Philosophical Savant (Oracle/Wizard)

From the grandest educational establishments to the dens of tribal shamans, knowledge has always been garnered by those who seek answers to the most unsolvable of divine questions. Those who delve deep into these mysteries in pursuit of answers are known as philosophical savants. These philosophical savants are seekers of knowledge and messengers of enlightenment. The life of a philosophical savant is often defined by an extraordinary revelation or some deeper calling that governs their ethical and doctrinal outlook. While the philosophical savant occasionally relies upon divine inspiration and the dogma of her god, she prefers to set her keen mind, reason, and logic to the task of solving such questions. Her belief in the divine allows her to leap beyond the bounds of logic that so readily binds other scholars, while allowing her to achieve feats unknown to those who aren't divinely blessed or cursed. Through the combined knowledge of the divine and the arcane, philosophical savants utilize their sheer arcane willpower to learn hidden secrets and theories that have been long forgotten. (Original Concept by Tyrannical)

Primary Class: Oracle.

Secondary Class: Wizard.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d8

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The philosopher may select three wizard skills to add to her class skills in addition to the normal oracle class skills. The philosopher gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier. Some revelations grant additional class skills.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The philosopher is proficient with all simple weapons, and with light armor.

Spellcasting: A philosophical savant casts divine spells drawn from the cleric/oracle spell list and the sorcerer/wizard spell list. The philosophical savant can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. However, casting a sorcerer/wizard spell that is not on the cleric/oracle spell list expends a spell slot one level higher than normal. If a spell appears on both spell lists, the philosophical savant uses the cleric/oracle spell list to determine its level. In addition, a philosophical savant gains bonus spells for a high Wisdom score. A philosophical savant otherwise learns and casts spells as an oracle of her level.

Oracle’s Curse: This is exactly like the oracle ability of the same name, except that the philosophical savant must choose the new Scholar’s Burden curse. Any school spell learned as a mystery spell is considered a divine spell and does not require a spell slot one level higher to cast it. In addition, a philosophical savant is considered a wizard for the purpose of qualifying for arcane discoveries, and may choose one in place of a regular feat.

School Powers: At 1st level, a philosophical savant gains the powers of her arcane subschool or elemental school. She gains her first school power at 1st level, her second school power at 7th level, and her third school power at 15th level. This ability replaces the revelations gained at 3rd, 7th, and 15th level, and her final revelation.

Study: Starting at 1st level, a philosophical savant’s power comes from the knowledge and enlightenment she has obtained. A philosophical savant must choose one area of study. Each area of study grants the philosophical savant an arcane subschool or elemental school and an oracle mystery. Once an area of study is chosen, it cannot be changed. The philosophical savant cannot choose the arcane subschool or elemental school granted from her area of study as one of her Scholar’s Burden opposition schools. The philosophical savant chooses one of the following arcane or elemental areas of study.

Arcane Studies: These areas of study focus on specific subschools of magic and oracle mysteries.

• • Anomaly: Eldritch magic seeps into the world in unexplainable ways. As such, the philosophical savant of the anomaly study finds herself intrigued by these primal events. The philosophical savant gains access to the Shapechange subschool and the Spellscar mystery.

  • Cabalist: The mysteries of the occult world rings true to many pursuers of knowledge, but none more so than the philosophical savant of the cabalist study. The philosophical savant gains to the Banishment subschool and Occult mystery.

  • Cataclysm: Natural disasters are an inevitability, and clear the way for change, or simply sheer destruction. The philosophical savant gains access to the Admixture subschool and the Apocalypse mystery.

  • Gaia: While not inherently a druid, the philosophical savant takes her teachings from and seeks wisdom born of the gaia study. The philosophical savant gains access to the Creation subschool and Nature mystery.

  • Infernal: The demons and devils entice many with forbidden knowledge, and techniques for exerting mastery over these creatures. To the philosophical savant, such knowledge is known as the infernal study. The philosophical savant gains access to the Infernal Binder subschool and Outer Rifts mystery.

  • Knowledge: Philosophy in its original form is the pursuit of lore and secrets, and otherwise known to the philosophical savant as the knowledge study. The philosophical savant gains access to the Scryer subschool and Lore mystery.

  • Martial: While some say violence is never the answer. However, some philosophical savants treasure the knowledge of tactics and warfare and enter the martial study. The philosophical savant gains access to the Generation subschool and Battle mystery.

  • Nocturnal: The night holds many secrets and dark powers, but to the philosophical savant that pursues such knowledge calls it the nocturnal study. The philosophical savant gains access to the Shadow subschool and Lunar mystery.

  • Ritual: Voodoo and juju are mysterious and deadly magics indeed. It is worthy of examination and practice by the philosophical savant who has entered the ritual study. The philosophical savant gains access to the Manipulator subschool and Juju mystery.

  • Spectrum: Light and color build the foundations of illusion and perception. So it is to the philosophical savant who follows the spectrum study. The philosophical savant gains access to the Mage of the Veil subschool and Heavens mystery.

  • Spiritual: Ghosts and apparitions that manifest themselves on the material plane intrigue certain philosophical savants, and so they enter the estranged spiritual study. The philosophical savant gains access to the Phantasm subschool and Ancestor mystery.

  • Temporal: The concept of time is something of a mystery, but to what degree is it controllable is the question raised by philosophical savants that follow the temporal study. The philosophical savant gains access to the Foresight subschool and Time mystery.

  • Undeath: Followers of the undeath study examine the undead and the effects of necromantic energies, tapping into this dark forbidden knowledge. The philosophical savant gains access to the Undead subschool and Bones mystery.

  • Vigor: The philosophical savant who treasures life often follows the vigor study and dedicates her study to medicine and physical care over a willingness to harm others. The philosophical savant gains access to the Life subschool and Life mystery.

Elemental Studies: These areas of study focus on elemental schools of magic and oracle mysteries.

• • Aquatic: Water as an element offers freedom and life, to which the followers of the aquatic study will testify, harnessing the powers over the waves and seas. The philosophical savant gains access to the Water elemental school and Waves mystery.

  • Boreal: The power of arctic frost and bitter cold can be utterly devastating to those who do not understand its powers. To those philosophical savants who do are often drawn to the boreal study. The philosophical savant gains access to the Cold elemental subschool (see Super Genius Games) and the Winter mystery.

  • Dunes: The desert holds many secrets, protected by the scorching sun and searing winds, entombing mysteries below the sands for only the wise to find. The philosophical savant gains access to the Wind elemental school (see Supra Genius Games) and the Solar mystery.

  • Geology: Earth provides foundation and stability, and as such, those philosophical savant’s learning from the geology study better understand the force of stone. The philosophical savant gains access to the Earth elemental school and Stone mystery.

  • Incendiary: Fire represents power and knowledge. While often seen as pyromaniacs, this is a standard to which the philosophical savants of the incendiary study adhere. The philosophical savant gains access to the Fire elemental school and Flame mystery.

  • Metallic: Metal is a malleable and practical element, used to create the sharpest blades and toughest armor. The philosophical savant of the metallic study prides herself on knowledge of metalsmithing and battle. The philosophical savant gains access to the Metal elemental school and Metal mystery.

  • Stellar: The dark tapestry entices many to seek the knowledge of star patterns and wonder what lies beyond. The philosophical savant who does is often part of the stellar study. The philosophical savant gains access to the Void elemental school and Dark Tapestry mystery.

  • Timbers: To some philosophical savant’s, woodworking is an honest craft, while to others, basic natural elements like wood and fibers have the capacity for so much more. Thus, certain philosophical savants have brought the timbers study into existence. The philosophical savant gains access to the Wood elemental school and Wood mystery.

  • Weather: There are those who believe a shift in the wind is an omen and that storms represent a change in events. Such ideas lure the superstitious philosophical savant to the weather study. The philosophical savant gains access to the Air elemental school and Winds mystery.

This ability otherwise functions as and replaces the oracle’s mystery ability.

Revelations: This is exactly like the oracle ability of the same name, except that that the philosophical savant can choose a revelation from her mystery at 3rd, 11th and 19th level.

Table: Philosophical Savant

Table: Philosophical Savant Spells Known