Secluded Scholar

Secluded scholars have studied more than anyone - even wizards - but the focus of their studies is not necessarily magical in nature.  As with experts, the skills an individual scholar learns can be many and varied, although there is typically some sort of unifying theme that directs their study.  Because they lack the magical powers of their arcane scholarly counterparts, secluded scholars rarely adventure, but there is the occasional exception.  In the cases where a scholar does take up adventuring, it will often be a young scholar, interested in living first-hand the many wondrous things described in detail in his books.

Hit Die: d4.

Class Skills

The Secluded Scholar's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Autohypnosis (Wis), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Psionic Device (Cha).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (8 + Int modifier) ×4.

Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.
 

Table: The Secluded Scholar

Class Features

All of the following are features of the Secluded Scholar prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Secluded Scholars are proficient with all simple weapons, light armor and shields (except tower shields).

Bonus Feats:  At 1st level, a scholar gets a bonus skill-related or item creation feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. The scholar gains an additional bonus feat at 2nd level and every two scholar levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th). A scholar must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat.  Skill-related feats include: Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Athletic, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Investigator, Magical Aptitude, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, Self-Sufficient, and Stealthy.

These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. A scholar is not limited to the list of scholar bonus feats when choosing feats that are the result of normal level advancement.

Trapfinding: Secluded Scholars of at least 3rd level can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20.

Finding a nonmagical 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.

Such scholars 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 scholar 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 (with his party) without disarming it.

Scholarly Focus: At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, a Secluded Scholar gains a +5 competence bonus to one of the following focus groups of skills.  A scholar who takes the same focus twice increases this bonus to +10 and gains an additional ability, as noted below.  Even a scholar who has not focused in a certain type of skill or knowledge will often be more knowledgeable than so-called experts on the subject.

Environmental: Hide, Knowledge (dungeoneering/geography/local/nature/planes), Listen, Move Silently, Spot, Survival, Swim

Planar Alignment (Ex): An environmental scholar gains the ability to mimic the dominant alignment of whatever plane he stands on. He incurs none of the penalties for having an alignment at odds with that of the plane.  He has the dominant alignment of the plane with regard to magic, but his behavior and any alignment-related Class Features are unaffected.  Regardless of where he stands, spells and abilities that harm others based on alignment do not affect him.

Historic: Appraise, Craft, Diplomacy, Knowledge (history/nobility and royalty/religion), Profession

Lore (Ex):  An historic scholar gains the ability to know legends or information regarding various topics, just as a bard can with bardic knowledge. The scholar adds his level and Intelligence modifier to the lore check, which functions otherwise exactly like a bardic knowledge check.

Linguistic: Bluff, Decipher Script, Forgery, Gather Information, Listen, Sense Motive

Slippery Mind (Ex):  A linguistic scholar can use cleverly defined nuances and loopholes in an attempt to free himself from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel him. If he is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails his saving throw, he can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. He gets only this one extra chance to succeed on the saving throw.

Technical: Disable Device, Escape Artist, Knowledge (arcana/architecture/psionics), Open Lock, Psicraft, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device, Use Psionic Device

Improved Evasion (Ex):  A technical scholar can use his deep understanding of the supernatural to avoid magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. If he fails his saving throw, he still only takes half damage. Improved Evasion can be used only if the scholar is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless scholar does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Analyze Flaws (Ex): If a scholar of at least 7th level studies a subject for 1 full round and makes a successful Knowledge check (DC equal to 10+target HD), he can recognize the subject and recall what weapons are needed to overcome its damage reduction.  He also gains the ability to bypass 5 points of the subject's damage reduction.  This effect lasts one round per level, and stacks with similar effects such as Sense Weakness.  If no weapons overcome a subject's damage reduction, or if the Knowledge check fails, no benefit is gained.  While performing a flaw analysis, a scholar cannot make attacks or attempt actions requiring concentration, but he can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the subject.

Defensive Insight: A scholar of 9th level or higher gains an insight bonus to AC equal to his class levels if he makes a successful Knowledge check to recognize his attacker's weapons (or the attacker itself, if natural weapons are involved).  The scholar must fully recognize the weapon for this benefit to be gained.  For magical weapons, this involves a Knowledge (arcana) check with a base DC of 10, +5 for every feature or bonus the weapon has.  For monsters, apply the normal identification DC of 10 + monster HD, adding 5 for each unusual feature or bonus the monster has.  A scholar that is entangled, helpless, or otherwise unable to effectively react to the limitations of his enemies' attacks does not gain the benefit of this bonus.

Related Knowledge (Ex): A scholar of at least 11th level increases his skill synergies, gaining +4 synergy bonuses rather than the normal +2 bonuses.

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