Savant (5A)

Starfox's 5th Edition Fan Page

Source: En5ider #246, #250. Original writing Jeremiah McCoy. Heavily edited.

Savants are first and foremost experts, unique even when compared to arcane or divine sages. Brilliant detectives, iconic martial artists, and adventurous physicians are counted among their number, each utilizing brilliance where others rely on magic or brute power. For a savant, saving the day means turning leverage and knowledge into weaponry.

What is a Savant?

The savant is drawing power from knowledge an can improvise quickly and decisively. Avoiding the repetitive magic and martial practices in favor of a more dynamic approach fitting each situation.

Creating A Savant

The first decision when making a savant is deciding why they’ve chosen the intellectual arts over martial or magical disciplines. Were they singled out in their youth for being physically slight and had to rely on their cunning? Are they heir to a dynasty known for the sharpness of their fine minds? Have they been taught at all or did they become a savant by way of self-discovery? Once you’ve determined your savant’s circumstances, you can choose their aptitude - an expression of your interests and studies in game terms.

Brains Over Brawn

There are many kinds of heroes in myths and in legends— some are strong, others brave or righteous, and a rare few are heroic by virtue of their cunning. The savant is the ultimate example of the smart and clever hero. They are supremely intelligent and approach their adventuring life in that context: instead of brute force, a savant applies their understanding of force to achieve the right results.

Quick Build

Quickly building a savant is a simple affair. Your highest ability scores should be Intelligence and Dexterity. Your third highest ability score should be Constitution. Choose the Adversary aptitude. When selecting your starting equipment, choose a rapier, hand crossbow, and tinker’s tools. For skills, pick Investigation and Perception.

Class Profile

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per savant level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per savant level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: None

Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, rapiers

Tools: Choose either alchemist’s supplies or tinker’s tools

Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence

Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Investigation, Perception, and Sleight of Hand

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background.

• a set of traveler’s clothes or common clothes
• a scholar’s pack
• (a) a simple melee weapon or (b) a rapier
• (a) a simple ranged weapon or (b) a hand crossbow and 10 bolts
• (a) alchemist’s supplies or (b) tinker’s tools or (c) thief's tools

Alternatively you can start with 4d4 x10 gp or 100 gp.

Multiclassing

Prerequisite: Intelligence 13

Proficiencies Gained: Simple weapons and proficiency with either Alchemist’s Supplies, Thieves' Tools, or Tinker’s Tools

Savant Table

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Savant Dice	Features
1st	+2	—	Aptitude, Versatile Defense
2nd	+2	—	Analyzed need, Aptitude ability
3rd	+2	—	Savant Tricks
4th	+2	—	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	—	Extra Attack
6th	+3	d6	Aptitude ability
7th	+3	d6	Intelligent Caution
8th	+3	d6	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	d6	Focused Defense
10th	+4	d6	More Tricks
11th	+4	d8	Aptitude ability
12th	+4	d8	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	d8	More Savant Dice
14th	+5	d10	Aptitude ability
15th	+5	d10	Clockwork Mind
16th	+5	d10	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	d12	Aptitude ability
18th	+6	d12	Mindful Soul
19th	+6	d12	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	d12	Ultimate Schema

Class features

As a savant, you gain the following class features.

Aptitude

Your aptitude defines what kind of savant you are. Your aptitude gives you unique features at 1st level and again at 2nd, 6th, 11th, 14th, and 17th level.

Versatile Defense

You constantly analyze combat situations to improve your defensive posture, reacting with trained reflexes to guide attacks away from yourself. Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not using a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Intelligence modifier.

Analyzed Need

At 2nd level, when you finish a short or long rest you can choose a skill. When making an ability check using that skill, you use Intelligence instead of the ability score it normally uses. This lasts until you use this ability again. You can always choose Intelligence as the ability score to use with tools.

Savant Tricks

At 3rd level, you can use savant tricks. You can use any trick you know once, regaining the ability at the start of your next turn.

Tricks and the Action Economy A trick requires no action to use unless the description specifically says so. Most tricks can only be used in certain circumstances, often along with some other action such as an Attack, but using the trick itself does not require any action. Think of it as a bow; the action is to load, draw, and aim the bow - releasing the arrow is just the culmination of actions you have already taken. Some tricks do require some kind of action as given in the description of each trick.

Some of your tricks require your target to make a saving throw to resist its effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Trick save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

You know a number of tricks equal to your Intelligence Bonus (minimum one trick). You can chose the tricks listed below, or other tricks available from your aptitude. When you finish a long rest, you can replace the tricks you know with the same number of other tricks from this list or from your aptitude.

• Diversion. You distract a creature who is attacking you or a creature within within 30 feet of you just as it is about to attack, giving it disadvantage on that attack roll.

• Grounded Reason. You can to reroll a saving throw that you fail. If you do so, you must use the new roll.

• Off-Balance. When you damage a creature with a weapon attack, you can force the target to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, it is either knocked prone or moved up to 10 feet in a direction of your choice. This movement can trigger attacks of opportunity. Until the start of your next turn, the target moves at half speed and has disadvantage on ability checks.

• Sidestep. When you are hit by an attack and there is another creature (not the attacker) within 5 feet of you, you can force the attacker to make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, the attack is redirected to strike a creature of your choice within 5 feet of you, but not back at the original attacker. The original attack and attack roll is applied against the new target.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Savant Dice

At 6th level, you gain a pool of dice you can use to improve your chances. You have a number of d6 equal to your Proficiency Bonus. After you make an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, you can spend a die from your savant pool and add the result to your roll. Your aptitude gives you additional ways to spend dice from your savant pool. You recover all Savant Dice when you finish a long rest.

The size of your Savant Dice improve as you increase your level as a savant, becoming d8 at 11th level, d10 at 14th level, and d12 at 17th level.

Intelligent Caution

At 7th level, when you fail a saving throw against a spell or effect that deals damage, you can use your reaction to reroll using your Intelligence saving throw against the same difficulty. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. Expended uses are recharged at the end of a long rest.

Focused Defense

Starting at 9th level, when you are facing more than one enemy you’re able to use them against each other. As long as there’s more than one enemy within 30 feet, you can use a bonus action to choose a creature within range. Until the start of your next turn, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against you.

Double Tricks

At 10th level, you can use two tricks on the same turn, but you cannot use the same trick twice. You can only do this once, and regain the ability after taking an action to prepare. In addition, you learn two more tricks of your choice.

Regain Savant Dice

At 13th level, when you roll initiative, you regain two Savant Dice, not to exceed your maximum.

Clockwork Mind

At 15th level your mind is so ordered and controlled that is harder to influence. You gain proficiency in Wisdom and Charisma saving throws.

Mindful Soul

At 18th level, your keen mind becomes an asset against all types of obstacles. You have advantage on saving throws. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, regaining all uses with a long rest.

Ultimate Schema

At 20th level, your mental capabilities transcend the normal limitations mortal minds face. You have advantage on all Intelligence checks and saving throws.

Aptitudes

Aptitudes are the different paths of expertise pursued by savants, each a unique focus with its own range of abilities.

Academic

Hobgoblins are not always hostile. They respect displays of strength and adore banners. So let's put Yorik's shield on a pole and present ourselves boldly rather than skulk back here. Even if we have to fight them, they will fight more honorably if we face them openly.

An academic has a deep understanding of many subjects, allowing them to cross-reference information and see solutions that combine many fields of knowledge. They are masters of quickly finding solutions. The academic is perhaps closest to the general idea of what a savant is; a scholar or sage who goes out into the wider world in pursuit of knowledge. They might be known as advisors, scholars, sages, administrators, or armchair detectives.

Academic Proficiencies

When you choose this aptitude at 1st level, you gain proficiency with Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion.

Academic Understanding

At 1st level, as a bonus action, you can observe a creature you can see to learn its creature type and any tags the creature has. If creatures of the target's type have a typical alignment, you learn that alignment. In addition you learn all its permanent damage immunities, damage resistances, damage vulnerabilities, and condition immunities. If a creature has any temporary abilities from this list, of if it temporarily lacks any of these abilities, you do not learn about this.

Exploit Weakness

At 2nd level, with alchemist's supplies in hand, you can spend a bonus action to change the damage type of a weapon you touch. For the next minute, the weapon inflicts your chosen damage type.

What damage types you can change into depends on your level.

At 2nd level you can make the weapon inflict magical damage without changing the damage type.

At 6th level you can make the weapon inflict magical Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage.

At 11th level you can make the weapon inflict Force, Poison, or Thunder damage.

At 14th level you can make the weapon inflict Acid, Cold, Fire, or Lightning damage.

At 17th level you can make the weapon inflict Necrotic, Psychic, or Radiant damage.

Academic Tricks

These tricks are only available to Academics.

• Create Instability. When you hit an enemy with an attack, you can use this trick to create an instability in the creature. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw, or it suffers disadvantage on all saving throws until the start of your next turn.
• Create Opening. When you hit an enemy with an attack, you can use this trick to create an opening. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw, or all attacks against the creature have advantage until the start of your next turn.
• Create Weakness. When you hit an enemy with an attack, you can use this trick to create a vulnerability or weaken a resistance in the target for the next minute. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, choose one damage type. If the creature lacks resistance or immunity to the chosen damage type, it gets vulnerability to this damage. If it has resistance to this damage, it loses that resistance. If the creature has immunity to this damage, it now has resistance to that damage instead. The effect ends at the start of your next turn. When this ability affects a creature, any previous uses of this ability on that creature end.
• Find Opportunity. Choose a creature you see and an immediate objective towards that creature, such as defeating, escaping, bypassing, or befriending it. You learn an action that (in the GM's estimation) would be a good way of achieving this immediate goal, and if you follow this advice, you have advantage on attack rolls or ability checks to act this out until the start of your next turn. You can use Find Opportunity on behalf of another, in which case they get the advantage instead of you as long as they follow the recommended course of action. The suggested action is always something that can be done or at least started within the next round, but not necessarily something you are good at.

DM Tips on Find Opportunity and Suggested Actions The actions proposed by Find Opportunity are usually straightforward, geared towards exploiting an enemy's weakness. Find Opportunity plays on individual quirks in the target making the proposed action easier than similar actions done another way. Sometimes the suggested actions may require special equipment or be humiliating, you and allies might be unable or unwilling to follow such advice, but it is still a useful clue. A Troll guarding a bridge might be bypassed by swimming the river. Freeing prisoners from a chaotic band of orcs might be facilitated by pretending to be slaves. Bypassing an ogre might be done by bribing it with food. Befriending the leader of a patrol of elves might be done by showing interest in the intricate leather-work of his quiver. Hitting a dragon might be best done by attacking the wings. Escaping capture by a goblin chief might be done by embarrassing toadying. It is important to note that the DM should not tell the players what to do. Find Opportunity should not lay out what to do, only how. That is why the objective given in Find Opportunity needs to be so specific. The players need to set their own objectives. Even if the plan is just to charge, then Find Opportunity can give them final details on how to make their plan work. Another aspect of Find Opportunity is that it allows the GM to flesh out the opposition. If Find Opportunity recommends befriending a dwarf king by crawling on all fours, it is a clue to the king's sensitivity on stature.

Academic Dice

At 6th level, when you can spend a Savant Die on an action to harm, observe, or defend against a creature, you learn additional information about the target. Roll a Savant Die and learn information as given below.

1. What attacks the creature has and the damage each attack.
2. What Armor Class the creature has, any reactions it can use, and what saving throws it is proficient in.
3. What spells the target knows (if any). In the case of creatures that prepare spells, you learn what spell lists they can pick spells from.
4. What skills the target knows.
5. The target's point of origin, native terrain, and what languages it speaks (if any).
6. On a result of six or more, you get to chose what information you learn.

Polymath

At 11th level, you can cram a subject to bring out latent knowledge. During a long or short rest, choose a skill, tool, musical instrument, language, or vehicle you lack proficiency in. You can pick a language you have never before encountered. You gain that proficiency and retain it until you end of your next long rest.

Wide Application

At 14th level, when you use the Academic Understanding, Academic Tricks, or Academic Dice abilities, you learn which creatures that you see (if any) have identical statistics to the target, and all identical targets within 30 feet of your target also suffers the effect when you use academic tricks against any one of them.

Stroke of Genius

At 17th level, when you make a d20 check, you can choose to not roll and instead treat the result as a if you rolled a 20 on the die. You can use this three times, and regain the ability at the end of a long rest.

Adversary

“I can’t let you do that,” said the small, unassuming fellow, brushing back his thin hair and wrapping one hand about the top of his walking stick as the brutes turn to face him, their would-be victim dangling in the air. One of the hobgoblins lashes out with an axe but misses, the short man pushing the weapon’s haft ever so slightly and leaning slightly to the side. The next thug stabs in a vicious thrust but his target steps to the right, lashing out with a cane to strike the attacker’s knee and diverting the assault into the hobgoblin holding the victim aloft. As they look upon him with new regard the little man squares himself once more and nonchalantly asks, “shall we begin?”

As an Adversary you are a master of violence. Most warriors work towards maximum force, but adversary savants approach fighting from a different mindset, seeking to control a battle through intelligent application of force. Rather than try to overpower an opponent they maneuver them into a perilous position by way of a superior intellect. Whether you choose to do that up close or at range, you are as effective as any standard warrior and what’s more, because of your subtleties you are easily underestimated.

An adversary might be a militant scholar, fencing-master, or sophisticated duelist. Others may call themselves armed companions or warriors of romance. Some work as bodyguards or discreet enforcers, usually hiding such duties under an air of sophistication. Individual adversaries defy expectations in many ways but are rarely are as flamboyant as the typical swashbuckler, seeing violence as an abhorrent but necessary skill to master.

Adversary Proficiencies

When you choose this aptitude at 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons as well as light armor. In your hands a mace gains the finesse property, and you can use various canes and sticks as if they were a mace. Many adversaries sport a handsome cane that functions as a mace or quarterstaff while appearing to be nothing but an accessory. Another fancy option is the cane sword, a cane that conceals a dagger, rapier, or shortsword, with the larger weapons needing a longer cane.

Smart Defense

Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor or light armor and not using a shield, your AC equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier + your Intelligence modifier, regardless of the type of light armor worn. If you wear magic light armor that adds to Armor Class, add that bonus to your AC.

Studied Target

At 2nd level, you can spend a bonus action studying a creature. For the next minute, you gain a +1 bonus to weapon damage rolls and attack rolls made against the target. You may only have one Studied Target at a time. This bonus increases to +2 when you reach 11th level in this class, and again to +3 at 17th level.

Adversary Tricks

These tricks are only available to Adversaries.

• Affront. On your turn, use this trick to force all creatures within 30 feet to make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, the target’s attention is drawn to you and it has disadvantage any attack or Perception roll it makes against anyone but you until the start of your next turn. You can use this outside of your turn, but then you only affect a single creature.

• Blinding Strike. Use this trick when you damage a creature with a weapon attack. The target must make a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the start of your next turn. A creature that successfully saves against this trick automatically succeeds at the saving throw to avoid blindness for the next hour.

• Pin Down. Use this trick when you damage a creature with a weapon attack. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw or it's speed is reduced to zero until the start of their next turn. They cannot gain any bonus to speed while this is in effect. When you see a creature moving, you can use this trick as a reaction to make a weapon attack against them, and if you inflict damage, they must save or have their movement stopped as above.

• Tangled Dance. Use this trick at any time. Until the start of your next turn, your AC increases by 1 for each enemy within 30 feet of you (to a maximum bonus equal to your Proficiency Bonus).

Tacticia

At 6th level you can use dice from your savant pool to improve weapon attacks. After rolling for an attack, you can spend a Savant Die and add the result to both the attack roll and damage of the attack. This is an extra damage die and is rolled twice on a critical hit as damage dice usually are.

Exploit Patterns

At 11th level, when you make a weapon attack, you can add your Intelligence bonus to the damage inflicted. This is in addition to the Strength or Dexterity bonus you normally get.

Subject Mastery

At 14th level your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 18–20.

Disable

At 17th level, you learn how to immobilize an enemy. When you score a critical hit with a weapon attack, you can force the target to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target is paralyzed for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make a Constitution saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Coordinator

Our line of attack is on the right, with Arthorn leading. I will follow, and Dirgie will cover us with arrows from the left. I will call out any opening I see. We must keep Ilum safe at the rear so he can be ready to use a spell if things turn sour, but likely he can conserve power by using only cantrips. After all, this is just an early skirmish - I expect much tougher opposition later on.

Coordinators are skilled experts who use their knowledge to guide other people. While their talents might seem magical, Coordinators need no incantations to achieve the seemingly impossible. As a Coordinator you are best at supporting teammates, using your abilities to make your companions more effective.

A typical role for a coordinator is a mastermind, military officer, noble, official, or courtier.

Coordinator Proficiencies

When you choose this aptitude at 1st level, you gain proficiency with Insight, Intimidation, and Persuasion.

Cooperation

At 1st level, you can assist an ally as long as that ally can clearly hear you, typically 30 feet, but can be further with the help of things like the Message spell. You can use the Help action as a bonus action or as a reaction when an ally is taking an action. You can always use the Help action, even if you are unable to perform the action you are assisting.

Tactical Eye

At 2nd level, when you see a creature within 100 feet, you learn its level or Challenge Rating, no action required. If the creature is disguised or in an altered form, you learn the pretended strength of the assumed identity, but if you later penetrate the disguise you learn the real Challenge Rating.

Coordinator Tricks

These tricks are only available to Coordinators.

• Coordinated Move. Use this trick as you move. Allies within 30 feet can use a reaction to move up to their speed. Both you and allies that move do not trigger attacks of opportunity for this movement.
• Coordinating the Attack. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you leave the target vulnerable. An ally within reach of the target can use their reaction to attack it with advantage. At 6th level and higher on a hit they add your Savant Die to the damage. This does not spend a die from your Savant Dice pool.
• Precipitous Rescue. You can activate this trick as a reaction when an ally within 30 feet of you fails an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. The ally may reroll their saving throw. At 6th level and higher on a hit they add your Savant Die to the reroll, and if this was an attack roll and hit, you also add the result of the Savant Dice to the damage inflicted. This does not spend a die from your Savant Dice pool.
• Prepared Partner. When you are within 5 feet of a willing ally and either of you is attacked or subject to a single-target effect, you can switch location with that ally. This movement does not trigger attacks of opportunity. If you were the target, it now targets your ally. If ally was the target, it now targets you.

Coordination Dice

At 6th level, you can use Savant Dice to assist allies.

• After an ally within 30 feet makes an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, you can spend a die from your savant pool and add the result to their roll.
• Second, when you or an ally within 30 feet is hit by an attack, you can spend a savant die and add the result to their Armor Class until the start of your next turn, possibly turning the hit into a miss and protecting from further attacks.
• Finally, after a group check that fails, you can spend a Savant Die and spend the points among your allies' skill checks to allow the group check to succeed.

Battue

At 11th level, you can effectively coordinate with your allies to keep track of an attack concealed and invisible enemies. Allies within 30 feet of you gain blindsight with a range of 5 feet.

Omnipresent Coordination

At 14th level, Savant Tricks with a range of 30 feet and the Focused Defense, Informed Coordinator, Coordination Dice, and Battue abilities have their range increased from 30 feet to 100 feet. Battue now gives blindsight with a 10 foot range.

Confound Advantage

At 17th level, enemies you can see within 100 feet of you never have advantage, nor can enemies within this range use advantage to negate disadvantage.

Infiltrator

Oh, you work for the mayor? Here, have another drink. What is he like? Is it true he has a safe hidden behind a picture of his prize pig? Oh, the vanity!

Infiltrators do investigative work like talking to locals, direct reconnaissance of enemy agents and facilities, infiltration, and even a fair bit of brawling in back alleys. A broad skill set is required—an infiltrator must be able to sneak in and out of places, blend into the local populace, escape pursuit, and fight competently.

An infiltrator might be known as a con-man, spy, crook, or tourist.

Infiltrator Proficiencies

When you choose this aptitude at 1st level, you gain proficiency with Deception, Stealth, and thieves’ tools.

Instant Native

Starting at 1st level, you gain the ability to quickly blend into communities you operate in. You gain proficiency in an additional language. Whenever you finish a long rest, you may exchange this language for a different one, but the language you choose must be widely spoken in the place you rested.

Ad Lib

Starting at 2nd level, you develop an ability to fake proficiency in abilities you do not have. You can perform routine tasks even when it would normally require a proficiency, such as a tool, musical instrument, or weapon. But you can't do difficult tasks or make actual tests. When another ask you about a skill or task or inspect your work, you can use Intelligence (Investigation) instead of whatever skill or ability you are supposed to be using.

When you use the Help action to assist tasks, you can help with things you could not do yourself. If you wish, you can make an Charisma (Deception) check as a part of the Help action. Onlookers who fail an opposed Wisdom (Insight) check will believe you were the one doing the task, and that the one actually doing the task helped you. Even the person you helped might believe your skill made all the difference, but has advantage on the Wisdom (Insight) check to see through your trick.

Infiltrator Tricks

These tricks are available only to infiltrators.

• Getaway. You can use this trick as an action to perform both the Dash, Escape, and Hide actions all in the same round.
• Hindering Strike. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can use this trick to reduce its speed to 5 feet until the end of your next turn. You have the option to not deal damage with this attack.
• Quick Change. When you are not directly observed by hostile creatures you may spend an action to make a significant change to your appearance. You can use Charisma (Deception) to assume a new identity as a part of this trick, as long as the disguise is only a matter of head and clothes. For the next minute, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide and Charisma (Deception) checks to hide your identity.
• Vanish. You can use this trick as a bonus action to take the Hide action as long as you have sufficient concealment.

Infiltrator Dice

At 6th level, you can use Savant Dice to in new and interesting ways.

• You can use a Savant Die die to add to the save DC of an effect used by you or an ally within 30 feet.
• When you do not have concealment enough to hide, you can spend a Savant Die. The number rolled is the number of turns you can hide without having anything to hide behind.

Learn the Layout

Also at 6nd level, you gain a much greater sense of your surroundings. When you enter a structure, you are immediately aware of any non-hidden exits out of that building within 100 feet. When you pass within 30 feet of a secret door in your line of sight, the DM makes an Intelligence (Investigation) check for you to find it.

Rigorous Training

Beginning at 11th level, whenever you fail an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, you may immediately reroll the check. You must use the new roll. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Tremorsense

Starting at 14th level, your already formidable situational awareness rises to preternatural levels. You gain tremorsense with a range of 30 feet.

Uncertain Location

At 17th level, while you are hidden, invisible, or otherwise not directly observed, you may use a bonus action to teleport to a spot you can see within a distance up to your walking speed. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Dexterity bonus, regaining all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Investigator

When his manservant was questioned we were told that the Duke had arrived at sundown yet all signs indicated that he died hours earlier. This would suggest a shapechanger or possibly an illusion masquerading as the duke, making the Duke’s son—a known mage—a possible suspect. However when speaking with the servant I noticed something peculiar: he spoke the local dialect, yet his idioms suggest he comes from Ophar. Far be it from me to judge someone based on their origin, but Ophar is infamous for cults of the Abyssal Lords. Add into that the slight yellowing of his hand from the use of sulfur, his curious aversion to our cleric, and it became clear he was a demonologist. A mystery solved but not the last—for he is not the murderer!

Investigators are exemplars of the notion that knowledge is power. They use their cunning to aid in endeavors—sometimes by solving mysteries and other times more militantly as they help allies to find a foe’s weaknesses. They have a sharp eye and a background that lets them assemble clues into a picture of events and who did what.

An investigator might be called a detective, sleuth, magistrate, inquisitor, bounty hunter, or truth-sayer.

Investigator Proficiencies

When you choose this aptitude at 1st level, you gain proficiency with Insight, Investigation, and thieves’ tools.

Weave and Bop

At 1st level, when you take the Dodge action in combat you set up to deliver a counter attack. Until the start of your next turn, when an opponent makes an attack against you and misses, you can spend a reaction to attack that opponent with advantage on your attack roll.

Investigator Tricks

These tricks are only available to Investigators.

• Analyze Move. When an enemy within 30 feet hits with an attack, you can force that opponent to re-roll and accept the second result.
• Exploit Opening. When an ally attacks a creature in your reach, you can make a melee attack with advantage against that same creature.
• Find Weakness. Use this trick at any time. Select a creature within 30 feet. You learn any damage resistances, damage immunities, and condition immunities the creature has, as well as identifying which of its saving throws is the worst.
• Preempt. When another creature is about to take its turn, you can use this trick as a reaction to take an action, including movement. This occurs outside your turn; you cannot take a bonus action and you do not recover your reaction or the ability to use a trick.

Investigation Dice

At 6th level, when observing a creature, you can spend a Savant Die and learn information about the target. You always learn what languages the target speaks (if any), what items they are carrying, what natural attack they can use, and what armor they are wearing. In addition roll a savant die and learn additional information as given below.

1. The target’s alignment.
2. If the target is disguised or capable of changing their form or appearance
3. If the target has spells or magical abilities. Also and what spells the target is under (if any).
4. What skills the target is proficient in.
5. The target's point of origin, native terrain, and the approximate location (within 1 mile) they have spent most of their time in the last three days.
6. On a result of six or more, you get to chose what information you learn.

If there is no significant information gained for the die result, such as if you rolled a two and no spells were cast the last three days, the GM may let you reroll this or the Investigating the Scene roll.

In addition, your skill and breadth of knowledge allows you to see the commonalities of all languages. You can translate any language, even one you have never heard of. Spend an action and roll a Savant Die to translate a number of pages of text or rounds of speech equal to the result of the savant die. If you do this during a long or short rest, you translate ten times as much.

Sucker Punch

At 6th level, when you have advantage on an attack roll and hit, you can add your Savant Die to the damage. This does not spend a die from your Savant Dice pool.

Investigating the Scene

At 11th level, you can spend a savant die and learn information about the location you are in, up to 100 feet in radius. You always learn this information:

• What this place is normally used for and what kind of people frequents it.
• If an attack was made or a spell was cast in the last three days, you know that this happened but not what specific spell, attack, perpetrator or target.

In addition, roll a Savant Die and learn the corresponding information, below. You learn the described information and when these events happened.

1. A brief description of all significant events in the last three days.
2. The three highest-level spells cast in the last three days.
3. Weapons attacks made here in the last three days.
4. General description of creatures who visited in the last three days. If you are acquainted with these creatures, you identify them.
5. A piece of or personal item from a significant creature who visited the location in the last three days. Useful for divination spells and physical evidence.
6. Identify a creature that frequents the area and can be a possible witness.
7. You spot any hidden construction, secret doors, hidden caches, and traps, even those who have been discharged or destroyed. You also learn when these things were used or triggered.
8. On a result of eight or more, you get to chose what information you learn.

Observations In Darkness

At 14th level, you gain blindsight with a range of 10 feet.

Dodge Disadvantage

At 17th level, you never have disadvantage. if you have advantage, you cannot have your advantage cancelled by a disadvantage.

Physic

The tiny needle slid into the wizard’s gut as the physic gently slapped his face. “What in the hells?!,” cried the mage. “Why are you sticking a needle in me?” “Because you were stuck dead by a spell and I needed to reset your humors to bring you back,” she replies with an unnerving calm. “I was dead?” he asks, aghast. “Yes.” The physic answers, a bit frustrated. “Well, only temporarily.” Rubbing at his temples, the mage continues, “and you brought me back...from the dead?” “Yes.” She gestures behind her with one thumb. “Now try and keep up. The others are trying to kill that lich by themselves and it is not going well.”

The study of the body calls to some people. These savants want an understanding of life beyond magic, taking to wandering battlefields or back alleys in search of suffering to heal with nothing more than their hands and knowledge. Physic knowledge can seem esoteric — the relationship of natural humors, the importance of different organs to various functions, and the correct use of herbs may look like a magic, but is not.

As a Physic your role is primarily that of a healer, and though you have access to poisons and other forms of attack your abilities primarily focus on keeping your allies alive.

Mundane Healing in the Game Magical healing in the game is cheap and effective, and to compete mundane healing needs to be the same. The two main branches of mundane healing is the exemplar Physic and the rogue Chirurgeon. The fencer Medico is less proficient and a mix of the other two styles. To merit having two branches, they have to be different, which is expressed in the different classes they belong to. The Physic is focused on medicaments and the balance of the humors. From the Savant, it inherits stunts, and defense. The Chirurgeon is focused on the healing power of the knife, surgery. From the rogue it inherits sneak attack, cutting enemies with a surgeon's precision.

A physic might be known as a doctor, apothecary, wise woman, herbalist, acupuncturist, or healer.

Physic Proficiencies

When you choose this aptitude at 1st level, you gain proficiency with Medicine, the herbalists' kit, and the poisoner’s kit.

In addition, you can use Intelligence instead of Wisdom when making a check that uses Medicine. Abilities below often use Medicine to calculate the effect - this can be either Wisdom (Medicine) or Intelligence (Medicine), your choice.

You can also use a healer's kit without expending any charges.

Physic ’s Care

At 1st level, you can optimize the effects of a short rest. You and any friendly creatures that take a short rest can add your proficiency Bonus to each of the Hit Dice they spend to recover hit points. In addition, you can remove one condition or a level of exhaustion from each resting creature. You can affect a number of creatures equal to your Medicine bonus. Undead and constructs cannot benefit from this ability.

Balancing the Humors

At 2nd level, you can spend an action identify maladies and rout them from a creature within 5 feet. Treating a disease or condition requires a successful Medicine check. If the effect allows a saving throw use the saving throw DC as the DC for this ability. Otherwise use a DC of 12. If the Medicine check fails, you cannot attempt to use this ability on this particular creature again until it finishes a long rest. You can only remove effects that affect a living target. Undead and constructs cannot benefit from this ability.

At 2nd level you can remove a disease and the paralyzed, poisoned, and stunned conditions, as well as any effect on the patient's body that will do damage to the target on later rounds. You cannot negate damage from the environment this way.

At 6th level, you can treat the blinded, charmed, and deafened conditions as well as any effect that can be removed with the Lesser Restoration or Dispel Magic spells. With this and higher level effects of Balancing the Humors, you can only remove effects from living creatures, even if Dispel Magic can remove an Alarm spell, you cannot use Balancing the Humors to remove it as Alarm does not directly affect a living body.

At 14th level, you can reduce the target’s exhaustion level by one, remove the frightened, or petrified condition, any reduction in maximum Hit Points, as well as any condition that can be removed be Remove Curse or Greater Restoration spells.

At 17th level you can remove any conditions that can be removed with the Wish spell.

Physic Tricks

These tricks are only available to Physic's.

• Always With a Tonic. You ready and administer a potion to yourself or an ally within 5 feet without spending an action. At 6th level, you may instead use the Physic Dice ability as a free action.

• Opening Wounds. Use this trick when you attack a creature with a weapon attack and the creature is missing any of its Hit Points. You have advantage on the attack roll. At 6th level you can add your Savant Die to the damage. This does not spend a die from your Savant Dice pool.

• Rescue the Suffering. You can use an action to activate this trick. You gain the benefits of the Dash and Disengage actions, and if you move within 5 feet of a willing creature no more than one size category larger than you, you can pull that creature along as you move. You can only move one creature with this ability.

• Sinister Hand. At 6th level, when you hit with a weapon, you can inject the target with a poison in your possession. If the poison allows a saving throw, use your savant save DC if that is better than the poison's save DC. You always have access to an injected poison that does your Savant Die poison damage with no saving throw.

Physic Dice

At 6th level, you can take an action and spend a savant die to heal a creature you touch. Roll the savant die and add your Medicine modifier, the target recovers Hit Points equal to the result. Undead and constructs cannot benefit from this ability.

Ailment Exposure

At 11th level, countless minor exposures to ailments of all kinds have made you immune to poison damage, the poisoned condition, and all forms of disease, infection, or infestation.

Resuscitate

Also at 14th level, you can revive the dead if you reach them soon enough. You can spend an action touching a creature that has recently died. Make a Medicine check with a DC equal to the number of rounds the creature has been dead. On a success, the creature returns to life with Hit Points equal to the result of your Medicine check. A creature can only benefit from Resuscitate once between long rests. Undead and constructs cannot benefit from this ability.

Healer's Touch

At 17th level, you can use a bonus action to touch a creature. The creature regains hit points equal to 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier. Each creature can only benefit from this ability once. They can benefit again after they finish a long or short rest. Constructs and undead cannot benefit from this ability.

Immunize Self

Also at 17th level, you become immune to the paralyzed, petrified, and stunned conditions. Choose one of acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, psychic, radiant, or thunder damage. You gain immunity to the chosen damage type. When you finish a long or short rest, you can exchange this damage immunity with immunity to another type of damage from this list.