Savant (All-Knower – or Know-It-All)

Posted by EarthDragon on 10th January 2017.

The savant is an adventurous expert, an academic who seeks to expand their knowledge of the world by actively exploring it. Savants learn a little bit of everything. Much of their knowledge comes from striking out into various provinces of The Unification. While a sage or other academic relies on sprawling libraries and careful study to expand their knowledge, the savant plunges into the world and uncovers truths long overlooked or lost in the mists of history.

  Adventures

Savants see their adventures as the opportunity to expand their knowledge. In a battle, a savant observes a creature and takes mental notes on its abilities even while struggling to defeat it.

  Alignment

Savants can be of any alignment. Lawful savants seek to catalogue the world’s knowledge, while chaotic savants study whatever lore happens to come across their paths. Evil savants believe knowledge is power, jealously guarding their lore and considering others their bumbling, intellectual inferiors. Good savants seek to broaden the world’s knowledge. They wish to improve the good of all by uncovering forgotten lore and bringing enlightenment to the masses.

  Background

Becoming a savant is a difficult task akin to training to become a san-li. Savants spend long years in an apprenticeship, usually at a major library, monastery, or similar centre of learning. Once a savant completes their training, they must set out on their own to begin their academic research. Many savants return to the place where they first trained to present their findings in hopes of increasing their stature and renown. A savant who uncovers new lore or makes a major intellectual discovery wins tremendous respect from their peers. Feuds among savants who research similar areas are common, and some evil savants resort to trickery and murder to advance their work at the expense of their rivals. Savants tend to identify themselves by the academy where they studied. Each academy has a unique identity among savants. One library might be known for planar research, whilst another college might produce the finest historians in the world. Rivalries and competitions between these academies are both common and intense.

  Role

The savant is a jack-of-all-trades. Their mastery of a wide range of lore, from arcane and divine magic to the secrets of defeating traps, makes them useful in almost any situation. However, savants lack other, more focused classes’ mastery of magic and combat. They are excellent support characters, particularly since their unique talents with skills allows them to mask their allies’ shortcomings.

  Game Rule Information

  Abilities

Intelligence determines the savant’s ability to use their skill talents. Dexterity aids their ability to avoid attackers, while a good Constitution allows them to continue granting their benefits to allies despite injuries.

  Alignment

Any.

  Vitality Points

d8.

  Class Skills

The savant counts all skills as class skills.

  Skill Points at 1st Level

(8 + Int modifier) x 4.

  Skill Points at Each Additional Level

8 + Int modifier

  Class Features

All of the following are class features of the savant.

  Weapon and Armour Proficiency

A savant is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. Savants are proficient with light armour and all shields save for the tower shield.

  Academic Lore

The savant studies a wide variety of disciplines, from the physiology and lore of plants to the genealogy of ancient noble lines. The savant may make a special academic lore check with a bonus equal to their savant level + their Intelligence modifier to see whether they know some relevant information about a particular situation, person, item, historical event, or other subject. If the savant fails the check, they must gain at least one level in this class before attempting to use this ability to answer the specific question again. If the savant has ranks in a Knowledge skill relevant to the situation, they can use both this ability and their normal Knowledge check to answer the same question. A failure with one method has no effect on the savant’s attempt with the other. If both checks fail, the savant cannot attempt another Knowledge or academic lore check on that particular subject until they gain a level in savant or rank in the appropriate Knowledge skill.

  Skill Assistance

The savant’s broad range of talents and insights into dozens of areas of knowledge grant them the ability to lend their knowledge to others. If, for example, a savant sees an approaching ogre, the savant knows how to deliver a swift warning that alerts their allies before the ogre is upon them. If the savant and their friends must slip into a blackguard’s fortress, their intense study of stealth and reconnaissance allows them to mask the clanks of their paladin ally’s armour. At 1st level and again at 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the savant selects a skill from the following list in which they have at least 1 rank: Balance, Climb, Disguise, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Ride, Spot, and Swim. The savant can choose to replace an ally’s skill attempt with their own efforts. Rather than make a skill check, they ally can use the result of a special check made with a bonus equal to the savant’s skill ranks + the ally’s ability score modifier, armour check penalty (if any), and other modifiers as normal. The savant makes the d20 roll on this check in secret (although the DM must know the result) and cannot take 10 or 20. The savant can replace the skill checks of a number of allies equal to their Intelligence modifier. The allies must be within 5 feet of the savant at 1st level. This range increases by 5 feet each time the savant chooses a new skill to gain the benefits of this ability (up to a maximum of 30 feet at 20th level). A target of this ability must choose whether to use the savant’s result or make their own check, and they must choose before they know the savant’s die roll. In any case, the targets of the ability never use their own ranks in addition to the savant’s ranks. They must either make a check as normal or substitute the savant’s ranks and die result for their own. The savant cannot use this ability if their allies wish to make a skill check as part of an attempt to aid another’s check.

  Trapfinding

Savants can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20. Finding a non-magical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. Savants can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. A savant who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it without disarming it.

  Talent Lore

The savant gains a bonus feat at 2nd level and every five levels thereafter. Their intense studies and wide range of training grant them access to specialised abilities and talents.

  Sneak Attack

Beginning at 3rd level, if a savant can catch an opponent unable to defend itself effectively from the savant’s attack, they can strike a vital spot for extra damage. The savant’s attack deals extra damage any time their target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the savant flanks their target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 3rd level, and it increases by 1d6 every six savant levels thereafter. The savant never multiplies sneak attack damage on a successful critical hit. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a savant can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. They cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty. A savant can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The savant must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A savant cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are out of reach.

  Arcane Lore

Savants study magic with the same curiosity and intellectual vigour they use to approach other topics. Through an understanding of the basic theories of magic, the savant learns to cast a limited number of arcane spells. At 5th level the savant gains access to arcane spells as shown on the table below. To learn or cast an arcane spell, a savant must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the spell’s level. The DC for a saving throw against a savant’s arcane spell is 10 + the spell’s level + the savant’s Intelligence modifier. Like other spell-casters, a savant can only cast a certain number of spells per day, based on the number of spell points they receive per day, given in the table below. In addition, savant’s gain bonus spell points based on their Intelligence score. At 5th level, a savant chooses two spells from the savant arcane spell list that they have acquired through research and diligent study. Each level afterward, the savant selects two more arcane spells from the savant arcane spell list. The savant cannot select spells from a given level until they of a high enough level to be able to cast spells of that level. The savant must spend 1 hour per day in study after a good night’s sleep to regain spell points. The savant spends this time reviewing their notes and research. The table below gives the number of spell points per day the savant has for arcane spells, the maximum level of arcane spell they can cast using their base spell point allotment, and the maximum level spell they can cast using bonus spell points (if any). If the maximum spell level cast with bonus points is different from that able to be cast with base spell points, the savant can only cast spells of that level using their bonus spell points.

  Divine Lore

At 10th level, the savant’s broad range of study and research allows them to unlock the secrets of divine magic. The savant learns to manipulate deific energy and use it to cast spells much like a cleric, gaining access to divine spells as given in the table above. To learn or cast a divine spell, a savant must have a Wisdom of at least 10 + the spell’s level. The DC for a saving throw against a savant’s divine spell is 10 + the spell’s level + the savant’s Wisdom modifier. Like other spell-casters, a savant can only cast a certain number of spells per day, based on the number of spell points they receive per day, given in the table above. In addition, the savant receives bonus divine spells if they have a high Wisdom score. The savant gains divine spells in much the same manner as arcane ones. At 10th level, the savant learns two new divine spells from the savant divine spell list. Each level thereafter, the savant gains two additional divine spells. The savant must be of a high enough level to cast a spell before they can learn spells of a particular level (either through their base spell point allotment or through bonus spell points). The savant regains divine spell points at the same time as arcane spell points, and requires one hour of meditation to regain divine spell points after 8 hours of rest. This means that a savant who can cast arcane and divine spells needs to spend two hours to recover all their spell points (1 hour study, and 1 hour meditation). The savant cannot use arcane spell points to cast divine spells, and vice versa, keep track of the two totals separately.

  Ex-Members

There are no special restrictions on savants or rules concerning them losing class features due to transgressions.

Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Arcane Spell Points/Day Maximum Arcane Spell Level Maximum Bonus Arcane Spell Level Divine Spell Points/Day Maximum Divine Spell Level Maximum Bonus Divine Spell Level
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Academic Lore, Skill Assistance (5 feet), Trapfinding -- -- -- -- -- --
2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Talent Lore -- -- -- -- -- --
3 +2 +1 +1 +3 Sneak Attack +1d6 -- -- -- -- -- --
4 +3 +1 +1 +4 Skill Assistance (10 feet) -- -- -- -- -- --
5 +3 +1 +1 +4 Arcane Lore 0 -- 1st -- -- --
6 +4 +2 +2 +5 -- 0 -- 1st -- -- --
7 +5 +2 +2 +5 Talent Lore 1 1st 1st -- -- --
8 +6/+1 +2 +2 +6 Skill Assistance (15 feet) 1 1st 1st -- -- 1st
9 +6/+1 +3 +3 +6 Sneak Attack +2d6 1 1st 2nd -- -- 1st
10 +7/+2 +3 +3 +7 Divine Lore 1 1st 2nd 1 1st 1st
11 +8/+3 +3 +3 +7 -- 3 2nd 2nd 1 1st 1st
12 +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 Skill Assistance (20 feet), Talent Lore 3 2nd 3rd 1 1st 2nd
13 +9/+4 +4 +4 +8 -- 6 3rd 3rd 1 1st 2nd
14 +10/+5 +4 +4 +9 -- 6 3rd 3rd 3 2nd 2nd
15 +11/+6/+1 +5 +5 +9 Sneak Attack +3d6 7 3rd 4th 3 2nd 3rd
16 +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 Skill Assistance (25 feet) 11 4th 4th 6 3rd 3rd
17 +12/+7/+2 +5 +5 +10 Talent Lore 13 4th 4th 6 3rd 3rd
18 +13/+8/+3 +6 +6 +11 -- 16 4th 4th 7 3rd 4th
19 +14/+9/+4 +6 +6 +11 -- 17 4th 4th 11 4th 4th
20 +15/+10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Skill Assistance (30 feet) 26 4th 4th 13 4th 4th
21 * ** ** ** Sneak Attack +4d6 *** *** *** *** *** ***
22 * ** ** ** Talent Lore *** *** *** *** *** ***
23 * ** ** ** -- *** *** *** *** *** ***
24 * ** ** ** -- *** *** *** *** *** ***
25 * ** ** ** -- *** *** *** *** *** ***
26 * ** ** ** -- *** *** *** *** *** ***
27 * ** ** ** Sneak Attack +5d6, Talent Lore *** *** *** *** *** ***
28 * ** ** ** -- *** *** *** *** *** ***
29 * ** ** ** -- *** *** *** *** *** ***
30 * ** ** ** -- *** *** *** *** *** ***

* Base attack bonuses are handled differently for epic characters.

** Save bonuses are handled differently for epic characters.

*** Number of Spell Points per day, numbers of spells known, and maximum spell level does not increase past 20th level. Spell casters above 20th level gain access to Epic Level spells.