has learned from any one of his Primary domains. At 16th level, the Savant gains a third Wizard school; And at 18th, the Savant gains a fourth Domain. The third school and fourth domain are subject to the same restrictions as the third Domain.

At first level, the Occultist Savant also chooses two other 1st-level spells, from any class list, to be their first-level Signature Spells; One Arcane and one Divine. This effectively gives them four 1st-level spells known. However, these Signature Spells are innate; The Savant doesn't need his spellbook to prepare them. Each time the Savant gains another level of spells, they choose two spells of that level to be his Signature spells. At 5th level and every 4 levels after that, the Savant may "lose" an old Signature spell in order to exchange it for a new one of the same level he gave up. However, the limitation is that the new spell must be from one of the Savant's areas of expertise.

Occultist Savants prepare spells, and keep their spells in a spellbook, much like a wizard; And while they can learn spells from a spellbook or Archivist's prayerbook, neither can learn from an occultist Savant's spellbook, and the Occultist takes a -4 penalty on Spellcraft checks made to learn spells not in his areas of interest. However, the Occultist Savant can choose which of his spells to cast at the moment of casting, thus allowing him to cast from his list of prepared spells much in the same way a Sorcerer casts from his innate list of spells known. Adding metamagic to a spell cast in this way increases the casting time just as with a Sorcerer's spells, unless the spell was prepared with the metamagic feat already attached.

In order to cast a spell, the Occultist Savant must have an Intelligence score equal to 10 + the spell's level. The saving throw DC of a Savant's spell is equal to 10 + the Savant's Charisma modifier + The spell's level. The Occultist Savant's spells prepared per day by level are shown on the table below.

Table: Occultist Savant Spells Prepared Per Day

Level	Spells Prepared Per Day
	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
1st	2	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	2	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	2	0	—	—	—	—
4th	3	1	—	—	—	—
5th	3	1	—	—	—	—
6th	3	1	0	—	—	—
7th	3	1	1	—	—	—
8th	4	2	1	—	—	—
9th	4	2	1	0	—	—
10th	4	2	1	1	—	—
11th	4	3	2	1	—	—
12th	5	3	2	1	0	—
13th	5	3	2	1	1	—
14th	5	3	2	2	1	—
15th	5	4	3	2	1	0
16th	6	4	3	2	2	1
17th	6	4	3	2	2	1
18th	6	4	3	3	2	1
19th	6	5	3	3	2	1
20th	7	5	4	3	3	2

Components: An Occultist Savant's magic is very different from the magic of other spellcasters; Where wizards chant unintelligible nonsense and wave their hands around frantically, and Clerics call out to their gods and point various religious paraphernalia about crudely, the Occultist has a bit of a different method. Rather than Verbal and Somatic components, an Occultist's spells rely on emotion and thought. Any spell that lists a Verbal component instead uses an Emotion component; Any spell that lists a Somatic component instead uses a Thought component.

Rather than speaking syllables in an ancient language or calling out in the name of a deity (In the form of a Verbal component), the Occultist's Emotion component represents the emotional drive behind the spell - He's not generating power via voice nor asking his deity to grant him this power, but rather drawing it from within, the most primal aspects of the psyche. He calls forth anger to smite his foes with an attack spell, fear to bring forth defensive magic, sadness and sympathy to heal, courage to rally his allies; The Occultist draws from the collective instinct of every creature, to fight or run, to rally help or to sympathize. A spell requiring an Emotion component is impossible to cast while under the effects of a spell that causes fear or otherwise alters the Savant's emotional state; Even if the effect is giving them the correct emotion, their emotions are not under their control, thus taking away the emotional precision they need to exact their spell.

Likewise, rather than shaping the spell energy he's called forth with a set of complicated gestures or a presented holy symbol (In the form of a Somatic component), the Occultist Savant shapes his magic and gives his energy purpose through visualization. Picturing fire erupting from his body to strike a foe or his skin turning to stone to protect him, these are the things a Savant pictures. If the perfect, detailed mental images a Savant must construct are interrupted, then it is more difficult for them than any other spellcaster to maintain the spell; Thus when they cast a spell, if they must make a concentration check (Such as because of an attack of opportunity or because of mental interference in the area) then they take a -4 penalty on the Concentration roll. However, they can take a Move action to center their minds before casting, in order to negate the penalty. However; this method of casting means that the Silent Spell and Still Spell metamagic feats cannot be used on Occultist Savant spells in order to negate Emotion and Thought components. But, armor does not interfere with an Occultist Savant's spellcasting, because said spellcasting lacks somatic components.

Casting: An Occultist Savant's spellcasting also isn't as precise as some other forms of spellcasting. While it is more versatile and can be used in different situations - A Savant can cast spells while tied up and gagged as long as their minds aren't fogged by drugs or the like - It has its downfalls, specifically the fact that their spells don't work quite the same as other spells; When a Wizard finishes waggling his fingers, the spell usually goes off without a hitch; The same goes for a Cleric when his deity answers his call. However, an Occult Savant's power doesn't come from power gathered from outside via chanting and obscene gestures, nor is it granted by a deity. It comes from within, and thus there is room for error, just as there is when an ordinary person is trying to craft something, pick a lock or figure out what spell is being cast at him. However, while they may mess up, the determination of these people often goes far beyond the limited amount of energy a Wizard can gather in a day, and it's not limited by a deity's willingness to continue granting more and more power to their follower. Much like a Warlock, this power is seemingly boundless, coming from the collective animal instinct of every living creature, that will to survive and thrive that has kept all races around for centuries.

Mechanically, this means each time they cast a spell, they must make a skill check, called a Casting Check. The skill used is Spellcraft, and the DC is typically equal to the spell's level. Typically this means the Savant can cast any spell they know without a hitch if they've been practicing their Spellcraft enough; So long as they don't roll a 1. However, every time an Occultist Savant casts a spell, they accrue Strain equal to the level of the spell. Their total Strain is then added to all subsequent Casting Checks, representing their willpower slowly being ground away. The Occultist Savant can have a maximum Strain threshold equal to their Wisdom score, multiplied by their class level. When the exceed half this number in Strain, they become Fatigued until it rises above half again. When they meet their total Strain threshold, their fatigue worsens to Exhaustion and they lose their Wisdom bonus to Will saves, in addition to not being able to cast any more spells until their Strain lowers again. The Occultist Savant's Strain does go down over time, however; If their strain is equal to less than half of their Strain threshold, then they lose 1 Strain in any round not spent casting a spell. If it's over half but not over three-quarters, then they regain 1 strain each minute as long as they haven't cast a spell in this time. If their Strain is over three-quarters of their Strain threshold, then it takes an hour of abstaining from spellcasting to rid the Savant of a single point of Strain. Thus, many Savants are careful not to wear themselves thin too quickly, because it takes so long to recover so little.

Power Points/Day: The Occult Savant's knowledge also delves into psionics, an art so similar to their own casting but yet vastly different. A Savant’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on Table: The Occultist Savant. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Wisdom score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points). His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items.

Powers Known: The Occultist Savant, at first level, chooses two Psionic Mantles and two Psion Disciplines to choose powers from. These represent the Savant's mental focus, and if often a reflection of their spellcasting focus - For example an Occult Savant who chose Evocation and Conjuration as his Wizard schools and Sun and Darkness as his Cleric domains will probably choose Telekinesis and Psychoportation as his Psion disciplines and Light And Darkness and Elements as his Psionic Mantles. They gain the granted power of one of their primary Mantles.

At 4th level, the Occultist Savant takes up a third Psionic Mantle; However, he may not learn more powers from this mantle than he's learn from either of his first two mantles. At 14th level, he gains a third Psion Discipline, with the same restrictions as his third Mantle.

The Saving Throw DC for an Occultist Savant's Power is equal to 10 + the power's level + the Savant's Charisma modifier.

Maximum Power Level Known: This column determines the highest level power an Occultist Savant can learn at this level. To learn or manifest a power, an Occultist Savant must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level.

Occult Channel (Su): The Occultist Savant, at first level, gains the ability to channel, in small, powerful, but unfiltered bursts, the collective energy he taps into with his spells. This ability has a number of uses per day equal to one point of the the Occultist Savant's Charisma modifier per class level, plus 1 per 5 class levels. This ability has no use on it's own, but functions as Turn Undead for the purposes of feats and abilities (And, likewise, the Extra Turning feat can be taken to increase the number of daily uses you have, but your number of daily uses can never exceed your class level).

Occult Blast (Su): Much like the Warlock's Eldritch Blast, the Occultist Savant learns how to unleash devastating blasts of energy. As a standard action while psionically focused, the Savant may release an Occult Blast, a ranged touch attack with a range of 60 feet. On a successful hit, it deals 1d6 points of damage, ignoring energy resistance, but it is subject to spell and/or power resistance if the target has it; The blast's damage increases by 1d6 every 4 levels after 1st (2d6 at 5th, 3d6 at 9th, and so forth). In other words, this ability functions as, and counts as, Eldritch Blast for the purposes of feats, prestige classes and items. However, unlike Eldritch Blast, Occult Blast only functions while you maintain your Psionic Focus.

Invocations: Like a Warlock, an Occultist Savant of second level and higher learns a handful of Invocations. However, the Savant may only select Blast Shape and Eldritch Essence invocations. Invoker level is equal to their class level. However, you automatically learn the Eldritch Shield Blast Shape invocation as a bonus invocation. At 11th level you automatically learn the Blastbind Eldritch Essence invocation as a bonus invocation. The Occultist savant gains access to Lesser invocations at 8th level, Greater invocations at 13th level and Dark invocations at 19th level.

Meldshaping: The Occultist Savant learns how to shape soul energy, gaining access to Soulmelds. Meldshaper level is equal to their class level. The Savant may learn one Soulmeld from any class list at 1st level, and an additional one every three levels thereafter. However, at 6th level, the Occultist Savant automatically gains Spellbind as a bonus soulmeld. Your alignment dictates the Soulmelds you can learn; You cannot learn, shape or bind any soulmeld you do not share an alignment component with; Thus only Good-aligned Occultist Savants can use Soulmelds with the Good descriptor, and so forth,

Totem or Crown Chakra: At second level, choose Totem Chakra or Crown Chakra. You gain access to that Chakra and can bind Soulmelds to it.

Occult Metamagic (Su): At third level, you gain a bit of wiggle room with your abilities. Specifically, you can use powerpoints, essentia, your Occult blast or Occult Channel uses to reduce the cost of metamagic, and thus the cost of strain to use metamagic on a spell, as well as the casting time. When applying metamagic to a spell spontaneously, you may expend your psionic focus and spend either 2 Power Points per spell level increase, 1 point of Essentia per spell level increase, 1 Occult Channel use per spell level increase, or voluntarily lose access to your Occult Blast for 1d4 rounds per spell level increase. Applying metamagic to a spell in this fashion negates the extra Strain incurred by using metamagic, and does not increase casting time as spontaneous metamagic normally does. This ability can be used on Occult Savant spells of 2nd level and lower when first gained; of 4th level and lower beginning at 12th level, and of 6th level and lower beginning at 20th level. This ability cannot be used on spells gained from any other class. Finally, any metamagic feats you possess can be used on Powers as if it were the corresponding metapsionic feat, and metapsionic feats can be treated as their metamagic counterparts, but only for the purposes of spells and powers gained by virtue of levels in the Occultist Savant class.

Open Least Chakra: At 5th and 6th level, the Occultist Savant gains Open Least Chakra as a bonus feat, even if they do not meet the prerequisites, for any Least Chakra they do not already have access to.

Bonus Feat: At 7th level, the Occultist Savant gains a bonus feat. This is either Open Least Chakra (if they chose Totem Chakra at second level) or any psionic, metamagic, metapsionic, item creation or Incarnum feat they meet the prerequisites for (If they chose Crown Chakra at second level). If they chose Totem Chakra and thus gain Open Least Chakra for their final Least Chakra, they need not meet the prerequisites of that feat.

Dispelling Orb (Su): At 8th level, you learn to shape a small orb of incarnum and hurl it at any target within 30 feet as a standard action. If you succeed on a ranged touch attack, the dispelling orb functions as a targeted Dispel Magic spell (caster level equals your meldshaper level). For every point of essentia you invest in the orb, you gain a +1 insight bonus on any dispel checks you make with it. After the attack is resolved, the invested essentia returns to your essentia pool and can be reinvested as normal. At 15th level, the orb instead functions as a targeted Greater Dispel Magic.

Open Lesser Chakra: At 9th, 10th and 11th level, the Occultist Savant gains Open Lesser Chakra as a bonus feat, even if they do not meet the prerequisites, for any Lesser Chakra they do not already have access to.

Open Greater Chakra: At 18th and 19th level, the Occultist Savant gains Open Greater Chakra as a bonus feat, even if they do not meet the prerequisites, for any Greater Chakra they do not already have access to.

Epic Occultist Savant

Table: The Epic Occultist Savant

Hit Die: d4

Level	Special
21st	Occult Blast 6d6
22nd
23rd
24th	Bonus Feat
25th	Occult Blast 7d6
26th
27th
28th	Bonus Feat
29th	Occult Blast 8d6
30th
2 + Int modifier skill points per level.

Spellcasting: The Epic Occultist Savant gains no more spells prepared per day after 20th level. As usual, Caster Level is equal to class level, and Strain threshold is equal to class level multiplied by Wisdom modifier.

Psionics: The Epic Occultist Savant gains no more powers known or power points per day after 20th level. Manifester level continues to rise with class level, however.

Meldshaping: The Epic Occultist Savant gains no more soulmelds known, soulmelds shaped, new Chakra binds, or Essentia points after 20th level. Meldshaper level continues to rise with class level, however.

Invocations: The Epic Occultist Savant gains no more Invocations after 20th level. Invoker level continues to rise with class level, however, as does Occult Blast damage, increasing by 1d6 at 21st level and every 4 levels thereafter.

Occult Channel: The Occult Savant has a number of daily Occult Channel uses equal to his Charisma Modifier + 1 per 5 class levels, as normal.

Bonus Feats: The Epic Occultist Savant gains a bonus feat every 4 levels after 20th. These feats must be metamagic, metapsionic, psionic, or Incarnum feats.

Human Occultist Savant Starting Package

Weapons: Quarterstaff

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 2 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
Concentration	4	Con	—
Heal	4	Wis	—
Knowledge (Arcana)	4	Int	—
Listen	4	Wis	—
Spellcraft	4	Int	—
Spot	4	Wis	—

Suggested Alignment: Chaotic Good

Feat: Combat Casting.

Bonus Feats: Skill Focus (Spellcraft).

Primary Cleric Domains: Healing, Travel (Travel Domain Granted Ability)

Primary Wizard Schools:Abjuration, Conjuration

Spells: Mage Armor, Shield

Signature Spells:Cure Light Wounds, Magic Missile

Primary Psionic Mantles: Freedom, Life (Freedom Domain Granted Ability)

Primary Psion Disciplines: Psychometabolism, Psychoportation

Power: Dimension Hop

Soulmeld: Blink Shirt

Gear: Potion of Cure Light Wounds; Backpack, bedroll, flint and steel, belt pouch, 2 weeks of trail rations, torch, waterskin.

Gold: 5 GP.

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