Arcanist (Dragonstar)
 |
| Level | BAB | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +1 spellcaster level in 2 existing classes |
| 2 | +1 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +1 spellcaster level in 2 existing classes |
| 3 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 spellcaster level in 2 existing classes |
| 4 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 spellcaster level in 2 existing classes |
| 5 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 spellcaster level in 2 existing classes |
| 6 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +1 spellcaster level in 2 existing classes |
| 7 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +1 spellcaster level in 2 existing classes |
| 8 | +4 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +1 spellcaster level in 2 existing classes |
| 9 | +4 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 spellcaster level in 2 existing classes |
| 10 | +5 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 spellcaster level in 2 existing classes |
In the Dragon Empire, arcanists seek to emulate the dragons' ability to combine divine and arcane magic, and gain some respect from this. They have a major academy on Planet Meneer in House Golion territory.
An arcanist is willing to trade all other abilities for spells. Always a multiclass spellcaster of more than one spell-casting class, the arcanist oversteps borders and taboos to practice his magic as powerfully as possible. They want to be able to use both arcane and divine magic, ignore the strictures of their gods, cast more spells, and of the highest levels possible. As such, they are willing to trade all other abilities in the pursuit of gaining more magic.
The classic arcanist is usually character with levels as a cleric or druid combined with levels as either a sorcerer or a wizard, but a character with any combination of one arcane and one divine spellcasting class can become an arcanist. The class is a lot less appealing for bards, rangers, and paladins, because of the many class-related abilities they won't develop as an arcanist.
Arcanists train their minds to be precise tools of magic. This takes hour upon hour of rote memorization of pointless gibberish, just to open up that final potential of the mind. The training is usually in special monasteries or from a dedicated mentor and to mind-numbingly repetitive to describe closer. But this training has a detrimental effect upon their spontaneity; arcanists are not known for their creativity, and actually hamper their own magical development in some ways.
Arcanists can be of any alignment. The mental discipline of the class is a lawful trait, but many arcanists are outcasts from their previous religious and magical orders, chaotic individualists who put their own personal development before all other concerns.
Only religions that respect self-sacrifice or magic are likely to encourage their followers to become arcanists. But some clerics go rogue in order to become arcanists; these may have the agents and followers of their former patrons at their heels. Most wizards admire the arcanist's dedication and willingness to give it all up for magical power, but find them lacking in magical creativity. Bards, sorcerers, and druids generally fail to see the point of arcanism, and may even be hostile to such use of their spells. In the Unification Church, The Magus sponsors arcansists.
Hit Die: d4
Requirements
To qualify as an arcanist, the character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills:
- Concentration: 7 ranks
- Knowledge (arcana): 5 ranks
- Knowledge (nature or religion): 5 ranks
- Spellcraft: 7 ranks.
Spellcasting:
- Ability to cast first level divine spells.
- Ability to cast first level arcane spells.
Class Skills
Concentration (Con), Knowledge (any) (Int), Scry (Int, exclusive skill), Spellcraft (Int).
Skill points at each level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the arcanist prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The arcanist gains no new ability to use weapons and armor.
Spells per Day: An arcanist continues training in magic as well as her field of research. Thus, when a new arcanist level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if the arcanist had also gained a level in one arcane and one divine spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. The characters does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking un-dead, metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). This essentially means that the arcanist adds the class level to the level of two other spellcasting classes the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly. The spells of each class is cast just as spells of that class would normally be prepared and cast and retain their basic type (divine or arcane).
This combined spell ability is very powerful, but has several drawbacks, as outlined under special limitations.
Special Limitations:
The arcanist must accept some limitations on his ability to use spells. Power on this level requires some sacrifice, after all.
Limited Magic Item Creation Feats: An arcanist may not count his arcanist levels against the level requirements of learning item creation feats. So a 3 rd level wizard, 3 rd level cleric, 5 th level arcanist cannot learn any metamagical feats requiring a caster level over three to learn, despite the fact that his caster level as either a cleric or wizard is eight.
Prohibited Metamagic: An arcanist cannot use or learn any metamagical feats with spellcasting classes improved by his arcanist class. Any metamagical fears he knows become useless to him unless he has a third spellcasting class not affected by his arcanist spellcasting abilities.
Prohibited Spell Research: Arcanists cannot research new spells for spellcasting classes improved by his arcanist class. This class extend their minds by rote to prepare the maximum possible number of spells; this rigid training destroys the creativity required to come up with new spells. This does not prohibit an arcanist with a spell book from scribing or copying spells, and such a character still gets the two free spells with each level of advancement.
(...)
