Arcane Scholar

Arcane scholars are wizards that have decided to learn as much about magic as possible. Their area of study is broad, and they learn much about magic, but their unwillingness to specialize means they take longer to learn spells than some of their peers. Like all wizards, arcane scholars have a large number of spells they can learn, reflected by their weighty grimoires that many choose to carry. Because they seek to study as much as possible, they lack some of the basic training specialists wizards get, forcing them to rely all the more on their magic.

Racial Class Notes

Favored Class Races

These races get a -2 XP Adjustment bonus if they select this class

Abominations, Cyclopes, Dokaleves, Droids, Elves, Fairies

Class Features

Main Features

Arcane Magic Training: You may choose one magic or metamagic talent you qualify for.

Favorite Cantrip: Select one Cantrip you are currently able to cast. You may elect to use Chi instead of Mana to cast the spell; the color of Mana required is irrelevant.

Grimoire Proficiency: You can equip spell tomes and arcane grimoires in accessory slots.

Mage Weapon Proficiency: You are proficient with Mage's Staves, Rods, and Scepters.

Master of the Arcane: Capstone feature. You increase your number of memory slots by 5 and your maximum SL by 10 as Expertise bonuses and may select either a Greater Arcane Exploit (you must have the Lesser version for that school), or a talent you qualify for of any type.

Minor Exploit Training: Select one school of magic. You gain the Lesser Arcane Exploit for that school. You may alternatively take a magic or metamagic talent you qualify for.

Spell Reference: While equipped with a spellbook, you may look up any spell you’ve recorded in it and cast it while not in combat without needing to memorize the spell in advance. Unless the spell has a ritual component, you require 100x longer to cast the spell than normal when cast this way. 1 AP = 2 seconds for those with 5 max AP, so a spell requiring 3 AP would require 600 seconds (10 minutes). Higher max AP means 1 AP requires less than 2 seconds, while lower means it requires more.

Spell Acquisition

During character creation, you may select a number of level 1 spells equal to [INT ÷ 2] (rounded down), and equally as many level 0 spells. At each Level-Up, you may learn 1 more spell of any level you can cast; you must have an arcane spellbook in order to record new spells. You may also learn spells from others via scrolls or spellbooks. You may study an arcane scroll or spellbook to attempt to comprehend the spell and copy it into your own spellbook; doing so requires 1 hour per spell level (level 0 spells require 20 minutes). When studying the spell, you must make a Spellcraft check of [25 + (2x spell’s level)]; if you fail, you do not copy the spell. Scrolls are lost regardless of if the copy was a success or not. To learn or memorize a spell, your Intellect must be equal to [10 + spell’s level]; you may attempt to copy spells you cannot currently cast if you meet the Intellect requirement, but suffer a -20 penalty on the Spellcraft attempt. You may also pay an arcane tutor to teach you new spells up to the level you can cast (if you’re a hedge mage, requires bribery or deception). If you do not have your spellbook in your inventory (it doesn’t need to be equipped), you may not learn new spells or change what spells you have memorized, but those spells you already have memorized are not forgotten. All spells must be taken from the Arcane spell list.

Additional Notes

”Master” Prestige Class

Archwizard

Career

Qualifications

To become a wizard requires years of study, either in a sanctioned academy or under an illegal teacher. It also requires above-average intelligence, though those of average intelligence may be able to comprehend cantrips (level 0 spells).
Arcane scholars generalize their study of arcane magic, which requires more patience than school-specializing wizards who can ignore sections of their study normally reserved for their opposite schools. Arcane scholars must accept that they will learn higher-level spells more slowly, but will have a more well-rounded repertoire once they reach higher levels.

Career Progression

Level 1: Mage Weapon Proficiency, Grimoire Proficiency, Spell Reference, Arcane Magic Training
Level 6: Arcane Magic Training
Level 12: Arcane Magic Training
Level 15: Minor Exploit Training
Level 18: Arcane Magic Training
Level 24: Arcane Magic Training
Level 25: Favorite Cantrip
Level 30: Arcane Magic Training, Minor Exploit Training
Level 36: Arcane Magic Training
Level 42: Arcane Magic Training
Level 45: Minor Exploit Training
Level 48: Arcane Magic Training
Level 50: Favorite Cantrip, Master of the Arcane

Perception

Purpose

Arcane scholars are the historians of the wizarding world. Whereas specialist wizards push the boundaries of their respective schools and invent new spells, arcane scholars dutifully record these experiments and their results. Arcane teachers tend to be generalists, and most arcane instructors one is likely to find will be arcane scholars.

Social Status

Like all wizards, arcane scholars are viewed differently depending on the region. In more civilized regions, they're looked at as studious nerds or quaint traditionalists. In more primitive communities, they may be viewed with suspicion or hostility, too dangerous to be trusted. Psychics and other hedge mages are often jealous and afraid of wizards, fearing they will summon the Falconers to arrest them.

Alternative Names

Generalist wizards

Demographics

Due to both the difficulty in learning arcane magic, the often expensive cost of their academies, or corrupt arcanists in charge of admittance, the number of legal wizards is small. Rarely more than 10% of the population can boast the ability to perform any arcane magic, and only 5% of those truly know how to use arcana to its fullest potential. Due to their secrecy, it is possible that hedge wizards and other illegal arcanists exist that would raise their demographic percentages.

Operations

Tools

All arcane mages require a spell catalyst of some sort. Typically, wizards enchant their grimoires with runes to allow them to function as catalysts, but basic armaments, such as magical staves and wand-like rods, are common among wizards that perform fieldwork.

Provided Services

Wizards provide a host of magical services, from inscribing runes onto equipment to improve its function, creating scrolls and wands for common quality-of-life spells that are easier for the common man to use, or casting specific spells in times of need. The more adventurous wizards will explore old ruins and dark caves, usually with a group of fellow adventurers. The older or more socially-inept wizards work in libraries and other data centers.

Dangers & Hazards

Arcane magic is relatively safe. Since one requires sufficient knowledge and comprehension before a genuine attempt at an arcane spell can be made, it is rare for someone to accidentally cause a magical disaster with a failed spell. What is more common are wizards with little common sense or concern for their consequences to perform powerful spells in terrible situations. You likely won't find a child accidentally burning his house down because he botched his attempted fireball, but an enraged wizard with nothing to lose may burn a city block down due to being heedless of the lives of others.

Legality

Because of the great potential for abuse, arcane magic is highly restricted. Only those who've been formally inducted into an arcane academy, completed their training, and been fully licensed are allowed to practice arcane magic. If one learned it through self-study or an unauthorized mentor, or failed or dropped out of an academy before being licensed, then that person would be a hedge wizard and be arrested on sight. Unauthorized use of arcane magic is considered a class 4 magical crime, and those arrested by the Falconers for it are punished with years in prison and forced memory erasure.
Most jurisdictions either cooperate with the Arcanists' League or even integrate their regulations into their native laws. However, some are uncooperative or outright defiant, often due to the persecution the Falconers visit upon any who don't strictly adhere to their system.

Archetype

Wizard

Limiting Factors

Attribute Minimums

Strength: 1
Constitution: 1
Awareness: 2
Intellect: 11
Wisdom: 5
Personality: 2
Speed: 1
Agility: 1
Spirit: 3
Luck: 1

Perk Requirements

None

Disposition Restrictions

None

Other Limitations

None

Arcanists' League Legality

Legal if trained and licensed by the Arcanists' League, otherwise a class 4 Hedge Mage

Class Skills

Major Class Skills

Concentration, Detect Magic, Disenchanting, Enchanter, Metaphysics, Runescribe, Spellcraft

Minor Class Skills

Alien, Flight, Hide, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Jeweler, Language, Magic Devices, Move Silently, Reasoning, Runebreaking, Science

Class Attributes

XP Adjustment

+4

Spellcasting Type / Proficiency / Resource

Arcane  / Full / Stress Level

Spell Progression

Level 0: Lv1
Level 1: Lv1
Level 2: Lv9
Level 3: Lv18
Level 4: Lv27
Level 5: Lv36
Level 6: Lv45
Level 7: Lv63
Level 8: Lv81
Level 9: Lv99

Weapons Training / Proficiency

Mage / None

Shield, Instrument, & Spellbook Training / Shield Proficiency

Grimoires, Tomes / None

Armor Training / Proficiency

Clothes / None

Chi Proficiency

None

Technological Proficiency

None

Sneak Attack Maximum

0

Combat Pet

None

High Saving Throw

Intellect

Medium Saving Throws

Awareness, Wisdom, Personality

Skill Points per Level

Intellect ÷ 2 + 5

Class Health Bonus

Constitution + (Spirit ÷ 2) + (1 × 2) baseline HP; (Constitution ÷ 2) + (Spirit ÷ 4) + 1 per Level thereafter

Class Memory Rate

1 + (Intellect ÷ 4) baseline value, +2/3 per Level

Class Initiative Bonus

+0

Class Mobility Bonus

+1

Weapon Base Attack Bonus

+1/5 per Level

Magic Base Attack Bonus

+5/5 per Level