Archaeologist (Pathfinder Class)
Archaeologist
“Professor of Archaeology, expert on the occult, and how does one say it… obtainer of rare antiquities.”
A studious professor of ancient history, religion and archaeology by day, obtainer of rare antiquities by night. Scouring libraries and dungeons for a clue that will lead him to the artifact he seeks, the archaeologist is a scholar and an adventurer. The objects he seeks are often guarded by secrets, traps and hostile parties trying to find the same items. Through guile and smarts the archaeologist must survive any challenges that comes his way. His breadth of knowledge saves him from plenty of scrapes. His careful study and encyclopedic knowledge of creatures big and small give him a great advantage in knowing the weaknesses of any foe he faces. But sometimes knowledge isn't enough and it is time to take out the whip and pistol.
Making an Archaeologist
The archaeologist is exactly who you want to have at your side when facing a complex dungeon. He can identify any challenge you face and with his superior smarts, figure out a solution. Plus he is pretty good with a pistol and a whip. Just be warned, he isn't seeking priceless artifacts for personal gain, he intends to give them away to a museum.
Abilities: Dexterity and Intelligence are the two most important abilities for an Archaeologist.
Races: Any.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Gold: 5d6 x 10 gp (average 175gp) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.
Starting Age: Moderate
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Polyglot +1, Grit, Deeds, Whip Mastery | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Clever Explorer, Encyclopedic Knowledge, Danger Sense +1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Polyglot +2, Improved Whip Mastery, Deeds | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +3 | +2 | +4 | +4 | Quick Draw, Lore Master 1/day | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +3 | +2 | +4 | +4 | Polyglot +3, Greater Whip Mastery, It Belongs in a Museum!, Obtainer of Rare Antiquities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Favorite Professor, Clever Explorer, Danger Sense +2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Polyglot +4, Deeds, Whip Controller | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Reasoned Defense, Lore Master 2/day | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Polyglot +5, Favored Enemy, Obtainer of Rare Antiquities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Danger Sense +3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +8/+3 | +4 | +7 | +7 | Polyglot +6, Deeds | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Lore Master 3/day | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Polyglot +7, Favored Enemy, Obtainer of Rare Antiquities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Danger Sense +4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Polyglot +8, Deeds, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Lore Master 4/day | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Polyglot +9, Favored Enemy, Obtainer of Rare Antiquities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Danger Sense +5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Polyglot +10, Deeds | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Lore Master 5/day | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the archaeologist.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Archaeologist are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, whips, and with one-handed firearms. They are proficient with all light armor.
For When Things Go South: Seeking out the world's historical treasures does not come without risks. An archaeologist must be prepared for any danger that confronts him, and must face such danger with grit and determination. At 1st level, the Archaeologist gains Amateur Gunslinger and Gunsmithing as bonus feats. The Archaeologist uses his Charisma modifier (minimum 1) in place of his Wisdom modifier when determining his maximum grit points and for any other abilities which use grit. Additionally, he also gains a battered one-handed gun identical to the one gained by the gunslinger.
Polyglot (Ex): The archaeologist is comfortable communicating with obscure languages. At 1st level, and every other level thereafter, the archaeologist learns a free language and gets a bonus +1 in linguistics.
Whip Mastery (Ex): The archaeologist gains the Whip Mastery feat.
Encyclopedic Knowledge (Ex): If an archaeologist successfully identifies a foe, he taps into his stores of encyclopedic knowledge as a swift action, searching for some obscure fact that might confer a distinct advantage. He chooses one of the bonuses on the following list. Any bonuses given only last until the end of the encounter, and only apply to the specific creature in question and any others of its exact kind (i.e., if the archaeologist identifies a goblin, he gains the bonuses against all goblins in the encounter, but if a hobgoblin is present, he does not receive the bonus against it). He may not gain multiple kinds of bonuses against one particular foe. If he identifies multiple kinds of foes at once, he may activate a bonus for each one successfully identified as a single swift action. Bonuses from this ability cannot exceed half the archaeologist's class level.
Find the Gap: An archaeologist gains a +1 insight bonus on all attack rolls against the creature and any others of its kind. For every five points by which the archaeologist's check result exceeds the base DC, the bonus increases by +1.
Twist the Knife: An archaeologist deals an additional 1d4 damage against the creature and any others of its kind. This is considered precision damage, and is halved against creatures immune to critical hits. For every five points by which the archaeologist's check result exceeds the base DC, he deals an additional 1d4 damage.
Stay the Hand: An archaeologist gains a +1 insight bonus to Armor Class and all saves against any attacks or abilities made by the creature and any others of its kind. For every five points by which the archaeologist's check result exceeds the base DC, the bonus increases by one.
The archaeologist also adds his class level (minimum 1) to all Knowledge skill checks and may make all Knowledge skill checks untrained.
Clever Explorer (Ex): At 2nd level, an archaeologist gains a bonus equal to half his class level on Disable Device and Perception checks. He can disable intricate and complex devices in half the normal amount of time (minimum 1 round) and open a lock as a standard action. At 6th level, an archaeologist can take 10 on Disable Device checks, even if distracted or endangered, and can disarm magical traps.
Danger Sense (Ex):At 2nd level, an archaeologist gains a +1 competence bonus on Reflex saves to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. In addition, he gains a +1 bonus on Perception checks to avoid being surprised by a foe. These bonuses increase by 1 every 4 archaeologist levels thereafter (to a maximum of +5 at 18th level). This ability counts as trap sense for the purpose of any feat or class prerequisite. The bonuses gained from this ability stack with those gained from trap sense (from another class).
Improved Whip Mastery (Ex): The archaeologist gains the Improved Whip Mastery feat at 3rd level. Also, as an immediate action, the archaeologist can use his whip as a grappling hook to prevent himself or an ally from falling.
Daring Deeds (Ex): At 3rd level, an Archaeologist can select one additional 1st-level gunslinger deed which he can use with his Amateur Gunslinger feat.
Quick Draw (Ex): The archaeologist gains the Quick Draw feat at 4th level.
Lore Master (Ex):At 4th level, the archaeologist becomes a master of lore and can take 10 on any Knowledge skill check that he has ranks in. An archaeologist can choose not to take 10 and can instead roll normally. In addition, once per day, the archaeologist can take 20 on any Knowledge skill check as a standard action. He can use this ability one additional time per day for every four levels he possesses beyond 5th, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.
It Belongs in a Museum! (Ex): The archaeologist believes the world's antiquities belong to the public at large and obtains bonuses whenever he gives away a magical item to a public institution for display. The magic item or artifact cannot be sold, it must be donated. Potions, wands, scrolls, rods and staves cannot be traded in this manner. Items must be found and not crafted or purchased. All bonuses are luck bonuses and do not stack. The archaeologist can only trade in one magical item per price category per character level (for example, a 5th level archaeologist can turn in a Belt of Tumbling (800 gp) for 1 skill point, but if he had a Meridian belt (1,000 gp) he'd have to wait till he attained level 6 to trade it in). The bonuses scale by the retail price of the traded magical item according to the following chart:
| Item Value | Bonus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - 1,000 | The archaeologist increases his grit point pool by 1 OR gains 1 skill point. These are bonus skill points, not ranks in a skill. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1,001 - 3,000 | The archaeologist gains a trait OR +1 to one saving throw. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3,001 - 6,000 | The archaeologist gains +1 AC OR 5 bonus skill points he can distribute however he likes. These are bonus skill points, not ranks in a skill. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6,001 - 10,000 | +1 to all attack and damage rolls OR +1 to one ability score. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10,001 - 30,000 | +2 to AC OR +1 to all saving throws. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30,001 - 60,000 | A bonus feat, the archaeologist must meet all prerequisites, OR an extra gunslinger deed of any level the archaeologist has obtained taken from a gunslinger archetype. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 60,001 - 100,000 | +2 to any ability score OR +3 to all attack and damage rolls. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 100,001+ | +4 to any ability score OR two bonus feats, the archaeologist must meet all prerequisites. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greater Whip Mastery (Ex): The archaeologist gains the Greater Whip Mastery feat at 5th level.
Obtainer of Rare Antiquities (Ex): The archaeologist is an expert in rare items. Relying on intuition and years of study he can determine the properties of magical items and artifacts. He can use a number of times per day equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). At 5th level the archaeologist can Identify magical items, as the spell. At 9th level the archaeologist gains the abilities of the Analyze Dweomer spell to identify magical items. At 13th level he gains the use of the Legend Lore spell to identify magical items or artifacts. At 17th level he gains a permanent +15 Insight bonus to all spellcraft and knowledge checks to identify magical items or artifacts.
Favorite Professor (Ex): At 6th level an archaeologist may share any creature-identification bonus he receives from his Encyclopedic Knowledge ability with all allies within 30 feet who can hear the archaeologist.
Whip Controller (Ex): When using a whip to perform a combat maneuver such as disarm, trip or grapple, the archaeologist can use his Intelligence modifier in place of his Strength to determine CMB.
Reasoned Defense (Ex): Through superior study of his opponents, archaeologists understand where enemies will strike next and prove extra hard to hit. An archaeologist of 8th level adds his Intelligence bonus (if any) to his AC and his CMD. This bonus to AC applies even against touch attacks or when the archaeologist is flat-footed. He loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, when he carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.
Favored Enemy (Ex): At 9th level, an archaeologist selects an organization, nation or group (i.e. a specific thief's guild, a necromatic cult, Nazis). He gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against creatures of his selected type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against them.
At 13th & 17th level the archaeologist may select an additional favored enemy. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by +2.
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