Literate Mage (3.5e Prestige Class)

Literate Mage

“	The Word of God is all-powerful!	”
—Slrr'tzk Brr'zznat, Drow Cleric, A Dummy's Guide to Fearing Lolth

The Literate Mage has combined his Wordmaster or Word Wizard powers with those of a more SRD-accessible spellcaster to become an incredibly versatile caster.

Becoming a Literate Mage

To qualify to become a mystic theurge, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

• Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 6 ranks, or Knowledge (psionics) 6 ranks. Decipher Script 6 ranks.

• Spells: Able to cast 2nd-level divine spells or 2nd-level arcane spells or 2nd-level psionic powers. Able to cast at least 15 words per day.

Table: The Literate Mage

Hit Die: d4

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Spells per Day
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	+1 level of existing arcane, divine, or psionic spellcasting or manifesting class/ +1 level of existing Wordcasting class
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	+1 level of existing arcane, divine, or psionic spellcasting or manifesting class/ +1 level of existing Wordcasting class
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	+1 level of existing arcane, divine, or psionic spellcasting or manifesting class/ +1 level of existing Spell Word-Based class
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	+1 level of existing arcane, divine, or psionic spellcasting or manifesting class/ +1 level of existing Spell Word-Based class
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	+1 level of existing arcane, divine, or psionic spellcasting or manifesting class/ +1 level of existing Spell Word-Based class
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	+1 level of existing arcane, divine, or psionic spellcasting or manifesting class/ +1 level of existing Spell Word-Based class
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	+1 level of existing arcane, divine, or psionic spellcasting or manifesting class/ +1 level of existing Spell Word-Based class
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	+1 level of existing arcane, divine, or psionic spellcasting or manifesting class/ +1 level of existing Spell Word-Based class
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	+1 level of existing arcane, divine, or psionic spellcasting or manifesting class/ +1 level of existing Spell Word-Based class
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	+1 level of existing arcane, divine, or psionic spellcasting or manifesting class/ +1 level of existing Spell Word-Based class
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Forgery (Int), Listen (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int).

Level	Special
11th	—
12th	—
13th	—
14th	—
15th	—
16th	Bonus feat
17th	—
18th	—
19th	—
20th	—

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Literate Mage.

Spellcasting: At each level, you gain new spells or power points per day and an increase in caster or manifester level (and spells or powers known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting or psionic class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one divine, arcane, or psionic spellcasting or manifesting class before becoming a literate mage, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

You also gain caster level, words per day, and words known as though you had gained a level in a wordcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one wordcasting class before becoming a literate mage, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining caster level, words per day, and words known.

Hit Die:

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Spells: When an odd-numbered literate mage level above 10th is gained she gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable), as if she had gained a level in an arcane, divine, or psionic spellcasting or manifesting class she belonged to previously, up to the maximum spells per day and spells known by that class. Her caster level in that class also increases by +1. When an even-numbered literate mage level above 10th is gained she gains new words per day (and words known, if applicable), as if she had gained a level in a wordcasting class she belonged to previously, up to the maximum spells per day and spells known by that class. Her caster level in that class also increases by +1.

Bonus Feats: The epic literate mage gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic literate mage feats) every 6 levels after 10th.

Epic Literate Mage Bonus Feat List: Automatic Quicken Spell, Automatic Silent Spell, Automatic Still Spell, Bonus Domain, Enhance Spell, Epic Spell Focus, Epic Spell Penetration, Epic Spellcasting, Ignore Material Components, Improved Alignment-Based Casting, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Heighten Spell, Improved Metamagic, Improved Spell Capacity, Intensify Spell, Multispell, Permanent Emanation, Spell Knowledge, Spell Opportunity, Spell Stowaway, Spontaneous Domain Access, Spontaneous Spell, Tenacious Magic.

Playing a Literate Mage

Literate Magi are as varied as they are rare (probably, unless you make them common in your setting for some reason).

Literate Magi in the World

“

I'm so glad I'm not just restricted to the 15 words I know. Thunderhead is so hard to describe with Words.

”

NPC Reactions: Dual-class spellcasters are a strange sight.

Literate Mage Lore

Characters with ranks in can research to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

DC	Result
11	.
16	.
21	.
26	.

Literate Magi in the Game

Adaptation:

Sample Encounter:

EL whatever:

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